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Match Preview/Thread - Morton vs Arbroath (28th January)


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4 minutes ago, vikingTON said:

We don't have someone to replace Gillespie in his specific midfield role without compromising another part of the team. We could absolutely replace Blues on current form, because I'm not seeing any quality there right now.

Crawford wouldn't be far behind either - he has been quiet for some time. 

Miller needs to show a better attitude because the commitment to win challenges wasn't there often enough and the dive summed that up. 

Aye, agree with this. Blues gets a lot of stick but Crawford hasn't been up to much recently and was really quiet. 

We definitely need to think about bringing in a left back or changing shape if Strapp is out for a while. 

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Can’t blame the ref for this one today. Yes it was another inconsistent ref but both sides would have arguments but we were a million miles off it today! King looked totally lost, Blues needs dropped. Imrie has to shoulder some of the blame today. Arbroath just had more fight and could always see their 2nd coming

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2 minutes ago, gmfc_craig said:

Can’t blame the ref for this one today. Yes it was another inconsistent ref but both sides would have arguments but we were a million miles off it today! King looked totally lost, Blues needs dropped. Imrie has to shoulder some of the blame today. Arbroath just had more fight and could always see their 2nd coming

Think there were a lot worse than Blues today. 

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10 minutes ago, Scott said:

What did Blues contribute today? Or in any of our recent games? 

Done well in the build up to the goal and involved in a the couple of decent moves we had in the first half. Wasn't great by any means but King, Pignatiello, Miller and Crawford contributed a lot less than him today. 

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Imrie having a bit of a nightmare recently with his team selections and formations. I've no idea what we were trying to play - was like a 4-4-2 in a diamond I think? No pass marks from anybody but King, Pignatiello, Blues and Muirhead were abysmal. King look scared today and is just not a left back. I worry for us without Strapp and if we're persisting with King at left back then we're in big trouble. 

The worrying for me was the lack of effort. I don't know if we're knackered but we were miles off it. 25 minutes into the first half and you've got the whole midfield just jogging back as Arbroath break. They were stronger, quicker, fitter than us and were first to every 2nd, 3rd and 4th ball. 

I think we will be fine but it's more looking over our shoulder than I would have liked. Bottom teams seem to have got their act together and we're getting worse. 

Have we beaten Arbroath since they were promoted? 

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That was rancid and a really worrying performance far too many players not turning up. 

We obviously had to make changes to the line up but I don't think any of them worked if I'm honest. Nice to see Oakley getting a goal on his first start but other than that really no positives from that. 

Considering how well we started the season we were always going to have a poor patch but that's now 5  without a win and in this stage of this season we need to get back to winning ways. I still trust Imrie and the squad, the league is extremely tight and that's a good thing for us but we are really needing a kick up the arse to get out of this rut. 

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We had a successful reset earlier in the season after three defeats in a row where Imrie purged the starting XI of some underperforming players then settled on one system rather than chopping and changing from game to game. What had been an encouraging trait in a young manager of not being wedded to one system and willingness to change things that weren't working had arguably turned into a negative of tinkering too much week to week, with the few players who had been playing well in turn undermined by that.

A similar reset is needed now, with not dissimilar conclusions to underpin it. As with his appearances there in the previous losing run, King isn't a left back: if Strapp is out long term Miller needs to play there. He's not shown much to be deserving of a place himself though it's early days, but he at least has some experience of playing there.

If we're playing a back four while also trying to press we need the full backs to get proper protection in front of them, just as he realised we needed more defensive solidity the last time by not having them bomb on to overlap every time we had the ball. Therefore a) a narrow midfield isn't going to work and b) Quitongo & McGrattan are the obvious picks out wide, who respectively have the energy and positional sense to carry out a pressing game while also protecting the defence, which Muirhead and on the basis of their short Morton careers so far Miller and Roy don't. That lack of protection doesn't excuse the performances of Pignatiello and King in itself, but it probably exacerbated their flaws and it's particularly pertinent when we have our second choice options on both sides of the defence.

