MelvinBragg

My understanding is that some of our U20 players can earn up to £2k a week if they feature for the first team. Doesn't seem likely that a wage of £2.5k should frighten us...

If we're looking for a ball winning midfielder, someone to break up opposition attacks then it's unlikely we'll find this player in the loan market. Players loaned out from EPL or Championship clubs tend to be young players. Very rare to find a 19/20 year old with the positional awareness and discipline to play that role. More likely to find that kind of player among the free agents out there. Having said that, a player that may be available on loan and could do a job would be Andy Murdoch at Rangers. Generally seen as their best midfielder last season (not saying much, I know) and is out of the picture at Ibrox now...

To make it clear, not saying that I'd go for him but wouldn't surprise me if the club did. At this point, I think if we bring in two more players then at least one of them will be a loan signing...

No names doing the rounds but it wouldn't surprise me if Conor Grant was a player to come in if we're looking at two midfielders. Doesn't seem anywhere near the Everton first team and Baraclough knows what he's capable of. I could be a mile out but wouldn't be stunned if he arrived...

I'm sure Frazzle said that he wasn't judging him on the little he saw of him. In the same way it's difficult to say someone "looks the part" on the basis of 30 minutes. Unless he's replacing Sutton more in his aesthetic qualities...

When does the transfer window close in Scotland?

Three in three. Penalty or not, bodes well..

To an extent, I agree. My first thought was that I thought we were looking for young guys with potential for a transfer fee later on? On the other hand, we do have three or four players over 30. And a few in their early 20s. We don't have many players in their prime (24-29) and those we do have aren't that experienced (thinking Law, Johnson). Therefore you could argue we have a squad of players that either have potential or their best days are behind them. Maybe we need a couple of players to do a job here and now...?

Kallum Higginbotham against Josh Law. The fear...

Again, that can't be right? Our young players aren't good enough. They can't have outshone their more experienced colleagues. Against a lower league side granted but at least Thomas and Leitch played their part. Disappointed with Johnson's apparent loss of form. Thomas deserves his shot...

Given Kilmarnock scored four tonight, fear is that winning tonight would just delay the inevitable by a couple of days...

I know you said 'if', but gonnae no...

Surely not? Apparently our young players aren't ready for first team action. Should I base their readiness on a game against East Fife? No, but they still seem more ready than some of their senior counterparts...

Would be a neat trick as Leitch is on the field...

Certainly grounds to be surly...

Good to see Luke Watt back on the bench...

Correct, sir...

Ah, the club ethos of developing our own young players working well, I see...

St Mirren trying to compete with Hibs for second this season by going down last season's Rangers route of signing veterans who've played in the SPL...?

I don't want to come across as the grammar polis but please use commas, full stops or take a new line when you start a new sentence. Reading that gave me a sore head...

For me, things didn't fall to bits until Leitch was replaced by Clarkson. What shape we had was lost right then and it was no surprise we lost a goal a couple of minutes later...

You'd think so but given how badly we need a win, my feeling is Baraclough will play the first team and hope for a morale boosting victory. Injury might mean we get to see Chalmers have a full game at left back. Not sure if Taylor's suspension will count for the league cup. If not, might see him paired with Leitch in order to make sure we're not missing Lasley and Taylor next Saturday. Thomas may feature. Don't know how far away Watt and McLean are. Hoping to see them both in the first team soon...

Facts: Taylor has played three games. Chalmers also played midfield against Dundee United. We lost. Lasley has been one of the few players to get pass marks from the majority of the support in most games this season.

Given Baraclough's obvious decision to go with two wingers, I'd be interested to see who Irvine would have come in for. Lasley, for all his advancing years, has been performing pretty well this season. Pearson is your first choice centre midfielder. Obviously, we need to be looking for a replacement for Lasley but he shows little willingness to give up his place in the side without a fight. Cadden has the physical attributes to do Pearson's job. Game smarts and tactical awareness may be lacking but we have to, as a club, take the approach that Accies, Falkirk and Dundee United take. Best place to learn is in the first team. More concerning to me than results (and they're worrying), is the lack of game time seen by our young players. Watt and McLean have been injured but Thomas, Cadden and Leitch have been marginalised...

Irrespective of cost or whether we could offer Irvine what County were offering him, could this be part of the reason he went there? If we wanted him to be backup to Pearson, and they were offering a greater chance of regular football? The players are there, but are the players there that are willing to sit on the bench? Lasley is captain and Pearson, when fit, is and should be one of the first names on the team sheet. Not much scope for any new midfielder being a regular starter. Be interested to see the lineup when Pearson, Taylor and Lasley are all available...