League Cup 2024/25

[vikingTON]

3 hours ago, Ferguson said:

We’ve been ok at keeping the ball but ultimately games are won and lost in both boxes and we’re dreadful in both.

On today's showing at least, we aren't actually okay at keeping the ball though. We can knock around a few passes sure, but one in every dozen is so wildly inaccurate in either direction or pace that we have to scramble to regain control. Which allows the opposition to reorganise behind the ball or steal it away entirely - exposing us to being cut open on the break. Given the excuses made about the Cappielow pitch (and East Fife) before, the fact that they couldn't keep the ball without dropping a bollock every other minute at McDairmid today does not bode well for this gubbins 'style of play'. 

There's also no obvious purpose to the possession that we have. We could be playing until now and still wouldn't have registered a serious attempt on target, never mind an actual goal. The abysmal goal and shots record across three games speaks for itself - this is Johanssonball. We didn't even get into Saint Johnstone's penalty box to lose that game. 

[port-ton]

Interesting that Imrie says in his post match interview that the players have the freedom to be creative on the pitch but it isn’t happening yet. I was almost directly behind Imrie in the stands at the queen of the south game and have watched the other home games on TonTV and he doesn’t give off the vibes of a manager allowing freedom of expression on the touchline.

He’s on the touchline shouting at the top of his voice for 90 mins telling everyone exactly where to be and where to pass it to a level I’ve not seen from any other manager. That sort of touchline management was fine when he was making sure we were always in the defensive structure he wanted and looking to break quickly but it can’t exude the calmness and creative thought in the players on the pitch that he’s looking for from them. As VT says above we aren’t actually playing good football, we are playing safe and fake football. Passing it around because they’ve been told to and they’re able to convince themselves that they’re playing football the right way and that successful performances will come if they just keep doing it, but that’s not going to happen without the players taking responsibility themselves and Imrie allowing them to make mistakes and take chances without the manager shouting in your ear where to play the ball before you’ve even got it under control.
 

You couple that with what we all know about Imrie’s temperament in the moment when players make mistakes and I can’t help feel that the new style of football he wants to play will need as much retraining for himself as it does the players.

[RossMcC1874]

Is there any information on Shaw? He hasn't featured or even appeared on the bench in any games so far I know he had issues with his hamstring at Inverness and then got an operation to sort it out. 

Seems a long time to be out without hearing anything about what's happening. Surely not someone else we have signed with injury concerns. 

[SpoonTon]

7 minutes ago, RossMcC1874 said:

Is there any information on Shaw? He hasn't featured or even appeared on the bench in any games so far I know he had issues with his hamstring at Inverness and then got an operation to sort it out. 

Seems a long time to be out without hearing anything about what's happening. Surely not someone else we have signed with injury concerns. 

I'm sure it was said this week that his hamstring wasn't being risked in the cup but he was expected to be fit and ready for the start of the league season. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

15 hours ago, vikingTON said:

On today's showing at least, we aren't actually okay at keeping the ball though. We can knock around a few passes sure, but one in every dozen is so wildly inaccurate in either direction or pace that we have to scramble to regain control.  

Completely agree. Even when we did have a couple of passages of decent possession there was zero end product, and as soon as we lost it we were instantly on the back foot.

I think the harsh reality is that the players simply aren't skillful enough to play this type of football, either in terms of keeping possession or in the timing of runs to create the space to use it effectively.

[Stevie Aitken's Love Child]

14 hours ago, centralTON said:

Was there today. first time I've seen most of these players, most of them are not good enough and the rest are Meh!

Currently being treated for cancer and that treatment has been more enjoyable than today.

Brutal.

As other have said, wishing you all the best Frank. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

All the best CentralTon 

[LargsTON]

15 hours ago, centralTON said:

Was there today. first time I've seen most of these players, most of them are not good enough and the rest are Meh!

Currently being treated for cancer and that treatment has been more enjoyable than today.

Brutal.

Gutted to read this mate.  Hope you're on the mend soon.

[TAFKAC]

All the best centralton.  Hope the treatment is successful.

[Pedrodelawasp]

18 hours ago, centralTON said:

Was there today. first time I've seen most of these players, most of them are not good enough and the rest are Meh!

Currently being treated for cancer and that treatment has been more enjoyable than today.

Brutal.

Wishing you all the very best. Kick cancer’s arse and hope you’ll have multiple reasons for celebration over the coming months and years.

[dunning1874]

All the best Frank.

