Kmcalpin

Didn't make the game tonight. Very, very interesting comments. Its a frequent feature of our play that if we field 5 midfielders we still play very narrow - I don't know why, and it caused us terrible problems against Rangers. I realise that we're short of strikers but never for a moment did I think we'd play McDonald on his own up front. I had assumed he'd be partnered by Johnson, Ainsworth or Mackin. As you say Skippy simply can't play on his own up front. I thought we'd binned that idea. A lone striker against East Stirling at home??? The BBC stats maybe reflect our set up - 23 shots at goal with 11 being on target and hitting the net 3 times. Finally playing 2 central defensive midfielders (on the assumption that Clay is a holding midfielder)? Given the gulf in class a poor result but yes, we did win. However the scoreline and pattern of the game would seem to reflect our set up. Maybe Mark McGhee used the game as a warm up for Killie? Worth noting other Premiership sides experienced problems tonight - no doubt reflecting lower league teams enviable fitness at this time of year.

Interesting. Faddy is doing his coaching badges and knows the club and players......a double edged sword? For some time now many fans have suggested he could be used in a coaching role. he's more than due a chance, although sentimentality shouldn't come into it.

Given the timing of the games, in mid July, the poor crowds, and the derisory prize money on offer, I suppose your overall opinion of the tournament depends on which of 2 ways you view it. As a competition its misconceived but if you view it purely as pre season preparation it may be ok. That said some managers prefer to engage with non Scots opposition. Am I right in thinking too that yellow / red cards result in financial deductions from the already poor prize money?

Apologies - erroneous post. Mods please delete.

Thanks for the information Andy. Maybe its just me but I find the prize money on offer to be shockingly paltry. A mere £10,000 for our televised group game against Rangers? I was expecting at least circa £50k. 3rd placed group teams get £19k whilst the 4 worst runners up get a mere £4,000 more! Those clubs going out in the 2nd round get a mere £7,000 more than that. When you take into account players' bonuses there's virtually no incentive to do well. Even gate money is split with the SPFL creaming some off. Now I know every penny counts for us as a club and normally I'd advocate going all out to win every cup game but I now understand why some managers, maybe including Mark McGhee, are placing more emphasis on preparing for our first league game. Even crowds are poor for this tournament so far. On learning these figures I've completely changed my mind about this competition. Whoever dreamt up this format and commercial deal should get their books.

A reasonable line up Captain and probably what I'd opt for. Even although the opposition is East Stirling I think we could expect a few close things with that midfield but I wouldn't go so far as to suggest they'll cause us serious trouble. Given attendances elsewhere I expect an attendance in the 2,000 - 2,800 range.

Good analysis - well done. So, in short, what you're saying is that goal difference could be crucial.

Maybe 5 goals is being ambitious but certainly we have to score as many as we can and not let up. I'd say a 3 goal margin would be the very minimum we should be looking for. We must leave nothing to chance.

The club is adopting the right approach by giving him a trial presumably to find out how robust he is. Management and the medical staff will know far more about him than we do but at the moment to an untrained eye he does appear to be risky/fragile. IF he signs he might be a real find but on the other hand he might be a financial liability, depending on the deal. My concern is that if he becomes the only attacking central midfielder at the club we're taking a huge risk for a critical position. Is it too important a position to take such a risk with? I can't comment on the lad's unfortunately short performance yesterday but certainly at Central Park he didn't do an awful lot.

We may face several selection problems in midfield and attack. We don't know know the extent of MacDonald's and Blyth's injuries. Will Moult be risked again given his impending operation or procedure as its termed these days? Will Lucas be fit? Is McHugh banned? We may need to go with a 4-3-3 formation or with 2 wingers, with Cadden playing in the middle. All that said we should be too strong for East Stirling in any event. We have to win and win by a good few goals.

Thanks. Just watched the limited highlights and you're probably right in your assessment. We seem to have played some decent football with perhaps the final pass/shot just not quite right. The goal that we lost was disappointing as we seem to have been outnumbered on our right flank.

