steelman1991

It's been a really strange start to the season. Was remarking to my bro-in-law coming out of the game yesterday of the difference between the team today and the one which played the second half of the PNE friendly. OK we're missing Pearson and IIRC Fletcher from that line-up, but at that point the passing was crisp, players were full of energy wanting to get on the ball and I left that game with a degree of optimism I hadn't had in previous seasons. Roll forward 2 months and reflect on that performance yesterday - they were like the proverbial night and day. Suddenly we have a centre back (McManus), who thinks he is Xabi Alonso and wants to launch diagonal long balls to .................well nobody really, missing out the midfield with alarming regularity (anybody else drawing comparisons to the Craigan/Gannon relationship). Barraclough talked about a high pressing/passing game, well clearly we haven't adopted that philosophy, is that down to the personnel, tactics or coaching - I really don't know, but what I do know is that my patience is beginning to wear very thin with the Manager. Unless Kennedy has a stinking attitude in training, it's surprising how he gets dropped in favour of Laing. C'mon Barraclough stick with the philosophy you talked so much of and give us something to at least get excited about. Even the Bois have deserted the team in their droves. Cause for concern - you bet there is.

Wait till we start on the home grown players - if you think the number of shite foreigners who played for us is excessive

It was AFAIR NEVER enforced, other than that incident and don't get me started on JPR....................spit, what a horrible taste that left in the mouth. If anything, coming from Harthill it was even harder to endure than the Airdrie one. I still say to this day we would have beaten either of the other sides in those 2 finals (Celtic and Hearts).

That Airdrie one really hurt, when your at school in the f....g place. Hate it and them with a vengeance.

Just been watching Sky Sports News in depth comparison of Virgil Van Dijk - it's like a high tech 'Match Attax' (Strength, speed, tackles won stats etc). Oh for simpler times.

Nowhere mate, just speculation like everyone else. To me seems likely having seen him in his cameo appearances and on Tuesday, he looks to have little left to offer, particularly at this level.

Clarky and MFC agree mutual cancellation of contract??????

That aimed at me Yabba - not quite sure who I'm disserving - Clubber, Mr T., Laing, Kennedy.......BigWeegieDosser ????

My powers of deduction eventually led to Laing (not by recgnising Clubber, or Mr T. lol). Yeah like you I might be inclined to go with Kennedy, Laing, McManus and Chalmers - that gives a whole back four of 'Clubbers'

Who the f...k is 'Clubber' lol

We're going to have to agree to disagree on that one

Too much time spent on 'FIFA or Football Manager' methinks. By your own admission on the Kilmarnock thread and here, East Fife spotted his side of the park as a weakness and had 3 or 4 (your words, not mine tracking him). Now that seems a bit of a mismatch and yet he is expected to not only patrol and defend against so many, but also provide flank protection for Laing - Christ I'm not even sure our full-back saviour Luke Watt would be able to stem that tide. On that basis, perhaps Laing and the winger (either Ainsworth/Johnson might have offered Law a bit more assistance). Watt's and by your suggestion Laing's assurance came as the 3 East Fife pitted against Law, were for the most part knackered as were the rest of their team. I'm not here to protect Law or defend his lack of basic abilities, but I stand by my comment that Laing's issues last night were not of Law's making and that any suggestion they were are laughable and certainly not harsh. He was shite on his own merits, not on someone else's failings. He had an uncomfortable match last night and certainly wasn't the dominant aerial force you would have us believe, he was beaten consistently by the East Fife number 9 (I really need to find out his name), both in the air and on the ground.

You really need to let this unhealthy attitude towards Law go. Its clear you just don't like the lad and while he was and has been poor, he certainly isn't alone. To blame him for Laing's poor performances is bordering on the laughable. Laing was given the proverbial runaround, because he was pitted against a more skilful and equally as strong opponent, nothing to do with having to cover for Law, making up for Law, or anything else to do with Law. The goal in particular was totally Laing's fault, he gave up!!!!! Appreciate in general your opinions on this board, but you really need to focus on something other than Law - there's another 8 or 9 who could just as easily be the target of your ire.

Agree for the most part Al B - but Jack Leitch was the cause of much of that lost possession, his distribution was pitiful and that's being kind. Poor positionally and soft in the tackle, certainly not the attributes of a creative and or combatitve midfielder. Looked like the only thing he was good at tonight was holding out his hand in abject apology with alarming regularity.

Anyone who thinks Leitch had a good game, or assisted in 'dragging us through' needs to visit an optician and quickly. He's nowhere near ready to be a start and IMO is living off his name - reckon if dad wasn't on coaching staff he'd be playing 1st/2nd division - regrettably even that level passed him by tonight. Now EF 9, 10 and 11 all looked assured and capable of doing the basics, something the majority of our team couldn't. Do we have a scouting set-up in Scotland? Changes for Saturday - ditch Laing (replace with Kennedy) - totally at fault at the goal and was ripped a new one by the EF number 9 - though no doubt there will be some who will contrive a reason to blame Law. Luke Watt did nothing in his cameo tonight to suggest he is any better than those chosen in front of him in recent weeks - despite what others would have you think, however on the basis its a fresh face, then lets see what he can do. Still it's a cup win and we haven't had many of those in recent years EDIT - and Thomas for Johnson (absolutely honking tonight)

Add Brian Martin to that list.

Amazing how assumptions continue to be made about McDonald's level of fitness - he looked no less fit than any of the rest , but was just SHITE, time the fitness angle was given a rest and we focus on his form.

Taking Lasley off and leaving McDonald on was the big mistake. Taylor never really showed a great deal, but he looked more composed and looks to be a nice crisp passer of the ball, something our centre backs need to learn and quickly. The number of times we laboured over balls to the full backs from the middle two was ridiculous. By the time the ball got to them, they're marker was all over them like a rash.

Not a thumping, because until the penalty it was difficult to see where either team were going to conjure up a goal. Even up to their second the game was there for the taking and we did engineer a few flurries towards their goal - though I doubt Alexander has had a quieter night than he did last night. I think what is disappointing to most is the lack of the 'pressing game' which featured so prominently in the destruction of Rangers and which Hearts deployed so effectively against us last night. The time and space afforded to Hearts players all over the park was criminal. Hearts players clearly had been instructed to put pressure on us immediately, which in turn led to a succession of misplaced, hurried passes, surrendering possession cheaply to them. Mirror that when they had the ball. I have to admit there not as good a team as the media and Hertz fans would have you believe, but they are competent, something we have to strive to achieve in the coming weeks. Why they quite had to resort to time-wasting tactics as soon as they went in front beggars belief. Callum Paterson is a f....g w..k and their number 18 is crap - happier now I've got that off my chest.

Spot on Andy - but by the f..k you're being kind to the ref - he was a f....g sitck on homer if ever there was one. Maybe Rangers are his team and we were subject to payback, but he was clearly biased (sorry incompetent might be better)

It's not that Skippy looks unfit - he's just been shite (James McFadden second season syndrome by the looks of it). He's contributed the square root of f..k all.

Atmosphere was flat as a flounder - did the Bois bus break down again, or are they still in Pitlochry, climbing pylons?

Thanks guys - clearly missed all that talk.

Equally as interested in how Pearo is - or have I missed the prognosis?

Happy to oblige if you need one big man