Rip It Up And Start Again......
Sunday, reminded me why there is some stadiums I’m quite happy not to go to and that sometimes a view from your sofa in front of the telly is a lot better then a view from a kit stand. Falkirk’s new stadium is a perfect example of an out of town stadium gone wrong. If any chairman is thinking about moving their club then they should visit Westfield before deciding on their plans.
It’s the best example of, what not to do in Scotland, the worst new stadium I have been in and I thought McDiarmiad and Livi would have taken some beating. But Westfield makes them look like the san siro and as lively as the Notting hill carnival.
Falkirk went for a multi purpose stadium, which, could be used all year round. Their mistake has been that all the multi purpose amenities are in one stand. A stand that dwarfs all the rest of the ground. On one side you have an impressive stand, behind the goal a bog standard kit stand, which looks out of place against the main stand and a tented gazebo village that should be on the 18th tee of St Andrews populates the other two sides.
It reminds me of some eastern European contraption that you see on Europort. You know the ones? The ones that are public parks with a temporary stand put up for the Intertoto cup ties against FC Nobody from nowheresville.
It’s no wonder the Falkirk players couldn’t win there. The pitch is massive and the gap between the edge of the pitch and stands only lends itself for the ball attendants, as they have on the back of their trackies, to take ages to return the ball. Any noise generated, drifts across the gazebos to the industrial estate that is Grangemouth.
You could not get a place more chalk and cheese from their old decrepit, rancid falling down hole that was Brockville. Brockville had character; this place has less character then an episode of River City and about as much atmosphere as a smoke free bingo hall.
It’s no wonder that the players produced a game so woeful that it could have got football stopped. The game was that flat that even the usual abuse dished out by the Falkirk support got lost in the vortex of the open spaces. Hell, even the Celtic support usual gusto in places like Falkirk was lost as we watch our troops toil and sweat without much purpose.
A game littered with mistakes and even our usual constant performers were off. Lee Naylor had his worst game since his arrival from the midlands, Caldwell and Mick looked like it was pre-season all over again, Lenny couldn’t get near Cregg or the chain smoking 150 year old Rasta Lapaty and Tommy G was, what is becoming an accustomed, passenger.
Tommy G is looking more like a player that has hardly played for 18 months with every passing game. Instead of looking more lively and adjusting to the pace he seems as much far off the pace as he has ever done. Why he wasn’t haring around hassling Lapaty I will never know? All he had to do was move up 10 yards, stand close to him and deny him the space. His passing is shocking and he seems to be suffocated by the role GS has marked for him.
His replacement Sno done everything Tommy G couldn’t. He kept the ball, he won the ball, he broke up play and he generally looked like a midfielder. His only fault is that he was not decisive enough. A couple of times a welly was called for, a shot at goal instead or frustrating tactic of one more pass and trying to score the perfect goal came into play and a pointless ball wide was played.
Our midfield in away games this year, Aberdeen apart, has never dominated a game yet. Our away performances have been peppered with slackness in the midfield which, leads to hardly any chances being created and our strikers working more outside the box then inside. A GS tactic perhaps, is the team set up different away from home than at home?
But, 3 points is 3 points. A battling 3 points and a grinding 3 points is what wins you leagues. You can’t have “escape to victory” performances all the time and after being at Westfield it’s no wonder players after a derby and a CL game found it hard to lift them cause the support did as well.
This season we have relied on individual skill to win us games. It’s no surprise that Aiden has supplied it and got us out of holes this season then. Most skilful individual at the club and most creative force this season, so far, at the club. His goal came when I was settling for a point, as the performance was that bad a point would have been all we deserved.
A poor game was marked by another poor reffering display from Mr Ian Brines. As the game struggled to get above medicore he decided it should stay there with some baffling decisions, which descended the game into a stop, start nature. No chance to flow no chance of a decent spectacle.
Then to top it off he decides that the impressive Patrick Creggs assault on Lee Naylor was a fair challenge. It was the most blatant assault since Paul Hartley kicked Ross Wallace last season. It was the most blatant red card I have seen all season. If he done that up the toon on a Saturday night a wee court date would have been forthcoming.
Shame too, as the ex-Arsenal player impressed me. He has a nasty streak and energy to his game that reminds me of Scott Broon. Rumours that we are interest in him excite me. He is the type of player I would love to see come to Celtic. A bit of a bad boy that all midfield need.
He was just lucky that Big Mick didn’t rip his heid off in the following melee. Then his transfer would have been right up the swany!!!!!!
Well quiet week this week, internationals who needs them?
Hail Hail
It’s the best example of, what not to do in Scotland, the worst new stadium I have been in and I thought McDiarmiad and Livi would have taken some beating. But Westfield makes them look like the san siro and as lively as the Notting hill carnival.
Falkirk went for a multi purpose stadium, which, could be used all year round. Their mistake has been that all the multi purpose amenities are in one stand. A stand that dwarfs all the rest of the ground. On one side you have an impressive stand, behind the goal a bog standard kit stand, which looks out of place against the main stand and a tented gazebo village that should be on the 18th tee of St Andrews populates the other two sides.
