Match Preview/Thread - Morton vs Inverness (1st April)

[port-ton]

26 minutes ago, dunning1874 said:

7 appalling misses from Ali Crawford in 5 starts, 5 points dropped as a direct consequence of his failure to take any of those chances. If we were 5 points better off right now we'd be in a terrific position to make the playoffs, as it is we're closer to 7th.

You could talk up a player's ability to get into great goalscoring positions if they ever took them, but if they never do then what's the point? Further to that, he gave the ball away with 50% of his passes in open play and his set-pieces are dreadful. It's not like he's making a good contribution outwith failing to score goals, he's been an all round liability in every start and that should be his final appearance for the club. This isn't a Grimshaw situation where a new signing has needed to build their fitness up, whatever the reason he just doesn't contribute anything to this team.

Miller for Blues was a bizarre sub to make on all levels: mostly tactically with the shape then having a gigantic hole in midfield (which was then exacerbated by Gillespie being the one to make way for McGrattan) in performances on the pitch when there was a far poorer performer than Blues staying on at the time who could have been a like for like swap with Miller, in the ability of the options on the bench when Miller has rarely offered anything.

Barring a collapse akin to ourselves over the last 5 games from Ayr or Partick, we'd realistically need 4 wins from the remaining 6 to make the playoffs now. With Dundee & Ayr away as well as Queen's Park at home along with the rut we're in, that's an outrageously long shot.

Blues was taken off with a head knock. I thought we missed him when he wasn't there. The tactical switch obviously had something to do with that but I also think we saw why he is in the team every week given the players we have in our squad. 

Hopefully he makes a speedy recovery. 

[EanieMeany]

If we're being honest, we had a good run between the first game away to Queen's Park and then the win at Cove and outwith that it's largely been pretty rotten fare outwith the recent wins at home to Queen's and Dundee, and the away form has been particularly sub-par. 

There were mitigating circumstances to the slow start after a somewhat unsettled summer, and it felt like a corner had been turned after the Firhill defeat and that we were building a platform which, with a couple of good additions in January, would have enabled us to really push on. As it turned out though, we've been pretty rotten since December and some of Dougie's selections have been baffling. 

From the position we were in towards the end of last year, and with the "reinforcements" brought in in January, there's no real way of spinning what's followed as being anything other than really poor. Dougie has been praised to the rafters for the good he's done, and it still outweighs the negatives, but we're well past the honeymoon stage and he needs to be accountable for what's been unfolding recently, especially when persisting with duds like Miller defies all logic. Pointing at draws at Arbroath as successes just doesn't really cut it.

[dunning1874]

22 minutes ago, port-ton said:

Blues was taken off with a head knock. I thought we missed him when he wasn't there. The tactical switch obviously had something to do with that but I also think we saw why he is in the team every week given the players we have in our squad. 

Hopefully he makes a speedy recovery. 

I'd missed that, was only watching a stream today. Saw his dad has tweeted there that he's not concussed.

While you can get away with Robbie Crawford moving into the deep lying two if you've got some willing runners ahead of him, the logical choice with an enforced change like that and the other personnel we had on at the time is Pignatiello on and Grimshaw to midfield IMO.

[EanieMeany]

Your midfield falling apart when you replace a rubbish midfielder with a rubbish winger doesn’t really mean the former is missed; it just means the change was a bad one. 

[irnbru]

10 minutes ago, EanieMeany said:

Your midfield falling apart when you replace a rubbish midfielder with a rubbish winger doesn’t really mean the former is missed; it just means the change was a bad one. 

The first half we had the vast majority of play and a few decent chances. Blues was a big part of that and was missed when he came off regardless of who came on for him (which was the wrong choice). 

[port-ton]

18 minutes ago, EanieMeany said:

Your midfield falling apart when you replace a rubbish midfielder with a rubbish winger doesn’t really mean the former is missed; it just means the change was a bad one. 

Weird take unless you expect him to be replaced with an imaginary player who's not in our squad. Never miss the opportunity to be overly negative though. 

[EanieMeany]

5 minutes ago, port-ton said:

Weird take unless you expect him to be replaced with an imaginary player who's not in our squad. Never miss the opportunity to be overly negative though. 

Liam Grimshaw is not imaginary and our team would be significantly improved at a stroke if he was in the midfield instead of Cameron Blues.

[port-ton]

6 minutes ago, EanieMeany said:

Liam Grimshaw is not imaginary and our team would be significantly improved at a stroke if he was in the midfield instead of Cameron Blues.

Grimshaw is fair and certainly a much better option than bringing on a winger in Miller. At no point in that game was Blues performance an issue though, just like most weeks. 

[irnbru]

18 minutes ago, port-ton said:

Grimshaw is fair and certainly a much better option than bringing on a winger in Miller. At no point in that game was Blues performance an issue though, just like most weeks. 

Actually thought Blues, Gillespie and Robbie Crawford worked well together in the first half and we controlled the game. 

[vikingTON]

2 hours ago, irnbru said:

Actually thought Blues, Gillespie and Robbie Crawford worked well together in the first half and we controlled the game. 

We created better chances in the first half but we were controlling fuck all. Both sides taking turns to get the ball and attack each other is not that. The sucker punch was always available and in that sense at least, Blues having to come off changed nothing. We routinely allow ridiculously free pot shots from outside the box - it has been our biggest flaw since Imrie took charge. 

In order to control games again (looking forward to next season) we need to either upgrade our central midfield options, restore serious pressing responsibility to the rest of the players in front of them, or both. 

