Euro 2016 Talking Points – Round Two

HAMSIK THE DIFFERENCE FOR SLOVAKIA

Leonid Slutsky looked distressed. His mouth agape, he breathed in and out at rapid pace. He looked on the edge of a heart-attack. Russia, at the time, had control of the game. Aleksandr Kokorin, Oleg Shatov and Fedor Smolov, the attacking trifecta sitting in behind Artem Dzyuba, began opening up the Slovakian back-line on a regular basis; their speed and movement mesmerising Martin Skrtel and Jan Durica. The one thing Russia missed was that clinical edge; that final touch, the one to make the difference.

Marek Hamsik, on the other hand, has that in abundance. He can change a game in a moment; and he did. Slovakia couldn’t keep possession in the Russian half. They lacked the quality; but not Hamsik. The Napoli midfield pivoted in his own-half and cracked an arcing pass that eliminated the entire Russian team and rolled ahead of Vladimir Weiss. One delicate touch killed the pace, and Weiss cut inside, sending a couple of white shirts sliding off the field. He steadied himself and curled a simple shot around the fingertips of Igor Akinfeev.

Slutsky pounded at his legs in rage. Russia had handed Slovakia the lead; in not finishing their chances and in the chaotic defending that let Weiss through.

Hamsik added a second. He received a short corner, cut inside, held off one defender, and then rifled an absolute thunder-bastard into the top corner of the post. The ball smashed off the inside corner and bounced back into the net. Arms outstretched like a Slovakian Jesus, Hamsik walked towards his adoring fans. He made the difference.

His contributions weren’t limited to an assist and a goal. He conducts the orchestra, controlling the ball like a baton, dictating the pace and movements of those around him. It’s his game; the other 21 players are secondary figures. His eye of the needle passes open spaces we can’t see; his shuffles and dribbles create them. If Slovakia are to achieve something in this tournament, it’s going to be all about him.

 

THE COMAN AND MARTIAL EXPERIMENT

It hadn’t been quite the performance that the French public expected. It was predicted that the hosts, buoyed by the atmosphere inside the Stade de France, would slaughter Romania; an expectation that might not have taken into account the Romanian’s exemplary defensive record in qualification. Instead, France laboured and relied on Dimitri Payet’s genius to sneak a 2-1 win. The public wanted a response. Didier Deschamps responded. The France manager opted for a change in formation; the 4-3-3 out for the popular 4-2-3-1. And he didn’t stop there. Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba, two of the players expected to take the tournament by storm, found themselves sat in the evening cold, Anthony Martial and Kingsley Coman in their places.

Pogba could feel hard done by. It hadn’t been a classic performance by the Juventus midfielder, but so much expectation had been put on his still inexperienced shoulders. Could he ever match the hype? Griezmann, however, looked out of place in the opening match. Stuck out on the right, rather than in his preferred central position, he failed to take a real grasp of the game. Neither did their replacements.

Martial received scathing reviews for his performance. The Manchester United striker/winger started out on the right but didn’t last until half-time; Pogba replaced the replacer. Martial made just one forward pass which could be described as ‘attacking’ – seven of his ten successful passes went backwards. He couldn’t muster a single shot on goal nor one successful cross. He was sluggish personified.

Coman looked a little better. France again laboured in the first-half, but if Les Bleus were to create anything, it was going to come through the Bayern winger. In the first couple of minutes he danced through Ermir Lenjani and Ansi Agolli, bursting through into the box before the latter tripped him up. He added some much needed spark.

In the 68^th minute Deschamps ended his experiment. Perhaps it had been to test out Coman and Martial; perhaps to warn Pogba and Griezmann that France can’t afford lame performances. The Atletico striker took the lesson to heart. In the 90^th minute, the match level and a resilient Albania keeping the hosts at bay, Griezmann snatched at his chance and nodded France in front. It was another dreary performance from Deschamps’ side, but it was another win, and one which guaranteed them progression to the next round.

 

STURRIDGE CHANGES THE GAME

Jeers and whistles serenaded England as they trudged off the pitch for half-time. Their performance had lethargic, a team lacking ideas and inspiration. Harry Kane, mirroring Romelu Lukaku’s dire showing for Belgium, looked isolated and ineffective; he looks off the pace. Raheem Sterling came in for the most flak, though. It made little sense that the Manchester City winger started his second game running, having struggled against Russia. He came in for a hail-storm of abuse after missing England’s best chance. Adam Lallana darted through the Wales defence and fired a driven cross to the feet of Sterling, who, having the reached the ball at the perfect time and having got their first, managed to scuff the ball over the crossbar. It summed up a dismal 45 minutes for the Three Lions.

That changed at half-time. Roy Hodgson, seeing his England tenure bursting into flames, brought on Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy for Sterling and Kane, and there were immediate improvements. The Liverpool striker, not the out-and-out attacker that the Leicester front-man and Kane are, helped link-up midfield and attack and did an excellent job at finding pockets of space and creating chances. Ten minutes after the restart he flicked a dipping cross into the crowded Wales six-yard-box, where Ashley Williams’ header knocked it towards his own goalkeeper. Vardy pounced. The Red Bull infused striker poked the ball over the line to equalise.

England continued to press but couldn’t find that crucial breakthrough. A resilient Wales refused to crumble. But in the 91^st minute, England broke Welsh hearts. Sturridge, lurking on the edge of the box, slipped a quick pass inside to Delle Alli. The Spurs midfielder pushed the ball back through for a one-two, ahead of the charging Sturridge. The Liverpool striker took one touch before knocking past Wayne Hennessey at his near post. He ran off in exhilaration, before composing himself for his trademark dance. One half-assist and one goal – he’d saved England’s Euros.

From this moment it’s clear that the decision lies with Hodgson. England’s dramatic improvement in the second-half centred around Sturridge’s introduction; he offered the creation that Sterling lacked and the danger that Kane couldn’t offer. Yes, he’s sometimes too single-minded – his two long-range shots endangered the England crowd more than the Wales goal – but he has those moments of genius, such as his solo-goal against Sevilla, which can change an entire match. Hodgson needs to utilise him.

 

IS COUNTER-ATTACK KEY FOR BELGIUM?

Marc Wilmots promised between two and ten changes to the Belgium team that lost 2-0 to Italy. It had been a disjointed and unstructured performance, one which garnered as much flak for the manager as for the players. Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’ looked anything but. Against a motivated Republic of Ireland, Belgium needed a performance.

