Well that was a painful way to spend an afternoon on Saturday watching us get horsed by a Kilmarnock team that, while not being particularly great, actually offered a goal threat.
First things first - their fourth goal by Rory McKenzie was a great goal and if you haven't seen it you should watch it. Fantastic counter attacking play and a sublime finish.
It was exactly what we didn't do all afternoon. One or two touch football all the way from box to box. We on the other hand take four or five touches before moving it on and it slows us down far too much.
It might be an uncomfortable discussion for many Arabs, but we need to talk about Callum Butcher's role in our team. Yes he does great work defensively and when we're up against it he can put man of the match performances in. But when we have the ball he's a man down. He almost exclusively drops in beside the centre halves, takes the ball, takes four touches then passes it sideways to another cb. Often it means Connolly having to try to be a footballer, which he clearly isn't.
It's perhaps unfair to single out Butcher but it's symptomatic of where we're struggling at the moment. We just don't attack with any pace or real intention and it kills us. We could have played until this afternoon and not scored against a fairly average Killie side. It highlights that once we go behind then we're going to struggle to come back into games.
We have the bones of a good side we just need some quality. I keep saying it week after week. Yes we've got Shankland to come back, and yes I understand the reasons why we've not signed anyone, both financially and the footballing reasons, but it's inducing more and more concern as each week ticks by. We need players. We're desperate for them. They need to come in if we're going to remain competitive in this division. We can't just rely on workrate every week, which of course failed us this week.
I'm not going to panic - if we're honest this was probably coming - but it does create concern.
A disappointing weekend.
Mon the Terrors
KFC 4 DUFC 0
posted on 31/8/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 31/8/20
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 12 minutes ago
Fun fact: Glasgow is a provincial city.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
By some minority contextual definitions, yes.
In this case, no.
posted on 31/8/20
One for the purists Ivan?
posted on 31/8/20
Pathetic.
Your mince fitba got me feck aw points on the Predictor and that was after me singing your team's praises.
posted on 31/8/20
comment by Zico - IX (U21900)
posted 29 minutes ago
Pathetic.
Your mince fitba got me feck aw points on the Predictor and that was after me singing your team's praises.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I got four results out of six.
But four correct scores, which I think is pretty impressive.
Irish....only if the purists are Kilmarnock fans.
posted on 31/8/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 31/8/20
comment by The Crystal Skull from thon Indiana Jones Disa... (U21917)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Zico - IX (U21900)
posted 29 minutes ago
Pathetic.
Your mince fitba got me feck aw points on the Predictor and that was after me singing your team's praises.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I got four results out of six.
But four correct scores, which I think is pretty impressive.
Irish....only if the purists are Kilmarnock fans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
did you have Killie 4 United 0?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I did not.
posted on 31/8/20
Fook it...I thought this was an article about the Colonel with the wee beady eye and some deal involving 4 pieces of tasty chicken
posted on 1/9/20
With regards to Butcher he has to be deployed at centre half in the next game. Drop Connolly as a mistake is why you get dropped. If Smith isn't back for the next game I would start with Freeman at right back.
In midfield I would go Appere, Powers, Neilson and Bolton. Appere has the best of games when he is wide left and cutting in. Powers is tidy in possession. Neilson is a player that can come out of midfield with the ball. Bolton is a winger who will get running against the fullback.
Upfront Cammy Smith. A guy with pace instead of Nicky Clark. Play Glass off him and have Shankland on later in the game to build up his match time.
Mellon was found out big time. A manager played two strikers and got a 4 nil victory. That in itself suggests get defensive midfielders away, they serve no purpose. Two strikers give the defence more to think about. Connolly couldn't cope and Killie got the rewards.
Mochrie seemingly on his way out? Him and Glass haven't seen any first team action. Yet we struggle to create yet these two do create. Mellon for me is guilty of not utilising the whole squad. That is certainly in the coaching manual. Suffer in an area and ignore players that can rectify the problem.
posted on 1/9/20
Tough season ahead Ivan, chum.