FK Trakai (H) - Europa League Round 1 - 29/06/17


Abernethy Saint
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Still in shock about this to be honest. I was worried about them before the game and always thought there was a danger of under-estimating them, but they were significantly better than I thought they'd be. Their technique, their pace, their sharpness, and Dorley in particular (can't believe that guy's only 18 and can play like that) - all added up to a team significantly better than the average standard Saints come up against in a domestic season. To me they looked better than either Aberdeen or Sevco did when I watched us play against them last season. For Saints to face a team like that, at a point where they're halfway through their season and flying high, and we've had to scrabble around for closed-door friendlies as most other teams are still on their holidays, is an incredibly difficult challenge. Saints might be the seeded team, but Trakai's standard was a real eye-opener. I'm seeing a lot of stuff online this morning about it being an embarrassment to Scottish football and all the rest of that nonsense, but we played against a bloody good team and I think that's a hard thing for Scottish fans to accept.

I do think, though, that Tommy made mistakes and I don't understand not starting Scougall. He looked sharp and inventive when he came on, and gave me a lot of hope for the season ahead. Even better, though, was Millar, who controlled the midfield and played with a purpose and understanding of the task that had sadly been lacking from Alston and Paton. Given Millar's experience of playing in European matches, I think it's a shame he didn't start.

I agree with others that we desperately need a new option up front - someone with pace and creativity. If we could bring in Dorley that would be an absolute dream but I doubt he's reachable for us. Macca gave it bloody everything as usual, and I thought he looked really fit, but he's going to be 35 this year, can't play on some pitches (including Trakai's, where we really, really need him), and he's not going to go on forever. Cummins was disappointing again last night, doesn't seem to have ever been able to re-capture his pre-injury form, and I wouldn't have started him last night. That puts a lot of pressure on Kane's shoulders (why wasn't he brought on earlier??) but I have real doubts over whether he's up to it.

As for the defence - playing such a hugely inexperienced centre-half was always going to be a big risk and to me we're already paying the price for not hanging onto Scobbie, who was versatile, experienced and reliable and would certainly have started last night.

Haven't entirely given up hope of us getting through but it's going to require either a big collapse from them or a huge improvement from ourselves - probably a combination of both. Still, keep the faith and all that.

 

 

Agree with the summation 100%.  

I had read about Dorley prior to the game, but I was impressed none the less, although his finishing was very wild, but at 18, he has plenty of time to sharpen this up.  Was impressed that the whole stadium clapped the boy off, and shows a bit of class from our fans to appreciate a young talent, even though he is an opposition player.

Last night really drove home the need for another striker to be purchased.  The defense and midfield will sort themselves out, with Ando coming back, Easton and Foster getting a bit sharper and Midge to replace Paton (who had his worst game in a saints shirt IMO), however, Cummins has shown for a while now that he is not a regular goalscorer.  As Blueheaven said, we can't rely on Macca on a consistent basis, and I too have no faith that Kane can provide the necessary goals over a season.  It was clear very early (and I said to people sitting around me in the East Stand) that we were clearly lacking pace upfront.  There were a few occasions that a pacey striker would have had the legs on their centre backs, but our strikers had to resort to holding up the ball and turning back in order to bring others in, rather than being able to run on to through balls.

On last nights showing, I can not envisage us scoring 2 goals over there, and not conceding, however, Saints have surprised us with results in the past, so I will cling to a little bit of hope that we are not out just yet.

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we're all master technicians in hindsight

If Millar started and broke down again TW would have been slated and Scougall has hardly played any football but its safe to say now after watching that they both will start next week,

Also we all say start Kane play the ball on the ground but everyone has mentioned how bad they were defensively at crosses

anyway lets hope we get an early goal and if we do go out lets still have a great trip!

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Totally agree with this. I think the Trakai players will be sitting in their hotel room tonight thinking how easy an evening that was... They cruised it..

They were sitting in The Loft very pleased! 

Nice boys, had a bit of good crack with them. 

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Guest ScottMann

Scobbie's getting better and better eery day he's away from the club. At this rate in a couple of weeks he'll be joining the list of 'would have been capped if playing a team other than Saints'. Must be a different guy from the one that got slaughtered for ****ing up against Alashkert in his last Euro game.

On the subject of slaughters, Randoms criticism of Gilchrist is embarrassing, even for him. I thought the guy was fine, especially given the circumstances.

If apparently we're that 'rusty' after 3 weeks off then thank goodness it wasn't a long close season.

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after seeing the goals on a dodgy video - Gilchrist is late following Dorely and looks like Paton is lb dont know where Easton was.