Belgium passed and moved with all the flair of Spain. However, there was a glaring difference between the reigning champions and the Red Devils. The Spanish have an almost telepathic understanding, as if all eleven men work as one. It looks seamless. It looks simple. But Belgium prove it’s anything but. They possess the technical skills, but there’s a clear lack of cohesion. Players don’t make the right runs, passes don’t happen at the right time, and, quite often, the moves that do happen prove to be the wrong ones. Too often possession is conceded in a position it shouldn’t be; Spain rarely make that mistake. Belgium look like eleven talented individuals thrown together; a side who could do something, but who lack the understanding, the communication and the rhythm to do so.

Their limp first-half performance against the Irish seemed to confirm that this is an embedded issue; one which might not be solved before the knock-out stages. Yannick Carrasco came in on the right but found himself shackled by the quick-to-close-down Irish – although his placement on that flank meant Kevin de Bruyne could assert more influence in his preferred central role; and Moussa Dembele found himself hooked at the 57 minute mark. Thomas Meunier impressed at right-back, often over-lapping Carrasco and dinking crosses into the box. But, overall, there was little to differentiate this performance from the one that met the Italians. That changed in the second-half.

The Belgians found their key: counter-attack. The problem had been that their tactics revolved around keeping possession and, like the Spanish, passing until a space opened up; counter-attacking let them utilise the pace of Hazard and de Bruyne, and also let them breakthrough a weakened defensive structure. The first goal summed this up. Ireland lost possession from a corner, and, after breaking at pace, Lukaku cut inside before curling the ball around Darren Randolph. The extra space made the difference. A second and third goal followed.

Euroe 2016 Talking Points – Round One

ITALY MIGHT EXCEED LOW EXPECTATIONS

Blue shirts poured forward. Ciro Immobile spread the ball out to Antonio Candreva. An isolated Thibaut Courtois charged out as three Belgians desperately tried to restore some sense of organisation. But the black and red headless chickens had ceded control. Candreva looked up and spotted the lone hand of Graziano Pelle calling out. A simple short cross found the swinging right boot of the Southampton striker. Pelle ran off celebrating, a mix of jubilation and shock etched into his chiselled face. Seconds later, the referee called for full-time. You’d have thought the Italians had won the tournament.

In the build up to the 2016 Euros, the Italian team had been derided as one of the weakest in the Azzurri’s illustrious history. While the Italians could be confident about a back three consisting of the Juventus trio of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, and Gigi Buffon in between the sticks, the rest of the squad left much to be desired. No position quite summed up this decline than the striking department.

The era of Toni, Del Piero and Totti is almost at an end – only the latter is yet to retire. That’s reflected in the options the stern faced Antonio Conte has: Pelle has been inconsistent for Southampton; Eder has scored just one goal for Inter since his move from Sampdoria; Immobile hasn’t been at his best since his 2013-14 campaign at Torino; and Simone Zaza has often been used off the bench for Juventus. Injuries had also devastated their midfield options.

Injuries to Marco Verratti and Claudio Marchisio robbed the Italians of their two best centre-midfielders. It meant that the ever-present Daniele de Rossi started alongside Marco Parolo and Emanuele Giaccherini in midfield, with the defensive-minded Matteo Darmian on the left and Candreva on the right. How would this make-shift team handle Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’?

The back-three relegated the Belgians to a smattering of half-chances – not bad against a side including Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku. Giaccherini dismissed his critics, and surprised those who remembered him for his poor performances in a Sunderland shirt, making a nuisance of himself throughout the match. In the 32^nd minute he latched on to a stunning Bonucci long-ball, escaping the entire Belgian defence, and curled the ball around Courtois. Then, in the 92^nd minute, Pelle confirmed the Italian’s win.

It was a performance that reminded pundits that the Italians are the Italians. The Azzurri possess the meanest defence in international football and can build on that. Antonio Conte has instilled a sense of organisation throughout the rest of the team – one would be too scared not to follow his instructions to the letter – and has created a strong team with the squad at his disposal. Underestimate him at your peril.

 

BELGIUM: A TEAM WORSE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PART

This Belgium squad is lauded as a ‘golden generation’. England supporters are well aware of the dangers of such a tag; it puts an added pressure on the team and the management that seems to create a toxic atmosphere between the team and the expectant nation. That being said, it’s impossible to object to the complaints that Belgium have under-performed.

One was sceptical about their chances before the tournament. The Red Devils stumbled through the World Cup before losing out to Argentina in the 118^th minute – a game that’s better forgot – and didn’t look like a team including the creative talents of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne. And there was nothing in their plodding performance against the Italians that demonstrated change. That must bring into question the manager, Marc Wilmots.

Hazard has admitted in the past that Wilmots does no tactical work with the team – something that became clear on Monday. The Belgians looked unorganised and disinterested against one of the most organised and passionate teams in the tournament. Romelu Lukaku stood isolated as the lone-striker, Marouane Fellaini offered nothing in midfield, and Jan Vertonghen struggled as the left-sided full-back. If not for the quick reactions of Courtois, the Italians would’ve won by a wider margin.

The ‘Golden Generation’ tag looks to be taking its next victim.

 

SWEDEN AND POLAND NEED TO FIND ALTERNATIVES

Sweden and Poland possess one world class striker each. The enigmatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic dominates his surroundings, both for PSG and for Sweden, and Robert Lewandowski is perhaps the most lethal European striker around. Zlatan scored 38 league goals in his final season at PSG, while the formidable Pole fired 30 times for Bayern. But at the 2016 Euros, both find themselves in international squads much weaker than the teams their used to.

Lewandowski is one cog in the Munich machine, and so he can look to Thomas Muller and co to contribute if he’s not in from. Ibra has a similar situation in Paris. But both are the focal points of their international sides. Their compatriots look to them to be their saviours, to do the magical, and to lead the charge. There’s no Cavani or Robben at their side. It’s a problem for both them and their respective international teams.

The Northern Ireland defence crowded out Lewandowski and offered him not the slightest sniff of free air; he, in turn, had a rather poor game. Ibra fared a little better, providing the assist for Ciaran Clark’s own-goal. But he also found himself man-marked and pushed out of the game. He couldn’t move, shoot, pass – as soon as he touched the ball a sea of green shirts surrounded him.

This is less of a problem for Poland; they have some excellent players, like Milik. But Sweden have little else but Ibra. He’s a star in that team.

 

SPAIN STICKING TO ITS STYLE

You have to respect Spain’s single-minded devotion to tiki-taka. I’ve seen monks less patient. Barcelona adapted once their opponents learned to counter-act it; the same cannot be said for the national side. Vincente del Bosque is determined to retain to the pass-pass-passing that won them back-to-back European Championships – and a World Cup in between. Of course, that’s ignoring the 2014 World Cup.

