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Topic Originator: BlackLight
Date: Sun 14 Dec 10:44
Now that we`ve reached the midway point, I thought it might be worth looking at our head to head performances so far.
Morton
4 points from 6. 0-0 away and 1-0 at home. Decent.
Airdrie
6 points from 6. 2-0 at home and 4-0 away. Can we play you every week?
Rovers
3 points from 6. 2-0 home wins both times. We were very, very bad at Starks Park. Can we come out on top over the season?
Ross County
1 point from 6. 2-2 at home and a 3-2 loss away. Seems about right based on the games, but inexplicable given their results against almost everyone else. Hopefully we get them again before they get a new manager.
Arbroath
3 points from 6. That win and the 2-1 loss at home. Should have held out for at least a point at home. On balance not bad, given how well Arbroath are performing overall.
St Johnstone
1 point from 6. 2-1 loss away. 2-2 at home. Probably deserved a draw away. Any more points will be a bonus, but we can get points off them.
Ayr
3 points from 6. 1-0 away win both times. Tight games both times. Need to beat them next week to get a winning start to the second half of the season.
Thistle
0 from 6. Yet to score against them. 2-0 at EEP and 1-0 away. Obviously they`re playing well, but we need some points in the second half.
Queens Park
2 points from 6. 0-0 at home and 1-1 yesterday. A team we should be capable of beating.
Based on the league table we should have done way better against QP and Ross County. The results against Morton and Airdrie were probably about right. We were a bit unlucky against St Johnstone and pihs against Thistle.
We`re potentially in a mini league with Arbroath, Ayr and the Rovers for the third and fourth places. Obviously we can beat all three of them on our day, but they can all beat us. 4 points (or more) out of 6 against those three in the second half of the season will get us into the playoffs.
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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Sun 14 Dec 11:02
A good, well reasoned analysis, Blacklight. It`ll be tough to make the play offs but not impossible.
Not your average Sunday League player.
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Topic Originator: Bertie Paton
Date: Sun 14 Dec 12:26
We need more experience.
Some good young players but the lack direction when the going gets tough. Our recruitment has to focus on some key older heads in the next two windowd if we want to progress further.
I think we`re under performing with the team we have right now.
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Topic Originator: SeasonedPar
Date: Sun 14 Dec 12:35
That’s an interesting analysis, thanks for posting.
It just proves our inconsistency. Teams who win leagues are the most consistent, through all weather, and in poor spells can grind out results.
We’re not quite there yet, but have, on their day, an exciting young team who can give anyone a game. Such a contrast from the last few seasons.
I’m sure Lenny and the stats will be aware, and hopefully can add some experience in January - not easy!
Post Edited (Sun 14 Dec 12:40)
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Topic Originator: gordi-b
Date: Sun 14 Dec 12:51
We are roughly where i expected us to be , some really good performances and some really poor ones a lot will depend on January signings as to where we finish, hopefully make the play offs COYP
G.B
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Topic Originator: Pars Athletic
Date: Sun 14 Dec 12:51
Not enough streetwise players in our team, we often can`t match teams who are more streetwise than us.
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Topic Originator: Shaggy`s Beard
Date: Sun 14 Dec 13:10
Comparing wins/losses, points and goals scored/conceded with the first half of last season we have definitely made progress.
- 6 wins versus 4 last season
- 7 losses versus 11
- 5 draws versus 3
In the first 18 matches last season we only scored 14 times versus 24 goals so far this season.
We conceded 22 versus 18 this season. i.e. goal difference +6 versus -8, 14 goals better off!
We have scored in 12 out of 18 games. Last season we only scored in 15 out of 36 matches!
We have 23 points, compared to 15 at the same stage last year and are currently 1 point off the play-offs. Last season we finished 7th, some 20 points behind Partick Thistle who secured the 4th placed play-off position with 55 points.
It is well within our grasp to finish 3rd or 4th this year, despite the recent poor results and inconsistent performances.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Sun 14 Dec 13:10
I think we`ve done OK considering we`ve suffered long-term injuries to Bene, Rudden, Cooper and Kearney as well as having to cope with the ongoing issue of Kane`s fitness.
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Topic Originator: neils
Date: Sun 14 Dec 13:30
I`ve enjoyed this season from afar, just glad we`re not fighting relegation, and so far a massive improvement
Some really good games, not many stinkers, but more or less where I hoped we would be- if we`re around the playoffs I`m happy.
The lack of experience is obvious, plenty games where we`ve been good enough, but more battle hardened opposition (Partick sticks out) exploit and his.
I think the club acknowledged it wasn`t their intention to have such a young squad, but pretty much all the players have been exciting.
I`m a bit wary of just signing experience for the sake of it, we`ve had our fair share of toxic ageing pros, guys that are permanent crocked, and people just killing time, Ross Co. are regretting signing similair also.
