Morton vs Stenny Scottish Cup

[TopCat]

Pointing fingers at Murray is a weird one for me. He's been in the door 2 weeks, working with a poorly assembled rabble which has been on a downward slide under both Imrie and Davies. 

Longridge isn't a centre back, our fullbacks are poor, Gillespie is done and we don't have a reliable championship-standard forward. Signings are required, not a handful of training sessions.

[Mr.Blue]

Longridge was poor yesterday but overall he's arguably been out best player this season. Can't agree with you on that. As for our fullbacks, Ballantyne is fine for this level as is Comrie. Delaney blows hot and cold.

15 minutes ago, TopCat said:

Pointing fingers at Murray is a weird one for me. He's been in the door 2 weeks, working with a poorly assembled rabble which has been on a downward slide under both Imrie and Davies. 

Longridge isn't a centre back, our fullbacks are poor, Gillespie is done and we don't have a reliable championship-standard forward. Signings are required, not a handful of training sessions.

 

[TopCat]

6 minutes ago, Mr.Blue said:

Longridge was poor yesterday but overall he's arguably been out best player this season. Can't agree with you on that. As for our fullbacks, Ballantyne is fine for this level as is Comrie. Delaney blows hot and cold.

 

I'd argue that Longridge has been our best player despite being played at centre back. He knows what he's doing but really struggles with a physical presence or route one football. 

[SpoonTon]

I don't think Longridge has had a bad season overall. I don't think Moore and Storer have been at their best in recent weeks, which is something which can happen at points in a season with inexperienced players. I'm not convinced by any of our full backs capacity for defending in the box. I think what's significant is that if Longridge isn't at his best then things fall apart pretty quickly. 

Gillespie and Blues dominated the midfield yesterday. I think generally the team gave the front 4 players the platform to score goals but they couldn't put the ball in the net. Running about and having neat touches of the ball here and there is meaningless if you can't score goals. 

The back 4 in particular defended the box miserably at set pieces. A small team around them isn't going to help but the basic defending of the box from the defence and goalkeeper was pathetic. 

[Mr.Blue]

15 minutes ago, SpoonTon said:

I don't think Longridge has had a bad season overall. I don't think Moore and Storer have been at their best in recent weeks, which is something which can happen at points in a season with inexperienced players. I'm not convinced by any of our full backs capacity for defending in the box. I think what's significant is that if Longridge isn't at his best then things fall apart pretty quickly. 

Gillespie and Blues dominated the midfield yesterday. I think generally the team gave the front 4 players the platform to score goals but they couldn't put the ball in the net. Running about and having neat touches of the ball here and there is meaningless if you can't score goals. 

The back 4 in particular defended the box miserably at set pieces. A small team around them isn't going to help but the basic defending of the box from the defence and goalkeeper was pathetic. 

Yeah you're right there. If Longridge isn't on form the rest can't seem to step up. 

[DunTon]

I understand this is one of the worst performances in our history, and I understand the frustrations with Murray's lack of organisation (especially as I was going on about how with his "tactical prowess" we'd have beaten Partick) but I think I must have been watching a different post-match interview than whatever some of the others have been watching.

To me he was definitely taking responsibility for the defeat, whilst also making the point that he needs more support with the transfer window (which anyone could have told you this time last week).

Losing faith in him based on that performance is fair enough, but I cannot see how his post-match interview made anything worse. To be honest, I thought it was quite honest.

I also think there are some rose-tinted glasses around here regarding Imrie's performances this season. This was the guy who managed 1 win in 13, who's seasonal "unbeaten run after getting pumped by the top dogs" lasted 3 games (one of which against a miserable Ross County) and then went back to what wasn't working after packing the midfield at Dingwall worked wonders. The squad he assembled is absolutely atrocious and him "levelling them up" amounted to a run of about 1 million draws.

Not saying Murray is any better than Imrie and we should all be letting him get away with this (who would) but I think the pile-on is a bit much at this point.

[SassenachTon]

5 hours ago, TopCat said:

Pointing fingers at Murray is a weird one for me. He's been in the door 2 weeks, working with a poorly assembled rabble which has been on a downward slide under both Imrie and Davies. 

Longridge isn't a centre back, our fullbacks are poor, Gillespie is done and we don't have a reliable championship-standard forward. Signings are required, not a handful of training sessions.

Stenny are only four places below us in the SPFL. If we'd been sitting at 6th in the Championship and we'd been pumped by Ross County in 10th, it would still be an utterly shite and embarrassing result - but not one which would instantly rank as being amongst the top 5 worst since 1874. I'm as scunnered as everyone else on here and I'm not sugar-coating anything - I'm just offering up a different perspective. Red-dot away .......

