One of the worst games of football I've sat through in years. Utterly dire.
Neither team were at the races and it was a hugely frustrating afternoon. For us (because I don't really care about Partick) most of the criticism will be directed at the matchwinner Ciftci. I'm not going to defend him. He was woeful all afternoon. The ball never stuck going forward, he wouldn't pass and he tried to do everything himself, which inevitably ended up with him being tackled. He also (inevitably) got involved with his opponents and appeared to throw an elbow into the big lad he was battling with in the second half.
However he wasn't alone. GMS had long spells where he might as well have been sat with me. Armstrong too. Erskine wasn't particularly good either. The midfield duo did very little.
The only players who get pass marks for me were Fojut who I thought was excellent, Morris to a slightly lesser extent and probably man of the match was Sean Dillon. However, on Dillon, as good as he was, playing a right footed defensive player at leftback hurts the shape of the team and severely limits us going forward. How we miss an Andy Robertson or a Paul Dixon.
The penalty was a stonewaller, and was more an assault than a tackle. Having said that I thought Ciftci was trying to draw the foul rather than score. I was half expecting him to miss the penalty given the way he was playing but thankfully he tucked it away.
I really don't know what to make of us at the moment. We are playing some stinking football but we're winning. We've got far more points on the board than we did last season at this stage (I think we were only on 12) and we're in a great league position. But at times we look like a poor side. I get very frustrated by Jackie's unwillingness to change the shape of the team (not helped by our lack of strikers - again his responsibility) and it's games like this that we really don't need both Paton and Rankin in the midfield. We need a creative player rather than a worker.
Meh. We won. We're second in the league. I'm going to ignore the problems and just be happy about that. Hopefully Jackie does the opposite and addresses the problems.
DUFC 1 PTFC 0
posted on 20/10/14
It's utterly imperative that we get someone in during the January window as a striker and it's got to be someoneccapable of starting. There's no point signing someone as a backup as we need quality.
I'd imagine it would most likely be a loan which we have a patchy record with. In fact I'm struggling to think of any good loan signings we've made...
I disagree with you Hobo on Ciftci. I'm a fan. I know he's frustrating and inconsistent and moody but he also has real quality and, as shown on Saturday, even when he's playing badly he can produce a moment to win a game. There are very few players in our league can do that.
posted on 20/10/14
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 20 minutes ago
It's utterly imperative that we get someone in during the January window as a striker and it's got to be someoneccapable of starting. There's no point signing someone as a backup as we need quality.
I'd imagine it would most likely be a loan which we have a patchy record with. In fact I'm struggling to think of any good loan signings we've made...
I disagree with you Hobo on Ciftci. I'm a fan. I know he's frustrating and inconsistent and moody but he also has real quality and, as shown on Saturday, even when he's playing badly he can produce a moment to win a game. There are very few players in our league can do that.
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Ritchie
posted on 20/10/14
Feck off
posted on 20/10/14
How's things Ivan?
posted on 20/10/14
Is Brian Graham's loan until January or is it a whole season?
posted on 20/10/14
Lauders, not bad bud. Monday morning blues though. How's things with your good self?
Border, think it's the season. His contract ends then too so he's finished at the club.
posted on 20/10/14
Much the same Ivan
Monday ruffness and fear
going to find a new job today, current one is a loadapish
posted on 20/10/14
I'm like that too. My job is boring as feck but I've been doing it that long I'm just stuck in a rut.
posted on 20/10/14
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 4 minutes ago
I'm like that too. My job is boring as feck but I've been doing it that long I'm just stuck in a rut.
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I shouldn't do this when I'm ruff
I've just spiced up my cv with a fake London marathon completion date.
posted on 20/10/14