But I`m happy where we are, I expect we will have some bad results to come, but good ones too- this is a killer of a league!
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Topic Originator: Buster_Brown
Date: Sun 14 Dec 14:11
I predicted the season to be “a builder” and that seems to becoming the case.
Write us off at your peril, but a couple of good, experienced, additions in the final third and I think we’ll achieve the aim.
Although every game has not been brilliant, and there has been a few stinkers in there, I’m enjoying going to the fitbaw again, so long may that continue.
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Topic Originator: ipswichpar
Date: Sun 14 Dec 14:29
Excluding those years impacted by Covid we are likely looking at somewhere around 52-55 points for 4th place, perhaps a little lower based on the current 4th place points total.
We are well ahead of last year`s points total at the same point last year (23 vs 15). 23 puts us back at the same performance at 2324. Strangely enough we are doing slightly worse vs last season at home (12 vs 14 pts) but significantly better away from home (11 vs 1).
Goals scored at full time whistle is the highest across the 3 seasons 24 vs 14 vs 23, with the away performance 14 vs 3 vs 11 clearly being influenced by the Arbroath game.
We have conceded 18 goals vs 22 in each of the previous seasons with the away defence 9 vs 14 vs 11 clearly being tightened up.
Crowds are up on last season 5455 vs 5276 at home but down on the previous year, reflecting Dundee United and a couple of Raith games at home in the league in the first half of the season.
Our first half points total this year (26) is ahead of our full time total (23) with pretty level performance home and away. Last year our points performance improved significantly at home (9 to 14) but was bad at half time away (6) and got worse in the second half (fell to 1). Given the home improvement last year it would suggest that tactics was the problem rather than fitness based on the stats, so hopefully the management team has got that improved now.
That being said our points at half time are significantly higher than previous years (26 vs 15 vs 18) so there`s hopefully some more to come by sustaining fast starts for the duration of the game. That being said, 2324 did see strong points performance in the second half.
Decent goal difference too this year which hopefully gives a platform to build on in H2.
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Topic Originator: Stanza
Date: Sun 14 Dec 15:23
The stats are interesting and encouraging, but really as a fan the big difference for me is that going to watch DAFC is enjoyable again.
We have a group of young players in or around the first team, several of whom have already been capped and some of whom will go a lot further in their careers.
We have some exciting foreign players we had never before heard of, who are in or around their own national squads.
We have an experienced, successful, respected manager who is always box-office, even if sometimes for the wrong reasons!
We have owners who appear able and willing to spend significant amounts of their own money if required, and whose links with bigger English clubs could prove helpful.
We have an increasingly professional set-up behind the scenes at the club, while still retaining the services of several long-term volunteers.
We have the Championship`s best stadium - still owned by Pars supporters - with further improvements planned.
Yes, it could all go wrong - there are no guarantees in football and the owners could lose interest. We have lost the "moral superiority" of being a fan-owned club. But at the moment there are far more reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic IMO - and anyway, optimism is better for one`s health. :)
_________________
 Support Dunfermline Athletic Disabled Supporters` Club (DADSC) when you shop online with one of 8000 firms:https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/dadsc[
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Topic Originator: Indiapar1
Date: Sun 14 Dec 16:03
In terms of potential we are in a much better position than last season.i feel that had our recruitment gone better at the start of the season, a couple of the younger first team players would have been out on loan. There are obviously many moving parts to the recruitment process. We have also had some longer term injuries and these players are coming back into the frame. Yesterday wasn`t a great performance but we eeked out a draw. In days gone by we would have lost that game. I do feel we need another more experienced forward , if not only to help the younger players along. A top four finish is still achievable and should be an aspiration this season. I don`t see promotion as realistic, but getting a season under the belt of some of the younger players should hopefully improve them for next season.
G Wardrope
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Topic Originator: Berkey
Date: Sun 14 Dec 18:21
Not the worst position to be in given some injuries to key players and a reliance on young and unproven players at this level.
You’d think with a young team if we can just hold it together and perhaps strengthen with a couple of experienced heads (not sure the deal with Bene but presumably he will leave the club) then we might well come on strong towards the end of the season where we defiantly prefer better pitches and weather. Rudden will make a big difference.
Nice to not be battling it out down the bottom for a change, we still look capable of a bad run but are good enough to grind more wins out.
I assume Ross county will turn a corner (although thought it would have happened by now) so important to keep getting points on the board. Already thinking it will be interesting in the summer, a few out of contract so will move on and hopefully a few more surprise signings coming in.
The post below replying to me is by one of .nets finest champions of mediocrity!
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Topic Originator: SeasonedPar
Date: Sun 14 Dec 18:34
Quote:
Stanza, Sun 14 Dec 15:23
The stats are interesting and encouraging, but really as a fan the big difference for me is that going to watch DAFC is enjoyable again.
