Phew! I've actually found time to do this... despite the fact that our precious home of the Theatre has still to stage 2 more games for this season, as far as the boys in blue and white stripes are concerned - the season is over. So time for a look back...
TEAM PERFORMANCE
POSSESSION
To be honest it was worse this time than last season and heaven knows why but during the first 15 minutes of the first half, we were dire or utter rubbish in fact for most games. We ended up on the back foot most of the game with the opposition always having the best possession, simply because we could not hold onto the ball for long enough to allow a supporting player to move into position so that the ball could be passed to them.
PASSING
Erm... what passing? No one player could string to passes together without anyone from the opposition tackling or intercepting the ball. Long balls v high balls? Too many of these again this season and it goes to show even more that the players are incapable of passing correctly to each other.
TACKLING
There was some but looking back it seems to me that the players were scared of doing any tackling whatsoever, because if they did they may get a yellow card then again the tackles that boys did do - were not really violent or threatening in any way, therefore there should not be any yellow cards dished out to them but that's just me and I'm no referee. The boys should not be afraid to tackle.
GOAL SCORING
This is what we lacked this season and more than any other season and it was not down to a lack of chances, it was because the strikeforce kept on misfiring! This is why we could have been relegated but thankfully held on to survive the drop and no more. According to the official site our strikeforce this season just gone is: Allan Russell, Kevin Kyle, Connor Sammon, David Fernandez and Mark Burchill. Most of the goals scored came from the midfield or the defence a.k.a Frazer Wright, Simon Ford etc..
DEFENCE
I don't think I need to say anything about this but I will. Same as last season and the seasons before - far too leaky with giving the opposition so much space to pass the ball into the penalty area or goal mouth. Simon Ford is one player who despite scoring a goal or two for us this season, has switched off at the wrong time or at a very tense moment in which the opposition could have scored but thanks to the rest of the defence or goal keeper, the goals have been saved (not a lot mind you).
Having a leaky defence or strikers that don't know how to score goals properly, was behind the losses to teams that we once won against on a regular basis in seasons gone by.
THE OLD FIRM It's basically same old same old against the filth in Glasgow this season and due to our money troubles, it could be years even a decade till we manage to put a strong enough XI and bench substitutes, to put up a fight against the Gers and Tic. However back in Sweptember when we had the blue critters at our place, Danny Invincible squandered the chance to score the winning goal. Mind you we did eventually beat the Hoops for the first time since 2001, and it could not have been at a better time - Robbie Keane's debut! :-) We won 1-0 but a win against either half of the old firm is a big win. This would have been a very rare old firm double in one season, something we have never done for many years. THE SEASON AHEAD Who knows what that will bring but one thing is for sure... a number of the current sqaud are out of contract, and may or may not be given a new contract therefore, they will be released to find new clubs elsewhere. We also understand that the squad will be cut in size, so all eyes will be on the sidelines for injuries throughout next season. For the new season we need a permanent manager and our defence to be reorganised, so that there will be less chances of it being leaky and open. More importantly we need to get more folks up in the stands, instead of staying at home or remaining in the Sports Bar or even the Hotel. C'mon Ayrshire Faithful! Your club needs you!! Ayrshire Kilmarnock Football Club (Est. 1869) Till I Die! Kingdom.