The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Lichties boss still trying to find the right formula
Arbroath host Inverness Caledonian Thistle and after slipping to the foot of the Championship table following their 3-1 defeat at H e a r t s i n m i d w e e k , Gayfield manager Dick Campbell admits that he is still searching for the right formula on the pitch.
Campbell said: “We have a good squad here and everyone works hard.
“We have had wretched luck in games but we accept where we are.
“Jim Jefferies called me after the Hearts game and told me that for the first 30 minutes and for the entire second half we were a right good side.
“That was nice to hear, however we lost three goals in a seven-minute period before the break and the game was done.
“The three goals that we lost sum up where we are.
“For the first one we were attacking and in a good position, however Luke Donnelly slipped and we lost possession to their goalkeeper. A couple of p a s s e s l a t e r w e w e r e behind.
“The second was offside and the penalty for the third was a harsh handball decision.
“We went out and Kris Doolan had a fine finish early in the second half but after that Hearts played keep ball and we never put any more pressure on them.”
Campbell added: “The foundations are in place for
us to be higher in the table than we are.
“However, I am a great believer in the saying that ‘ if things do not change then they stay the same’.”
“I therefore need to keep tinkering to get things right as I am getting fed up hearing myself say the same things.
“It is frustrating to be at this stage of a season and not know what my best starting XI is, but I will pick a side that I feel can beat Inverness and send
them out to do that. Our b e s t p e r f o r m a n c e l a s t season was a 3-0 win over Inverness and it would be g r e a t t o r e p l i c a t e that.”
Gavin Swankie and Dale Hilson are both doubts with Campbell wrestling with a selection conundrum over the on- loan Miko Virtanen, who is due back at Aberdeen next week.
Campbell said: “I need to make a decision over the short and long-term good of the team.”