Livi v QoS

No frost forecast so unless it gets flooded with heavy rain we should be good to go, will we actually get a home game played?

QoS seem to be in a bit of a slump just now, 2 defeats and a draw in their last 3 games, but they have a few dangerous players up front so we can't take them lightly.
We're also looking like we're down to the bare bones squad wise just now, although I read Penrice isn't away yet so hopefully he isn't injured and will play. Prob start Robinson for Rafa, with Hoppy trying to give the few players he can some rest after playing on Tues, same with Toddy & Carrick coming in for Mackin and Cadden. Apart from that I don't think he can make any more changes, everyone else pretty much needs to start again, and don't have the players to replace them anyway.

I think we can nick this one by the odd goal, 2-1 Livi, fg 14 mins.

If we can close down Dobbie we have a chance. I saw him at Dunfermline a few weeks ago and he was practically unplayable.

Maybe if we give Dobbie an item of clothing he will be freed?

I'm so much on the fence on this one I've already got splinters...

1-1

FG 27 mins

We could give him a Livi shirt.

I've been lucky enough so far that the games I've missed have been postponed anyway, wonder if this'll be the same.

Maybe wouldn't be a disaster if it's postponed if we're really struggling with injuries, freeze the pitch to give Hoppy extra time to get someone in, the Hartley/Falkirk December tactic.

1-1, FG 23 mins.

Gallagher suspended so that should mean Todorov replacing him. I thought he should've been given a chance up front but he's a better option than putting Longridge in the back three and Penrice can still be used in the midfield if we're light for numbers.

1-0 to Queen of the South. FG 49 mins.

LiviCub wrote:Gallagher suspended so that should mean Todorov replacing him. I thought he should've been given a chance up front but he's a better option than putting Longridge in the back three and Penrice can still be used in the midfield if we're light for numbers.

1-0 to Queen of the South. FG 49 mins.

Agree with Todorov in at CB. Thought he was outstanding in the home match against Dundee United in particular, compare that to Longridge's mediocre performances in there several times and the choice is clear. Given it's Penrice's last game for us I'd love to see us have a good go at them through the midfield, I haven't been impressed with QoS at all this season barring 15 minutes of the home match against us. Dobbie is the outstanding player of the division, up there with Morgan of St Mirren IMO, so giving him no room to operate gives us more than a great chance.

1-0, FG 58 mins.

Toderov is the only option left for CB, we're pretty thin on the ground and will struggle to manage 5 subs, never mind 7.

In saying that, seems the team are over the flu and should be raring to go. 2-1 Livi.

Weather forecast appears to be getting worse; barely above freezing on Saturday.

Not looking good

Must admit im extremly anxious about the current state of our pitch at the moment.The battering it has taken over the last few weeks due to the horrendous weather its had leads me to believe that it will be absolutly sodden at this time.As has been said the forecast is not said to be favourable for most of the night which kinda makes me surmise that there will be a mandatory pitch inspection in the morning although nothing from the club to suggest so.If it goes ahead anything other than a defeat will do for me although once again i reckon home advantage could just about swing it our way.Can only pray to the gods that this is on.Forgotten what Almondvale looks like it seems to have been so long.C.mon the Lions Do It!!!

I don’t think a draw would have been harsh on either side today, but we offered very little up front and it was plainly obvious that the long ball to Todorov wasn’t working in the last 15 minutes. It’s nothing new, but we desperately need a striker, and quickly. I’m disappointed we’ve dropped out of the top 4, especially to a Queens side who really haven’t impressed me at all this season, but I’m cautiously optimistic bearing in mind who our games in hand are against. Any side in this division would benefit from a player like Dobbie, ragdolled Halkett all afternoon and pressured him into the error which led to the goal. Think we got off with one in the second half as well when he pressured Todorov down by the corner, that said - Boyd should have put away that header at the end. No striker and I fear we’ll be looking over our shoulder given Falkirk’s resurgent result today.

Yeah, pretty well summed up there Afro. Two incidents defined the game for me, Rafa hit the post & we had no one following up, Queens (Dobbie?) hit the bar and had someone following up to score what proved to be the winner.

Agree that there shouldn’t have been a winner in the game today but we were definitely flat and lacking ideas to break them down. Just one of those games where we didn’t show up and they have been few and far between so far this season. I have every faith that Hopkin addresses issues on the Monday after a game.

A signing ahead of a crucial game against Brechin would be encouraging because it’s clear that the squad does need some sense of refreshing.

Pretty speechless to be honest. We started with one forward in central defence and another playing right wing-back. Conversely we had a midfielder playing as a striker?

De Vita is not the fastest player on the pitch and not really suited to playing right back; Robinson was probably the most inventive player on the pitch for Steven Boyd????

It was quite obvious that it was Penrice's last game for us; Jordan Thompson didn't appear to offer very much but its his first game so i'll cut him some slack.

Same for Halkett; he slipped once but he's been rock solid for us for about the last eighteen month.

As for the rest only Robinson and Lithgow got full pass marks; possibly extended to Byrne and Alexander.

I'm probably being unduly harsh on the players as it was clear the tactics were all wrong; the high ball wasn't working and we only had one shot on target.

Much as I hate to admit it Queens had the better tactics; they harried us; didn't allow us space or the width of the pitch; when Mullin came on he didn't manage one single sprint up the wing. Skills wise there was probably very little to choose from the two teams

Disappointing that we self inflicted that defeat with losing the ball in a position we should never have and giving them the chance they otherwise would never have got to score a goal, both teams were looking like a 0-0 draw all day till then. And then the one chance we did create Boyd missed.

Agree about the long ball, was not working, but i'd say Mackin was looking better dealing with it than Toddy when he was subbed and Toddy moved up front, I think Mackin looked a lot better in this game than the Falkirk one, where he got pushed around easily, he was using his arse to bump his marker off to give him room to bring in the ball and then pass it, Hartson's coaching must be working for that one.

I'd have kept Robinson on and put him and Boyd up front for the last 15 mins, 2 quick players that can move the ball around and get in on goal, any decent move we had was from keeping the ball on the ground and passing it.

Anyway, it isn't too bad, ICT lost and Morton only gained 1 point, and only GD of 1 goal between us and QoS for 4th place, but we really need to win our game in hand to keep ourselves in the top 4 battle.

Next week's games look really interesting - could be back in third with a bit of luck

Really cant believe how we managed to lose that game yesterday against a poor QOTS.We really are lacking that bit of quality up front needed to see these teams off.Thought the boy Thompson looked ok in the short spell when he came on.Overall dissapointed that we may be giving other teams the chance to catch up on us.Hopefully just a bad day at the office from which we can bounce back next week up at Brechin.

Agree with those who say we didn't get going yesterday. We never really looked like scoring. We might have got lucky from the one that hit the woodwork but it was not to be. QoS on the other hand did and made the most of our wee gift of a goal.

Clubs know now how we go about things and are tending to match our work rate and pressing game. We also missed Gallagher yesterday. My heart sank when I heard he was suspended.

I'm wondering too if the transfer window might unsettle some of our players. We don't know what's going on behind the scenes but agents are always busy at this time of year. Falkirk got things started right away shedding some and getting others in quickly. We won't be able to do that but yesterday against Dundee United showed how it can lift a team.

I'll just be happy to keep our better players and kick on once the window closes.