Welldaft Mk1

Turnbull is starting to show glimpses of the form that made him the hottest (young) property in Scotland. If he continues along that path for the next few games inc v Celtic then I expect another bid incoming. In all honesty I find it surprising that there are not more clubs sniffing around or reported as such. Before it was only Celtic and Norwich prepared to bid. What grates with me is that Celtic fans think if he goes anywhere he goes there. I am sooooo hoping if he moves then it is down south. Mind you with Tierney reporting how scared he is to return to Celtic Park he may be worried about the inevitable backlash. We also know that any initial bid from Celtic will be less than the £3.25m + add ons. It is the way they operate. For me that is the starting price this time around. I am sure we will hold firm as he signed that extra year - still an excellent thing to do !

Everton, Leeds, Newcastle and Crystal Palace if there is any truth in the story. Very strange given he has played very few games for Hull. All that said it was noticeable how much our form dipped after he left. I am biased but I hope Turnbull is not sold on the cheap. Ianis Hagi for £4m if stories are believed. Fed up getting shafted. Everyone knows Turnbull is best young player in Scotland. Old ground I know but if he had the season he had with us pre injury in English championship it would be £10m starting. No hurry - let’s hold on for as long as possible. Hopefully Newcastle or Aston Villa throw us the money.

Lets face facts. We made an on form Hibs team getting rave reviews look decidedly average. Our defence and midfield were bang on today. Stephen O Donnell and Lamie were very good. Turnbull and Campbell were also very good. Our final ball and up front is the missing link. Get that right and we will be top 6 again this year.

Been a lot better but the ball just won’t drop for us in the box and when it does we do fuck all with it. We need the rub of the green. Great save from Carson and Hib have had their chances. I get a feeling it will come down to the more clinical attack and that is likely to be Hibs. Just to add that Lamie has done well.

Mugabe with ball at his feet is a worry. Apart from that playing quite well.

Clearly he was frustrated and as a fan I can understand that. Some players have hardly showed up this season so far. We now have 2 international defenders - a midfield containing Campbell and Turnbull and in Lang someone who can hopefully excite us. Easter Rd has always been a tough ground for us even when we are playing well so I do sadly expect us to lose by a couple of goals. But you never know. Would take a draw and a decent performance.

With option to extend to end of season. A win win imho. He plays well gets a decent move. He is OK and stays with us for longer. I would like him to play in his preferred position at right back. However we have no left back at the moment so Q is simple - is Grimmy better at RB than Lamie is at LB.

Yes and no. We all are aware that Grimmy is fit and can run all day. But his defensive abilities and awareness are very poor. And costing us goals in every other game. If I had to choose I would pick a right back that would stop us conceding goals than one that is competent going forward. We have 9 other players on the park that could help us go on the front foot.

Just the 2 so I suspect he will start on Saturday or if not fit enough come off the bench at some point. We could do with another right back and left back option. Sadly we have 3 left backs / left sided defenders injured. I know Robinson said we would look for a replacement even temporary until Xmas. If so do it as soon as possible.

For me the players need to get the finger oot. I am not meaning all of them. I think we can excuse Carson, Campbell, Turnbull, Seedorf and White. For the latter his effort is obvious even if he may not be easy on the eye. Even big Bevis could be excused. Not a lack of effort on his part but lack of playing time and ability on occasion. That leaves a fuck load of players that are underperforming at the moment or not good enough. In midfield OHara and Polworth have not got close to their performance they are capable of. Gallagher also has struggled to retain his high standards but suggestions he is nursing an injury ? Then up front Hastie and Long have done very little and when you add that to injuries and suspensions of 3 to 4 1st team players it is easier to understand our problems. Lang will hopefully be better than what we have seen so far. McGinley was best player v Ross C and will partner Gallagher when he is fit again. If we can also get Jake Carroll fit for any length of time. Our league record since New Year has been poor but then we probably have a higher budget only than Hamilton, Livi and St Mirren. So is it any surprise really ? Robinson comes in for stick and he has to sort out his starting 11 and get some continuity. The players are selling him short. I am sure his calling some players out may not go down well in the dressing room. So what - he is spot on. I have faith in him turning it around and at least having us mid table come end of season with hopefully decent run in Europe and cups.

