Morton v Livi

Could do with a win here after only drawing with Alloa, to get us back on track. I had us taking 3 points from Alloa, and wasn't looking to take anything from the Hibs game and this one, 3 points against QoS, at least a draw against Sevco with them being in holiday mode, and 3 points at the end of the season game with Raith resting up for the play offs. A draw against Morton would prob be enough if the rest of those results came off but 3 points would give us a bit more breathing space.

Anyway, tough game and wont be any easier if our players are still suffering from the hard shift they put in against Hibs. Morton play a quick breaking game so we'll need to be alert to their wingers breaking on us. Stanton will be fresh and so will Mullin, so hopefully Hopkin starts both to at least give us a couple of players with plenty running on from the start.

Tbh i'd be happy with a draw but I feel we need the win, just to put Dumbarton under some pressure and lift our players spirits for the next game, to keep our fight for survival going.

2-1 Livi, fg 26 mins, mon the Lions.

Straightforward 4-4-2; hit them hard with width and get crosses into Shagz and Buchanan. Right now I'd pick Pittman ahead of Telfer.

3-2 Livi. FG 14 mins.

Agree Livicub we have to on the attack with two up top in Buchanan and White.
Either 352 or 442 but we are not going to get relegated automatically and it's a game we can win so let's set up to win the the game.

Hopkin will set up in 4-5-1 with Buchanan up top and will have the team pumping high balls to him, he will be dominated in the air by the Morton defence. Morton will set up to counter attack quickly as they always do and will inflict yet another ridiculous defeat by an inferior team who make up for their deficiencies by forcing us to play below our own capabilities... Either that or we really are the 2nd worst side in the league who occasionally flatter to deceive. Doesn't really matter which, we apparently played well but lost against a Hibs team who couldn't beat a drum until they played us so we will now play appallingly badly against a less than average side who play to their own limited strengths.

Mor 2 Liv 0 fg 23 mins

Any one who thinks that Morton are just gonna roll over and lie down to us tommorow has to be slightly delusional in my opinion.The fact that they will be playing for not only win bonusses but new contracts as well suggests that we really are going to have to be right at the top of our gameif we are to finally put some pressure on Dumbarton.The play off position is now secured so why the hell not come out of the traps flying and get tore right in,we cant get any lower than we are but while theres still time we have to believe we can get out of this mess.No prediction required just FFS Livi do it.!!!

I think if we're organised as well as the last two away games and work hard, we'll win. It will be tough though, undoubtedly.

1-2 FG 2 mins

Bertie Bassett wrote:Hopkin will set up in 4-5-1 with Buchanan up top and will have the team pumping high balls to him, he will be dominated in the air by the Morton defence. Morton will set up to counter attack quickly as they always do and will inflict yet another ridiculous defeat by an inferior team who make up for their deficiencies by forcing us to play below our own capabilities... Either that or we really are the 2nd worst side in the league who occasionally flatter to deceive. Doesn't really matter which, we apparently played well but lost against a Hibs team who couldn't beat a drum until they played us so we will now play appallingly badly against a less than average side who play to their own limited strengths.

Mor 2 Liv 0 fg 23 mins

Don't think Morton are an inferior team to us, they play how we should've, and how we used to. If we continue with how we normally do against them we'll lose again, we pummelled them in the last away game and lost to Longridge giving away a clumsy penalty. Not a chance we can hurt them going through the centre, we need to use Longridge, Halkett, and Kakay/Mullin down the wings.

Whether White starts in the midfield flank position doesn't really matter so much if Longridge is playing, he'll drift into the box as Longridge allows him to do so, we missed him big time against Alloa.

Cole has actually been playing ok because he's kept it simple and just put the ball out of play and not tried silly passes, hopefully he'll continue doing so. Going to be a tough game but I think we will have to wait and see how Hopkin sets us out, if he gets it right then we'll beat them.

IMO players need to take more responsibility on the park. React to what is working & what isn't so that if the manager's "tactics" aren't working they do something about it.

Tactics don't win games, players do. Take the bull by the horns & play to your best & play to your strengths,

Risky Bertie. I remember Bobby Barr getting punted from the club for doing that during the Hughes era

Bertie Bassett wrote:IMO players need to take more responsibility on the park. React to what is working & what isn't so that if the manager's "tactics" aren't working they do something about it.

Tactics don't win games, players do. Take the bull by the horns & play to your best & play to your strengths,

In modern day football if the manager sets a team out to play in a certain way, then the players have to follow the game plan

We have had a game plan in our 451 formation I just feel we need two up to cause real damage,but I don't pick the team.

4 games against Morton so far this season and we still haven't found a way to counter their counter. Who knows what Hopkin's got planned but I hope it's something special. Can feel this game being Cowdenbeath away-esque from last year.

2-1 Livi, FG 32 mins.

1-0 Livi, FG 40 mins

Hopkin needs to learn how to hold on to a lead. Twice in less than a week we've thrown away a lead and lost.

Who do we think we'll get in the play offs then?

Waits too long before making a substitution, then brings on Knox, brilliant!

Didn't bother with either Mullin or Kakay down the wings either, I give up. Dunno why the feck he signed them, the very team they'd be useful against and they sit warming the bench.

That second half was gash as fuck. Don't understand how we can applaud them off for chucking it again.

Bringing on a 16 year old when we're in a relegation battle is absolute madness. Hopkin's subs and general tactics when we're chasing a game again are a mess. 4 strikers on the pitch at the end, actual Football Manager material.

Darren Cole again, no doubt there was/is a decent player there somewhere but his intelligence must be lacking, with respect to the boy. Could see all of the first half that Samuel for Morton was hoaching to draw fouls, perfect chance when he got free in the box.

On the plus side, might not need to trek to Stranraer on a Wednesday night, since Albion are only 3 points behind them in League 1.

Hopkin was on the radio after the defeat on Tuesday bemoaning our lack of savvy to hold onto a lead/draw towards the end of games... And what exactly is HE doing about that?

Orco/LF yeah, I appreciate what you are saying about players thinking for themselves and modern coaching but the definition of madness is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Hopkin has brought in some half decent players and has now stopped using some of them and is continually giving Knox cameo appearances when he has done exactly nothing to merit getting picked ahead of most if not the entire bench

Bertie Bassett wrote:Hopkin is continually giving Knox cameo appearances when he has done exactly nothing to merit getting picked ahead of most if not the entire bench

That's nothing. He gives Cole whole games.

orco wrote:

Bertie Bassett wrote:Hopkin is continually giving Knox cameo appearances when he has done exactly nothing to merit getting picked ahead of most if not the entire bench

That's nothing. He gives Cole whole games.

Post of the year lol

Really think it's mental to have two of the top strikers in the division and not play them up top together.

I have said before its points that matter and maybe could understand Hopkin playing White deeper in a defensive mid role , but we have lost  the last two games by doing that.

Surely he must see after today when he pushed White into the centre how difficult the guy makes it for defenders, he had one shot cleared off the line after going round the keeper and had a brilliant headed goal called offside.

Buchanan AND  White as a front two next game surely has to be the way to go.

That's twice Hopkin has brought on Knox against Morton as a game changer when we've had actual game changer players on the bench. Ones that have come on and made a difference in games this season are being overlooked for an inexperienced 16 yo. Whether this young lad will become a good player or not, we're not in a position to be bringing him on to get him experience and help develop his game, not when we're in a play off position and fighting to stay in this league. His development should be done when we're a few goals up or sitting safe from relegation.

I'm trying to stay optimistic but Hopkin is doing my head in with his player selection and tactics. We're now relying on Dumbarton not winning a game at all and us somehow winning at least one of our remaining games against QoS, Sevco & Raith.

Hopefully Gordon isn't too badly injured and will be ok by the time we play again, at least we've a break of a fortnight for him to recover.

We blew it AGAIN. Not much else to say.

A needless and reckless foul by Cole given that the Morton players were going down every time some breathed on them. Ironic that the Assistant gave it after the Ref was for booking the Morton Player, exact opposite of last week.

The second goal was comedy of errors, poor, poor clearance from McAllum went straight to the Morton player, Cole should have booted for a thrown-in not a feckin balloon over our bar. The resultant corner, provided a free header for the goalscorer.

Prepare for the play-offs.

Two draws will do if Dumbarton lose every game LF... But they won't

Wasn't it just last week after that shambles of a tactical performance against Alloa that you and Smithy were saying that Livi were 3rd on recent form? Two games later and more playing to not lose and look at the mess we are in. Hopkin is not a manager.

Bertie Bassett wrote:Two draws will do if Dumbarton lose every game LF... But they won't

Wasn't it just last week after that shambles of a tactical performance against Alloa that you and Smithy were saying that Livi were 3rd on recent form? Two games later and more playing to not lose and look at the mess we are in. Hopkin is not a manager.

Yeah if they lose every game but they wont, I expect they'll get a couple of draws, if not a win too with them having Alloa in their last game.

We were doing ok last week though, also said we should've beaten Alloa. If we had then these two losses this week wouldn't have mattered, after drawing with Alloa we needed a couple of draws or a win from these two games.

Def need a win against QoS now and prob at least a draw against Sevco, and with Dumbarton playing Alloa in the last game we may also need a win against Raith. I'd love to get to the Raith game and have us still playing for 8th place though.

Yeah Bertie and at the time we were bang on the money.

However Hopkin needs to get the finger out and his head in gear and play to win not try to avoid defeat cos that ain't working.

So if he continues with this 451 pish he isn't the man to take the team forward.

Hope that gets me a nice wee badge from yourself Bertie

You were correct and I was wrong