Who can forget their disastrous turn in Brazil? Robin van Persie’s stunning diving header began the Netherlands’ comeback in a 5-1 thrashing of the world champions, before Chile completed the double-punch and KO’d Spain. The holders had exited the competition before the third round of group games. Spain hadn’t been eliminated from a major competition since 2006; they were the first side knocked out in 2014. A 3-0 thumping of Australia in the final match offered a fond farewell to the likes of David Villa, Xavi and Fernando Torres, stars of previous tournaments, and important components of the title winning side. You’d expect, after such a shocking collapse, that change would occur. Perhaps Del Bosque would be sacked, or he’d change his tactics. Not so.

There’s been little change since 2014: Alvaro Morata has replaced the ineffective Diego Costa and Nolito is preferred to Pedro on the flank. It’s much the same. And against the Czechs familiar problems came to the fore. Spain dominated possession and looked for that clinical pass – the one that splits a defence – but it looked like the 2004 semi-finalists might just hold on. Then in the 87^th minute Gerard Pique offered his large frame as an attacking option. The lanky centre-back leapt to greet Andres Iniesta’s cross and nodded it into the Czech goal.

Spain looked good. Good enough to warrant predictions that La Rojas could complete a Euros treble. But there are still concerns about that dedication to passing and the unwillingness to go direct until the final moments of a game. More composed sides might just hold out against such a style. Barcelona had to change because opponents had worked out how to counter it; Spain might have to follow suit.

 

LACK OF FULL-BACK OPTIONS COULD COST GERMANY

The first 45 minutes of the Germany Ukraine clash exhibited perhaps the most entertaining football of the tournament so far: end-to-end, slick, attacking football. However, something became apparent during this spell: the Germans have one noticeable weakness: there’s a complete lack of full-backs. In 2014, Die Mannschaft collected the World Cup and lost Philip Lahm to international retirement. Although the Germans can still call upon Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels (he’s still recuperating from an injury, so Shkodran Mustafi started against Ukraine) there are no great full-backs to complement the centre-half duo.

Against Ukraine, Benedikt Howedes, a centre-back who’s often featured as a full-back for the national side, started on the right, and FC Koln’s Jonas Hector started on the left. Weaker opponents might not be able to take advantage of this; Ukraine exposed them on a regular basis. The pace, skill and movement of Evgeni Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko opened up a chasm behind the German defence. Yarmolenko, in particular, who plies his trade at Dinamo Kiev, kept getting in behind Hector and firing balls into the box. Ukraine couldn’t take advantage in the first-half and couldn’t keep up their momentum in the second, and so the threat petered out. But the gap in the almost impenetrable German armour is there.

 

CROATIA ARE THE DARK HORSES

If seems as though all 24 teams at the Euros have been described as ‘dark horses’. Austria, Switzerland and Poland were all picked as potential outside bets to reach the final, but all three produced disappointing performances in their opening ties. Austria lost out to their rivals, Hungary; Switzerland laboured to a tight 1-0 win over ten-man Albania; and Poland just about managed to squeeze past Northern Ireland. But Croatia, another team thought of as potential outsiders, impressed.

The Croats excelled against a strong Turkey. We shouldn’t be surprised. This is a Croatia team featuring a midfield of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic – Mateo Kovacic can’t even get a starting berth such is their strength in that position. The Vatreni also have a no-nonsense defence consisting of Verdan Corluka and Darijo Srna, and Mario Mandzukic leading the line. Could Croatia relive memories of France ’98?

 

ROONEY STANDS OUT FOR ENGLAND

There’s been so much distraction since England’s 1-1 draw with Russia. We’ve discussed hooligans and the shocking sight of a stampede after the game, the pointlessness of England’s striker taking set-pieces, and so much more; all of this rather than a breakdown of the performance. And what a mixed one it was.

Perhaps no talking point filled as many blogs and headlines as Wayne Rooney’s place in the England team. England’s all-time record goal-scorer had an odd season. He laboured at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal and ended up dropping into midfield to accommodate Marcus Rashford. With Kane reaching 20+ goals for the second consecutive season in the Premier League – the same amount the England captain has achieved during his entire career – the question was: would the team be shaped around an underperforming player? No, not quite.

That’s because Rooney exceeded expectations in an attacking midfield role. The England captain started in alongside the driven Delle Alli and looked brilliant. He picked out passes left, right and centre, and controlled England’s possession in the Russian half. He pulled the strings and looked imperious doing so. All those doubts fell silent. He’d been derided for some poor performances; he deserved his plaudits for this one.

 

ICE, ICE, BABY

We all wanted Iceland to do well. It’s heart-warming to see some of the smaller nations – Albania, Iceland etc. – reaching the Euros, but it’s also important that some of them surpass expectations. It’d be demoralising to see them all crash out at the group stage. We’ve seen the VTs about Iceland’s indoor football project, read the blogs about their road to the Euros, and seen the stats about the size of their population – all of which put their achievement into context. It’s amazing that they reached the tournament.

Iceland didn’t come through a lame group; quite the opposite. While Romania provided the strongest opposition to Northern Ireland in their group, Iceland overcame Turkey and the Netherlands to finish second – no mean feat. Against Portugal they proved that that wasn’t a fluke; this is a team that deserves to be there.

Strakarnir Okkar didn’t threaten in a first-half that Portugal dominated. Hannes Halldorsson produced a couple of excellent stops to keep the halt the Iberian advance. If not for the quick feet of the Icelandic goalkeeper, Nani’s nodded effort would’ve put Portugal in front. But he could only do so much. Nani didn’t make the same mistake twice. His second header caught Halldorsson out and rippled the back of the net. At half-time, Portugal had a firm grasp of the game; Rui Patricio could’ve taken a 45 minute nap.   

That changed in the second-half. A pumped up Iceland emerged and immediately put Ronaldo and co on the back-foot. In the 50^th minute Iceland equalised. Johann Gudhmundsson’s simple cross found an unmarked Birkir Bjarnason at the far post. Bjarnason thumped the ball into the ground and into the roof of the Portuguese net. Portugal had switched off.

For the remainder of the game, Iceland looked the more dangerous side. The thousands of blue shirts that filled half of Saint Etienne’s stadium clapped in unison and created a strong atmosphere; Charlemagne might’ve had troubled quietening this hoard of Vikings. Iceland couldn’t find a second, but neither could Portugal. There were a couple of tense moments at the finale. Ronaldo had back-to-back free-kicks – the second coming after a hand blocked the first – but rifled both efforts into the wall.