[vikingTON]

6 hours ago, Chesh said:

What concerns me is that today we ended up with every single attacker we have (bar Ally Roy) on the pitch for the last 10 minutes leaving absolutely no one capable in CM, that's going out of a cup at 2-0 down levels of desperation tactics rather than it being 1-1 in a league match where even a point helps secure our position in the league.

Really poor management of the game from Dougie today. 

An excellent point, although the game management we should have focused on was not securing our league position but removing a potential play-off (or wherever we finish in the league) rival. A draw would have been a poor result for us, but would have effectively ended Inverness' hopes. Instead, we lollop forward in the closing stages with a system that wasn't doing any better in terms of creating chances than our first half (which was fine) and so concede a winning goal that was completely avoidable. The warning signs were there throughout the last half hour. 

8 hours ago, DreamOakTree said:

Crawford and Miller would need to knock Dougie’s door and say “sorry boss....... I mean best pal, but we’re playing shite and there are better players than us in your squad, we appreciate you mean well and are doing you’re best mates a big favour, but we feel you’re blinded by your loyalty to us and can’t see our obvious failings. Sorry boss/mate but you should really drop us or forget promotion.”

You are a monumental pellet, but there's a wider sentiment here that also needs put to bed. Firstly, there's no credible evidence that Calvin Miller is benefiting from mates' protection from Imrie here. He started on the bench today and has spent a lot of games there since signing in January. 

Secondly, the whole 'Imrie's mates' argument conveniently ignores players who don't fit the conspiracy. Efe Ambrose for example was open in stating that his relationship with Imrie was a key motivation to join the club. Sir Efe played his part earlier in the campaign, but for some reason being Dougie's mate doesn't get him a place in the team now. Is Grant Gillespie getting a game because he's 'Dougie's mate', or is there a more logical explanation for that too? Then there are players like Grimshaw, who I doubt would have touched us with a bargepole under Gus or any of the other fucking losers that large sections of this fanbase made pathetic excuses for for long enough. 

[DreamOakTree]

I’m hopeful that Dougie’s post match comments saying we were playing with 9 men as 2 players weren’t doing any running, means that he could see from the stand what we see every game. My hope is that this means the hopeless two have sclaffed their last ball for Morton. One thing we had in abundance before the January window was team spirit. That seems to have been eroded by a preference for some of those signings over some of the players who helped provide that team spirit. I’m also hopeful that you (VT) are correct that just as the penny dropped eventually with Efe, it has now also dropped with the two obvious candidates. The difference from the players you mention is that they’ve justified their inclusion.

[so72]

Whilst it is disappointing that our season is petering out, I am hopeful that we have built a good base for next season. We still have a shout at the playoffs but summer 2022 doesn't appear as if it will be repeated this year so hopefully we make a few key additions and carry on the positives from this season. 

[DumfriesTon]

19 hours ago, DumfriesTon said:

Sickener. Nothing else than a win next week and we're out the playoff hunt but what an utter waste of a season this is turning out to be. We're completely bottling it in what is the worst standard of the Championship as far as I can remember. 

Perhaps reactionary but two incredibly soft goals to lose, in which Schwake should be doing better at both. The first one reminded me of Turnbull's goal at Celtic Park. He takes ages to get down and across to it. Although allowing a player that much space is a disgrace. 

Then the 2nd one comes from Quitongo not tracking back - unusual of him - but Carson's shot went straight through Schwake. Again, poor goalkeeping. 

Enthusiasm for the rest of the season totally gone. Sigh.

After seeing the highlights, I'm probably being harsh on Schwake for both goals. 

[Mr.Blue]

Don't take your chances, you don't win games. Simple as that. 

Ali Crawford has done nothing to merit a starting spot and Calvin Miller has been a very disappointing signing. 

Thought first half we were very good with Oakley and Muirhead dominating the ict backline. Second half was a total role reversal and we just didn't get at them enough. Big week ahead with the next 2 games and other teams around us getting points.

[AyrshireTon]

5 hours ago, so72 said:

Whilst it is disappointing that our season is petering out, I am hopeful that we have built a good base for next season. We still have a shout at the playoffs but summer 2022 doesn't appear as if it will be repeated this year so hopefully we make a few key additions and carry on the positives from this season. 

Let’s also hope we don’t repeat any of the last three seasons which ended with a “4”.

Alternatively, we could provide a fitting tribute to the 40th Anniversary of Tommy McLean getting us promoted to the top flight.

[TopCat]

Not having any of this 'seasons done' patter. Our recent form has been poor and the draws in particular have cost us, but anything less than a serious attempt at getting 4th isn't acceptable. 

We're not controlling the midfield for any length of time in games - hopefully Dougie sees sense and gets McGrattan and Grimshaw back in there pronto. Calvin Miller and Ali Crawford don't need to be seen in a Morton starting lineup again.

[Madton]

1 hour ago, TopCat said:

Not having any of this 'seasons done' patter. Our recent form has been poor and the draws in particular have cost us, but anything less than a serious attempt at getting 4th isn't acceptable. 

We're not controlling the midfield for any length of time in games - hopefully Dougie sees sense and gets McGrattan and Grimshaw back in there pronto. Calvin Miller and Ali Crawford don't need to be seen in a Morton starting lineup again.

Playoffs are still in our own hands, just need a repeat of 2003!

Tough ask for sure but a win on Sat and they whole mentality changes going into the Hamilton game.

 

[Alibi]

We could do with 6 wins in our last 6 games. That way nobody can say they didn’t do the best they could from this point onwards.

[Admin]

Craig & Alan discuss Morton's defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Dean interviews Lewis McEwan from Morton in the Community as they celebrate their 10th anniversary.