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Post by The Lions' Den on Apr 8, 2016 10:09:38 GMT 1
Post your match comments here..........
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Post by Auldnick on Apr 8, 2016 18:30:25 GMT 1
Morton have kept us in the bottom 2 all season with their results against us and knocked us out a cup... I see no reason to expect anything different this time around.
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Post by theflashingblade on Apr 8, 2016 22:51:27 GMT 1
Bobby Barr to get it right up us, the wee shite.
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Post by colcal on Apr 9, 2016 10:59:10 GMT 1
With Dumbarton not playing today, and knowing that they have Alloa to play at the end of the season, today is a must-win game for us.
I've got mixed emotions and memories from our visits to Cappielow - some fantastic victories and some awful defeats. They've got our number this year and it's about time that we turn them over.
I'm going for my favourite score; a 2-1 Livi win.
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Pedro
Administrator 
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Post by Pedro on Apr 9, 2016 14:25:51 GMT 1
3 points, please.
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Post by Mr Angry on Apr 9, 2016 17:00:14 GMT 1
Another late appearance by Knox. Another late capitulation.
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Post by toughatthetop on Apr 9, 2016 18:19:01 GMT 1
I still don't see the big hype on him
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Post by colcal on Apr 9, 2016 20:16:21 GMT 1
Disagree. I thought Knox had some nice touches and carried a threat when he came on. He had a couple of excellent deliveries into the box, including (unless I'm mistaken) the cross for White's disallowed goal and a couple of corners that caused problems. Some of the more experienced players had disappointing games. Cole gave away the penalty and, for whatever reason, gave away the corner from which they scored their winner. Fozzy's passing was wildly out of calibration today and I'm sure he'd admit that he didn't have a good game.
Thought Stanton had an excellent first half but was quieter in the second half.
We should have scored in the first half, before we did actually score, and then White had one cleared off the line near the end. The offside decision against is was borderline at best.
Looks like the playoffs now. I can't see us winning in Dumfries (forget Sevco) or against Raith. The games against Dumbarton and Alloa have ultimately cost us dear.
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Post by Benedict Le Gauche on Apr 9, 2016 20:21:05 GMT 1
I'm thinking it's more likely that the farce that is Rankine (#boo) and Martindale (#doubleboo) running our club that has cost us dear.
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Post by Auldnick on Apr 9, 2016 22:45:41 GMT 1
They haven't been on the pitch giving away cheap goals and penalties or failing to pass to team mates or put the ball in the net.
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Pedro
Administrator
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Post by Pedro on Apr 10, 2016 12:58:11 GMT 1
I think there comes a time when we have to put the hard luck stories to bed and face up to the fact that the team, so far, just hasn't played well enough to deserve anything more than 9th position.
There's time yet to claw back Dumbarton but it's looking more and more that the playoffs will be where our footballing future will be decided.
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Post by orco on Apr 10, 2016 13:55:34 GMT 1
Aye maybe Pedro but it doesn't alter the fact that we have had not a break in any game this season and been hard done by in a few. There was not a 14 point difference between us and Morton yesterday. However we are where we are so I'm looking for the old "it evens itself out over the season" to kick in during the play offs.  |
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Post by theflashingblade on Apr 10, 2016 16:05:30 GMT 1
I'm a firm believer that you make your own luck in this game. Nothing ever 'evens itself out', no matter what the pundits may claim. If we end up in the playoffs that will be because we've been rubbish over the season and deserve to be there. Whether we make it out of the playoffs or not will be in our own hands.
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Post by LiviLion21 on Apr 10, 2016 16:06:20 GMT 1
I agree Orco. Can't help but feel disappointed for the guys yesterday. We just don't get the wee breaks like other teams. Going from memory, I think the referee wasn't sure if he was giving a penalty or a foul for diving yesterday - seemed to take an eternity to decide - I wonder if the lino gave him the nod? I seem to remember Buchanan being bundled over up the other end but not even a thought for a penalty from the ref.
We must have conceded all of this seasons goal of the year contenders. Both of Hibs goals during the week were worthy of contention, the boy from St Mirren fired 2 in to us - all these wee things seem to be adding up.
I don't think we played too badly yesterday and reckon a draw would have been a fairer outcome. I can't believe that we haven't managed to take anything from Morton all season.
Sick of the amount of Hibs and Rangers fans who have commented in regards to how surprised they are that we find ourselves in 9th place as they always seem to find themselves in a tough game against us.
