Frustration as weather foils Thistle for fifthtime
ALAN Archibald admitted he was as frustrated as any fan after Partick Thistle’s Premiership clash with Aberdeen at Firhill was postponed last night. It is the second week in a row that Thistle have been left kicking their heels after their match against Hearts at Tynecastle was postponed last Saturday, and their fifth call-off in total this season.
Aberdeen fans have criticised the decision to hold a pitch inspection at 3.30 in the afternoon, but Partick maintain the decision was based upon balancing the best possible chance of the game going ahead and the least possible inconvenience for supporters.
For Thistle manager Archibald, the latest setback leaves him wary of the impact it could have on his players as they watch their team slide down the table.
“The most frustrating thing is we can’t do anything about our league position,” he said. “Every time our games are off there seems to be someone winning a game and moving above us.
“Psychologically, these teams are getting a march on us and there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s so stopstart and with the St Johnstone game coming up on Tuesday night we obviously have to try and prepare for that.
“Last week our pitch was playable and our game got called off at Tynecastle, but every time we’ve had a home game there seems to have been torrential rain.
“We’ve got everybody fit just now, but who knows if that will be the case by the time we get to play the games?
“They have been called off when we’re in good form as well which doesn’t help, so fingers crossed we can get the St Johnstone game on and get some points on the board again.”
The recent spate of call-offs have led to the resurfacing of the debate over artificial pitches, but despite being the victim of the most postponements, Archibald maintains a good grass surface is always preferable.
“I’ve nothing against plastic pitches, we’ve been training on one for three or four months, but in the top flight I’d rather we played on grass,” he said.