I can understand the tactics and approach tonight

[dh1963]

Plenty saying the manager got things all wrong, and in hindsight he obviously did as we lost to a team who are no better than a couple of the sides we knocked out in the qualifiers. But I totally get why he picked that team and played that way.

We are just off 2 shocking performances, defended horribly last game, aren't creating much and the goals have dried up. We're away in Europe to a team with a decent home record and need to win.
Then we have probably our best 2 wingers unavailable, plus one of our main creative midfielders doesn't travel.

So we play our first choice back 4.
We play 4 central midfielders who all can tackle and win the ball.
To start with, rely on a quick winger and our best striker to hit them when possible.

If we go behind early, the heads might go down.
If we can score first, we have a set up that should be hard to play through.

If we still need a goal after 70, bring on another winger and take off a midfielder.
If we haven't got the goal by 80, bring on a second striker and take off another midfielder. Then we obviously risk losing but we have to go for it.

The plan was fine, it just fell down because we just lack the creativity, imagination and unpredictability teams need to create and score goals at this level. And that was the case no matter the formation.

The manager knows we need that creative player. Without that spark, the set up tonight kept us in with a real chance 85 minutes into game 14 of a Euro campaign. Criticism of the manager comes with the job, especially when you lose. I genuinely think tonight that the manager did very little wrong.

 

[Deleted member 125]

Maybe it's just ultra-proffesionalism but I think Stevie G and his staff are guilty of being a little too conservative particularly away from home. We are set up to score from counter-attacking /fast transitions and DC is probably our best exponent of this and we missed him badly this evening. However,I can't help but feel that we had enough quality to go toe to toe with Rapid.

 

[Now and forever]

Look at the quality of Rapid and the fact it was a must win game.

We were far too negative.

 

[Davie Meiklejohn]

Look at the quality of Rapid and the fact it was a must win game.

We were far too negative.

We don't play kick and rush football, so it wouldn't have helped. The pitch really didn't help our cause. I don't know what you think we should have done

 

[frankfurterbear1]

This keep it tight for 80 minutes and then try and sneak a goal is rotten and putting all your eggs into last ten minutes, wish Vienna scored early and then we might have seen a different game.

 

[Blu_ultra]

I thought we did well tonight.

 

[Amato Amore]

Tactics were spot on and we played well. Jack, Barisic and Tavernier were immense.

 

[Davie Meiklejohn]

Plenty saying the manager got things all wrong, and in hindsight he obviously did as we lost to a team who are no better than a couple of the sides we knocked out in the qualifiers. But I totally get why he picked that team and played that way.

We are just off 2 shocking performances, defended horribly last game, aren't creating much and the goals have dried up. We're away in Europe to a team with a decent home record and need to win.
Then we have probably our best 2 wingers unavailable, plus one of our main creative midfielders doesn't travel.

So we play our first choice back 4.
We play 4 central midfielders who all can tackle and win the ball.
To start with, rely on a quick winger and our best striker to hit them when possible.

If we go behind early, the heads might go down.
If we can score first, we have a set up that should be hard to play through.

If we still need a goal after 70, bring on another winger and take off a midfielder.
If we haven't got the goal by 80, bring on a second striker and take off another midfielder. Then we obviously risk losing but we have to go for it.

The plan was fine, it just fell down because we just lack the creativity, imagination and unpredictability teams need to create and score goals at this level. And that was the case no matter the formation.

The manager knows we need that creative player. Without that spark, the set up tonight kept us in with a real chance 85 minutes into game 14 of a Euro campaign. Criticism of the manager comes with the job, especially when you lose. I genuinely think tonight that the manager did very little wrong.

You got that all right. I would add that we played on a very saturated, ploughed field. That didn't help either team

 

[Amato Amore]

Maybe it's just ultra-proffesionalism but I think Stevie G and his staff are guilty of being a little too conservative particularly away from home. We are set up to score from counter-attacking /fast transitions and DC is probably our best exponent of this and we missed him badly this evening. However,I can't help but feel that we had enough quality to go toe to toe with Rapid.

All about opinions but I disagree about the conservative part.

First half v Villareal aside I think we’ve been great away from home throughout qualifiers and the group. Went toe to toe with Spartak and if we defended better we would have beat them comfortably.

