Yes he was. The only signings I know that were requests from Shota were Walsh and Allahyar. Forss was lined up but waiting for the takeover, Slater was already in talks and Longman was already here.
The biggest indictment for me last night was that the manager had best part of 2 weeks to think about how we could be more of an effective attacking force at home - and changed nothing. We had 5 possible options to bring in a 3rd forward and someone who might need be 20 yards away from Eaves as KLP usually is - Allayhar, Smith, Wilkes, Longman, maybe even Forss. And yet he persisted with playing Longman as a wing back where he is suspect defensively and offers very little going forward in that position. I also think it's creating problems for Honeyman. So much of his great work last season was weaving effective triangles down the right with Coyle or Emmanuel or even Wilkes. We never open up sides down that wing with this formation.
Okay was bored so had a look at the stats McCann 27 games 29 points goals for. 23 against 31 Shota 13 games 12 points goals for 10 against 14. Make of that what you will, but hardly inspiring.
Statistically they're both as bad (or as good) as each other. McCann just slightly ahead I guess. Doesn't take into account quality of opposition etc though.
PPG McCann 1.074 Arvedladze 0.923 Interestingly (or not) McCann's PPG up to his last two games was 0.920, those last two wins are what makes his record better.
I think Eaves absolutely deserved the second yellow; it was a stupid, needless challenge when already on a yellow. He let his team down badly.
Not sure what the person tweeting it sees but he takes him out from behind when Fleming is right there which makes it even worse of a decision from Eaves for me.
The player I’m most disappointed in this season is Docherty, I really thought he was going to be the engine in midfield, but, unlike last season, he runs round like a headless chicken. KLP with the free kick early on, it was exactly where the keeper thought it was going, a great player gets it up over the wall & under the bar at the other side. If we get offers of 20+ million, he should be sold, obviously get as much as possible, but he’s not going to be a top of the league player, mid table/relegation battling team IMO.
Wasn’t Fleming also on a yellow at this point too? If Eaves backed off and left Fleming to deal with it, and he fouled their player and got a second yellow, we’d be criticising Fleming.
Totally agree. Yes he should have tracked back of course but the challenge was clumsy with Fleming right there to support. Don’t see how anyone can defend Eaves last night.
That’s the thing there’s 2 of them there why do either of them need to commit or back off. Just keep him in the corner.
Yeah we would be so how about no one on a yellow fouling him to reduce the team to 10 men. The end result was always inevitable after that.
Docherty is an odd one. He was brought into a side that went onto win the league with him being a stand out. We dominated most games majority of the time being the side camped in their half. His strengths are winning the ball high up and arriving late to score goals. Hopefully around better players he can show his strengths again as he has a lot of likeable attributes to most managers. As for KLP he’s consistently a level above our side atm being both the creator and main goal threat of the side in his first full season at this level. That’s why these sides are looking at him.
KLP takes all of our free kicks within shooting range. How many goals has he scored from them? (one? last season?) Not only that, how many have even gone close? I only remember seeing Fleming take one free kick, and it was on target and nearly scored (was that last season?). Also Honeyman, best striker of a dead ball for crosses, surely worth a go for the ones on the edge of the penalty area? Is it in KLP's contract that he gets to take them? At the very least, we should be giving Andy Dawson a go.
I'm trying to think of a time when we've been consistently good with set pieces. Andy Dawson scored a few from free kicks but how many a season ?
We scored a lot of goals from a crossed free kick last season. Turbo scored a few. Herbie Kane scored 2/2 when football restarted in lockdown 1.
Our main problem is simple. There are just not enough goals in any part of the team. Only a change of personnel in the summer can solve this. The quality at Championship level is just not there.
