Airdrie 0 v. Dundee 0
By diamondblogger
August 16 2008
Airdrie hosted Dundee in game 3 of the 2008/9 season with Dundee the favourites for the title and they'd started the season in the form to back up the bookie's faith in them. Kenny Black's side have played some very entertaining football but the acid test today would prove is Kenny's side was built to survive and thrive.
Airdrie lined up with the same eleven again, ie., Robertson in goals, Smyth, Donnelly, Nixon and Hazely in defence, MacDougall, MacDonald, McKenna and Cardle in midfield, and with Lynch and Di Giacomo in attack.
Airdrie had the better of the first quarter of an hour. Pretty patterns were weaved with the wingers and strikers tieing the Dundee defenders in knots during the blitzkrieg bop of an opening.
But Dundee got back into the game. Airdrie were struggling to keep a compact formation, often gifting possession back to their opponents and strikers McMenamin and Curier were getting into good positions with Nixon looking particularly uncomfortable.
On no fewer than 3 occassions Robertson had to produce almost super-human saves, way above the call of duty, to keep Airdrie in the match.
An injury, rather helpfully, to Nixon allowed Kenny Black the perfect opportunity to change things. McKenna was redeployed at centre back and McLaughlin was brought into the midfield.
Airdrie finished the half with a flourish, McLaughlin providing more drive, presence and experience to the midlfield in an instant.
Airdrie continued to play better in the early stages of the second half but still had to thank Robertson with a fourth miraculous save. But the Diamonds weathered the storm and produced a thrilling last 20 minutes, with Noble on for Lynch, that almost brought a late winner for the Airdrieonians.
I admit to being a bit sad that the defence didn't work out so well today, I'd pinned my hopes on Nixon being the 'answer'. He possibly still is, he may have been injured, it may have been a lack of protection, etc., but it still needed fixing. McKenna did well when he dropped back, but it was the introduction of McLaughlin that fixed things.
McLaughlin is a tidy wee player, he passed the ball well, he drove forward, he tackled, he gets shots in on goal. He was a good partner for MacDonald, and brought a bit more out of Kevin, a bit more experience rubbing off.
Special mention to the excellent goalie, he is most responsible for the point today. Bobby Donnelly is fast becoming a favourite of mine, he seems to be continually on the end of everything thrown at us.
I'm looking for the side to reduce the amount of squandered passes (Mr. Hazely learing the hard way a couple of times) and also hoping that MacDougall developes a sense of adventure, it would benefit us no end to see him try to get a shot in when he's in position.
All in all I was very happy with this result. A 0-0 like this against potential champs is no mean feat. Here's hoping for another clean sheet next week at Dumfermline. Andy Kirk and Graham Bayne seem to be capable of firing them to promotion, let's see what Donnelly and McKenna do against them?
I think the goals will come, Thistle and Dundee are good sides.
diamondblog
MacDougall has to put more effort in, he's skilled, but lets himself down with his workrate. I saw Di Giacomo run from the Dundee box back into our half to put a challenge in when MacDougall was only a couple of yards away in the firstplace. That shouldn't be happening.
I thought Lynch was good until he tired, and I heard some abuse directed at him from our 'fans', which was uncalled for.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:17:07:33:50 by jester.