Edited January 18 by SassenachTon
Comedy spelling

[TONofmemories]

2 hours ago, Mr.Blue said:

Longridge was poor yesterday but overall he's arguably been out best player this season. Can't agree with you on that. As for our fullbacks, Ballantyne is fine for this level as is Comrie. Delaney blows hot and cold.

 

Agreed 

[HamCam]

Until we get some height, physicality and leadership into the squad we are going to be vulnerable to teams with big boys going direct. The current lack of confidence in the squad is understandable but someone has to stand up and take ownership. The onus has to fall on the experienced pros in the squad. I'm not sure about anyone else but I am pitching up at games just now hoping to avoid embarrassment and to see the odd goal for Morton - a win seems overly optimistic.

[Mr.Blue]

Murray in the studio for the Aberdeen v Raith. Thankfully they didn't speak about our game much.

[TONofmemories]

On 1/17/2026 at 5:11 PM, dunning1874 said:

It doesn't matter that it's his first game in charge, overseeing one of the worst results in the club's history in that fashion means that massive questions need to be asked of Murray. It's a squad he's inherited, but any team conceding three goals from set-pieces in one game can't be anyone's fault but the coaching staffs' for atrocious organisation.

Persisting with sand-dancing wingers in the second half when the game was still alive at 2-0 and we obviously needed to flood the middle of the park to win second balls, actively choosing to continue surrendering it, is simply gross incompetence regardless of how much time you've had with a squad.

17:11 so i'll presume you were absolute (rightfully) livid, but it's hardly time to be asking questions of a guy a couple of weeks in the door with quite obvious deficiencies at his disposal. 

Hopefully you've calmed doon and straightened your hair enough to bide some time. 

[vikingTON]

1 hour ago, TONofmemories said:

17:11 so i'll presume you were absolute (rightfully) livid, but it's hardly time to be asking questions of a guy a couple of weeks in the door with quite obvious deficiencies at his disposal. 

Hopefully you've calmed doon and straightened your hair enough to bide some time. 

A couple of weeks in the door - with no game last weekend - is ample time to prepare defending set pieces at a supposedly professional and full time football club. It is inherent preparation for the test of playing a lower league outfit in the cup.

So what were they doing over those two weeks? Was the planned setup incompetent, or did players repeatedly fail to carry out instructions? And why was a player with height of Wilson on the bench? 

Excuses for yet more completely predictable amateurism at Cappielow - which of course did not start with the new management two weeks ago - simply do not wash. 

[TONofmemories]

22 minutes ago, vikingTON said:

A couple of weeks in the door - with no game last weekend - is ample time to prepare defending set pieces at a supposedly professional and full time football club. It is inherent preparation for the test of playing a lower league outfit in the cup.

So what were they doing over those two weeks? Was the planned setup incompetent, or did players repeatedly fail to carry out instructions? And why was a player with height of Wilson on the bench? 

Excuses for yet more completely predictable amateurism at Cappielow - which of course did not start with the new management two weeks ago - simply do not wash. 

Birthday caird pish

[Ferguson]

I think almost everything Murray’s said is right. The squad is miles below the required standard, we have no leaders and we don’t have the desire to keep the ball out of one goal nor put it in the other. We’ve known that all season so I’m glad the new man in charge sees that after 90 minutes of football. I’ll judge him on how he goes about fixing the mess.   Edit - Clearly not excusing the performance/result, but I think this is about as reasonable and honest an interview from the new manager as I could’ve asked for following a disgrace of that magnitude. Don’t often hear such a brutal assessment of a group of players after 1 game in charge. 

I don’t agree that this is a “wake up call” though, at least not for anyone other than Murray. In the last few weeks we’ve required penalties to get past Peterhead and been pumped out the cup by the lowest ranked team in the SPFL. Aside from that, we’ve won 4 league games all season. Anyone who still needs woken up at this stage shouldn’t be playing football. 

Edited January 19 by Ferguson

[dunning1874]

14 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

I think almost everything Murray’s said is right. The squad is miles below the required standard, we have no leaders and we don’t have the desire to keep the ball out of one goal nor put it in the other. We’ve known that all season so I’m glad the new man in charge sees that after 90 minutes of football. I’ll judge him on how he goes about fixing the mess.

I don’t agree that this is a “wake up call” though, at least not for anyone other than Murray. In the last few weeks we’ve required penalties to get past Peterhead and been pumped out the cup by the lowest ranked team in the SPFL. Aside from that, we’ve won 4 league games all season. Anyone who still needs woken up at this stage shouldn’t be playing football. 

