Academicals 2 v. Imbeciles 1 11/11/06

By 201820
November 13 2006

It was rememberance day 2006. Can anyone remember our last win? Our last goal? Can anyone remember the last time you were proud to be a Diamond when you went into work on a Monday? Despite Bryan Prunty remembering how to score Airdrie failed to remember how to defend. AGAIN.

New boy Aime Koudou started and looked promising but had a look of ring rust about him and on a bitterly cold, windy day on that unpredictably unplayable park too. But he did show a lot of signs of promise. Prunty started and looked determined to drag us out of our funk but effort alone wasn't enough.

Accies took a lead after half an hour, a long ball out wide to Winters was lofted into the box and Offiong expertly turned the ball past Robertson with a neat volley. Airdrie did get back into the game before half time when Prunty was held back 20 yards out. From the free kick, MacDonald's drive was only parried by Jellema into the path of Prunty who bellyed the ball into the net.

Airdrie had several chances to win the game with Koudou a couple of times and Holmes with a glorious chance to lob the keeper but it was Accies who got what could probably be classed as an unjustified winner when he took on and beat Stuart Taylor to fire home at the second attempt. Even at 2-1 down Brian McPhee hit the post in the last minute. When you're luck is out, your luck is out.

Yet again we lose a game we should have gotten something out of. We played with too many passengers though and, though it may sound crazy, if we had 11 people playing for us we would certainly not be bottom of the league.

The pressure is really building around the club. Defeat next weekend v. St. Johnstone would surely see the pressure on the club reach boiling point. We're not a million miles away from actually being a good side but some things have to change. We have to get more out of certain areas of the team. Barrau should be back, his absence is clearly noticeable, but what about some of the 'black-holes' in the team? Yesterday MacDonald struggled to find a teammate all day. MacDougall was barely in the game, the forwards didn't take the pressure off by holding the ball up and the defence was too easily beat and some of their distribution was diabolical. And despite all that we could have won!

Airdrie lined up 442: Robertson; McKenna, Smyth, Taylor, McGowan; MacDougall, McKeown, MacDonald, Holmes; Prunty, Koudou. McPhee came on for Koudou after about 70 mins.

What can they do to improve next week? Goodness only knows but surely it's time for Taylor to move back out of defence, the defence just isn't working. Does either McKenna, Christie or Teirney deserve a chance in central defence? How do we get at least one full back who can overlap without needing an oxygen mask? With Barrau back where does Holmes go? Does MacDonald keep his place after two stinkers. Do you leave out the experience of McPhee and keep the inconsistent MacDougall?

Whatever changes available it has to be from the current crop. Could MacDougall play as a right full back, providing us with an overlap option? Could Christie and McKenna form a central defensive partnership? Would Holmes be a good fit in an attacking right wing postion with Dosser and Taylor in the middle, or would McPhee be better on the right coming in back post on Barrau's crosses?

Whatever solution Sandy needs to come up with he needs to do something quickly. With Airdrieonians now running the stadium we need enthusiasm high, we need bums on seats and the only way to do that is win games and have the fans believing. At the moment we're the exact opposite!