What do you mean? Like last week we seemed to have missed a barrowload. Still we won!

The way things are going we'll need to play a 4-5-1 formation with Mackin being the sole striker. Hope he doesn't get injured.

Presumably McHugh will now be suspended in midweek for 2 yellow cards? Is Cadden on the bench?

Good post. Protracted negotiations between the Society and our benefactor will no doubt be focusing on adjusting repayment terms based on transfer income. In effect the financial goalposts were moved 20 minutes into the game. That said, I don't know how much leverage Les can have given that he's the party who wants to change the agreement to his benefit. I'm a firm believer in cutting our financial cloth accordingly, but, as you say, there's a danger we may just cut it too tight. The situation we find now find ourselves in is that we're having to cut the budget just too quickly - in effect halfway through a rebuilding process. Its a bit like building a house and then changing the budget halfway through the construction. In order to install a water supply you have to do without electricity. The finished product is going to be a bit unbalanced. We have 3 wingers and indeed 4 attacking wide midfielders but not a single attacking central midfielder! What would an attacking central midfielder cost for say a year? £50-67K? Is that enough to risk the club's Premiership status? I know its not quite as clear cut as that but thats my point in essence.

I too quite like Laing, although he's been hampered by injuries and a loss of confidence. Before this, he looked promising but hadn't quite convinced me. I'm unsure of Kennedy - he can have a good game but can also be a bit of a bombscare at times. David Ferguson is an unknown quantity having only played a game or two at right back a couple of years ago. So, the ball is in Heneghan's court I'd say. I'm sorry that it just hasn't worked out for Louis Laing.

Don't forget that the likes of Alan Campbell and Dylan Mackin will be earning more plus most of the first team squad from last season will be earning a little more (commonplace in contracts that year 2 is higher than year 1.....). So the wage bill calculation can be complicated. I still feel that we are a necessary player down in that we have no senior attacking central midfielder in the squad. Surely every club needs one?

Thats about it Andy all I'd add is very healthily. No easing up when we're 4-0 up (ahem....).

Football managers are notorious for denying impending transfer acquisitions and then signing X number of players. We also hear regular weekly tales of players being out injured for 4 weeks or whatever and then making miraculous recoveries.

We should be looking for a 2 goal win at the very least to ensure we're in the mix for a best runners up spot. I didn't know until recently that a lot of part time lower league clubs train over the summer and thats why they appear fitter come the start of the new season.

Good to see this bid from Australia turned down. It would seem that Skippy is indeed happy to stay with us or at least thats the implication. In general though you're right Weeyin - some players want it both ways. The pendulum has indeed swung.

Thats fine as far as it goes, but what about the attacking central midfielder role (creative or box to box)? I realise that the club were probably caught cold when Pearo left but I find it incredible that we're going into competitive games in the new season without one, not a single attacking central midfielder. Now we may well sign one, even on loan in the next 6 weeks or so, but I reckon this is bad planning or more accurately a failure to plan.

He does need game time and I agree 100% with you there. However what concerned me was that although he was willing to run at defenders he was very very easily knocked off the ball and dispossessed. At the end of last season many of us had 2 concerns about his game 1) All too often there was no end product to his good leading up play 2) He was too lightweight and easily dispossessed. Now I can't speak about the first as on Saturday he never quite got that far. However he does not appear to have bulked up and gained more strength. If he is going to progress in the game then he has to address both weaknesses. Mark McGhee knows about these deficiencies and to his credit the lad does too.

I'm not entirely sure how the 4 best runners up are selected but it would do no harm to try to rattle in as many goals as possible. First things first though - we must win the tie.

Agree about the unsatisfactory policing. Don't be too hard on the club perhaps they are still waiting to hear back from the Police who knows? I think you'd be better advised to contact Police Scotland direct as they were directly involved. Why complicate matters by going through a third party.