Kmcalpin

If we signed someone like Jackson Irvine who is to say they wouldn't get a regular start? You can't assume that they would not. I sincerely hope that the days of a player being an automatic pick irrespective are well and truly over. We need competition for all positions.

A very good question. I doubt if Ian Baraclough will even know yet. For starters I'd say Moult and MacDonald - but that could easily change. Maybe we'll adopt a horses for courses approach? I can certainly envisage Craig Moore dropping down the pecking order.

Very pleased with that news. Welcome back Skippy.

Thats my impression too. Of course he could sign for us but will he? There are also many other keepers out there who could also sign for us.

A great workout today against a lower league team with something to prove. Livi proved to be a big robust physical outfit with a few nasty tricks up their sleeves. For me Louis Laing was a standout and strolled through the game. Kieran Kennedy also put in a fine performance. Luke Watt looked steady at right back and capped it with a fine goal and will surely be pushing for a regular start this season. In midfield Pearo had a very good game as did Davie Clarkson when he came on. Good to see Chris Cadden make an appearance - would like to see more of him this season as he looks to be developing into a strong player. Livi defended in depth and made it difficult for our front men who had to live off scraps for much of the game. Ainsworth had a reasonable game but unsurprisingly Johnson didn't look anywhere near match fit. Fletcher showed up well in flashes but for me Craig Moore was a big disappointment - didn't contribute anything at all. All in all a decent workout with a better second half than first. Referee (Kevin Clancy?) had a poor game with a string of inconsistent decisions.

Top class players need to put on muscle. Its about core body strength. When Faddy went to Everton he put on at least a stone in his first year. Players like Russell Latapy and Morgano Gomis to name but two weren't big but they were solid muscle. On more than one occasion I saw Gomis flatten Stephen Craigan, a much taller player, in 50/50 challenges. Both lads were heavy and strong enough to fend off big defenders barging in to them and still retain the ball. It took quite a physical assault to take the ball off Latapy. Weight by itself does not reduce speed. Just look at the world's top sprinters (very few thin guys there) like Usain Bolt who is about 15 stones - all big, muscular and heavy.

I thought Jim Griffin worked for Celtic in some capacity? Anyway good to see Ian Baraclough check out our first opponents. Ryan Christie - talented yes but his propensity to dive all over the field last season was a bit annoying.

100% spot on. A few years ago I spoke to an acquaintance whose son didn't make the grade at Tannadice. He was told by a coach that United didn't want talent alone they wanted winners.

Good post. Thomas unquestionably has the talent but he now has to develop physically and step up from being an impact sub. Its all very well to give young players their chance but they have to be good enough. Much is made of the youth talent at Tannadice but to get anywhere near their first team young lads have to be the creme de la creme and bite, scratch and claw their way up a ruthless youth ladder there.

I'll be very surprised if he does - not sure he's going to make the grade. His big drawback is lack of pace and that was recognised by the previous regime. Cast your mind back to the 5-1 thrashing at Tannadice a season or two back - his weakness then was cruelly exposed.

We need to bring in a defensive midfielder as cover or replacement for Keith Lasley. Someone who is both mobile and a grafter and able to put in tackles and close players down.

Thought he did ok - looks to be a decent footballer but he does lack pace.

I don't know but several other players today were played out of position for spells eg Joe Chalmers at wide left midfield and Luke Watt at left back.

A reasonable summing up. Strengthening the defence and central midfield must be a priority. We're still shipping cheap goals which isn't surprising in that the players are largely the same. Dan didn't impress in goals and looked all at sea at the first. Pearson, McManus and Laing were the pick of the bunch in my view. We badly need to bolster midfield and that may well mean bringing in a more physical and mobile replacement for Keith Lasley. Bradford were the physically stronger side in the middle of the park and it showed. Hard to judge today but none of the younger players impressed, although Luke Watt was brought on at left back oddly enough - maybe Chalmers picked up a knock??

£10 and £5 seems to be the going rate for friendlies going by Raith Rovers and Inverness pre season friendlies.

Prices for the Bradford game are £10 and £5. I suspect Livi want a bigger cut of the cash.

Nothing against him but I just don't think he's Premiership level. He's an honest trier - no argument from me there, but is that enough? First and foremost a right back should be a good solid defender and I just don't think he is that. In the run in last season he had a hand in a few goals that we lost.

No? I'm not saying he was the reason we finished in 11th position - far more deeper rooted and wider factors than that. What Weeyin said and I am agreeing with is that Dan Twardzik is of a standard consistent with the team finishing in 11th position. In other words he is of a bottom Premiership level. If we want to finish higher than 11th this campaign then we need to sign a better standard of keeper as a start. Other positions also require strengthening - indeed a start may already have been made.

Not sure how to take your comment Weeyin. If you implying that he matches our league position ie 11th then I agree. if we want to target 10th position or better then we need a new keeper.

Agreed Andy. Our results against Celtic this season won't determine our final league position. Jackson Irvine is a very mobile, aggressive and competitive player. On more than one occasion he bossed our midfield and is certainly one of the "They shall not pass" brigade. If you need to take a player out to stop him you do it, just don't get caught. He was one of the reasons for County's late run of successes. All that said I have absolutely no idea if there is any truth in this rumour or not.

I think we'll do ok this season and by that I mean finishing in 7/8/9/10th spot. I do have one, as yet, unanswered issue though and that concerns our defence and midfield. We lost a barrowload of silly and avoidable goals last season and the defence doesn't appear to have changed much over the close season (there's still time of course). We may bring in a better keeper; Steve Hammell is back although he's not the best of defenders; and Louis Laing might be more settled. However these factors don't seem to add up to a significant improvement. Time will tell though.

Given the speed of Stephen Craigan's appointment very quickly after the JJ announcement it sounds as though it has been on the offing for a wee while; its not something that has happened overnight.

Last season Ian Baraclough rightly saw him as an impact player. As you say he now needs to step up a gear. He'll need to put on a bit of weight and muscle though - last season he was bundled off the ball a bit too easily. Hopefully that'll come though with some weight training.

New Under 20s Head Coach appointment......Stephen Craigan.

I suspect we'll be looking for another first choice goalie. If Dan is to be our No 1 then before a single ball is kicked in anger our midfield and defence have to modify their game to protect him. Thats putting extra pressure on other players to compensate for inherent weaknesses in his game. They can well do without that. Midfielders and full/wing backs have to cut out crosses and minimise corners and free kicks. Central defenders have to play that bit deeper to cut out any aerial balls.