If Peter Houston complains about having a very young squad again this season then I hope someone reminds him that we've just been knocked out of the cup by a team that played a total of 9 - let me repeat that, NINE - players who were 19 years old or under.
I've not heard his post match comments, but I can guarantee that he'll talk about the missed chances - and there were a lot of them - and probably criticise the defending that led to the goal. He might even criticise Johnny Russell for his role in the second goal. He might even have a point, because we should have buried them with the chances we missed.
But we didn't. We got beat. And this is a results business. And to make things worse, that was his best team. This is his team now. And when we have a team that's best hope of a goal - and our only tactic - is to pump balls into the box to hope someone can get on the end of it with no intricacy, no players capable of playing passes and replacing footballers with runners then that is completely his fault.
Then there is his defence. Garry Kenneth and Gavin Gunning would most likely be good players if they had the right man alongside them. But they don't. They have each other. And together they are a disaster. Time after time long balls were pumped down the park and the longer the game went on the less capable they became at dealing with these balls. Shocking.
Then there are his changes. Now I know people will say Daly should have been off instead of LDV, and I'd agree, but Houston's tactics are so reliant on humping balls into the box that we need Daly on the park. But what annoys me the most is his inability to take the initiative. We got the equaliser and were in the asendancy. A positive change could have kept the pressure on. But he did nothing. He waited to see what Falkirk would do. Then he realised we were getting closer to extra time. So he waited to see what Falkirk would do before making his change. We clearly needed changes. Scott Robertson was knackered. John Rankin had barely contributed to the game. Barry Douglas was typically ineffective. But he waited to see what Falkirk would do. He was his usual reactionary self. Not good enough.
With the financial situation at United we needed that semi final appearance (and possibly final the way the draw is panning out). The Chairman must be considering if he is the right man to take us forward now.
Final thing I want to say is that Falkirk had a magnificent support tonight who backed their young team fantastically well. They were a credit to their club.
Oh well, at least we have a relegation battle to look forward to....
Kids
posted on 26/10/11
Don't think Rankin's the sort to take the game by the scruff of the neck - that's the problem, none of our midfielders are. Flood, Rankin and Robertson are all far too similar to play with each other effectively, and Douglas... well I'll be kind and just say he's a left-back.
That's what I don't understand, why do we not play with any attacking midfielders? We need at the very least one, and ideally 2. The strikers have no support otherwise, it's just so bloody basic it really annoys me that Houston doesn't realise it. Quite frankly it depresses me that he's in such a high-paid job if he really is that stupid that he can't see you need support from midfield. Why can't I have a high-paid job despite being totally incompetent?
Dalla Valle has looked good, but you're right, he's just holding back Russell at the moment, which is just daft. He should be there as an option, or (shock horror!) there in place of Daly who is clearly still unfit.
posted on 26/10/11
Yeez huv a team yer attendances deserve
posted on 26/10/11
Sorry TCD, you'll have to translate that last comment.....
posted on 26/10/11
I thought garethplanet would have been on here for a RANT.
posted on 26/10/11
Yeez huv a team yer attendances deserve
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And you have the life you deserve
Did you have to get someone else to type that for you?
posted on 26/10/11
Yeez huv a team yer attendances deserve
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Come on guys... that is brilliant! these smackheeds brighten up my day. The boy was obviously abusedasaweeboy by Father O'donoghue...
posted on 26/10/11
Yeez huv a team yer attendances deserve
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TCD, you have a team that fickle fans like you deserve.
It'll be just like the Mowbray era attendances again if you get pumped out the cup from the Hibs tonight.
Faful fru an fru? Aye, right.
posted on 26/10/11
Yeez huv a team yer attendances deserve
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so diz yeez
posted on 26/10/11
To be fair TCD has a point. ST is taking a bit of stick from certain sections of United fans for not putting more money into the club. Why would he do that when around 4000 turn up for a quarter final.
For all those who want PH sacked were are we going to get the money to pay him off. Even if we did have that money I would rather spend it on Scott Allan.
Rankin has been Utds best player this season.
Gunning is a decent defender and has certainly added a but more quality to the squad.
VDM. He was a donkey but is now with Bayern Munich!!!
Flood was a lazy signing by PH. Judging him on his previous spell at Utd rather than what he did when he left.
LDV is not really a gamble. If he plays 25mins a game Utd dont have to pay a penny for him. It is only if he doesnt play then we have to pay his wages.
If anyone was at the game last night Utd played well and certainly deserved to win easily. It was hardly rout 1 as we played it down the left most of the game firing in some decent crosses. Unfortunately it wasnt the strikers day. On another day we may have scored 5 or 6.
I am not a Houstan fan but I dont see the point in spending money to pay him off then having no idea who to replace him with. I certainly would not be happy with Jeffries, McGhee, Calderwood etc.
United will not get relegated and will do enough to finish mid table. After losing so many players maybe we have to accept that this season and maybe next!
posted on 28/10/11
As always a fair and well-put article underlying all the important points, and offering a reasoned and articulate analysis of the current situation, Ivan.
I agree with everything you have said here, and I'm sure I'm not alone.
Also RE the attendances, these have been declining recently and unfortunately I really don't know what we can do about it. We must get a kids go free day on the go, although I'm not sure whether that would make money or simply lose it due to semi-regulars who go with their kids anyway and as such spend less money.
It's going to be a long, hard season.