It reminds me of some eastern European contraption that you see on Europort. You know the ones? The ones that are public parks with a temporary stand put up for the Intertoto cup ties against FC Nobody from nowheresville.
It’s no wonder the Falkirk players couldn’t win there. The pitch is massive and the gap between the edge of the pitch and stands only lends itself for the ball attendants, as they have on the back of their trackies, to take ages to return the ball. Any noise generated, drifts across the gazebos to the industrial estate that is Grangemouth.
You could not get a place more chalk and cheese from their old decrepit, rancid falling down hole that was Brockville. Brockville had character; this place has less character then an episode of River City and about as much atmosphere as a smoke free bingo hall.
It’s no wonder that the players produced a game so woeful that it could have got football stopped. The game was that flat that even the usual abuse dished out by the Falkirk support got lost in the vortex of the open spaces. Hell, even the Celtic support usual gusto in places like Falkirk was lost as we watch our troops toil and sweat without much purpose.
A game littered with mistakes and even our usual constant performers were off. Lee Naylor had his worst game since his arrival from the midlands, Caldwell and Mick looked like it was pre-season all over again, Lenny couldn’t get near Cregg or the chain smoking 150 year old Rasta Lapaty and Tommy G was, what is becoming an accustomed, passenger.
Tommy G is looking more like a player that has hardly played for 18 months with every passing game. Instead of looking more lively and adjusting to the pace he seems as much far off the pace as he has ever done. Why he wasn’t haring around hassling Lapaty I will never know? All he had to do was move up 10 yards, stand close to him and deny him the space. His passing is shocking and he seems to be suffocated by the role GS has marked for him.
His replacement Sno done everything Tommy G couldn’t. He kept the ball, he won the ball, he broke up play and he generally looked like a midfielder. His only fault is that he was not decisive enough. A couple of times a welly was called for, a shot at goal instead or frustrating tactic of one more pass and trying to score the perfect goal came into play and a pointless ball wide was played.
Our midfield in away games this year, Aberdeen apart, has never dominated a game yet. Our away performances have been peppered with slackness in the midfield which, leads to hardly any chances being created and our strikers working more outside the box then inside. A GS tactic perhaps, is the team set up different away from home than at home?
But, 3 points is 3 points. A battling 3 points and a grinding 3 points is what wins you leagues. You can’t have “escape to victory” performances all the time and after being at Westfield it’s no wonder players after a derby and a CL game found it hard to lift them cause the support did as well.
This season we have relied on individual skill to win us games. It’s no surprise that Aiden has supplied it and got us out of holes this season then. Most skilful individual at the club and most creative force this season, so far, at the club. His goal came when I was settling for a point, as the performance was that bad a point would have been all we deserved.
A poor game was marked by another poor reffering display from Mr Ian Brines. As the game struggled to get above medicore he decided it should stay there with some baffling decisions, which descended the game into a stop, start nature. No chance to flow no chance of a decent spectacle.
Then to top it off he decides that the impressive Patrick Creggs assault on Lee Naylor was a fair challenge. It was the most blatant assault since Paul Hartley kicked Ross Wallace last season. It was the most blatant red card I have seen all season. If he done that up the toon on a Saturday night a wee court date would have been forthcoming.
Shame too, as the ex-Arsenal player impressed me. He has a nasty streak and energy to his game that reminds me of Scott Broon. Rumours that we are interest in him excite me. He is the type of player I would love to see come to Celtic. A bit of a bad boy that all midfield need.
He was just lucky that Big Mick didn’t rip his heid off in the following melee. Then his transfer would have been right up the swany!!!!!!
Well quiet week this week, internationals who needs them?
Hail Hail
posted by Keving at Tuesday, October 03, 2006
5 Comments:
I didn`t realise that Falkirk had so much going on. According to the radio the goal was probably coming but did we get a kick after the goal was scored? It sounded ALL Falkirk until they gave up with 3 minutes of injury played and started to talk about the MOTM. I thought that the game had finished but after 5 minutes of injury time the ref called a halt. Phew!
On the BBC website I see that our own D Riordan is expressing his frustration at being out of the first team picture. Is this a good tactic?
when have we seen him?
3 mins on the opening day and one league cup game when he was arguably one of the best players on a poor nite.
i agree he hasn't done enough to be starting but believe there has been certain games, hearts, ict and falkirk when throwing him on for 20 minutes or so would have been good.
p.s i still can't believe u don't like going to livi, the sub-station pub/club at station is brilliant.
sorry i meant stadium and not station.
anybody going to the legends game or are u just watching on tv like me.
Stadiums. How many have been caller a mini Ibrox as they built separate stands? Even the fortress of D has filled in the corners now alla CP!
Danny McGrain was my favourite all time Celtic player and in his final seasons I would look with utter amazement and contempt at the `fans` who were calling him an old man.
Talking about right backs. I see that Telfer`s ability to sneak up the park in a perfectly timed overlap is starting to be recognised (by GS at least!). Unfortunately he canny cross the road. In that circumstance just hit it first time and the defence is just as bemused as the attackers! :-)
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