The Habsburg teams better watch out.

Euro 2016 – Group B: Oh, England

7:59 – one minute before kick-off

Oh, England. I won’t fall for it again. Not this summer. I refuse to be optimistic; I refuse to believe. Yet again, we did beat Germany, the world champions. And some of the other countries do rate us as potential winners. It might be different this time. You can change. It’s not the evil axis of Gerrard and Lampard; it’s Kane and Alli. It’s quite an exciting squad. Maybe we have a chance.

 

90+2 minutes

Oh, fuck off.

Euro 2016- Group A: Deschamps has work to do

An anxious Stade de France counted down from ten. As it reached zero, a lone whistle screeched through the deafening roar and kick-started the opening match of the 2016 European Championships. The French team had the weight of expectation on their collective shoulders. Nationalism – the nicer side – is often exemplified in the spirit of these international football tournaments; coming together in unison to support something larger than oneself for a light-hearted cause. France were also the pre-tournament favourites, boasting a stacked squad and a home advantage. That momentum was almost silenced.

Romania, unaffected by the atmosphere, pushed on in the opening minutes and almost snatched a quick lead. From a corner, Florin Andone’s flicked header found Bogdan Stancu sneaking in at the far post. Untracked, he blasted the ball straight at the France goal, and if not for the superb reactions of Hugo Lloris, palming the ball on the line, Romania would have stunned the hosts.

France dominated most of the game, keeping possession and testing the stingy Romania backline – one which conceded just two goals during qualification – but failed to capitalise on their control. Olivier Giroud made sure to capitalise on his chance, though. Anton Tatarusanu missed a simple cross into the box, and the Arsenal striker redirected the ball towards the empty net. Romania had the odd spell of control, and it was during one of these moments that Patrice Evra kicked Nicolae Stanciu as he charged through the box. Eight minutes after Giroud’s header, Bogdan Stancu converted from the spot. And it appeared that that might be enough for Romania to scuttle the hosts’ hopes of producing a special moment for France. But, in the 89^th minute, Dimitri Payet provided another moment of brilliance. The majestic attacking-midfielder, trapped in a box of four yellow shirts, pirouetted on the ball and rifled it into the top corner, as a sea of 60,000 blue shirts bounced in the stands. When he came off minutes later, tears rolled down his cheeks; the supporters inside the stadium, and the millions of proud and jubilant Frenchmen outside it, stood up and clapped as he walked off.

But the moment couldn’t mask the doubts about Didier Deschamp’s team. There had been questions about the ageing full-backs, and Evra’s clumsy challenge gave evidence to those who think he’s past his best. Antoine Griezmann looked distracted, not quite on the same wave-length as his attacking partners. Giroud, although he grabbed a goal, still has question marks about making an impact when it matters; he missed some glaring opportunities, and he’ll need to be much more clinical in the latter stages.

Deschamps needs to address these during the remaining group games. With three points all but guaranteeing progression at this tournament, he can afford to be a little more liberal with his choices against Switzerland and Albania. But he needs to act. In the latter stages, when one moment can decide a game, these problems could be punished.

Matches to watch out for this weekend

CHAMPIONSHIP: QUEEN OF THE SOUTH V RAITH ROVERS

This could be the match that decides the team that finishes fourth in the Championship. Should Raith Rovers escape Palmerston Park with anything more than a loss and they will be guaranteed a place in the play-offs. It could cap off what’s been an astonishing run for the Kirkcaldy club. Raith have collected 24 points from their last eleven games, lost just once – a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox, and scalped Hibernian when Alan Stubbs’ side visited Stark’s Park a couple of weeks ago. And just last weekend Rangers had to settle for a point. The boisterous travelling support, 3-2 up in added time, the title in their grasp, were silenced as Harry Panayiotou rifled in a late equaliser. What’s more amazing is the sudden goal rush. In this 11 game spell Raith have notched 22 goals; it had taken them all 21 games of the campaign prior to this run to accumulate the same amount. It’s this threat that Queen of the South will have to combat on Saturday.

The Doonhamers themselves haven’t been short of a goal in recent weeks, but, unlike Raith, there’s been little reward for their efforts. James Fowler’s team have scored 17 in their last ten – a rate not dissimilar to Raith’s – but collected just ten points from those outings. Their last couple of games have highlighted their strengths and weaknesses. Against both Rangers and Falkirk the Doonhamers found themselves behind. The Gers took what looked like an unassailable lead, going 4-1 up in the 55^th minute. But Queen of the South battled back and reduced the lead to one; unfortunately time ran out on them before they could snatch a point. Last weekend goals from Blair Alston and John Baird put Falkirk two up, before Derek Lyle and Iain Russell struck back to grab a point against the travelling Bairns.

With just a point needed for Raith to guarantee a top-four finish, both teams are going to be pushing for three points. It should be a thrilling match.

 

 

LEAGUE ONE: COWDENBEATH V BRECHIN CITY

Imagine being Darren Dods last weekend. The Brechin manager watched his side scratch-and-claw to their fifth win in six matches, a 1-0 win over struggling Stenhousemuir, and he must have at least entertained the idea that the result will have lifted his team off the bottom of the table. Not so, I’m afraid. As Brechin claimed a crucial three points against the Warriors, their relegation rivals were also celebrating important wins. Apparently wins are like London buses to League One relegation candidates. Forfar Athletic strolled to a 2-0 win against second-place Peterhead and Cowdenbeath bested third-place Ayr United at Central Park. What were the odds that all three teams would win?

Forfar face the toughest tie of the weekend: a trip to East End Park to visit the champions, Dunfermline. It helps make this tie the most interesting of the round. Should Cowdenbeath claim three points, the Blue Brazil will create a five-point lead over Brechin; if the Hedgemen win they’ll move above Cowdenbeath. Stenhousemuir have been dragged into this relegation scrap as well. The Warriors are in terrible form and are just one point ahead of Cowdenbeath. If they lose at the Excelsior, and either Brechin or Cowdenbeath win, they’ll be edging towards the drop-zone. This is not the time to drop points.

One would imagine that, unlike the Queen of the South v Raith Rovers tie, this will be a tight affair. Neither team can afford to drop points and gift them to their relegation rivals; expect both to defend in numbers and try to sneak three points.