IMO our home form has been the downfall. And that’s because we lack a bit of quality to unlock defences, nothing really to do with tactics

 

[Oshahoorsir]

Tactics totally understandable.

Goal couldn’t have come a a worse time.

 

[dh1963]

All about opinions but I disagree about the conservative part.

First half v Villareal aside I think we’ve been great away from home throughout qualifiers and the group. Went toe to toe with Spartak and if we defended better we would have beat them comfortably.

IMO our home form has been the downfall. And that’s because we lack a bit of quality to unlock defences, nothing really to do with tactics

The Moscow games cost us.

2 draws with Villareal was more than ok.

 

[Stevie13000]

Look at the quality of Rapid and the fact it was a must win game.

We were far too negative.

100% this

 

[tazzabear]

Look at the quality of Rapid and the fact it was a must win game.

We were far too negative.

I didn’t see our set up as negative in any way.

 

[albionrose]

It's a lot more simple than that.

We played a solid 451, when defending.

We tried to attack in a 433.

We were a little bit of creativity away from maybe getting a 0-1.

Very content.

 

[Portadown_Bear]

It’s very fine margins.

If Goldson’s header is an inch lower and we go 1 up then Vienna have to have a real go at us and it’s a different game.

 

[Bighuggybear]

Tactics where spot on,Rapid never looked like scoring till shagger made his mistake,people saying Rapid where crap maybe we made them look crap.
I could say recently we are not getting the breaks but with better players you do seem to get the breaks,our only enemy now is time and money,give the gaffer both I believe our future is bright.

 

[tazzabear]

The Moscow games cost us.

2 draws with Villareal was more than ok.

We were one kick of the ball away from a result in Moscow, several times!
Losing there was gut wrenching.

 

[muttley]

We just can't win when its needed, be it tonight, the Sheep or the Peasants. We have no mental strength in this side. We were already out before the game started, and we had to be more direct.

 

[mark hateley]

The park was something the scum would have loved.

There was potatoes all over the field.

 

[nelster]

Theres instances in the first half where Middleton took a duff touch when through, where Coulibally played a duff pass when it was simple to put Middleton through and Morelos failed to trust his team mate and be waiting for the cut back.

The opportunities were there and not taken

Rapid Viennas subs and resultant quality / legs were far better than ours

 

[Callum3657]

Your bang on mate. If the Goldson header had gone in, we pick them off on the break a couple of times I think. Then suddenly it’s a master stroke

 

[47blue]

We don't play kick and rush football, so it wouldn't have helped. The pitch really didn't help our cause. I don't know what you think we should have done

Hindsight is great,but I felt we should have went long with Lafferty and Morelos. Too many short passes went astray on that pitch.

 

[chrisgers]

I can only think of one viable change he could have made - to start with Grezda (on the wrong wing) instead of one of the midfield - who would probably have been McCrorie.

That would have looked a very lightweight team in an away European game on a dodgy pitch, where the ball was sticking so much that pace and running with the ball weren't really bringing any sort of return.

As it was McCrorie was excellent bar one moment and Grezda spent 15 minutes running past the ball which kept holding up when he tried to dribble. We missed the balance that Candeias brings - as a creative player who also contributes without the ball.

The only change I'd like to have seen wasn't in personnel. I'd just like to have seen us pressing them much higher. It was how we were playing in our best spells of the season and we seem to have lost that. It got us chances without us having to create and particularly on that pitch it was almost certain that Vienna would have been caught in possession in dangerous areas

 

[Del]

Your bang on mate. If the Goldson header had gone in, we pick them off on the break a couple of times I think. Then suddenly it’s a master stroke

And when Goldsons header didn't go in ....

Setup was fine. The problem was too many were woefully careless with the ball. From 5 yard passes to delivery into the box we continually let ourselves down.

Did Fredo even touch the ball inside their 18 yard box? In a must win game we failed to get the ball to our goalscorer in the danger zone. That despite dominating possession for most of the game. Hate to say it but we failed because we were pish, not because Rapid defended well.

 

[Midfield General]

Plenty saying the manager got things all wrong, and in hindsight he obviously did as we lost to a team who are no better than a couple of the sides we knocked out in the qualifiers. But I totally get why he picked that team and played that way.