Is the squad bad enough that we should be expecting to lose 4-0 to a League One team, with three goals from set-pieces?

No one is saying Murray could reasonably be expected to implement a new style of play and have it click in two weeks/one game. That takes time. Overseeing basic organisation of defending set-pieces doesn't, that's just basic managerial competence which was completely lacking and has never been so bad at any other point this season, even when Davies or Miller were in charge.

He will of course get time to fix the mess and rightly so, but the idea that he's blameless for Saturday because of the squad he's inherited when that squad have delivered by far their most disorganised and shambolic defensive performance of the season, when it was his responsibility to organise them, is blatantly fucking ridiculous. We have been shite all season, but never close to this bad.

[Ferguson]

4 minutes ago, dunning1874 said:

Is the squad bad enough that we should be expecting to lose 4-0 to a League One team, with three goals from set-pieces?

No one is saying Murray could reasonably be expected to implement a new style of play and have it click in two weeks/one game. That takes time. Overseeing basic organisation of defending set-pieces doesn't, that's just basic managerial competence which was completely lacking and has never been so bad at any other point this season, even when Davies or Miller were in charge

Again, it’s not a defence of the performance or result which was obviously a total disgrace and Murray is to blame for a lot of it. I could sit and write about everything he got wrong but it’s all been said, so I can’t be arsed.

The difference I’m highlighting is that all of Imrie, Davies and Miller oversaw multiple shambolic performances and all failed to acknowledge that our squad is a mess. Across 4 different managers these players have repeatedly failed to do basic, schoolboy aspects of the game. If Murray came out and said that he’s going to wave a magic wand and turn an apple into an orange I’d be worried, it’s about time someone came out and said that we’ve got a squad of players who can’t do the basics right and the squad needs “major surgery” to get through the season, because it’s true.

[TopCat]

18 minutes ago, dunning1874 said:

Is the squad bad enough that we should be expecting to lose 4-0 to a League One team, with three goals from set-pieces?

No one is saying Murray could reasonably be expected to implement a new style of play and have it click in two weeks/one game. That takes time. Overseeing basic organisation of defending set-pieces doesn't, that's just basic managerial competence which was completely lacking and has never been so bad at any other point this season, even when Davies or Miller were in charge.

He will of course get time to fix the mess and rightly so, but the idea that he's blameless for Saturday because of the squad he's inherited when that squad have delivered by far their most disorganised and shambolic defensive performance of the season, when it was his responsibility to organise them, is blatantly fucking ridiculous. We have been shite all season, but never close to this bad.

We have been this bad. I was tearing my hair out on Saturday but the draws against L1 and L2 opposition, getting slapped about by St Johnstone and the loss to Airdrie at home were all terrible results and disorganised performances.

Ignoring this and piling into the newest manager for this latest shambles is to ignore the more obvious issue - the squad is rubbish and not currently good enough to stay out of a relegation battle.

[HamCam]

I'm not sure how you can blame Murray for players failing to do the basics. At all three set pieces the 'right' people were matched up with the opposition runners but just switched off and not for the first time this season. Naysmith said in his post match comments that Stenhousemuir did not play well. They targeted Morton as a team lacking height and physicality hence vulnerable at set pieces. The test for Murray is what happens next. 

[vikingTON]

1 hour ago, HamCam said:

I'm not sure how you can blame Murray for players failing to do the basics. At all three set pieces the 'right' people were matched up with the opposition runners but just switched off and not for the first time this season. Naysmith said in his post match comments that Stenhousemuir did not play well. They targeted Morton as a team lacking height and physicality hence vulnerable at set pieces. The test for Murray is what happens next. 

If the players don't do their jobs at the first two goals, you 'reaffirm' instructions at HT via a turbo bollocking  and identify any suitable ones who failed to follow instructions and hook them out of the team*. For the team to then concede immediately from the next set piece after your time to intervene is a failure of management and coaching. Murray cannot take the lion's share of blame for the first half goals: but the decisive 3rd goal is on him too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* And you can also bring on or start players with extra height to help deal with set pieces in Wilson - or, God help us, even Shaw - rather than the array of midget sand dancers who were never likely to win a high scoring game in spite of Stenny goals. 

[Cet Homme Charmant]

All the manager at half-time can do is highlight the defensive lapses that caused the goals to be conceded, and give those culpable instructions on how to prevent similar mistakes in the 2nd half.

Either Murray failed do this, or the players at fault didn't react as instructed. I obviously don't know which is the case, but if I had to bet I would say it was the latter

Edited January 19 by Cet Homme Charmant