Kmcalpin

We'll agree to differ on that Tweed and leave it at that. We reckoned Waghorn was off by about 2-3 metres at the instant the ball was played.

Not all the players played equally well or equally badly and that can happen in a game. In fact it most often does. The players that I mentioned were the pick of the bunch, although over the entire game I don't think they did enough to merit a MOTM award. McHugh for example started off very well indeed but tired quickly, most probably due to lack of fitness/match fitness. In the second half his influence was very limited as Rangers had a stranglehold on midfield. Had he maintained his first 30 minute performance for say 75 minutes or more then he undoubtedly would have been my MOTM.

A null vote for me. A few players showed up well in patches but none impressed over the whole 90 minutes. Probably the pick of the bunch were Heneghan, McHugh and maybe MacDonald.

A strange game today and I agree with many of the individual points made. Injuries and suspensions limited Mark McGhee's options, but I think mistakes were made off the field. Overall the gameplan of sitting back and hitting Rangers on the break almost worked but for some poor finishing. However for long spells MacDonald was left isolated with little support. Johnson played far too deeply. In general we defended far too deeply and lacked a bit ambition or perhaps confidence at times. From start to finish Rangers caused trouble on both our flanks. Had we been 3-0 up after 30 minutes or so it would not have been injustice but poor finishing cost us. By half time the scoreline could have been 6-3 to us. At full time it was about could have been 12-9 to Rangers. Rangers were the better team although both defences were shockingly poor. After the 30 minute mark we began to fall out of the game and that was certainly true of the second 45. Individually it was a mixed bag. Oddly enough given the chances created by both sides neither keeper was really troubled. Samson had a reasonably solid game but he really does need to communicate better with his defenders. By failing to shout he cost us at least 2 avoidable corners. The new boys showed some promise especially McHugh but he fell out of the game after about 30 minutes or so not surprising given his lack of game time. Looks a real find though. Heneghan had a reasonable game but both he and McManus were left badly exposed at times. Unlike others, I wasn't totally convinced of Tait as he was caught out a few times but that said he had little cover in front of him. Hammell had a very poor game and was caught out time and again. Cadden tried his best but has had better games. I wasn't overly impressed by Chalmers - his lack of pace was badly exposed. Up front Skippy tried hard but some of the service to him was appalling. Of the subs, Dom Thomas worried me. This will be a big season for him but again although showing some trickery was too easily bundled off the ball. Some pluses too though. We did create a fair few chances and played some decent football on the break and the new lads by and large acquitted themselves well. You'd think too that they have still to gel fully with their teammates. I really like the look of McHugh and think he'll be an asset when fully fit. My big concern continues to be central midfield. We are far too light there and surely we have to sign an attacking central player. On a side not a wee bit disappointed with some of Tam Cowan's comments on BBC radio about 2 incidents. I did not think it a penalty when the ball was blasted at Heneghan's hand at close range - does anyone disagree? Also the incident where Samson handled out of his box - the Rangers player, Waghorn, was clearly well offside when the ball was played to him and the ref was only "evening things up" as his linesman missed that. Many of us suspected that to qualify from the group we'd have to do so as runners ups and so it has transpired.

Not at all surprised about the attendance. Season tickets not valid; start of July holidays; and Rangers were the opponents - always worth a reduction of 500-1,000 on our support. Not a game to judge attendances on.

This wasn't always the case. In recent years, and I can't define "recent", this kind of predatory behaviour towards signing good young lads before they gain first team experience, has become more and more widespread amongst the bigger clubs, as they have extended their tentacles. I suppose too that young lads and their parents are also becoming more ambitious and dream of their offspring becoming the next Messi. No its not just you, its very frustrating.

Lasley's absence is an issue but presumably McHugh has been brought in as his long term replacement. Overall, though, as many have observed central midfield is very light and we need probably another 2 players in there. Of more concern to me is the lack of a replacement for Pearo. We do not have an attacking/creative midfielder.

There are fans and fans. Some want to know every detail and some only want to turn up on a Saturday to watch their team. Each to their own. In principle I think that fans should be given as much information as possible, if they want it ie its not rammed down everyone's throat. When the Society takes over members don't need to know everything as Al B has rightly pointed out. Members should be told important details and a bit more perhaps if they want it but don't forget they appoint a Board of Directors to run the club and it should be left to them and the club's employees to conduct day to day business without fear of interference.

No, most of us are not entitled to know. Currently the club is privately owned and as such shareholders, and not ordinary fans, have some rights as to the information they are privy to. When the club is taken over by the Society, as opposed to the fans per se, shareholders and members of the Society will be entitled to receive more information. Fans who are not members of the Society or are not shareholders will not be entitled to any more information. How the Society would play that I don't know. It may choose voluntarily to share more information publicly. Quite apart from the above, there is much detailed information which is sensitive or confidential and that will not and should not be available publicly. As regards transfer fees/compensation payments, very often the buying club requests that the fee remains undisclosed. If thats the case the information should not be made public. I don't know the details of Robbie Leitch's departure but its possible that Burnley have requested that if there was any payment, it be kept confidential.