 

 

LEAGUE TWO: BERWICK RANGERS V CLYDE

Speaking of must win games. Clyde have been doing their upmost to hand East Fife the League Two title, losing at home to Arbroath and then letting Montrose score three before snatching a 90^th minute equaliser from the spot. Results last weekend gave the Fifers a four point lead heading into the final four rounds of fixtures. The Bully Wee entertain East Fife at Broadwood next weekend and thus can’t afford to drop points against Berwick Rangers if they still have ambitions of lifting the title. But this is going to be a tough match.

Berwick have the third strongest form in the league. After collecting just 22 points from their opening 22 games of the season, the English club have picked up 18 from their last ten matches. In that time they’ve lost just two games – a 2-1 defeat at Broadwood and a 1-0 loss against Annan Athletic. More impressive is their home form. The Black and Gold are undefeated in their last seven at Shielfield Park. In their last four home games they’ve beaten Elgin City, Stirling Albion, Arbroath and Montrose; it’s as tough a ground to visit as any at the moment.

If East Fife defeat Montrose in Methil and Clyde lose, it will create a seven point gap, with just three games to go. Essentially, any hopes of attaining automatic promotion to League One is over.

Dundee Derby: Three Talking Points

Is Mission Impossible on for Dundee United?

With five minutes to go Tannadice burst into life. The rambunctious United support had been silenced by Kane Hemmings’ first-half double – goals which had seemingly sunk the Arabs’ survival hopes. How could United come back from that? A limp first-half performance from those in Tangerine didn’t merit the boisterous welcome they had received as they emerged from the corner of the Eddie Thompson Stand at the beginning of the game. Back then United fans had much to be positive about. Their future was back in their hands. Kilmarnock’s unfortunate 90^th minute loss meant United were just eight points behind Killie and had two games-in-hand. A result against their bitterest of rivals would have cut that to five. But then Hemmings struck twice.

For a decade United dominated this fixture. They celebrated the bragging rights and laughed as Dundee floundered in the Championship; now United were on the brink of relegation as the Dees pushed on for a top-six finish. How things have changed in the City of Discovery.

But out of the blue United were handed a lifeline. Scott Bain dragged down Billy McKay inside the box; the referee had no option but to point to the spot and dismiss the Dundee goalkeeper. John Rankin stepped up and thumped the ball straight down the middle. Game on. It was going to be a tense 40 minutes.

It looked as though Dundee had enough to hold on. United bombarded the opposition box and battled for every ball, but the Dees were resilient and an inspired performance from David Mitchell, Bain’s replacement, stopped the Arabs from taking advantage of their extra man. United even went to three up top in a desperate bid for an equaliser. McKay, Eddie Ofere and Simon Murray all tested the determined Dundee defence. The United fans rewarded their efforts. Tannadice came alive as both sets of fans tried to spur their respective teams on. Then, in the 91^st minute, McKay grabbed the leveller. Tannadice exploded in celebration. Police Scotland even had to have a quiet word with Mixu Paatelainen after the big Finn cupped his ears towards the Dundee supporters behind his dugout. He couldn’t hide his passion.

It’s not the result United would have wanted before the game. Wins, not draws, will keep them up. But the loss would have been devastating – perhaps one they couldn’t recover from. United, like in this game, find themselves behind and in a position that says they should lose. Could this comeback spur them on to make an even greater one?

 

The battle of the 3-5-2s

Mixu Paatelainen’s found mixed success with his 3-5-2 formation. When it does work a big part of that is because of the effectiveness of the wing-backs, Paul Dixon and Blair Spittal. The duo are on double-duty; making sure the three centre-backs aren’t under fire from crosses from the flank and providing support to the strikers from the flanks. Without them there’s no width in the team.

To counteract this Paul Hartley also adopted a 3-5-2 – something he’s done in bigger matches. It meant Spittal and Dixon were up against Kevin Holt and Cammy Kerr respectively. The former has split opinion since his arrival from Queen of the South. The Dundee left-back was singled out for criticism after their 4-0 humbling at Ibrox. Kerr, on the other hand, is held in high regard by the Dens Park faithful. What the young right-back lacks in experience he more than makes up for in boundless energy, determination and relentless running. And for the first-half this change in tactic worked for the Dees. Spittal and Dixon struggled to make an impact on the game, and with Ryan Dow wasting his best chances on the ball, Billy McKay and Henri Anier were offered little support. That changed with the red card.

Hartley had already been forced into making a couple of changes. Thomas Konrad came on for the injured Kostadin Gadzhalov before he also suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Nicky Low. But when Scott Bain was dismissed Hartley had to change his system. Low – a sub for a sub – came off for David Mitchell, Bain’s replacement, and the team switched to a 4-4-1, with Hemmings isolated as the lone-striker – his time harassing the Dundee defence was over. But this change also had ramifications on the defence. Spittal and Dixon started to find more space out on the flanks and started bombarding Dundee’s box with crosses. When Mixu then introduced another striker – sacrificing a centre-mid to go 3-4-3 – it caused even more chaos in the box and created even more space for the wing-backs, who were essentially wingers at this stage. United’s commitment to score paid dividends with McKay’s late equaliser. If Hartley had stuck to a 3-5-2 and took off Stewart, who had little impact in the second-half, for the replacement ‘keeper, might Dundee have offered a sterner resistance and held out?

 

Hemmings torments United’s back three

As mentioned above, United used a 3-5-2, which meant that the strike partnership of Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart lined up against the centre-back trio of Coll Donaldson, Gavin Gunning and Callum Morris. The trio had a torrid time against the former Cowdenbeath strikers. Hemmings, in particular, ran them ragged.

Donaldson and Gunning shouldn’t be allowed in a team together. It’s too dangerous. Donaldson can often be found ball-watching, reacting late to situations that he should have seen coming. He’s got a decent physical presence, which he used to hold off Hemmings when he was isolated up-front after the sending off, but his awareness is something to behold. Gunning is just a ticking-time bomb. Like Donaldson he’s got some pace and strength but no reading of the game. He has this thing about rushing out.

The three also tried to use the offside-trap, adopting a high-line to try and catch Hemmings offside. Instead this just created space behind them for Gary Harkins to lob through balls over. It came as little surprise when Dundee went two up.

A simple lack of awareness cost United the opener. Donaldson semi-blocked a cross, which deflected to edge of the box. However, when Hemmings reacted quickest to a shot he found himself in acres of space and nutmegged Eiji Kawashima to give Dundee the lead. Not one defender had tracked Hemmings, perhaps thinking he was offside – they’d clearly not realised that Donaldson was still running back from the corner, and thus playing the in-form striker onside.

