Published: Friday, 22nd August, 2008 12:30
Morton need big performances
By Roger Graham
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BRIGHT SPARK: Jim McAlister provided a positive threat late in the game last week.
STILL licking their wounds after their mauling at the hands of the Lions of Livvi, Morton head to Dens Park tomorrow to take on league leaders Dundee.
On the face of it, the task could hardly be tougher, but it is possibly the best place to go in the circumstances. Minds will not need to be concentrated. Motivation should take care of itself.
That 2-1 defeat was very disappointing last Saturday, especially after a relatively bright start to the league programme. It was the manner of the loss that stuck in the home camp’s collective throat.
Livingston certainly deserved their win, but the gift of two goals in the first 13 minutes of the match was taking hospitality too far. It came as a massive boost to their confidence and they needed no further encouragement to parade their skills. They blossomed, while for Morton it was a struggle to get back into the game, despite a good goal by Brian Wake before the interval.
As manager Davie Irons said afterwards, he didn’t see such defensive frailty coming. As a result, considerable work has been done on the training ground this week after the squad had watched a video of the game on Monday.
It was understandable that the manager found it hard to digest the basic errors that were made, especially one by the highly experienced Allan McManus who directed a defensive header under no pressure straight to Livvi’s Griffiths. But, if McManus made the original error, no one was there to pick up the striker on the edge of the box, just as no one had been there to close down Davidson at the first strike.
Everyone makes mistakes, but it is the unforced errors that are always the hardest ones to take.
Last season Dundee had very much the better of this fixture, winning four league encounters and a CIS Cup tie, scoring 10 goals for the loss of two in the process.
Statistics, of course, are just that. Each game is a fresh canvas, and both teams are altered from last season. Dundee have lost the highly talented midfield pair Scott Robertson and Kevin McDonald, while Morton have strengthened, certainly physically.
It is mental strength they need to show tomorrow and, such is the competitive nature of this division, that no one, including league leaders Dundee, can take anything for granted. It is certainly not a betting man’s league.
So far Morton have tended to play either a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 system, depending on the opposition, though they employed a more orthodox 4-4-2 against St Johnstone in the pair’s 2-2 draw at Cappielow.
That may be the formation again tomorrow, Dominic Shimmin switching to right back and, possibly, Alex Walker returning at left back, leaving Allan McManus and Ryan Harding at centre back.
Midfield could be McGuffie, Jenkins, Paartalu and McAlister, leaving Wake and either Russell or Newby up front.
Much of their better work last week came late in the game through Jim McAlister when the team were chasing the game and he was pushed forward more. With three at the back, McAlister has to do so much of his work in his own half, something that is frustrating for the support and, more than likely, for him too. His energy and pace are much more threatening when employed in opposition territory as he showed when he scored against Dundee towards the end of last season. Whatever the tactical approach, once the whistle blows it is down to 11 individual performances, and Morton will need big displays if they are not to return empty handed.
But in this league anything is possible, and that is one of its big attractions.
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