The 2nd Clark cannot be blame his positioning is perfect it was just a rocket into the top corner Foster is no where so Joe get pulled out wide meaning Gilchrist is in 2minds to close down the score or mark the striker in the middle, no mid-fielders track the scorer either

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the first goal was mistake after mistake as TW right called it "sloppy". Not getting goal-side, getting dragged with the man, not getting close enough for the block and inevitably given them space to get a show away.

In some ways the second was the same, not withstanding how good it looked, the lad should have been closed down faster.

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On the subject of slaughters, Randoms criticism of Gilchrist is embarrassing, even for him. I thought the guy was fine, especially given the circumstances.

I stand by it. He was miles out his depth, and spent the game being dragged out of position which was causes problems as Easton had to stick back to fill in. He then compounded it by dithering on the ball a a few times and almost getting caught out. He did win a few headers and complete a few simple passes though. 

Let's let it pass because he's a youngster though (despite the fact he's older than five of the Trakai starting line up). 

TW is more to blame for starting him when he's so far out his depth. 

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I stand by it. He was miles out his depth, and spent the game being dragged out of position which was causes problems as Easton had to stick back to fill in. He then compounded it by dithering on the ball a a few times and almost getting caught out. He did win a few headers and complete a few simple passes though. 

Let's let it pass because he's a youngster though (despite the fact he's older than five of the Trakai starting line up). 

TW is more to blame for starting him when he's so far out his depth. 

 

 

I stand by it. He was miles out his depth, and spent the game being dragged out of position which was causes problems as Easton had to stick back to fill in. He then compounded it by dithering on the ball a a few times and almost getting caught out. He did win a few headers and complete a few simple passes though. 

Let's let it pass because he's a youngster though (despite the fact he's older than five of the Trakai starting line up). 

TW is more to blame for starting him when he's so far out his depth. 

Tommy was to blame for team selection but didn't see Gilchrist do too much wrong.

He was drawn out at second goal because Foster was caught upfield & Joe went out to cover. Witherspoon who should be helping Foster is nowhere to be seen.

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Guest ScottMann
 

I stand by it. He was miles out his depth, and spent the game being dragged out of position which was causes problems as Easton had to stick back to fill in. He then compounded it by dithering on the ball a a few times and almost getting caught out. He did win a few headers and complete a few simple passes though. 

Let's let it pass because he's a youngster though (despite the fact he's older than five of the Trakai starting line up). 

TW is more to blame for starting him when he's so far out his depth. 

It's a forum and we're all entitled to our opinion but I have to agree with those both on here and P&B that say your attention seeking hyperbole really is tedious. 

 

Tommy was to blame for team selection but didn't see Gilchrist do too much wrong.

He was drawn out at second goal because Foster was caught upfield & Joe went out to cover. Witherspoon who should be helping Foster is nowhere to be seen.

He didn't in most peoples eyes.

At both goals you could point the finger at Easton for heading into a tackle miles out of position in their half on a guy that Craig should have picked up therefore starting off the whole chain of events then not coming to help Gilchrist cover in the middle when the ball was out left leaving him in no mans land trying to cover two players. 

Despite the second being an absolute cracking strike I'd say it was the experienced guys in our defence that caused the problems at the goals. We had 3 weeks off then played 3 warm up games so I'm not having the rustiness excuse as it's just that. We were awful, they were better than us and deserved to win. It happens.

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Gilchrist was fine.

The point about him being older than five of them is a bigger issue regarding our game. Across the board in Scotland our youngsters don't seem to mature fast enough. We do OK at youth level but these players we are then told need protected from the big scary world of spl football 

Edited by Shaggy Jenkins
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Tommy was to blame for team selection but didn't see Gilchrist do too much wrong.

He was drawn out at second goal because Foster was caught upfield & Joe went out to cover. Witherspoon who should be helping Foster is nowhere to be seen.

Both Foster and Easton were left utterly exposed as the manager decided to play a narrow diamond midfield. 

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Gilchrist was fine.

The point about him being older than five of them is a bigger issue regarding our game. Across the board in Scotland our youngsters don't seem to mature fast enough. We do OK at youth level but these players we are then told need protected from the big scary world of spl football 

Yeah. I think Tommy was looking for a left back/centre back & if he had got one Gilchrist would not have played.

Is there any point in our youth system if guys get to 20 odd & still not be trusted. How much have these 4 defenders ,Thomson & many others cost us over the years.

I suspect Brown would not be too upset to see Tommy go,especially if it means he gets a few Bob.

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