Not ideal but as we're so thin on in the ground in central midfield we also have Joe Chalmers who could come on from the bench in an emergency.

There's also Lee Erwin's fee which falls into this year. It would make a lot of sense to hoard what surplus cash we have, if any, to help fund Les's payoff wouldn't it?

Its a fine balance to tread isn't it. If the budget is slashed too much then it could become a self fulfilling prophesy. That said, some other clubs will also set the same budget levels. Teams funded by such a modest budget can come good but generally speaking they are based on effectiveness rather than flair and skill. They might not be the best to watch but they do get results.

I know its a journalistic turn of phrase, but what exactly does that mean Greg? Has he been released with compensation; or is he still on their books, want him to go but are not willing to pay compensation

A few interesting posts tonight. I'd be wary of Kallum Higginbotham. He's had quite a few clubs and failed to settle at any of them. A talented player albeit with attitude. Like Superward I'm surprised that Ziggy Gordon has ended up at Firhill, I thought he was destined for bigger things. Craig Slater to Colchester? Colchester's population is twice/three times that of Kilmarnock and the club itself will be receiving considerably more in TV/media money than almost all, if not all of our Premiership clubs.

I agree that we should treat the competition seriously for a number of reasons, but the timing of the group stage, coming as it does in mid/late July is horrific. English teams don't start their pre season until later in the month and aren't available for friendlies worse luck. Scots teams have ended up playing each other in late June / early July thereby cutting the close season. Again clubs will be wary of picking opponents for friendlies and are in some ways limited to playing teams in the other geographic half. It seems summer football is creeping in!

Yes it is.

I can understand the reasoning behind playing him there but its not his position and rarely does well in a deeper role. The same also applies to Craig Moore.

I think Charlie is moving to a similar position at Easter Road.

If you're going to label a player "one of the dirtiest bastards in the league" then you ought to name him explicitly. I've never been a Keith Lasley" fan, as many know, but I wouldn't attach such a label to him; thats unfair. Over his long career he's committed a few bad fouls admittedly and these have become more frequent as he's lost pace but overall his game is not dirty. All teams need hard players, but not dirty ones, and there is a huge difference, as I've explained in the past, but perhaps you've missed that distinction. In my view a hard player is one who is fair; one who is able to withstand a hard challenge and retain the ball; one who can put in a hard tackle within the laws of the game. A dirty player is something else entirely. A sly shove in the back when an opponent is about to shoot for goal; a professional foul when an opponent is clean through on goal; a deliberate kick at a player behind the referee's back. Football is a big boys sport, as you say, and no players are perfect. Even the cleanest put in a bad challenge now and again, accidental or not. However some players indulge in such tactics week in out and thats what I don't like. Finally if you don't like my constant whining and moaning don't read my posts.

That will be the acid test - our results against sides who should have had the same level and intensity of pre season preparation as ourselves. If all clubs are really aiming for a common target - the start of the league next month then we should be ok. If not.....

Mark McGhee also made the same comment about us being off the pace at Cowdenbeath. Why are these other teams ahead of us fitness wise?

Would you care to name him?

Too much gloom and doom on here I fear. Yes, we've not being playing well but its only pre season and when the League Cup starts we will be actually be trying to win games. There's been more squad upheaval than many of us thought and thats taken its toll. I think we'll be ok with addition of another first pick central midfielder. My only concern, and it may be unfounded, is that we'll founder in the League Cup as its coming too early for us. COYW

Not exactly a confidence boosting scoreline but again no great shock. I suppose the success or otherwise of the game will depend on Mark McGhee's pre match aims. If it was to provide the squad with a tough competitive match then he picked the right opposition. Again Hibs would have had something to prove. Its a shame that we did not play English opposition this pre season but the fixture timetable would not have allowed it. Probably true to say that every side we have played so far had a point to prove, in addition to getting fit. I wasn't at the game today and will watch the highlights with interest but it strikes me that we were at least a couple of players short of a decent side ie Louis Moult and an attacking central midfielder. Playing two defensive minded and slow (?) central midfielders together simply isn't going to work, but Mark McGhee will know that already, as do most of us. A fit Louis Moult will improve our firepower up front. There will still be question marks about the central defensive pairing unfortunately and both full backs will come under scrutiny for different reasons. As a few of us suspected, the League Cup may come a few weeks too early for us, but that has still to play out. By the end of the group stage of the League Cup we should be in better position to know how things are settling down. It will take the new boys time to settle in and thats to be expected. The one crucial thing we have to do, is to sign an offensive central midfielder. I don't see that we have much choice.

Still no sign of Louis Laing in the starting 11 or on the bench at Easter Road.