weeyin

McGhee still talks these 2 up, but it's always with the "they're still young, lots of potential" caveat. Of course, maybe these 2 are part of his plan to bring in younger players after we hit the 40 point mark. Equally, of course, it could just be they don't fit his style of play; every manager has their favourites, but it would be a shame to lose them as they both seem to have potential.

You can only presume they aren't performing in training the way he would like, but it is very strange. In particular, as even in his latest interview he was still talking up Laing for the midfield role.

Then Watt or Kennedy for Law, and Cadden for Grimmy. No overthinking it, I hope.

I think you're probably right and will be another one to add to the "never played at a higher leve than us after we relased him" list.

People tend to forget he was 19 when he made his first team debut. Consistency is often what is lacking at that age, especially when you play for a team that changes your position most weeks or wants you to be the "impact sub". For all that, letting him go was the correct decision at the time, but be interesting to see if he does manage to attain that necessary level of consistency.

Get the red card appeal paperwork dusted off. One of the teams will need it on Monday morning.

Of course there is a wider issue to address here, and that is the general production and development of Scottish footballing talent. The nation as a whole hasn't exactly been churning them out recently.

Keepers at any club rarely come through the ranks. It's the nature of the position. I'd struggle to think of any current top league goalie who played with the same team at youth level.

He doesn't have any record with our new owner though, and he is calling the shots. If Les makes it a requirement to blood new players (and it seems he has), then it's up to McGhee to deliver.

See Grimshaw's deal with Preston made official today.

Most managers don't say what they are really thinking in post-match interviews. What happens in the changing room stays in the changing room and all that. We'll see by the reaction in the next game if what he actually said to the players made a difference.

Like I said in the other thread, McGhee gave an interview where he was pretty clear that his first target was to get 40 points - as that is what he felt would secure our SPFL status - and that would be with his more experienced players. After that, whether that happened in January or April, he was going to play more of the youngsters. The interview was immediately after he had been to see Les, and I imagine that was one of the topics of their conversation. That seems like a reasonable approach, and I'm happy to wait to see if that happens.

Or we are playing 4-5-1 (not that I'm in favour of that formation).

I think we need both. At the weekend, swapping in an experienced Las replacement plus one of the youngsters would have been an improvement. It sounds like McGhee is actually keen to blood the youngsters. However, on MFC TV (or whatever it's called these days) he said that would happen after we hit 40 points - the number he thinks will ensure we stay in the league.

McGhee is aware of it too. Any time I have heard him discuss bringing in players he has talked about how we need experience to cover for Lasley and Hammell.

His worst tactical display since Nancy.

Would have been an improvement. And let's face it, not any crazier than having Skippy drop back to mid, which we have done plenty of games.

I totally understand the team selection issues today, but every once in a while McGhee overthinks his tactics and tries to be too clever. Should just have been a straight swap to replace the 2 missing midfielders and leave the rest as they were.

Not a drill to win headers, it seems.

He discussed this shortly after he joined us too. I didn't hear anything wrong then, and I didn't read anything wrong in that article. And I say that as someone who, despite liking the guy, was one of his biggest critics when it came to him loudly and frequently expressing his desire for managing Celtic/Aberdeen etc. I actually think he learned his lesson about that, and I have noticed this time around he is much more measured about the way he describes his career and ambitions. I'm under no illusions he will want to move to a bigger club after us - but if he does, that's a good thing, as it means he will have done well at Fir Park.

He wouldn't be my first choice, but he might fare better than a lightweight Leitch in that role. And he's as much a midfielder as Laing.

For a one off, if we are looking for some hard men in the midfield, we have guys like Kennedy, Laing and even Fletcher who might be OK in there. I'm not sure this is the game for 2 wide men even if we had Pearson and Las available.

I think McGhee could do for Law's career what he did for McCormack's. However, no chance he'll be back at Fir Park.

If Hearts play the same pressing game they played against Aberdeen, they are ripe for being picked off by our speed merchants. Would still be delighted with a point, though, given the personnel issues.

"I can understand why Stranraer lie so lowly, They could save a lot of points by signing Hib's goalie"