The second Dundee goal took advantage of the disastrous attempt at on offside trap. A simple long ball got behind the defence, who all raised their hands not realising Stewart had made his run at the perfect time. The attacker then crossed the ball across the box to Hemmings, who poked it in from close range.

Hamilton Academical 1-1 Celtic

Hamilton came from behind to hold Celtic to a 1-1 draw at New Douglas Park, one month after losing 8-1 to the Premiership league leaders.

The result means that Aberdeen, facing St Johnstone at Pittodrie tomorrow, can close the gap at the top of the table to just four points.

Hamilton adopted a more defensive approach after the embarrassing result at Parkhead in their last meeting.

The Accies held out for 34 minutes before Dougie Imrie tripped Leigh Griffiths inside the box. The Celtic striker scored from the spot to send the visitors ahead.

Then, just before half-time, Dedryck Boyata seemingly caught Callum Morris when he was through on goal. Referee Craig Thomson reduced Celtic to ten men.

After the break, Celtic were awarded another penalty when Ziggy Gordon brought down Mikael Lustig at a corner. However, this time McGovern came out the better and blocked Griffiths’ shot.

Hamilton made the most of their life-line and grabbed an equaliser in the 74^th minute. Celtic failed to clear an Accies corner and substitute Eamonn Brophy smashed the ball into the top corner from close-range.

In the end, both teams had to settle for a point.

Ronny Deila made two notable changes to the Celtic starting eleven. Scott Allan made his league debut having signed for the Hoops last summer. Craig Gordon also dropped to the bench in favour of Logan Bailly, who stepped up between the sticks. James Forrest, having rejected a contract earlier this week, was not included in the match squad.

Hamilton returned to three at the back after the 8-1 hammering suffered at the hands of Celtic one month before. In the four matches since the meeting, the Accies conceded just three goals.

Martin Canning set-up Hamilton to defend as Celtic started on the offensive.

A sea of red-and-white shirts flooded the Hamilton box whenever Celtic came within sight of Michael McGovern. Canning did not want a repeat of their last encounter.

The visiting Hoops dominated possession but couldn’t find a gap in the packed Hamilton box. After ten minutes Celtic hadn’t challenged McGovern – he’d picked the ball out of his net three times at the same stage of their previous encounter.

With such a defensive approach, it meant Hamilton had to make the most of their opportunities.

Ally Crawford missed a glorious chance to snatch a lead. Scott Brown lost possession to Morris, who then slipped the ball out to the Accies midfielder. Crawford was in clear space but he took too heavy a touch, giving Bailly had time to rush out, and his last ditch effort ended up gliding over the crossbar.

Celtic continued to search for that opening. The Hamilton back-three did an excellent job at quietening Leigh Griffiths, who had nothing to work with. Allan and co had been neutralised thus far.

But all of Hamilton’s brilliant defensive work was undone in the 34^th minute.

Dougie Imrie tried to get to the ball before Griffiths and tripped the in-form striker inside the box. Griffiths stepped up and struck the ball down the middle for his 33^rd goal of the season.

Imrie couldn’t hide his frustration as McGovern and Michael Devlin criticised his decision minutes later.

However, seven minutes later Hamilton were handed a lifeline.

Morris broke through the Celtic back-line and darted towards an exposed Bailly. Boyata charged to make up the difference and made a sliding challenge just outside the box that caught the Hamilton striker. Craig Thomson brought out the red and reduced Celtic to ten men. Replays, however, showed that Boyata made the slightest of touches to the ball before hitting Morris.

Crawford tried to capitalise moments later, switching onto his left before firing a shot at the Celtic goal. Bailly produced a good save to keep Celtic’s lead.

As the teams went in for half-time, Celtic held the goal advantage, but Hamilton had the extra man.

Celtic should’ve gone two up in the 50^th minute. Kieran Tierney’s excellent block bounced straight through the Hamilton defence and put Gary Mackay-Steven through one-on-one with McGovern. The former Dundee United midfielder ran straight at the Northern Ireland international and had his shot blocked.

The Accies had a more attacking approach in the second-half. It was Celtic who looked to counter, as Hamilton pushed for an equaliser.

Griffiths almost added his 34^th as the game reached the final third. Celtic hit Hamilton on the counter and Griffiths’ curling effort just wide of the mark.

Minutes later he forced another save from McGovern after breaking through the Accies’ defence. The ball rebounded to Mackay-Steven, but his deflected effort swerved into the crowd.

From the resulting corner Thomson again pointed to the spot.

The referee had warned Ziggy Gordon about his tight man-marking of Mikael Lustig prior to the corner. When the ball did come in, the Hamilton right-back had his arms wrapped around his Celtic counter-part. Thomson awarded the penalty, but this time McGovern stopped Griffiths’ shot to keep the Accies in the game.

With 20 minutes remaining Canning made a statement of intent. Changing to a flat-back-four, Eamonn Brophy, who scored Hamilton’s one in their 8-1 defeat, replaced Darren Lyon.

It proved to be an inspired move.

Less than four minutes after the substitution Brophy capitalised on Celtic failing to clear their box from a corner and smashed the ball into the top right corner.

Hamilton refused to settle for a point, though.

The hosts continued to push for a goal. Crawford’s driven cross found Greg Docherty in the centre of the Celtic box, and if not for an outstretched leg the Hamilton midfielder might have grabbed a winner.

The New Douglas Park crowd – although travelling Celtic supporters outnumbered Hamilton fans – got behind their side as the Accies pushed for three points.

Hamilton tried to snatch a late winner but Celtic were resolute and both teams had to settle for a point.

Scottish Championship / League One / League Two (2014/15) Previews

Championship

Hearts, Hibs and Rangers: three pillars of Scottish football, fighting to rebuild their reputations and secure one of the two precious promotion places. One of these illustrious clubs will remain a Championship side heading into the 2015/16 season, and this makes for one of the most anticipated Championship seasons ever.

Considering Hearts came close to liquidation last season, there’s much to be optimistic about at Tynecastle: the Jambos are under the careful ownership of their fans, out of administration, and building for the future. Robbie Neilson has replaced Gary Locke in the dugout, Craig Levein is the Director of Football, and fan, and multi-millionaire, Ann Budge is the executive chairwoman. The squad is also much different from the one that suffered relegation. The likes of Jamie Hamill and Ryan Stevenson have retained their Premiership status, signing for Kilmarnock and Partick respectively, but Hearts have been quick to find replacements. Morgaro Gomis, Osman Sow and Prince Buaben are among the names brought in to help Hearts achieve immediate promotion.

Hearts fans had a tough time last season, mocked by their Edinburgh rivals for their relegation woes, but the Jambos had the last laugh. Despite being 2-0 up from the first-leg, Hibs succumbed to pressure and crumbled, as Hamilton equalised on aggregate – at Easter Road – and sent them packing on penalties. Perhaps feeling under pressure from the fans, chairman Rod Petrie opted to sack Terry Butcher, easing some of the criticism on his role in Hibs’ relegation. Alan Stubbs, beginning his managerial career, has taken the hot seat at Easter Road and seen an exodus of talent. The Hibees have made three additions – David Gray, Farid El Alagui and Scott Allan – as they look to challenge Hearts, and the Division One champions, for promotion.

Rangers are one successful season away from being back in the Premiership. Ally McCoist’s side cruised to the title last season and, utilising their seemingly unlimited resources, Rangers have continued to build their squad. In fact, they seem to rebuilding their 2009-2010 team. Both Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller have returned to Ibrox, and McCoist has also added St Mirren midfielder Darren McGregor. What’s even more surprising – or perhaps not surprising at all – is that Rangers equalled the wage offered by Aberdeen to sign Boyd. Let’s not forget that Rangers announced a £70 million loss over an 18-month period not six months ago. If they can continue to burn cash at their current rate, it’ll be interesting to see if they can survive long enough to reach the Premiership again.

Outside of the ‘big three’, Falkirk should provide the biggest threat to the promotion spots. The Bairns finished three points behind first-placed Dundee last season, and have been building over the summer. Peter Houston, former Dundee United manager, has taken the reins at Falkirk and has added Hearts’ Jamie MacDonald, Hibs’ Alan Maybury and Tom Taiwo, and Alex Cooper from Ross County. Falkirk will have to make do without left-back Stephen Kingsley, who signed for Swansea, and keeper Michael McGovern, who joined Hamilton in the Premiership. The Bairns had the second best defence in the Championship last season, conceding 33 goals – eight fewer than Hamilton – in part thanks to the efforts of McGovern and Kingsley – both earned spots in the Championship Team of the Year – so replacing them is going to be difficult.

Queen of the South, Raith Rovers, Dumbarton and Livingston make up the teams battling around the mid-table, perhaps hoping to snatch that third play-off place.

Queen of the South, who ended the season 11 points behind Falkirk, have kept their team intact and have had a quiet time in the transfer market. The Doonhamers have made fewer signings than the other three teams, adding Raith striker John Baird and Kilmarnock veteran James Fowler.    

John McGlynn has been one of the busiest managers in Scotland, as Livingston look to improve upon their 6^th place finish last season. Their biggest piece of business in the transfer market was the sale of striker Marc McNulty to Sheffield United for a fee thought to be around the £100,000 mark. Of the other seven players to depart Almondvale Stadium, only Martin Scott, who signed for Raith, could be considered a loss. Livingston have also been active bringing players in, introducing nine players so far this summer. McGlynn picked up defender Declan Gallagher after his release from Dundee, which could be one of the smartest bits of business in the league, and, after scoring 19 goals last season for Stirling Albion, Jordan White has earned a move to the Championship – he could be one to watch if he aims to fill the McNulty-shaped void.

Dumbarton finished four points shy of a play-off place last season, conceding more goals than any team outside of the bottom two. Attempts to improve on that number won’t be helped by the loss of defender Paul McGinn to Dundee, although Ian Murray has brought in right-back David Van Zanten and veteran centre-back Lee Mair. Midfielder Scott Taggart also arrived from relegated Morton.  

After a disappointing 2013/14 campaign, which started brightly before petering out, Raith have had a squad overhaul, losing seven players and signing eight. The inconsistent Joe Cardle joined Ross County, but most of the other departees headed to lower league clubs. Raith have made some ambitious signings, making them perhaps the strongest team out of the four. Dundee’s Christian Nade, influential in helping the Dens Park club reach the Premiership during the second-half of last season, should be a threat up-front, while Ryan Conroy also joins after scoring seven goals for Dundee in their promotion campaign. Veteran goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert turned down the chance to remain at Hamilton, despite reaching the Premiership, and opted for a move to Stark’s Park.  

Cowdenbeath and Alloa might struggle this season. The Blue Brazil survived the play-offs last season, comfortably dispatching local rivals Dunfermline in the final, however, the summer has seen them lose star striker Kane Hemmings, whose 18-goal return earned him a transfer to Barnsley. Scott Bain, Alloa’s first-choice keeper, moved to Dundee, one of the six players to leave Recreation Park. Cowdenbeath have signed striker Craig Sutherland – he scored no goals in four games for Queen’s Park last season – and Scotland U19 keeper Robbie Thomson. Alloa, meanwhile, have brought in six players, including East Fife’s Liam Buchanan, Raith midfielder Greig Spence, and Mark Docherty, who they released one year ago.  

 

League One

Dunfermline reached the play-off final last season, but capitulated against Fife rivals Cowdenbeath. The Pars still have the advantage of being a full-time side, and don’t have to settle for second best after Rangers’ promotion to the Championship. Jim Jefferies was quick in the transfer market, bringing in star players from other League One clubs. Michael Moffat, after scoring 25 goals for Ayr United last season, earned his move to East End Park, while Gregor Buchanan, a rock in Airdrie’s defence, has also made the move to Fife. Dunfermline have already sent Championship side, and cup holders, Raith Rovers crashing out of the Petrofac Training Cup, so should be more than enough for League One opposition.

Morton appeared on the brink of finally reaching the ‘promised land’: the Premiership. Instead, one year later, they were embarrassingly demolished 10-2 at the hands of Hamilton, and the chairman insulted the players, the manager, and the fans. Jim Duffy has taken over, but his less-than-amazing track record doesn’t have fans over-optimistic about the future. Morton, like Dunfermline, still have full-time status and, although the squad isn’t as strong as the Pars’, the Ton should still be stronger than the League One opposition. Morton have had a clear out of players – 14 have left over the summer, including the much-ridiculed Garry O’Connor – and Duffy has focused his transfer activity on bolstering the defence. Stefan Milojevic and Sean Crighton have impressed in pre-season and could form a solid centre-defence partnership.  

Forfar and Stranraer should be competing for the play-off spots – especially the latter, after finishing third last season.

Forfar have strengthened their attack, bringing in Danny Denholm and Dale Hilson on a permanent deal. Stephen Husband and Derek Young have been signed to bolster the centre-midfield area, but the one area that needs protection is the defence. Darren Dods and Stuart Malcolm have a combined age of 73, and Forfar have limited options as backup. Their early season form looks bad, suffering elimination from both the League and Petrofac Cups – the latter at the hands of League Two East Fife – but The Loons have positive spells in both matches.

Stranraer ran out of gas at the end of the last campaign, picking up just six points from their final ten matches. Still, considering they had been among the favourites for relegation, Stephen Aitken had a lot to be optimistic about. This season they’ll have to challenge without Martin Grehan and Andy Stirling, after moving to Stenhousemuir and Dunfermline respectively. Aitken brought in Craig Malcolm after the striker rejected a contract extension at Ayr, and Grant Gallagher and Stevie Bell. The Blues have looked good so far this season, progressing to the next rounds of both cups.

Stenhousemuir, Ayr, Brechin, Peterhead and Airdrie will probably battle for mid-table mediocrity, perhaps hoping to capitalise on Forfar’s poor start to the season and grab the third play-off spot.

Airdrie had a decent second-half of the season, propelling themselves up the league and avoiding a relegation scrap. However, the summer has seen many of the best players depart for pastures new. Keeper Grant Adam, defenders Milojevic and Buchanan, and the creative Craig Barr, have all moved on, meaning boss Gary Bollan has to find his best team again.

Ayr are another team who will struggle without their star men. Michael Moffat, after scoring 26 times last season, signed for Dunfermline, and both Alan Lithgow and Craig Malcolm have moved to other League One clubs. Ayr have lost 12 players in total, and have brought in just five. They’ll be hoping Ryan Donnelly, who struggled at Brechin, can find his best form and fill the hole left by Moffat.

Brechin finished 8^th last season, hindered by their sloppy defending and the resulting 71 goals conceded. Ray McKinnon is rebuilding at the back, with three centre backs and a left back moving on. In attack, Brechin scored as many goals as any outside the top four, so this season is mostly going to be about finding that right balance between attack and defence.

Stenhousemuir are a team in transition. Manager Scott Booth – alongside 23-year-old sporting director Robert Rowan – has preferred to sign younger, more mouldable players. The hope is that Stenhousemuir can become a smaller version of Celtic, bringing in players with potential and selling them on for higher prices. Alan Lithgow and Martin Grehan, who had a fine campaign for Stranraer last season, are the major arrivals, as Booth looks to create a progressive outfit.

Peterhead have been one of the quieter teams in the transfer market, keeping most of the squad that helped them to automatic promotion last season. Unlike Stirling Albion, Peterhead should be able to consolidate their position in the league, especially having kept hold of the formidable partnership of Andy Rodgers and Rory McAllister.

Stirling Albion will scrap to avoid relegation this season, and they’ll have to do it without star striker Jordan White. The 22-year-old, who scored 19 goals for the Binos during their promotion campaign, signed for Livingston over the summer. Greig McDonald has brought in several attackers – Gordon Smith, Lewis Coult, Darren Lee Smith and Steven Doris – and will hope one of them can replace White. Doris scored 44 goals for Arbroath during his spell there, so, if he can find that potent form, he could lead the Albion attack.

 

League Two

East Fife looked lethargic last season, using a brand of football not suited to their players, and lacking any team cohesion. Relegation has seen a turnover at Bayview, and, if results so far are anything to go by, the team appears to have a better balance. Signings Fraser Mullen, Scott Smith, Caolan McAleer, and Jon McShane have impressed so far, helping the Fifers defeat League One Forfar in convincing fashion. If that form continues in League Two, East Fife should be straight back up.

Albion Rovers should be up there, challenging, as well. Darren Young is the new manager, taking over from James Ward after a disappointing campaign last season. Midfielders Gary Fisher and Ally Love have signed from East Fife and Alloa respectively, but the major signing is that of striker John Gemmell. The former Stenhousemuir striker scored 29 league goals in a two-year spell at Ochilview Park, and should be one of the league’s top scorers.  

Annan Athletic finished second after an impressive campaign last season, but capitulated in their play-off game against Stirling Albion. Manager Jim Chapman has made little change to that squad, but will be without Chris Jardine and Kenny Arthur after both opted to retire from the game. Having kept most of the solid core of their team, Annan should again push for promotion.

Arbroath, Elgin, Clyde and Berwick Rangers will probably form the mid-table group, the four fighting it out for the third play-off spot.

Elgin finished 9^th last season because, despite having the fourth best scoring record in the league, they conceded 73 goals. The aim to reduce that figure won’t be aided by the loss of Sean Crighton to Morton. City have added some bright sparks from the Highlands, including Daniel Moore from Nairn. However, unless the side finds a better defensive balance, they could be struggling to stay above the relegation dogfight.

Arbroath, on the other hand, will be hoping to bounce straight back up to League One. The Red Lichties, like Elgin, conceded the most goals in their league. Goalkeeper David Crawford, signed from Stirling Albion, is a decent signing and should help a rather inexperienced defence.

Clyde finished 4^th last season but crashed out in the play-offs to East Fife. The big story has been the arrival of Barry Ferguson as player-coach, and, if he decides to start himself, he could be a massive addition to the team. Ferguson seems to play in an attacking style, which can leave them open to counter-attacks, but, out of the four teams, Clyde have the best shot at taking that fourth play-off spot.

Berwick, for all their attackers, seem to lack creativity in the final third. Signings David Gold and Paul Willis should help in that regard. The Black and Gold have a talented squad, but the issue seems to be making a team out of it. If they can, a possible play-off place awaits them. If they can’t, it’s another mid-table finish.  

East Stirlingshire, Montrose and Queen’s Park are the teams likeliest to be defending their position in the Scottish league system. For the first time, the winners of the Highland and Lowland leagues will meet in a play-off, with the winner facing the 10^th placed League Two side.

As bad as East Stirlingshire and Montrose are, it’s hard to look past Queen’s Park for relegation. They finished 12 points behind Elgin last season and spent the entire season rock bottom of the league. The squad is unrecognisable from last season, having lost 12 players and brought in 13 new ones – the losses include David Anderson, one of the best midfielders in the league. It’s hard to predict if Queen’s Park will do better than last season. It depends on the quality of their recruits and if a cohesive unit can be formed.

East Stirlingshire will struggle after losing many of their key players – Scott Maxwell joined Berwick and Iain Thomson returned to Spartans. The 7-1 loss to Falkirk and 4-0 demolition at the hands of Ayr United aren’t the type of scorelines that will give confidence to their supporters.

Montrose might fare the best out of the three, having added eight players to their squad over the summer. Stephen Day and Paul Harkins have both looked decent since signing, but the defence still looks shaky at best.