Kmcalpin

I get what you say Joe, but I think suffocating Lyle Cameron will be key to any success on Wednesday. Given his undoubted positive attributes can we afford to instruct young Miller to stick with him like a limpet?

I agree about the back 3. The three I would choose is the best we have available with McGinn being sidelined. O'Donnell is never a centre back and Blaney has never convinced me. So, Balmer it is although I'm not sure about him either. LWB is a real issue. Not convinced about Wilson or Thompson, for different reasons. Midfield has me scratching my head. We need a good deep lying defensive No 6 (Davor??????); an energetic box to box No 8 (Slattery/Paton/Sparrow); and a creative No 10 (Nicholson/Manwhanise). Now I'd start Lennon Miller every week, but where does he fit in? Up front, it has to be Armstrong and Plange for me short term.

Looking at the squad, there are a few problem areas. For Wednesday's game, I'd stick with Balcombe in goal, although other things being equal I'd give Ward a chance. We need a degree of consistency given that there will be other more pressing changes to effect. Koutroumbis at RWB. Central defence - Casey, Gordon and Balmer. LWB????? Midfield - Miller, Paton/Slattery and Manwhanise. Strikers - Plange and Armstrong. I don't think Manwhanise is an out and out striker but we badly need his pace going forward. Hopefully Nicholson will be fit for this one. We'll need someone to put the shackles on Lyle Cameron just as a young Keith Lasley would do all those years ago.

This reflects what was said about him when he was signed. "A steady 7/10; rarely 6/10 and rarely 8/10".

Just watched the highlights and although we looked poor defensively, we did look more threatening than usual in attack. For United's goal I don't think Balcombe looked too clever (not blaming him by the way). A good commanding keeper would have come out for it, as United's did later in the video.

I get that the pressure is on us, but we can't expect too much too soon. He'll want to test out players he hasn't seen yet and also which combinations work and which don't. It might well be a case of 2 steps forward and one back, from game to game. We're fortunate too that next weekend's game is a free hit just like today's fixture. Its another game with little pressure on, to test things out and get the squad used to his new methods. In the short term, Dundee and St Mirren are the crucial ones. I'd happily settle for a point on Wednesday to stop the rot, if we beat St Mirren. The crucial aim for me is to maintain that gap above St Johnstone.

It'll take our new man a few weeks to find out the best team selection. SK had months and still couldn't figure it out. All I'm hoping for is to go into the split with a reasonable cushion over St Johnstone - 6/7 points would be fine. Obviously finishing 10th would be the icing on the cake and should be our target. It's not unreasonable to expect gradual improvements game after game

The bottom six is just about sorted, although Hearts will probably be leaving us soon at the expense of St Mirren. By all accounts some improvement in performance today and thats all we could realistically ask for. Dundee will score on Wednesday, of course, but they have a shocking defence. That will only be a problem for them though, if we can get at them. At least our new men will have seen us in action now and will have had a couple more days with the squad. When picking the team this time they can use the evidence of their own eyes and won't have to rely on the advice of the old guard. Moving forward, we simply can't rely on other teams doing a favour as evidence shows they don't. Despite what I've said above, we can't rely on Hearts doing us a favour tomorrow.

Great post. It was important that our new manager got to saw the team as it is. That's a huge positive. A great base from which to move forward. We were never going to take anything from today's game and I wrote it off a few days ago. Wednesday is much more important. Dundee are also conceding goals aplenty and there's no reason why we can't pick up a point or even 3.

Our season proper starts here. We're capable of getting something from this game.

Good post. I suspect he'll lean heavily on the likes of David Clarkson and Jon Obika to pick his first ever Well team. Once he sees them in action for himself, he will start to make his own mind up and shake things up. In terms of tactics he may gradually introduce his own ideas.

He'll probably play a blinder. That said, I think he was overrated and made out to be something he's not. I always thought he was Aberdeen/Hearts/Hibs level, not English Championsip. His attitude and work ethic was second to none. What ever status he achieves in the game he'll have worked hard for it and will have deserved it. However, talent wise he is limited; not bad but limited. He had great spells with us but also spells where he was anonymous. Great defensively and very useful in a midfield battle, but not so good in the final third. We could use his qualities right now though. I'm probably in a minority of one here and will put on my bassinet now!

A match made in heaven between 2 media luvvies.

Yes its important that we all get behind our new boss. It will be far from smooth but as long as we can see some improvement in attitude and work rate then that will win the fans over. Patience is the key.

Classless comments from SK and cynical timing from the Sun. Was it recorded last week? The club will be most unimpressed. I had thought that, irrespective of his contract conditions, the club might have paid him a little sweetener, in view of the"trauma he suffered". However, I think he has more or less confirmed by his tone that he received nothing. His comments won't impress any prospective employers in the Scottish game. That said I think other clubs will already know him. In contrast Stevie Frail behaved impeccably. Good luck to him.

STV still banging on about SK.

You forgot STV.

I quite get its horses for courses and that you wouldn't adopt identical tactics for playing Celtic at Parkhead or St Johnstone at Fir Park, for example, but in recent weeks St Johnstone (twice) and Ross County have used them to great effect against us. When they defended 45 yards from their goal we had little clue how to get the ball in their box apart from hopeful aerial punts that were gobbled up gratefully. Working hard off the ball to close teams down and not sitting deep would be a start.

I see someone on P & B has advocated a "scorched earth" approach, presumably to eradicate any trace of the SK regime. Given the fanbase's feelings towards SK, I get that. We do need an element of short term continuity through the likes of Obika, Foster and Clarkson though. However, in the medium to long term, Herr Wimmer needs to introduce the winds of change to our off the field football set up. As an aside, I think the Club Board has handled a difficult situation very well, that would do credit to MI5. Matters dealt with quietly and professionally.

Was talking to a Dundee supporting friend today. They also lost 3-0 to County in much the same way. They had about 65% possession but couldn't penetrate the Staggies' penalty box. Their worst performance of their season to that point. County had about 3 times their amount of shots on goal.

Not expecting much as you can't turn a supertanker around quickly. I'd take a draw right now. I'm looking for an uptick in attitude though and application though.

Yes, thats hould be a priority. Sweep away the Kettlewell passive one paced approach and bring some excitement back to get the fans on their feet and some points on the board.

An nteresting left field appointment. Apparently he likes his teams to play with intensity and speed - that'll be a shock to some of the squad and coaches! Sounds good on paper. Welcome Michael.

I don't think they will decide our season. I'm writing off the Dundee United and Sevco games. The the new man's season really begins after that. A point against Dundee at home will steady the ship. I'm looking for an improvement in confidence, work rate, and organisation in the next 2 games.

Yes. I think its clear that the old regime had lost the dressing room. Hopefully a new manager will give their confidence a boost. I don't get why Casey was on the bench yesterday. OK, I now he's not our saviour, but if he's really really upset Frail & Kettlewell then just drop him altogther. If he was on the bench then he must have been in Frail's plans. The players' off the ball work rate also needs to be upped somewhat.