The last 12 games

[AFC1320]

Looking at the last 12 games since our last victory there have been 2 draws, 5 defeats by the odd goal 3 defeats by a 2 goal margin and 2 heavy defeats by 3 goals by Rangers and Dunfermline.

Just trying to put into perspective the thin line between gaining points and finishing a game with nothing to show for your efforts.

I think most fans will agree we are not getting the break of the ball at the moment and the Gaffer as been down on his luck with a few to point out :-
Losing the classy Brian Kerr was a big blow.
Losing Falky and S****s were 2 big blows.
Savo seemed to be a great signing but he has now retired less than halfway through the season.
Big Erwin getting injured (we could have got him back on loan).
Bully leaving the club.
Stevie Doris getting injured just as he arrived on loan.

On the last pointer how many of the odd goal defeats do you think we could have drawn or even won if Doris had played?

It is urgent that we sign some strikers.

[Lichtielegend]

How long is Sheerin going to get the benefit of the doubt with regard to S****ie and Falky?

He has had 18 months to replace them!

[smokie_bacon_crisps]

Falky has left the building. He has been now gone for almost 2 seasons. He isn't coming back. He is a brilliant player and has the attitude to match and is a one off. There is no shop in China reproducing him or clubs making players like him. You can't go out and buy a replacement. You can find players who have similar attributes and nurture them and train them, just like what Sheerin did when he first joined the club.

It's a real pity that the majority of supporters didn't see how good S****ie was when he was at the club. He was always the first to get shouted at by the supporters "Oh he isn't trying" "he hasn't been the same since Samuel signed" etc can you blame him for moving?

He hasn't found his shooting boots yet but Bobby Linn is equal if not better to S****ie as he gets past players week in and week out.

We blame the players, the management, the referees, the weather etc but as supporters do we ever ask what we could do to help the club when the chips are down?

[AFC1320]

Good post s_b_c and I was one of a minority that was gutted when S****ie left, yes he had a bad patch the 2nd half of his last season with us but I would rather he was in our team than playing against us hence Emmerdale has just got him to sign on for another 2 seasons.
He would win you more games than be in a defeated team.

As for Bobby Linn he has been our best and most dangerous player this season imo but for some reason his goal return has not been to what I thought it would be as last season he scored something like 30/40 goals albeit at Junior level so he knows where the net is.

I know what you are saying LL but is it Peanuts fault not getting in the class players or are we being outbidded by other clubs?
So do we break the bank to get those players and the club goes into debt?

I would deffo be going all out for Ryan Donnelly surely he would prefer to come to us rather than Albion Rovers?

[timlichtie]

A good analysis by 1320. I've missed very few games this season, home and away and have to agree that we have been close to the points on most occasions. The difference made by a class striker like Erwin or an in form goalie is total.

Sheerin sticks to his style and tries to win with decent football and most fans appreciate that. Maybe his weakness has been failing to retain players like S****ie and Baxter?

[maroonie]

A good analysis by 1320. I've missed very few games this season, home and away and have to agree that we have been close to the points on most occasions. The difference made by a class striker like Erwin or an in form goalie is total.

Sheerin sticks to his style and tries to win with decent football and most fans appreciate that. Maybe his weakness has been failing to retain players like S****ie and Baxter?
I would have been delighted if S****ie and Baxter had stayed but I am led to believe they were offered stupid money to move to Forfar. Falky was a different case, if we had been in a position to offer him a full time deal, I believe he would have stayed but that was not then and is not now possible. We are not a rich club nor do we have a sugar daddy willing to underwrite big money signings. The manager and committee agree a budget and that's the bottom line. We are at the level we should be albeit at the wrong end of it. Goin

[ectolichtie]

I know for a fact that Forfar spent "the Rangers" money in advance, hence the fact they attracted signings in the summer, would appear Stenny have done the same and we will get far bigger gates for the "the Rangers" games than either of them, so go figure
The interesting one for me is Stranraer, they will have very few players from around Stranraer, so they attract players from around Glasgow, by moving their training base to Glasgow and only go to Stranraer for games, now you would think by being based in Perth for training we should be as attractive to potential signings as Stranraer, but we do not appear to be, there must be a reason

[Bellevue]

The league table does not lie. We are second bottom because that is where we deserve to be and have no right to complain about not being further up the league.
No matter that we have lost games by the odd goal, or have had bad luck, a loss is still no points.
If players like S****ie and Baxter didn't want to play for the club there was no point in trying to stop them from leaving. Falky was a different case. I think we all knew he was too good for us to be able to keep.
I hope we can start a revival with a much needed win against Stenny on Saturday and stay ahead of Airdrie for the rest of the season.

[timlichtie]

[quote="ectolichtie" games than either of them, so go figure
The interesting one for me is Stranraer, they will have very few players from around Stranraer, so they attract players from around Glasgow, by moving their training base to Glasgow and only go to Stranraer for games, now you would think by being based in Perth for training we should be as attractive to potential signings as Stranraer, but we do not appear to be, there must be a reason[/quote]

I think Stranraer have had the breaks. A good squad, well managed and organised. There is no mystery formula to their success. If Milne had played to his potential or Erwin stayed, we would be mid table also.

[ectolichtie]

Stranraer were able to attract players and we were not, there must be a reason for this

[timlichtie]

Stranraer were able to attract players and we were not, there must be a reason for this

Not sure who you refer to. They have a small squad and limited budget. As already pointed out, it may suit some players who live in the west to sign for them.

[ectolichtie]

My point is a general one, it is plain to see that Stranraer constructed a competitive squad in the summer, on a smaller budget I would assume, you not telling me that we could not have gotten someone like Jamie Longworth?

[timlichtie]

Absolutely not. But Savo Milne could have been a similar type of signing, but it didn't work out. That's what I mean by Stranraer getting the breaks which we patently haven't had.

If Savo had been rattling them in and Longworth retired??

[AFC1320]

I will say it again it was plain to see we never had strength in depth with our squad at the beginning of the season and folk that say height and a bit of muscle power does not count do not have a clue what they are on about.
Just look at the physic of Stanraer when they played us the majority of our players were getting bullied off the ball and they won the majority of the headers.
Look at even Rangers they must have at least 6 or 7 of the starting XI over 6 feet with the remainder direct speedy players (i.e. Bobby Linn/Cookie) it is not rocket science to work it out.
Oh to have a Robbie Raeside/George Rowe/Malky/Stevie Mallan type players in our squad guys that can hustle and bustle and win headers.

[Arbroath1]

Yep totally agree with AFC1320. Milne i think was the big disappointment, if he at least was averaging a goal every three games we would have been happy enough some of the odd goal defeats would have been draws dare i say it victories. Hey Ho did,nt work out i think losing Paul Currie was a blow as well because he could have chipped in with 8-9 goals a season in my opinion however if his head was not in the right place can;t afford to have him. Yet again our lack of a squad was shown on Saturday looking at Brechin they had Big Gerry, Trouten and Calum Antell on the bench and that was after letting Ryan Donnelly leave. We had Darren Smith and others at least big Nicholl looks decent enough early days though. As on similar posts i stayed behind also to support the lads as i felt they had given there all and can see at least they are trying, but that is not going to be enough i,m afraid we desparately need a goalscorer.

cmon the broath. (-: