Livi v Ayr

I'll risk starting this thread, even though we haven't won any i've started this season (2 draws and a defeat), so it'll be my fault if we lose this, or i'll break my duck and we win.

Up till the late collapse against Sevco we've looked pretty solid at the back, but not great offensively, and our main goal threat is prob going to be out injured still. So expecting a tight game here, though we've now played 2 of the top 3 teams in the Country, so should be a bit sharper going into this than the group games.

Can't believe i'm saying this, but i'd drop Nouble for Guthrie starting, alongside St Kelly and MacKay in a front 3. Guthrie has looked lively up front, and would be a good foil for MacKay and Kelly to play off, but Nouble just isn't putting in the same effort nowadays, and i'd rather have a player who is giving us 100%.

Hoping for this;


                                                Shamal

               de Lucas                    Obileye                         Devlin

  Brandon                   Holt                       Sangare                    Montano

             St Kelly                          Guthrie*                           MacKay


*i'll be shocked if Nouble isn't at least playing alongside Guthrie, but i really hope he's dropped to the bench.

Had the disallowed goal around the 20 minute mark stood, Saturday could have turned into a real embarrassment, it seems we gave a decent account of ourselves until the last 15 mins, which is disappointing as we used to be 100% effort for 90+ mins but the last couple of seasons have seen us losing a plethora of late goals. In the 4-0 May have flattered them but it looks like a bit of a shoeing.

Ayr have just beaten ICT and we all know what ICT did to us at the ‘Vale last season, so we needs to take this seriously. Ayr have been knocking on the door of promotion for most of the last few seasons so they are clearly a capable side. So hopefully we are all fired up and ready to go.

Really looking forward to this.The gap between us and them gets thrown out the window for this one i reckon.Its a one off cup tie and I daren,t attempt to call this.On paper,and considering we're at home I'd make us slight favourites, but not by much.Suspect both of us will fancy their respective chances of getting to the quarters and a possible shot in the arm too our finances.First goal will be crucial, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this go all the way to pens,God forbid.Think Brucie will still be out for this.Our front line have to get in about them from the off and calm the nerves.Anyway,great chance to lift the spirits and I sincerely hope that Davie and the lads deliver come 4 45 or beyond. Do it..

Wee Kevin Clancy may have a key roll in this. Refs always seem to be kind to the "wee," team in these cup games. David Dickenson couldn't have been nicer to Cove if he'd tried. All in vain in the end of course. I'll be watching him.

No VAR in this cup game, though it hasn't become the centre of attention with long delays every 5 mins in league games this season.......yet. Actually forgot it was there in our home game, though the one check it did, we should've had a red card given to the Aberdeen player for his tackle on Guthrie, and the same player injured Bruce. And at Ibrox it correctly ruled a Sevco goal shouldn't stand.

This week feels like it has dragged in, still 2 days to go till match day, and i'm really up for it now, hopefully our players are feeling the same.

Didn't realise Kevin Clancy was in charge today.God help us.What an Arse..

Don’t think which ref is assigned to us actually matters, they are all inept most of the time. Too many of them think we go to the match to abuse them so they play up to that. I’d much rather go to a game where the ref is largely anonymous, whilst still making sure the tackles are fair and applying the laws even handedly… sadly none are capable of such a thing.

I'm bracing myself for another Caley-esque result, all the while saying 'its only the wee cup and just enjoy the game'
Who am I kidding!

Well it was a Caley-esque performance for most of the game but our defence was solid.

I thought Ayr outplayed us today but our defence was the difference, in that they couldn’t breach us. Brandon & Pittman injected some much needed “get intae them” attitude and they forced 3 or 4 turnovers in the first few minutes after coming on resulting in the second goal. The first goal was well worked with Guthrie doing the donkey work before flicking a header onto Montano, whose only decent cross was finished well by Nouble who otherwise had been stinking the place up in the first half.

All in all I thought it was a poor performance but we got through and depending on the draw we could get a money spinner in the next round… or a winnable game with a semi as the potential prize.

My MotM for us was probably DeLucas. It certainly wasn’t Nouble who despite scoring will not be getting a move any time soon on the form he is showing.

I thought Stanger was decent at the back for them, McGeady was running the midfield and Chalmers did likewise when he came on.

First half was far too laboured, playing it about in our half till the predictable launch up the pitch, as Auld Nick said, one of those long balls was flicked on by Guthrie to Montano (who was about our only forward thinking player wanting to make driving runs) and i instantly said this is a goal, nice cross in and Nouble sticking it away.

Was hoping we'd bring Brandon on at HT to balance the wings, with another player that would drive forward, and even replacing de Lucas with Nottingham, as he looks like another that would make runs and do overlaps with Brandon, but we stuck with it. The minute Pittman came on we looked a different team, his pressing helped get us the 2nd goal, and we were actually winning balls in their half and playing through the midfield. Couple of good long balls in behind from Nouble for Anderson and Montano, which should've seen us scoring more goals, but the 2nd goal gave us a cushion and we finished the game comfortably.

Ayr did put in a cracking ball behind our defence, which Shamal had to be on top of to keep our clean sheet.

Thought the game plan was to bore them to death, much better with Pittman and Brandon playing though, we really need to stop being so negative in the first half of games.

Yeh,you guys have basically covered my thoughts excellenty. Was surprised that Ayr hardly with respect laid a glove on us.As has been said the back 3 were magnificent. Holt in midfield was superb for me.God knows what the sponsors were thinking with Joel as mom.Montano by a country mile for me.Wee chuckle when it was announced. Surprisingly more comfortable than I had envisaged.End of the day,into the quarter's, and thats all that matters. But would agree we're gonna have to up our game if we're to progress to Hampden,draw withstanding.

Hopefully another home draw, and we avoid the erse cheeks. Ideally County, or winners from the Hibs v Raith game.

Just know it'll be Hearts away though.

Would be a great financial boost if we could reach the semi's and get an erse cheek at Hampden.

Sorry Troy, can’t agree on Holt, he hasn’t impressed me at all this season. There is usually a 5 minute spell where he injects some energy and does something decent but on the whole he is too slow and too sideways & backwards.

On Montano, while I agree with LF that he was trying to get forward, I didn’t think he was particularly effective. Too often tripping over his own feet or not getting the ball running with him. The one exception was the cross for the opener.

Yeh,while I agree Holt hasn't been up to it recently, I thought he had one of his better games yesterday.Having said that when Pitts came on I felt he had an immediate impact on the game.Fresh legs and really threw himself about.On Montano,for me easily the motm and many fans I spoke to after the game agreed.Guess like yourself and the sponsors we all see a different game.All about opinions, with respect .

I think Montano always looks to go forward, Holt, Shinnie, St Kelly, our 3 CB's, Penrice, they all turn back too many times looking to play safe, gets on my wick. That's why i was also wanting Brandon on, because he's like Montano and tries to get down the wing.

The game against Aberdeen i was shocked when i saw Holt and Shinnie passing forward all the time, both are the worst culprits for playing it safe, sideways and back.

2nd half the game changers were Brandon and Pittman coming on, Pitts esp was pressing all over the pitch, forcing mistakes and encouraging the rest of our players to stay up the pitch and get stuck in. That's when we started winning the midfield, and actually passing it through midfield. All first half we just played it about the back line then launched it long, usually towards Guthrie. But even then we weren't pressing forward to win 2nd balls and play it in their half.

Montano set up the 1st goal and scored the 2nd, should've had another if he'd hit it first time and not taken a touch, think it was Nouble sending him through, or sent it to Bruce who then set up Montano, sure Nouble also sent Bruce through on goal. Anyway a much better 2nd half once the subs came on.

Wish Martindale would stop playing Penrice or Montano as RB/RWB though, and just stick with Brandon. Really needing to sign another RB to cover Brandon for injuries/suspensions too, don't think Welch-Hayes is good enough yet.

Sevco away, Livi board will be delighted, should make 300K plus from our share.

Agreed.Was the draw i was hoping for all things considered. Probably another pumping but hey ho we'll take the blue pound at least £££.

Troy wrote:Agreed.Was the draw i was hoping for all things considered. Probably another pumping but hey ho we'll take the blue pound at least £££.

Take it we'll also get half the tv money, certainty to be on viaplay with only Sevco left in the cup, from the only 2 teams Viaplay are interested in. They'll be greetin if we have a shock result and knock them oot.

Davie's had a dry run at it last weekend, hopefully he's learnt something that can help him find a way to beat them.

What makes you think he wants to beat them?

Auld Nick wrote:What makes you think he wants to beat them?

It's only Celtic fans that believe that pish.

Well I certainly ain’t one of them.

To be fair we have beaten them while he was officially assistant manager back in the second tier days.

This is a cup tie so it would be refreshing if we just went for it rather than sit back and hope to frustrate them.

Yeah it's a tricky balance, we can't be too open or they'd just destroy us, but we can press them when they come into our half and look to break on them when we turn over possession. Nouble is ideally suited for this game if he's interested, giving us an out ball, but i'd have Bruce on too, he's good at pressing and a better finisher than Nouble.

Knowing how Martindale likes to play them though, i suspect we'll be pretty compact playing with a low block, trying to keep it 0-0 going intol HT, and be more attacking 2nd half.