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embow · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 12:49 pm Post subject: Ayr v Raith

Having had a huge success with starting things off for the last game, I'll put my neck on the block and get this one going.
Ayr away is never easy and they seem to have started to improve under one of Hill of Beath's finest. If we can make a decent go at defending then I think that we'll get the three points. Got to keep up the momentum after Friday night.
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Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4933

Ayr away is always a game that, to me anyway, is one that we struggle with. Stats might not bare that out in recent seasons I don't know but after that huge win on Friday it worries me that we might fall again at the next hurdle. We essentially have to have the mindset that we have thirteen cup finals before the end of the season as it could well be we need to win everyone of our remaining matches.
I'd be tempted to start with the same team that started against Utd though there is maybe a case for Brown coming in for Byrne. In the 4-4 game at Starks in December we got destroyed down the wings. Amartey and Chalmers were running riot. With that in mind I think we need the industry and work rate of Smith and Mullin to help protect Dick and Brown .
Up front I'd stick with Rudden. Didn't actually realise how much pace he has and he's not just the like for like replacement for Hamilton I thought he was. With him up front the Ayr backline won't feel as confident pushing up so far so that'll hopefully give Vaughan and Stanton a bit more space in a less congested middle.
Back playing on a grass pitch for this one. I think Hibs are the only team to beat us on that type of surface this season.
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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1873 Location: Irvine

I am still beaming from ear to ear after fridays great win. Very Happy

Hopefully the confidence and belief are restored and the guys go out and give it their all again.
Confident, but not over confident.
Work and play yer socks off.
COYR.
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StarksBarmy · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 4025

Not the fixture you would hand pick for keeping the momentum going but we done well there earlier in season.

No new injury concerns, getting Friday’s game under belt and another week of training for the likes of Stanton, Brown, Rudden, Watson can only benefit them..

Trying to figure out how I can nip to the shop for milk at 10am and take 12 hours without the missus sussing me out…

WillieKirk · Joined: 08 Feb 2014 Posts: 1956 Location: Portobello

Tough game- no injuries? Thought that the eye injury to Byrne might take him out for next game. Maybe not but what a shiner that was. Still delighted by the effort on Friday - my Arab son and friends were gracious enough to say we deserved the win and are frustrated by the DU tactic of passing the ball to each other but rarely making a breakthrough. Hope this tactic continues.
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StarksBarmy · Joined: 03 Apr 2010 Posts: 4025

I’ve not actually watched any of the game except goal yet. I was presuming Byrne’s injury would have just been a bit of swelling and a shiner for week or two?

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1873 Location: Irvine

embow · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 5:26 pm Post subject:

Franco · Joined: 10 Oct 2019 Posts: 1196 Location: kirkcaldy

As Castle says , I think we stick with the starting team ,one which had the right balance of industry and guile. As with Friday this holds back plenty of trickery to unleash on Ayr in the last half hour/ twenty minutes.
The only exception for me might be Scott Brown for Shaun Bryne. Since Broonie emphasized in all his interviews that he was not happy to be on the bench but " came on with the right attitude" no doubt he will think that he did enough on Friday to be reinstated into the starting line-up. IM probably has recognised that he can't fit both Broonie and Shaun into the same midfield ,so resting Shaun whilst his eye recovers could be sufficient excuse to get round the problem for this week ( and, then after that, three games in a week allows rotation and kicks the can further down the road).I
I think the squad is wired up enough and focused on winning promotion outright
now to ensure a win on Saturday. ( Certainly they are if LV's reaction to the Broonie worldie, as captured by Raith TV highlights, is mirrored in the rest of the squad 😂)

wellyboot · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 2567 Location: Aberdeenshire

Stop Anton Dowds and we have a chance. Been impressed with him this season
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Neil M · Joined: 16 Aug 2008 Posts: 2590 Location: Aberdeen

I guess the bad news is that every week has to be as amazing as last week now. No bad selections, no bogey teams,no under-performing and no complacency. The good news is that United do not win every week anymore. If we do re-discover our November form, we could really win this league with some to spare. We are certainly not in the form of a team that could win the league, win the play-offs or survive in the Premiership - yet - but with the squad we have now, we could easily hit that form - quickly and consistently!

Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1873 Location: Irvine

embow · Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2024 11:09 am Post subject:

I'm stating the bleeding obvious here but it all boils down to the last quarter and which team keeps its nerves and form.
Just witness the car crash that QP experienced last season to lose out to Dundee in the playoffs final. Compare where each are now in the pecking order of things.
It really is the old cliche " one game at a time".
It's Ayr this week. Come from there with a win which goes into the record books and then it's on to the next "cup final".
And so on it goes to the last game of the season.
Where's Big Marv and "Believe"?😉
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Heilan Rover · Joined: 24 Dec 2018 Posts: 600 Location: Lorient

Neil. You explained my feelings precisely, and with far less words than I would use! (I'm afraid I am from the old School of, "Why use one word when seventeen more will do!").

Embow. You also reflected my thoughts. Again, far more concisely.

I said last week the United Game was by far our most important to date. It was, and we won. However, it all goes backward IF we put in a poor team performance on Saturday against Ayr. If this were to happen, league position may suffer, but team confidence will definitely drop again and we simply cannot allow this to happen.

Note: I say, "Poor team performance". Sure the result is paramount. However, a good team performance resulting in a hard fought draw away from home whilst not being the best result, would at the very least go some way in maintaining high team morale. If we are to compete for this title, high team morale is the very least we will need to get us there.

However, I think this team may well have turned a corner after Saturday and we are about to see the resurrection of the early season performances we all admired.

COYR and keep an eye on thon Dowds!

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4933

I'd argue that the early season didn't really see us produce stellar performances. Some absolutely incredible results yes but not so much in terms of performances. Not winning or losing a game all campaign by more than a single goal speaks volumes. We produce performances at a certain, consistent level however it doesn't seem to give us much wriggle room if our opposition put in a good performance of their own or our levels drop even a smidge.
Hopefully Ashcroft will make a big difference in defence , especially when defending set pieces and crosses into the box. Without a doubt that inability to defend wide balls into the area is at the heart of our defensive frailty.
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