We are just off 2 shocking performances, defended horribly last game, aren't creating much and the goals have dried up. We're away in Europe to a team with a decent home record and need to win.
Then we have probably our best 2 wingers unavailable, plus one of our main creative midfielders doesn't travel.

So we play our first choice back 4.
We play 4 central midfielders who all can tackle and win the ball.
To start with, rely on a quick winger and our best striker to hit them when possible.

If we go behind early, the heads might go down.
If we can score first, we have a set up that should be hard to play through.

If we still need a goal after 70, bring on another winger and take off a midfielder.
If we haven't got the goal by 80, bring on a second striker and take off another midfielder. Then we obviously risk losing but we have to go for it.

The plan was fine, it just fell down because we just lack the creativity, imagination and unpredictability teams need to create and score goals at this level. And that was the case no matter the formation.

The manager knows we need that creative player. Without that spark, the set up tonight kept us in with a real chance 85 minutes into game 14 of a Euro campaign. Criticism of the manager comes with the job, especially when you lose. I genuinely think tonight that the manager did very little wrong.

It was a very Walter Smith type set up the only thing wrong was we couldn't take our chance when it came along.If Goldson had scored we would have seen it out.

 

[The Predator]

Being perfectly honest we are missing about 3 or 4 top quality players. We have a squad of above average footballers in comparison to past couple years. But it's going to take time and a couple more windows. Europe and the earnings this season were a welcome bonus for the club.

 

[Now and forever]

I didn’t see our set up as negative in any way.

Do you think we'd have been a bigger goal threat with Lafferty and Grezda on the park?

 

[Mr_Miscellaneous]

Do you think we'd have been a bigger goal threat with Lafferty and Grezda on the park?

I think with Grezda and Barisic on the Left flank we would have been more narrow and at least down that side we wouldn't have always looked for the cross. We would have at least tried another option.

Don't know about Lafferty. It's clear Morelos doesn't work well in a partnership and forcing Lafferty out wide probably isn't a good idea.

 

[Callum3657]

And when Goldsons header didn't go in ....

Setup was fine. The problem was too many were woefully careless with the ball. From 5 yard passes to delivery into the box we continually let ourselves down.

Did Fredo even touch the ball inside their 18 yard box? In a must win game we failed to get the ball to our goalscorer in the danger zone. That despite dominating possession for most of the game. Hate to say it but we failed because we were pish, not because Rapid defended well.

And there is the issue that this team has it’s the middle to front creativity, we all know that’s the problem and one that needs addressed in January. Alfredo has to come deep to try and make chances. Injury’s and suspensions cost us tonight, not for the first time this term.

Gerrard has had one window, we will add in January. It’s hard to take tonight, the last week has been a real bastard. If we can stay close in the league over the next few weeks and get the winter break and the January window in then we can still push.
I still believe.

 

[Professor Yaffle]

We played OK but OK isn't enough sadly

 

[Ally’s Golden Boot]

If we scored in the last 10 minutes to win the game SG would have been lauded for his tactics.

 

[foot1efreek]

Tactics were spot on and we played well. Jack, Barisic and Tavernier were immense.

Take it you don’t see that tav had a brain fart just before the goal?? Loses the ball up the park instead of putting it in the box??

 

[Now and forever]

I think with Grezda and Barisic on the Left flank we would have been more narrow and at least down that side we wouldn't have always looked for the cross. We would have at least tried another option.

Don't know about Lafferty. It's clear Morelos doesn't work well in a partnership and forcing Lafferty out wide probably isn't a good idea.

He's a bigger goal threat than Arfield and Jack.


If we had went at them we'd have went through. They are rotten and we didn't need to sit and worry about getting picked off.

 

[WearsideGallantFew]

Look at the quality of Rapid and the fact it was a must win game.

We were far too negative.

they only scored because we went toe-to-toe with them for the last 15 minutes. Took Jack off, pushed McCrorie into a flat midfield 4, McGregor's kick comes straight back at a now fully exposed back four and they couldn't cope.

 

[Superrangers]

Maybe it's just ultra-proffesionalism but I think Stevie G and his staff are guilty of being a little too conservative particularly away from home. We are set up to score from counter-attacking /fast transitions and DC is probably our best exponent of this and we missed him badly this evening. However,I can't help but feel that we had enough quality to go toe to toe with Rapid.

