Ange Postecoglou

Who said we are ?

 

Aye, exactly that. Pumped the Huns and players thought we’d stroll it.

Massive drop off from the players and I reckon it starts from the back. Starfelt and CCV have been off it for a few games now, the speed of the ball movement isn’t even half of what it was 3 weeks ago. Putting their foot on the ball when players are open, knocking it between them with no pace, looks like a 12 year old has kicked it. These two need to sharpen our ball movement up. When was the last time we counter attacked? Feels like we are pedestrian.

I don’t know if it’s the pitches getting cut up, but it needs to change pronto.

 

* me! We're in a slump of form - not actually reflected in all results, still top of the table and folk are turning on the manager and team? Bit * arrogant to assume a team hobbled together for very little, en-masse over a season will shine at all time, against every team, in all circumstances.

Today we were forced to play with 3rd choice striker, at a tricky away venue, after a midweek European game and people are throwing a strop that we didn't blitz them. We can't win them all!

 

Just being pedantic but only 4 players in todays starting 11 started against Bodø.

 

Anyone who isn't looking at the big picture is just ignorant. We've gone on a run of wins that we had no right to go on in a rebuild season. That winter break gave us such a boost. With the January signings coming in and everything clicking into place a bit, plus the odd last minute winner, we really built up a bit of steam for a while there.

Sadly now we have arrived at another lull. In a rebuild season this was unavoidable. Now the question is where is the lift going to come from? Before long we'll be back to 1 game per week instead of 2 which should help. On top of that the return of Turnbull and Kyogo ought to lift a few spirits for the run-in also. I hope Ange has some motivational gunpowder that has yet been kept dry. He said he is training us to peak at the end of the season - maybe this lull is the natural pre-cursor to that peak. Hopefully.

 

Players will naturally have a slump in form, the way we play will eventually take its toll, But today wasnt just about players being out of form, you dont have a whole team out of form together. Jota and Abada were doubled up on when the ball went out wide, when Rogic and Hatate got the ball they were closed down quickly, Maeda was isolated feeding on scraps. Calmac sitting too deep, he is much more effective further forward. I think Ange has done a fantastic job since he came in, I wasnt bought into it when he first arrived but I have grown to love how he wants to play. However, thats were the problem lays, not every game we will play we will be allowed to play "Angeball" ( cringey I know), when that happens we need to change tactics, change strategy, Ange doesnt do that. 1 sub today and nothing changed, we played the same way. He needs a plan B, then a plan C,. Teams are slowly working out how we play and a way to subdue us, he needs to combat that. Even more so now as we are at the buisness end of the season, teams are fighting for points to avoid relegation battles or get into the top 6. He needs to adopt and not be scared to make changes otherwise it is going to hurt us.

 

All this angst and worry and we're still 3 points clear, you couldn't make it up

 

I'm in 2 minds here. Should I be disappointed that we're not now 5 clear or relieved that we're not 1 clear?

 

The concerns people identified at the start of the season are largely still present. Strategy is too predictable, we struggle to beak down defensive teams, we fall off in the second half, squad selection lacks planning, and changes are made far too late.

I think we've improved in some areas (e.g., rotation) but I'm not really seeing the sort of progress you'd expect on the pitch. It can't all be put on Ange, it's a rebuild and we've made some great signings under him, but you can't really blame squad depth or quality when it's teams like Livi, Hibs and Dundee.

At this stage of the season, we should be putting in better performances with the squad we have. That's the bottom line for me.

 

Don't know who he prayed to at 3pm but it worked, another gift...let's not fall foul of this again!

 

He's been lucky as *, and let out of jail by Huns dropping points, again. All these players aren't in bad form, you can't have a full squad playing *, it's on him. We have been * for weeks now.
Even when we are playing well, we play well in spells, and have the 'second half slump' most games.

I'm still * raging with him. He needs to get his finger out his * and start doing his job properly.

 

Think wee Maloney watched the Bodo games and thought when Hibs didn't have the ball went into two compressed banks of four and were hard to break down and can see other managers doing this and Ang needs to have a plan B when these tactics are getting used and we will get that next week with Livingston and we need to stop crossing balls to a striker who's only average height and centre halfs have a easy afternoon when we do this .

 

He’s had a massive let off today. He’s got to get a handle on the team right now because we’re struggling big time.

 

I thought he picked the right team, was the players who didn't deliver.

 

Not having that we were “excellent”. I thought some players were playing to one game plan and others playing a different one.

Hatate is getting stick and I can see it. Bad touches and passes. But I thought he was getting into great areas but he wasn’t getting the ball quick enough or at all.

Maeda needs to get in front of his man to get on the end of crosses. I think we actually missed Giakoumakis.

Jota and Abada didn’t drive at defenders. Juranovic I felt was a real driving force then it would just stop when he passed it.

 

Think he has to tell them to shoot more. We try and walk it in. Our corners and free kicks around the box are a disgrace.

 

the peak am guessing will be on time to keep us in front and in the cup hopefully, this team are either feeling they are being pushed to hard and have collectively said * it or they have nothing left in the tank and it's been discussed with the manager and moving fwd Europe was pretty well given up for more recovery time .
If u look at bodo , there is a benefit to being match fit but, u can be match fit and totally jaded as a team, and so a team fresh from pre season, and a title win , can have the edge over you from Freshness .
For me our team are at the edge of mental fatigue and have run out of mental sharpness ,add to that referees happy to kill game momentum and blow for every close contact in the game against our fukn team ,it becomes difficult to be relentless, so many issues atm ,don't think players have dowed tools just the tools are blunt from over use .

 

I felt a bit for Maeda today. He was constantly harassing, but it’s useless if the players behind him aren’t backing that up. Then from an attacking point of view, he was feeding on less than scraps.