Dumbarton now play twice before our next game - QOTS and Raith both at home. We'll have a better idea of how things look after that. If they come through those games having only picked up one point then it's still possible.
I'm not throwing in the towel just yet! See you all in Dumfries!
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Post by Auldnick on Apr 10, 2016 16:20:47 GMT 1
But are you surprised that Hibs and Rangers fans say that? I'm not because we have a tendency to play to the level of the opposition, so we lose tight games to them (ok we lost 4-1 at Ibrox but we won the second half 1-0 and improved immensely on the 1st half - or so I believe) and then we struggle to play against Alloa etc and fail to score in two home games against them taking only 1 point when we should have been good enough to take 6.... Which would have us ahead of Dumbarton.
But we set up and play against Alloa trying not to lose instead of wiping the floor with them, so we actually got what we deserved but not what we ought to be capable of and for that I blame the management for lack of ambition and the players for not having the guts to change it on the pitch when it isn't working
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afro
Youth Player
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Post by afro on Apr 10, 2016 20:40:12 GMT 1
They haven't been on the pitch giving away cheap goals and penalties or failing to pass to team mates or put the ball in the net. But Rankine's general shadiness saw us unable to sign players initially during the summer window, which resulted in us ending up with sub-standard players for this level of football, like Ross Millen and Spas Georgiev. David Martingale's involvement in the club, based on what you read, ranges from general handyman to sole financial backer. That said, he is the assistant manager officially and likely has a influential input into team selection. Given that his past seems chequered to say the least, without even considering his footballing credentials, I'd say it's fairly inappropriate for someone of his standing to be so involved in the coaching staff of a professional (supposedly) football club. As for luck, as I said on the other forum, you make your own, and I don't really subscribe to the line that it "evens itself out" over a season. I agree with Pedro - we aren't that good a team, and if we do indeed finish 9th I don't think many, if any, fans could disagree based on the showings this season. That said, I thought a draw would have been a fair result. Fifth game against Morton this season and it was probably the closest, but still, we didn't learn from the previous games against them nullify their threat on the counter effectively enough, nor the danger they inevitably posed from set pieces. Looked like a penalty on Buchanan in the second half but regardless, we have a problem of seeing games out and this was just another example of it. Maybe this luck that is being discussed will be on our side in the next three games, but I seriously doubt it. I just hope Hopkin can pull something out the bag to navigate us through the play offs safely, or else it's the oblivion of League 1 that we'll be facing next year. |
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Post by Auldnick on Apr 10, 2016 23:34:07 GMT 1
I understand your points, especially regarding the signing ban but in my view that was typical of the league issuing 1 rule for the protection of the "Tribute Act" and another to punish the little guy (us). The former had a suspended signing embargo to enable them to put a team on the park that could compete; then once the window closed the embargo was enforced. While for us the embargo took effect immediately and prevented us signing even players already at the club.
My concern re Martindale is if he is on the coaching staff, what "badges" does he have? I was under the impression that coaches ought to have such things in place to be involved. Given his alleged "extra-curricular activities" prior to his arrival i find it hard to believe he has acquired these.
I think Hopkin managed to improve the squad in January but while he seems to have an eye for a player, he seems unable to set up a team to play against the lesser sides, especially at home. I hope he can prove me wrong in the play offs because I can't see us getting above Dumbarton now.
