StipeIsGod

Not worse than Partick. Some definite signs of improvement. A week earlier than I was expecting to see us looking better, but a win's a win!

Appreciate the thought, but having considered how we've done in terms of lost causes in England, in gaining them bigger contracts or higher profile places, I refuse to believe that we, as a country, and especially club, look like an unattractive proposition. I see what you're saying, but our net, to me, this year, has been cast outrageously narrow.

I won't bet them, but you'd better believe I'll suggest Thistle to anyone I know will be sticking a coupon on.

Would do a job, but not happy about developing another team's young player, or that he'd miss any games v Celtic. Has our scouting budget shrunk to Scotland only, without anyone noticing?

Agreed 100% on Forbes. Lawless and Higginbotham, I saw very brief bits of both, but not really enough to judge them on, so I'm hoping to see even less on Saturday.

2-0 defeat this weekend for me. Partick look like a good side, this early in the season, and we're just not there yet. Anier and ZFA will be back in the team, I'd imagine, but I don't know who McCall will bench for them. We'll win next week though. Just looking for a decent improvement here.

Stonewaller it may or may not have been. Is that really worry number one at the moment?

Starting to wonder about Lasley himself. If you look through the teams folk have been suggesting for a while, he's not featured in front of Vigurs, Lawson and Carswell. Not for me, in all honesty, as he's well deserving of a starting spot. That shows you, however, that even the best thought of players are starting to look even less safe in some folks' eyes. I don't reckon we're anywhere near tough times, with the quality of players brought in, regardless of how shambolic we've managed to look. Some annoyance at the performances, and questions of how to do better are fair enough, but some of the haranguing of individuals has been ridiculous. It's not the individuals at the moment, but the team needs work. Plenty of time yet, as fucking frustrating as some of our recent play has been.

Indeed he will. He's not ready at the moment, though.

Agreed.

The reason for me is that we have no-one else able to competently play in the right midfield position that he's currently occupying. The only vague bonus thus far (no idea as to today) has been that as disastrous as he's been, he's trying to play his way out of it, rather than hiding. I agree, he should be benchward bound, especially if unfit, but we need to cover his position first.

Right enough, I hold my hands up, you didn't rise to it, and fair play, I'm caught I actually agree with you. The issue for me is that any negativity and any positivity just turns into a flame war, as opposed to a discussion. For instance, I could type here that Hammell looked a bit dodgy, and in four posts he'd be the antichrist, and in eight, he'd be the messiah. I wasn't even AT the game! If folk would just add around...fuck...eight words of description as to why they've formed an opinion, this forum would at least be interesting!

And you help the discussion by...not mentioning the team at all? I know what you're saying, and I agree, in terms of feast v famine, but there's no addition to any critical discussion in this post.

I really think it's the one thing I'm short of on the Well Fan Bingo. Never seen us lift a cup. 7 months too late. Seen us come so close. I really do hope that a shonky league campaign is the catalyst.

Gladly. Amusingly, it's all going to my plan. 9th place and a cup...please....

It's a wee bit sad that you feel a need to avoid any form of discussion due to an (admittedly, immensely stupid) 18 month old statement. Still, if that's how you eliminate which people are due actual discourse, then feel free to scrub me off your list. I didn't say there was no criticism from yourself of the team. The reason I didn't say this is because I had respect enough to look at your post, consider your points, and discuss them indirectly in my comments on the game, as opposed to choosing a few words from the start, and saying "Stopped reading here", as if this promoted my thoughts on the team, or game, in some way. ETA - As for "a week later", it would be interesting to find out just how many months I avoided this forum for.

Indeed it is, and I'm fully able to admit that I'm overcritical at times. I can be so, especially due to the level of performance to which I have become accustomed in the last five or so years. I've been spoiled, yes, but I'm just not willing to watch us sink down the rankings without some form of critical discussion, at least.

Magic, you scudbook. You'll have chosen to remove any notice that I support Hollis then, and infact chose him to start in this game? Or is that too far back for you to read and manage to understand, being as you're brickwalling any slight criticism of the mightiest of wells?

Keeper - The team have zero confidence, and in all honesty, neither do 60% of the fans. I want the guy to do well, but when a ball ends up within 30yds of our goal and we hiss, that's a confidence sapper. Defence - Who the fuck knows. Theoretically, we've beefed up. Midfield - Lost our best, gained the slowest players ever to have seen a ball. Forwards - We've disintegrated so far that the 50p headed John Sutton is our CF?! I like the guy, but hoofing it to his head is fucking stupid. Sorry, folks, but our success of late has been based on acquisitions from the English leagues, as opposed to hoovering up the "best of the rest". This season, we've gone all Scotland, and I'm sorry, but we're well figured out so far. And we will continue to be. ETA - Bob McHugh is shite. He WILL NOT make it at this level. See me in a year if you disagree.

Agreed Frazzie, bar that I do reckon that McHugh is dugshit. Couldn't hit a real league's coo with a banjo.

Interesting and well considered post. I'd like to address parts of it. 1) Whose opinions are you willing to read and consider as valid? 2) I agree utterly, as regards the start to the season, but I regard a lack of preparation, positional sense, and especially fitness to be weak management. Not acceptable, as the above three are easily trained. 3) Indeed it is. And there is zero excuse as to why the formation isn't even vaguely balanced. 4) Agreed, but due to shoddy recruitment, we do not have cover, or indeed a first choice for a number of the spaces. Not an attack on yourself, but I feel that your post brought up a number of points which should, realistically, be looked at. *ETA Who's changed to Whose.

\ I feel that this is an entirely fair summary so far, as regards concerns. I reckon we'll be lucky to get two points from those two games. I reckon that Partick will grab a victory, and we may scrape a draw against Kilmarnock.

And there it is!

Fair enough, you got me there.