It is not like he did not know Long is a difficult character or moody at best. I actually thought he was a decent re-signing but he would need to apply himself. He actually did better defensively than in attack. Bevis was actually decent tonight. Not great but a better performance than v United. Gallagher does look as if he has gone backwards a little. Maybe he is injured. We were fairly decent going from midfield forward last season but that has disappeared. Robinson has a habit of turning things around. We need that to happen as soon as. At least he has had a go at a few players who clearly need a kick up the backside. I think most of them believed the pre season hype about how good we are or were going to be. At least we scored 2 and did not lose but I actually feel 2nd half v Ross County was better than last Saturday or tonight. Only Hibs away up next. In saying that we generally lose at Easter Rd when we are going well. Here is hoping we can turn that on it’s head. But no way Hibs are not going to score 2-3 goals and that means Nil points and 1 from 12 :-(

Leaving White on could come back and haunt us ! Yellow card.

Not comfortable with our defensive capabilities. We seem likely to concede all the time

Livi the better side. playing better football We don’t seem to believe in ourselves

Poor football and defending from us. Lamie very lucky again. We need to start playing or it will be. Along night

I hope the defence does not stay the same. Really unfortunate the injury to McGinley. I know we have limited options but I still feel we are strong in midfield and up front and will come good. I am nowhere near as negative as Shaka but then who is. But I don’t disagree with his comment that playing Grimshaw and Mugabi lessens our chances of a clean sheet. Time to try something else out but I also suspect you are right and Grimshaw and Mugabi will start. In which case we will need to score at least 2 goals to get a draw or a win. I see more of the same as v County and United but hopefully we can get a bit of luck or rub of the green to get 3 points.

Also worth noting if I read correctly that their tie v HB will be their 1st competitive game this season or whatever season they are in. Which means that even if they do come through that tie then we will probably be only their 2nd competitive game, whereas we will have played 5 league matches by 27th August. Will it make a difference. You would hope so.

Home draw v Glentoran or HB Thorshavn or however you spell it. At least it is at home

Thanks to Carson we did not lose both games 2-0. As for writing off recruitment at this stage. Sums up some posters that they cannot bring themselves or will not allow the Manager or Players any breathing room. Same every season so should not be surprised. I actually think our recruitment has been sound. As for that matter do the pundits and fans of other clubs. I do believe we should have started better and I do believe we have a great deal of improving to do. Ross County was small margins. Where I do have concerns is defence. We appear to have so few options. Mugabi and Grimmy are back up players at best. I like Grimmy. Wears his heart on his sleeve but he is a very poor defender as the goal on Saturday showed. Others were culpable but to let a defender run in unopposed and look surprised sums up his contribution so far. I would love him to turn things round but so far it has been a poor start from him. Mugabi also looked so uncomfortable with the ball at his feet. Wednesday is a huge game already. We cannot afford to lose and really could do with a decent win to get fans and players back on track.

If we get through the 1st Round which with the way we are playing is not a given, then you can just see us drawing Tottenham or AC Milan since we cannot attend matches. If it was business as usual we would draw a side form Russia or Kazakhstan. Just our luck. Imagine what Tottenham would do to the side that has played the opening two games. Thank Christ it would be a one legged affair. Probably still be double figures. Hopefully they would play a B team. Should be excited about Europe. But with the inability to attend or travel to games, our form and the form of our streaming company. Sure I will be up for it once the games come around but a bit meh at the moment.

To be fair that is two games in a row now we have had 60% possession and high teens in shots. But we seem to be lacking confidence after only 2 games in. None of the players seem to be anywhere near the level they need to be at. Hopefully Lang can come in and kick on and not at players. We desperately need some creativity and finishing or it will be a long season ahead. As for the streaming - just adds up to a piss poor day all round

Certainly what we were not expecting. Ross County look like they have improved and we should have had a draw But that today was utter garbage. I normally look for positives but there were none other than Turnbull getting another game but he looks as if he has a long was to go. A defence with Mugabe and Grimshaw and we are surprised we concede goals. Up front Long and Watt looked a promising attack in but they have looked well off it. Early days but there is NO chance we are finishing top 6 unless we get our act together pronto

Mugabe is just awful

He gives me the fear.

Or because he has paid for a product and is not getting what he wanted or expected. I bought a season ticket and was happy to watch the game via stream. But not being able watch at all is severely pissing me off