Ya Bezzer!

I wish him well but Bair stood out to me as one one the worst strikers in the league to get any game time last season (Hiwula and Guthrie being the others). Is it worth noting he's 6'3?

Went for Miller but might have gone for Paton if he'd been on the park longer. Believe he picked up a knock.

I had a funny feeling our much talked about seeding would produce something like that! Certainly winnable but also one of the tougher ties we could have drawn.

Mugabi played three of the four league cup matches and was playing in the middle of the back three. It also seemed that part of our tactics was for the play to start with Mugabi passing the ball out from the back. It might be that Mugabi plays a bigger part this season than some seem to think. Lamie on the other hand only played once and when you throw in Blaney (and Butcher further down the line) I'd say you are right on that score.

I think youth development should be, if not quite the main objective for the club, one of paramount importance. I've said before it should absolutely be part of the first team managers remit and not just a secondary role. With the football market as it is, it's been proved time and time again that we can produce better players than we can bring in, either as players with sell on potential or as players who will settle in at our level of football. And I realise it's easier to write down than actually make happen but I'd like to see smaller squads of better quality players with youth coming in to fill in gaps and hopefully make a name for themselves while doing so. First team squad of 22 - 23 players is fine if you get the youth development side right. However youth development on a wider view within Scotland is pretty much a shambles right now. It really needs to be addressed on a national level.

I agree. I though he was our poorest midfielder yesterday. I also felt he was trying a wee bit too hard to get his goal, which admittedly he did get eventually but I felt like it was clouding his decision making over the span of the match. I said it last week but I feel Slattery is an AM. And because of that it's one from Slattery/Spittal and not both if we want maximum efficiency in midfield. For me Slattery just doesn't have the passing ability for it to be a main duty and I don't think he defends well of the ball either. His best attributes are getting into forward areas and his shooting.

Comfortable win. Oxborough had hardly anything to do, think East Fife maybe had two chances in the match but no major save was required. Thought we passed the ball around better than against Queen's Park but there is still a sense that we are lacking a wee bit of flair, pace, creativity which are the things that make the difference. However we were good enough today to see off East Fife. Wilkinson took his goal well and had a couple of nice wee touches in the second half but didn't really impress that much but I'm old fashioned and think if the striker scores he's done his job so I'll take that as long as he puts the ball in the net. And I know Paton isn't every one's cup of tea but thought he showed for the ball and was busy today, though he did well. Mugabi also had a good game although he'll not get that time and space to conduct things from the back in the Premiership. Great to see Lennon Miller score again (although the internet thinks it was Slattery).

I might agree with you if he hadn't been given the number 11 squad number. The other players that were obviously on the way out were way down the squad list.

I don't think he was honest about his height either! As I remember he was always listed as 5' 8. Don't think so!

Different era. We brought Dougie Arnott to the club knowing it would take two or three seasons to get him up to speed, In the pre Bosman era you could sign players as 'projects'. That's not really the case any more, especially 25 year olds.

That's where Efford is buried.

I thought Spittal was our best player by miles.

The kind of disjointed performance you'd expect a week into the season. It's going to be 5 or 6 weeks until teams start really clicking and we are no different. Started poorly, dominated the middle portion, then faded out of it again. Although there was only 1 goal in the game both teams could easily have scored multiple goals and both teams missed what were frankly sitters. People will criticise Obika but he gets in positions and has good movement. Maybe his finishing is a problem but we were clearly a much better team while he was on. I'm not going to write off Wilkinson after one match but based purely based on today he showed nothing, not even a hint of anything. Hopefully he has better days. In midfield I thought the starters all did OK but it was individual performances and they didn't really click together as a unit. Spittal was by far our best player, Lennon Miller is a kid with promise but a lot to learn and Slattery is the enigma. For me he's far better suited as an AM than a midfielder or a DM. He gets forward well and is a decent finisher but his passing is sloppy and he's easily neutralised when the opposition is on the ball. I'm not entirely sure he fits into the formation. I'll give O'Donnell credit for stopping what looked like a certain goal but overall he was poor again and defensively we weren't entirely convincing, Queens Park could have scored 2 or 3 if they'd been sharper. Overall we got the job done and that was the main thing. Our fitness and sharpness will get better but there might be personnel issues in terms of putting out a balanced first XI that really blends well and compliments one an other. Would like to see Zdravkovski to see what kind of player he is and I think you are looking for more from some of the players, established and new.

Mandron and Moult on the score sheet this afternoon

Should be a cash gate for a match that isn't on the season ticket. Big queue at the ticket office at 1.30pm.

Lamie and Mugabi have both had good spells in the team so I don't think they are uncoachable. However they are both inconsistent and have mistakes in them. I think Lamie has more 1st team potential than Mugabi and I'm not against both or either being replaced but as 2nd string players I think they are worth a place in the squad. They are both experienced, know the league and have a wee bit versatility, Mugabi can go to right back and Lamie can go to left back in an emergency. What I wouldn't want would be Lamie and Mugabi together as the centre backs for any length of time.

Queen's Park's defence last season was the main reason they didn't get promoted. Might be another high scoring game.

Ferrie got taken off after 50 odd minutes.

I'm afraid in Scottish football there is a bigger quality gap between 2 and 3 than there is between 3 and 42. Cup shocks used to actually be shocks. They happen multiple times every round of matches now. We should be winning our two home ties and getting through but definitely shouldn't be taking Queens Park lightly.

I'm absolutely in favour of two teams being relegated from the Premiership every year, even though it puts ourselves in greater danger. The currently league set up is a bit stodgy and airless. We pretty much see the same teams every year and we need a greater turnaround of teams going in and out of the league. If you compare it to some of the lower leagues in Scotland, they are getting a 40% turnaround in teams competing in the division some seasons. It keeps things fresh but the Premiership is rather dowdy and I doubt turkeys will vote for Christmas.

I've already said here that I don't expect us to be able to bring in like for like replacements for the players we've lost and as a result will probably be a weaker side. But the age issue stands. If we don't do something this season it's definitely going to be a bigger problem next season. Whether they come from elsewhere or our youth squad, we definitely need some younger options in those positions.

I was talking earlier about getting some younger players into our back line with Butcher, McGinn and O'Donnell all in their 30's. Now we sign Souare who's 33. Might be a decent player individually but I have my concerns collectively. The impact Johnston made last season and even in individual games coming on was there for all to see. In my opinion we need that kind of dynamism especially from one of the full backs.

Dundee Utd losing to Spartans St. Mirren losing to Montrose St. Johnstone losing to Stenhousemuir Decent result at this stage of the season as the above illustrates.

I think we only scored 3 headers all last season. Something like that anyway. It's a part of the game that's going away.

I know, the previous youngest goalscorer since 2000 was Clarkson.