Looking at the first goal on the highlights, I think Moffat does need a share of the blame but not for failing to get to the pass. Regardless of how risky a ball it was to play in the situation, it's simply a dreadfully misplaced pass that gave Moffat no chance of getting it, no matter how good or bad an idea attempting it would have been if it was well placed. He's looking for the ball into his feet and the pass is about 3 yards too short, not giving Moffat any time to react. That's not a player choosing to sit and wait on it, he's shaped to try and turn his man already then the pass doesn't get near him because it's absolutely shite.

That Broadfoot arrives back in the box - miles behind play as usual after the goal has been scored - screaming his head off at others tells us that as usual our experienced leader who supposedly uses his vast knowledge to help the rest of the defence through games is totally refusing to take any responsibility for his own errors once again. Several other St Johnstone chances came from his mistakes, whether in rushing out of position like a headless chicken to attack a ball he shouldn't be going near and leaving huge gaps, or more misplaced passes. He simply isn't good enough at any aspect of the game.

Where Moffat is to blame is that he should be bursting his arse to stay with Keltjens' run as soon as possession is turned over and he completely chucks it, shifting onto Kimpioka as if he's passed Keltjens run onto someone else when no else has him and then doesn't even bother staying with Kimpioka either for more than one second, not being within 15 yards of a St Johnstone player by the time Keltjens is putting the cross in. It's a problem of both ability in his total lack of defensive positional awareness and attitude in simply not bothering his arse to try.

[mcintyre_gmfc]

20 hours ago, centralTON said:

Was there today. first time I've seen most of these players, most of them are not good enough and the rest are Meh!

Currently being treated for cancer and that treatment has been more enjoyable than today.

Brutal.

Wish you the best mate. 

[HamCam]

As others have commented centralTON keep fighting the good fight. Cancer has probably impacted all of our lives directly or indirectly. Stay positive and hopefully you will be back on the terrace to watch our title push this season or maybe the next or even the one after.

[The Bewilderedbeast]

Don't knowingly know you, hope everything works out OK for you 

[so72]

All the best CentralTon mate.

[tondaft1874]

15 hours ago, port-ton said:

Interesting that Imrie says in his post match interview that the players have the freedom to be creative on the pitch but it isn’t happening yet. I was almost directly behind Imrie in the stands at the queen of the south game and have watched the other home games on TonTV and he doesn’t give off the vibes of a manager allowing freedom of expression on the touchline.

He’s on the touchline shouting at the top of his voice for 90 mins telling everyone exactly where to be and where to pass it to a level I’ve not seen from any other manager. That sort of touchline management was fine when he was making sure we were always in the defensive structure he wanted and looking to break quickly but it can’t exude the calmness and creative thought in the players on the pitch that he’s looking for from them. As VT says above we aren’t actually playing good football, we are playing safe and fake football. Passing it around because they’ve been told to and they’re able to convince themselves that they’re playing football the right way and that successful performances will come if they just keep doing it, but that’s not going to happen without the players taking responsibility themselves and Imrie allowing them to make mistakes and take chances without the manager shouting in your ear where to play the ball before you’ve even got it under control.
 

You couple that with what we all know about Imrie’s temperament in the moment when players make mistakes and I can’t help feel that the new style of football he wants to play will need as much retraining for himself as it does the players.

Couldn't agree more with this. He plays the game from the side of the park at all times I sit right behind him in the main stand and hear it every week. Good when the players need a kick up the arse to be on top of them, but puts unnecessary pressure on the player with the ball. Think he needs to step back and let the players decide the pass, surely they have worked on it enough in training to follow his instruction.

[LargsTON]

Even at this early stage of the season it appears that we've downgraded on every position from last season with the possible exception of Bannantyne.  Worrying times.

[Cet Homme Charmant]

23 hours ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

 I think the harsh reality is that the players simply aren't skillful enough to play this type of football, either in terms of keeping possession or in the timing of runs to create the space to use it effectively.

I should have also mentioned... that isn't a criticism of our squad in particular, I suspect the same would apply to most if not all Championship squads.

[TONofmemories]

On 7/20/2024 at 9:54 PM, centralTON said:

Was there today. first time I've seen most of these players, most of them are not good enough and the rest are Meh!

Currently being treated for cancer and that treatment has been more enjoyable than today.

Brutal.

Really sorry to heat this, Frank. Wishing you nothing but good health mate. 

[TopCat]

9 hours ago, Cet Homme Charmant said:

I should have also mentioned... that isn't a criticism of our squad in particular, I suspect the same would apply to most if not all Championship squads.

I'd even argue that, historically,  championship teams having any degree of promotion success playing neat and tidy passing football is vanishingly rare. Other than a couple of really good St Johnstone sides and Hearts (with their huge budget), I struggle to think of many in my lifetime who have played attractive football and won the league. Even Rangers attempted to play 'the right way' at first, which was a clownshoes disaster.