In turn, that means you can only accommodate one of Oakley or Muirhead in the starting XI unless you're switching to a back three.

We also desperately need more options in central midfield. All three of Crawford, Gillespie and Blues have been in poor form for a month but they're all guaranteed a start, in Crawford and Blues' case 90 minutes every week regardless. What had been an encouraging trait on Imrie's part of ruthlessness in not being slow to bomb out players who couldn't earn his trust is showing some concerning signs of turning into a negative, with a flipside that players who have previously earned his trust are finding themselves undroppable or even unsubbable.

He needs to be equally as ruthless with those players. Doing so would mean subs being made far earlier in games, and when a new midfielder appears on loan then if they're good enough to contribute regularly rather than being a body to fill out the squad they should be straight into the team in place of Blues.

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Oh Lord, Brian Wake

 

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Very poor performance today - especially the 2nd half.  I’ve been a bit dismissive of those who were quick to criticise the team after our last few results, but I must admit I’m now starting to be a bit concerned.

The only positive I can take from today is that Imrie definitely won’t be on the shortlist for the Aberdeen job.

I thought we missed Ambrose in terms of his composure when playing the ball out from defence - I lost count of how many aimless balls bypassed our midfield and went nowhere.

Both fullbacks were badly exposed but I actually felt sorry for them - Pignatello was coming in cold after being nowhere near the first team for weeks, and King was played out of position and likewise hadn’t been getting as many minutes as I would have liked recently.

Despite all of this I still believe we have enough good players in our squad to turn this around and put another good run together, and I have faith that Imrie is the right man to do it.

Nonetheless I do want to see him acknowledging how bad we were today and calling out the responsibility that he and the players have for this.  I’m ok with him defending our performances in the Partick and Hamilton games(even if I thought we got what we deserved in those games) and focusing on the missed chances & bad refereeing decisions, but we don’t have any of those excuses today and I want to hear him be just as pissed off about this performance as he was about the 5-1 game at firhill.  That was a watershed moment and spurred us on to go on a great run.  I can only hope that the same happens after todays game.

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Not convinced by Miller at all, he looks every bit as pea-hearted as Kabia. Signing the 3 forwards instead of a sitting midfielder is looking a bit questionable now as well. 

Aside from that, Muirhead has regressed to his lazy swagger. I wouldn't be averse to seeing him dropped next week. 

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12 minutes ago, Greacen2000 said:

Both fullbacks were badly exposed but I actually felt sorry for them - Pignatello was coming in cold after being nowhere near the first team for weeks, and King was played out of position and likewise hadn’t been getting as many minutes as I would have liked recently.

 

Agreed with this. They were all over the place. I question the decision to move Grimshaw out the back 4 considering the lack of time the rest of them have played with each other recently. He should have been kept there and McGrattan brought into midfield. 

 

Millar been anonymous every game thus far. Looks a downgrade on Kabia, who at least had a little bit of physicality and energy despite the lack of quality. 

 

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Such a change in personnel really backfired today. 

 

Removing Grimshaw, Ambrose and Strapp from back line really meant it was very inexperienced. 

After a couple of performances there was a clear argument for dropping Efe but as was said above, bringing Pignatiello in from the cold was surprising. 

 

The midfield shape did not work. 

Dropping Quitongo and McGrattan together suggests as folk have previously said, that he has favourites. Miller clearly being one. 

Miller didn't do enough. He seemed happy enough to give guys like King stick when required but didn't back it up himself. 

 

Worrying

20.1.09

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A lead in the 5th minute then 85 minutes of total bollocks. Aimless punts, second to loose balls and giving it away too often, most notably immediately from the re-start after going 2-1 down and almost chucking away a 3rd.

Subs were on far too late. No shape in our play at any stage of the game. Arbroath deserved the win.

McGhee needs some support, there's no-one backing him up.
Hayes playing it forward, Bell being forced to do it all alone, now forward from Marr, here's Ritchie, still Andy Ritchie, look at the control...