We have a group of young players in or around the first team, several of whom have already been capped and some of whom will go a lot further in their careers.
We have some exciting foreign players we had never before heard of, who are in or around their own national squads.
We have an experienced, successful, respected manager who is always box-office, even if sometimes for the wrong reasons!
We have owners who appear able and willing to spend significant amounts of their own money if required, and whose links with bigger English clubs could prove helpful.
We have an increasingly professional set-up behind the scenes at the club, while still retaining the services of several long-term volunteers.
We have the Championship`s best stadium - still owned by Pars supporters - with further improvements planned.
Yes, it could all go wrong - there are no guarantees in football and the owners could lose interest. We have lost the "moral superiority" of being a fan-owned club. But at the moment there are far more reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic IMO - and anyway, optimism is better for one`s health. :)
Stanza makes a perfect summary. Especially like his first paragraph.
Post Edited (Sun 14 Dec 22:51)
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Topic Originator: USMac
Date: Mon 15 Dec 02:08
Given the youth in the team, there’s a good chance that the second half will be better than the first half. I still expect the inconsistency, but if the team puts together some consistent patches, we might get to a point where no one else is going to want to play us.
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Topic Originator: Bannockburn Par
Date: Mon 15 Dec 08:38
We are making progress but badly need to add experienced players. There will no doubt be additions in the January window. Let’s hope it’s not young playes with no experience.
As for the playoffs, we still have a chance to make them but feel we will fall just short finishing 6th/7th. The club will no doubt clear another section of dead wood in the summer.
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Topic Originator: king lad
Date: Mon 15 Dec 11:41
It just feels like the club can never clear that hurdle of inconsistency in the championship. Our highest place finish in this league is 4th since before administration, which let`s face it is really poor. For the last decade this club is a bottom half championship/top of league 1 side.
I think this is the most promising season in that time in terms of the investment and the talent brought in, but it`s not clicked just yet. There have been glimpses of excellence in a few of the games but the last couple of performances have been poor.
On a positive note, we`re still well within reach of a promotion playoff place and have a decent buffer away from any relegation concerns. However, similar to last season it feels like another missed opportunity to capitalise on a league that is generally poor. Ross County are having a disaster, Partick Thistle cut their budget, Ayr and Raith haven`t been as strong as most probably thought before the league started.
There`s nothing disastrous about any of it, I was just hoping that under Lennon we`d be that bit further ahead of where we currently are. Perhaps that`s just a result of years underachieving and the club pushing the boat out to improve in the summer
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Topic Originator: GJS93
Date: Mon 15 Dec 12:09
"I`ve enjoyed this season from afar, just glad we`re not fighting relegation, and so far a massive improvement"
"this is a killer of a league!"
the second part is exactly why we are fighting relegation, same goes for everyone outside the top 2.
"badly need to add experienced players. There will no doubt be additions in the January window. Let’s hope it’s not young playes with no experience."
doubts over Benedictus future and the loans of Munn and Stewart but there will need to be a few others departing for others to come in. more than likely it will be "young players" because that is what will be available, in our budget etc etc.
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Topic Originator: Playup_Pompey
Date: Mon 15 Dec 12:14
"doubts over Benedictus future and the loans of Munn and Stewart but there will need to be a few others departing for others to come in"
Stewart should be replaced by Rudden returning to fitness
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Topic Originator: AdamAntsParsStripe
Date: Mon 15 Dec 16:20
Quote:
Playup_Pompey, Mon 15 Dec 12:14
"doubts over Benedictus future and the loans of Munn and Stewart but there will need to be a few others departing for others to come in"
Stewart should be replaced by Rudden returning to fitness
Yeah with Steward departing back to the inbreds, Zak should be brought back in definitely.
He’s our player.
Zwei Pints Bier und ein Päckchen Chips bitte
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Topic Originator: PARrot
Date: Mon 15 Dec 20:32
Quote:
Bannockburn Par, Mon 15 Dec 08:38
We are making progress but badly need to add experienced players. There will no doubt be additions in the January window. Let’s hope it’s not young playes with no experience.
As for the playoffs, we still have a chance to make them but feel we will fall just short finishing 6th/7th. The club will no doubt clear another section of dead wood in the summer.
You make it sound like we have a lot of deadwood. I dont think we have, if any.
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Topic Originator: red-star-par
Date: Mon 15 Dec 21:17
Quote:
PARrot, Mon 15 Dec 20:32
You make it sound like we have a lot of deadwood. I dont think we have, if any.
Fisher, Ngwenya, Mehmet, Richie-Hosler, Otoo, Oakley-Boothe, Connor Young, maybe even some of the young guys that are out on loan currently.
Some mentioned above can still do a job for us, but can they help us move on to the next level
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