We should have gone at them more. I can’t help but think that if the header that hit the bar had gone in, we would have won.

 

[Now and forever]

they only scored because we went toe-to-toe with them for the last 15 minutes. Took Jack off, pushed McCrorie into a flat midfield 4, McGregor's kick comes straight back at a now fully exposed back four and they couldn't cope.

We'd have been a couple of goals up had we went at them.

They are pish.

 

[WearsideGallantFew]

Take it you don’t see that tav had a brain fart just before the goal?? Loses the ball up the park instead of putting it in the box??

trying to take on the full back is hardly a brain fart. It wasn't "just" before the goal either. Naturally it's Tav so he could have lost the ball 20 minutes before we conceded and some folk would still jump back and blame him.

 

[WearsideGallantFew]

We'd have been a couple of goals up had we went at them.

They are pish.

we went at them in the last 15 minutes. How many did we score?

we'd have won that game if we had stuck with McCrorie, Jack and Arfield in midfield rather than exposing our back four in order to get Lafferty on.

 

[foot1efreek]

trying to take on the full back is hardly a brain fart. It wasn't "just" before the goal either. Naturally it's Tav so he could have lost the ball 20 minutes before we conceded and some folk would still jump back and blame him.

Mate he had the chance to play the ball in the box decided to fart about and lost it it goes up the park to Mcgregor and his kick was as it had been all night not very good. It’s not a tav bashing post it’s pointing out his error in lead up to the goal. Had that been Flanagan doing exactly the same there would be plenty mouthing off about it

 

[Now and forever]

we went at them in the last 15 minutes. How many did we score?

we'd have won that game if we had stuck with McCrorie, Jack and Arfield in midfield rather than exposing our back four in order to get Lafferty on.

It was night and day when we went at them. Big difference last 15 mins and doing it from the start.

 

[WearsideGallantFew]

Mate he had the chance to play the ball in the box decided to fart about and lost it it goes up the park to Mcgregor and his kick was as it had been all night not very good. It’s not a tav bashing post it’s pointing out his error in lead up to the goal. Had that been Flanagan doing exactly the same there would be plenty mouthing off about it

in the time after Tav lost the ball, the ball went all the way back to our keeper who then punted it onto the half way line and it then came back at us again. It wasn't the "lead up to the goal" at all.

 

[WearsideGallantFew]

It was night and day when we went at them. Big difference last 15 mins and doing it from the start.

so you'd have been happy exposing McAuley and Goldson for the entire 90? Within minutes of taking their protection away (McCrorie), they were all over the place and we conceded.

 

[foot1efreek]

in the time after Tav lost the ball, the ball went all the way back to our keeper who then punted it onto the half way line and it then came back at us again. It wasn't the "lead up to the goal" at all.

Sound, we’ll agree to disagree then.

 

[steve1873]

Tactics were spot on and we played well. Jack, Barisic and Tavernier were immense.

The tactics were not spot on. We lost the game and had 1 shot on target.

 

[Now and forever]

so you'd have been happy exposing McAuley and Goldson for the entire 90? Within minutes of taking their protection away (McCrorie), they were all over the place and we conceded.

Exposing them to what exactly?

Rapid are shite, would we go to Pittodrie or Tynecsstle worrying about getting exposed?

Because they are no better than that level.

 

[tazzabear]

Do you think we'd have been a bigger goal threat with Lafferty and Grezda on the park?

Well, this hasn’t worked in previous games so, I don’t know.
I certainly wouldn’t have picked Lafferty to start tonight.

 

[sportssocks]

I get fed up watching us shouting "SHOOT FFS".

Powerpuff up front and seems to be getting worse since early season, midfield and attackers struggling to break teams down.
The other thread they're talking about the livi coin thrower getting banned from watching us in pubs for 2 years. At the moment, he should be forced to.

 

[Now and forever]

Well, this hasn’t worked in previous games so, I don’t know.
I certainly wouldn’t have picked Lafferty to start tonight.

I wouldn't have went with a team that lacked a goal threat in a game we had to win mate.

 

[tazzabear]

I wouldn't have went with a team that lacked a goal threat in a game we had to win mate.

Not sure we lacked a goal threat.
Morelos, Arfield and Middleton have all scored in Europe this season.
I’d argue that it wasn’t simply a goal scoring threat we lacked but a creativity threat.