Hazel1884 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Depends who else is playing in the team - Halliwell, Milne, Lawrie will keep that age difference up also! Ignore Milne, i didn't realise he was only 26 - i thought he was pushing 30! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Well thoughts from Saturday: 1) Not a bad performance to be honest - Livi's first goal was a peach of a strike (if we are being critical, he shouldn't have been allowed to cut inside, but generally players at right back don't have great left foots at this level!). The second goal was an unfortunate slip by McManus and the ball fell straight to Craig, who wasn't missing it and the 3rd was an excellent goal on the counter attack after god knows how long camped in the Livi box. 2) McInnes certainly adds an extra bit of guile and solidity to the midfield, although his head is moving a lot quicker than his body will let him on occasioms!!! 3) There was a distinct lack of width to the team, until McLaren and Doris came on for Hardie and Stanic. If we are playing 4-4-2 then we need players to hold wide positions. The midfield consisting of Sheerin, Mensing, Hardie and McInnes will work in a 3-5-2 but not in a 4-4-2 unfortunately. 4) The one bad point on the performance was our persistance in playing a ball over the top of the defence into the channel (as is normal with our play) but not taking the conditions into account with the ball skidding on the wet turf and away from the runner rather than playing the ball on the ground and into feet of the strikers or on the ground for strikers to run on to. 5) The support at the game reminded me why I don't miss the Saints away games as much as I thought I would - moaning about everything and anything that went wrong, especially when the conditions were clearly hampering the players! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cagey Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Players that played vs Livingston: Cuthbert - 24 Lawrie - 28 McManus - 32 Anderson - 21 Stanic - 34 Sheerin - 32 Hardie - 30 Mensing - 24 McInnes - 35 Scotland - 27 MacDonald - 26 Willie McLaren - 22 Andy Jackson - 19 Steven Doris - 18 Average age = 26 and a half. Forget about the 3 young subs & it is 28 & a half. Replace Cuthbert & Ando with Halliwell & James (Coyles preference early season)& I can`t be arsed calculating but it must be over 30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranmere Saintee Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Chopper - I must have finally lost my marbles, I actually agree with you and your assessment of the game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chips for tea Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 wasnt at the game,so my only input is both teams had to play i they conditions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintSam1884 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Depends who else is playing in the team - Halliwell, Milne, Lawrie will keep that age difference up also! I think we are missing that enthusiasm about the players - the want to play. Halliwell and Milne are both 26, Lawrie is only 28 and I initially counted him anyway. Prime ages for footballers. Fact of the matter is, people (myself included in the past) grossly over exaggerate the average age of our squad by sheer neglect to actually check their facts. If there's one thing that Coyle really cannot be criticised for, it's signing an old team. It's blatantly untrue. I'm not arguing with adding a bit of youth, but kids don't win things. One or two is fine, and I think Jackson will get more opportunities whilst Savo is sidelined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUZZ Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 I'm not arguing with adding a bit of youth, but kids don't win things. alan hansen once said that about man utd sam 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc7969 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 My argument is that for too long we have brought in players who have allegedy shown some form for other teams but have never been rated as players capable of progressing to higher levels. We have added experience like Sheridan who for all his assets was still going downhill in terms of pace. To build a team which can challenge in a very poor quality football environment, I would have been looking for younger players in their late teens, early 20's who had the potential to develop into the higher level player. I know they are not easy to find but given Coyle's supposed contacts I would have thought that there would have been some playing for teams other than Airdrie whom we may have managed to get. Saints had a good relationship with Newcastle and while I do not like loan players, some of their youngsters we saw at McD looked like they could have done a good job for us and themselves ala Stokes at Falkirk. I accept that a team of teenagers will not win but a team of journeymen without any pace or guile, any ability to change the game plan will not win either. A spine of experienced players and mobile, pacey skilful players, playing off them would give us an option to get to the next level. You mention that Jackson will get his chance - When? Savo, Jason have been injured for months, their play has been restricted so why have not Peaso and Jacko got a game? It does not send out a message that the manager thinks they can do a job. Lack of match fitness due no reserve football does not help any of the players coming of the bench and they will need a run. The title is gone - let's sort out the problems in the team now. Play the fringe players see if they can make the grade and improve the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chips for tea Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 My argument is that for too long we have brought in players who have allegedy shown some form for other teams but have never been rated as players capable of progressing to higher levels. We have added experience like Sheridan who for all his assets was still going downhill in terms of pace. To build a team which can challenge in a very poor quality football environment, I would have been looking for younger players in their late teens, early 20's who had the potential to develop into the higher level player. I know they are not easy to find but given Coyle's supposed contacts I would have thought that there would have been some playing for teams other than Airdrie whom we may have managed to get. Saints had a good relationship with Newcastle and while I do not like loan players, some of their youngsters we saw at McD looked like they could have done a good job for us and themselves ala Stokes at Falkirk. I accept that a team of teenagers will not win but a team of journeymen without any pace or guile, any ability to change the game plan will not win either. A spine of experienced players and mobile, pacey skilful players, playing off them would give us an option to get to the next level. You mention that Jackson will get his chance - When? Savo, Jason have been injured for months, their play has been restricted so why have not Peaso and Jacko got a game? It does not send out a message that the manager thinks they can do a job. Lack of match fitness due no reserve football does not help any of the players coming of the bench and they will need a run. The title is gone - let's sort out the problems in the team now. Play the fringe players see if they can make the grade and improve the team. Very well said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HertsSaintee Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 That idea is brilliant. It'll be even better if we get in a manager who's actually capable of putting all that in place. Herts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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