Seven Games And No Wins. Not Good Reading For Bairns Fans
By Ed_ScottishFitba
Updated Monday, 28th September 2009
Players can get into a rut and playing and not winning is not the kind of rut you want to get into.
Falkirk goalkeeper Robert Olejnik does not think it will be long before the Bairns secure their first domestic win of the season. This despite watching his team-mates fail to create a single clear-cut chance in Saturday's dull draw with Kilmarnock. That is now seven games the Bairns have failed to win in all competitions including Saturday's league stalemate at the Falkirk Stadium. Perhaps a more worrying statistic is that Eddie May's men will end the month having failed to score in four games during September. They came closest to scoring on Saturday when Darren Barr had a header from a corner heading goal wards but it was comfortably cleared off the line by Kevin Kyle. Despite their poor run, Olejnik insists the Killie game was the first time this season Falkirk have been so impotent, echoing his manager's claim that tiredness was to blame.
The Austrian said: "The boys have been a little bit tired so that's maybe why were were lacking a bit going forward. But if you watch any other game, there have been plenty of shots on goal. If you watch the Hamilton game, I can't remember how many but I think it was seven or eight shots the goalkeeper had to save. So I don't think it's worrying after one game. We've had quite a few games, four in 12 days. There are 12 or 13 players who played all four games, so I think after half-time some of the players started getting tired."
Saturday's result secured a hat-trick of goalless draws for the Bairns, who had lost their opening three games of the season. But for Olejnik, it would have been Kilmarnock walking away with all three points yesterday. He produced two world-class stops to repel a Mehdi Taouil free-kick and a bullet header from Kevin Kyle. Olejnik modestly said: "That's what I get paid to do. It's just another day in the office. It was me making the saves but if you watch the Aberdeen game, it was the back four throwing their bodies on the line." Manager May believes Olejnik's bust-up with team-mate Scott Arfield during the Aberdeen game two weeks ago has inspired his current form. May said: "I think it was the best thing that happened with him and Scotty. He's more focused and he's done very well for us over the last few games."
May's opposite number, Jim Jefferies is hoping Craig Bryson recovers from a groin problem in time for Saturday's visit of Aberdeen. Midfielder Bryson was subbed during Tuesday night's Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat to St Mirren and his absence on Saturday left Jefferies down to the bare bones on the bench. Jefferies said: "Hopefully, he'll be all right for next week but too early to say - that's why he came off in midweek. The other three young boys due to the under-21 rule were in, so we didn't have a lot of options. But I didn't think I'd really need to change it because I thought we were always comfortable. I didn't think we were ever looking like losing the game." Jefferies may be forced once again to put Allan Russell and Jamie Fowler on the bench, despite the pair having only just recovered from long-term knee and hernia injuries, respectively. Jefferies added: "Russell and Fowler were just filling jerseys. They would only have been used in an emergency." | Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)
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