That is a marvellous goal from Andy Ritchie. Twenty minutes on the clock and Morton's supporters come alive. A goal which epitomises the control, the arrogance, the cheek of Andy Ritchie.

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5 minutes ago, AyrshireTon said:

A lead in the 5th minute then 85 minutes of total bollocks. Aimless punts, second to loose balls and giving it away too often, most notably immediately from the re-start after going 2-1 down and almost chucking away a 3rd.

Subs were on far too late. No shape in our play at any stage of the game. Arbroath deserved the win.

Ambrose has made a lot of mistakes and seemed to have run out of steam but we did miss his composure on the ball. 

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Imrie saying that few players in the team think they're better than they are. Will be interesting to see who misses out next weekend as there are some of his favourites who could be described as that lately. 

I'd have Ambrose back in the team as well but tbh I thought Baird and O'Connor did about as well as expected given the shit show in front of and to the sides of them. O'connor I especially think did admirably given his lack of game time and how exposed we were down the left hand side. There were times in the first half he had to play centre back and left back as King jogged back in to his defensive position. 

Good people will do good things, bad people will do bad things, but only with religion do good people do bad things!

 

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1 minute ago, port-ton said:

Imrie saying that few players in the team think they're better than they are. Will be interesting to see who misses out next weekend as there are some of his favourites who could be described as that lately. 

I'd have Ambrose back in the team as well but tbh I thought Baird and O'Connor did about as well as expected given the shit show in front of and to the sides of them. O'connor I especially think did admirably given his lack of game time and how exposed we were down the left hand side. There were times in the first half he had to play centre back and left back as King jogged back in to his defensive position. 

The most obvious candidate for that to be aimed at is Pignatiello. As someone who was brought in as a first choice player on a two year deal then hasn't played for months you could imagine he's been knocking Imrie's door, then doing himself no favours when the chance comes.

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Brian Wake my Lord, Brian Wake

Oh Lord, Brian Wake

 

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Poor poor performing today. Looked like a team full of strangers. Too many changes in personell and tactics. Thought baird, O'connor, grimshaw and Oakley were OK. Schwake's awful freekick led to their first goal, King and Pignatiello really poor, blues and Crawford anonymous, Miller showed glimpses of what he could offer snd Muirhead also anonymous.  We were so stretched on the wings and Arbroath knew this which led to their second goal. Which was a tremendous finish. The officials were shite but we cant keep hiding behind that as were deserved nothing. That's 3 defeats in the last 3 league games and the performances have been completely unacceptable- lethargic, pedestrian like, very little attacking football on show. Dougie needs to sort this and quickly or we can say goodbye to any hope of the playoffs. Just saw today's results to amd its an opportunity missed. 

 

There's a storm on the horizon

And for that I can't see the sun

For I'll keep a waiting on the pavement

For the ice cream van to come

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11 minutes ago, port-ton said:

Imrie saying that few players in the team think they're better than they are. Will be interesting to see who misses out next weekend as there are some of his favourites who could be described as that lately. 

I'd have Ambrose back in the team as well but tbh I thought Baird and O'Connor did about as well as expected given the shit show in front of and to the sides of them. O'connor I especially think did admirably given his lack of game time and how exposed we were down the left hand side. There were times in the first half he had to play centre back and left back as King jogged back in to his defensive position. 

Could say that about Pignatiello, King, Blues and Muirhead today.

Get back to basics during the week, play our strongest 11 on Saturday and get back to winning ways.

There's a storm on the horizon

And for that I can't see the sun

For I'll keep a waiting on the pavement

For the ice cream van to come

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9 minutes ago, dunning1874 said:

The most obvious candidate for that to be aimed at is Pignatiello. As someone who was brought in as a first choice player on a two year deal then hasn't played for months you could imagine he's been knocking Imrie's door, then doing himself no favours when the chance comes.

Aye probably right although dropping him doesn't solve our problems. It's a few of his big guns that need a boot up the arse so hopefully he gives them the jolt that's needed even if it doesn't mean dropping them next week. 

Good people will do good things, bad people will do bad things, but only with religion do good people do bad things!

 

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