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Post by orco on Apr 11, 2016 1:17:24 GMT 1
OK afro even if we do make our own luck (which seems a bit of a contradiction given what the word luck means  ) have you something similar to say about the sheer number of dodgy refereeing decisions we have experienced. I've been to every game and, even accounting for the bias which we all have, I am becoming paranoid about the number of big or even 50/50 decisions that have gone against us. It becomes wearing and it's now got to the point that I almost cheer when we get get a free kick. Having written the above I thought I'd go and have a look at the stats on the SPFL site. What I found didn't surprise me. Over the season so far we have had 333 free kicks. The total given to the opposition we've played over that period is 463. That is nearly a third more. Similarly when it comes to yellow cards we have received 63 in all league games so far. The teams who played against us got a total of 43 in those games. Another big discrepancy when I consider we are not a particularly dirty team . So...oh, it might just come near to showing some truth in that old saying - just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. |
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afro
Youth Player
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Post by afro on Apr 11, 2016 12:25:44 GMT 1
OK afro even if we do make our own luck (which seems a bit of a contradiction given what the word luck means ) have you something similar to say about the sheer number of dodgy refereeing decisions we have experienced. I've been to every game and, even accounting for the bias which we all have, I am becoming paranoid about the number of big or even 50/50 decisions that have gone against us. It becomes wearing and it's now got to the point that I almost cheer when we get get a free kick. Having written the above I thought I'd go and have a look at the stats on the SPFL site. What I found didn't surprise me. Over the season so far we have had 333 free kicks. The total given to the opposition we've played over that period is 463. That is nearly a third more. Similarly when it comes to yellow cards we have received 63 in all league games so far. The teams who played against us got a total of 43 in those games. Another big discrepancy when I consider we are not a particularly dirty team . So...oh, it might just come near to showing some truth in that old saying - just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. Whilst I won't argue that some refereeing decisions have been downright bizarre this season (for a change), I'd contest that it's down to some systematic plan by the SPFL to relegate us. We seem to be doing a good enough job through our own work. The powers that be can't even get a grass pitch right in their own backyard, so I doubt between them they could co-ordinate referees to simultaneously give ludicrous decisions against us whilst appearing to be (dubiously, I'll concede) neutral in games. Rather, I'd say it's our own lack of savvy and intelligence. For example, Ben Gordon's sending off at the start of the season against Morton at home incensed many, myself included. Yes, 9 times out of 10 it's only a booking but Ben Gordon gave the referee the option to send him off by making the challenge when the Morton boy was going nowhere. The same goes for Darren Cole against St Mirren a few weeks back when he conceded the penalty; needless, and just shows a lack of intelligence on a playing level by some players, but also a failing higher up to put together the necessary chemistry between players to cover mistakes. One thing I've noticed about us this whole season is just how disjointed we are all over the pitch - a lot of the time it looks like half the team only met each other in the tunnel. This lack of mutual understanding between the players regarding positions and movement off the ball inevitably leads to a mass effort to cover each other - bookings and fouls are inevitable at that point, and would be a lot lower if we'd found a settled XI and winning system by April.  |
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Post by orco on Apr 11, 2016 12:56:05 GMT 1
I will concede that when it comes to Darren Cole there does not have to be any conspiracy.  |
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Post by jonsnow on Apr 11, 2016 13:07:14 GMT 1
Wouldn't agree about Gordon, he was being skinned and was taking a yellow for the team making sure their boy Pepper wasn't getting down the wing, unfortunately the bellend ref sent him off. St Mirren did the exact same thing to us the week before when Glen was breaking from the middle of the pitch and their player got a yellow, I would say that tackle was worse than Gordon's too. Another inconsistent refereeing decision, and this one was in the same game this time, was Hippo's booking for flicking the ball away, two minutes later a St Mirren player booted the ball away in a temper when we got a throw in and didn't get a booking. White and Buchanan have been pushed in the penalty box a few times and we get nothing, we've had quite a few penalties against us but they sure as hell aren't evening themselves out with the ones we should be getting.
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Post by Auldnick on Apr 11, 2016 19:33:21 GMT 1
Tend to agree with Afro again although I do agree with JS regarding Gordon's red against Morton, Pepper would have been clear on the wing with the opportunity to either bear down on goal or cross for a team mate. Gordon fouled him expecting a yellow.
As regards penalties.... I would agree that we should have had more than we have had but one of the reasons we have conceded more than we have won is simply the fact that we tend to spend more time defending in our own penalty area than attacking in the opposition's penalty area.
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Post by toughatthetop on Apr 11, 2016 20:02:46 GMT 1
Fact is we are in a worse position than we were last year and if we don't pick up this bloody mess we are down
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Post by Auldnick on Apr 11, 2016 23:30:07 GMT 1
Again I'm not sure you are correct; if I remember correctly this time last year we were last & more than 2 points adrift of safety.
We are not showing the same confidence or tenacity as we did last season so in that respect we are arguably worse off & less likely to make up the difference.
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Post by orco on Apr 11, 2016 23:32:37 GMT 1
We had a 5 point penalty to make up last year which was why we were not safe till the last day of the season
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) have you something similar to say about the sheer number of dodgy refereeing decisions we have experienced. I've been to every game and, even accounting for the bias which we all have, I am becoming paranoid about the number of big or even 50/50 decisions that have gone against us. It becomes wearing and it's now got to the point that I almost cheer when we get get a free kick.
