MelvinBragg

Is it not the case that last season teams couldn't really afford to double up on McFadden as if they did that Ojamaa, Humphrey or Law could hurt them? This season teams figure if they shut him down, they've got us beaten. Even first time around, he had guys like Elliott and Pearson to share the burden. But it was noticeable at the start of the second half against Kuban that they committed two or three heavy fouls on him, almost saying "right, target him, he's the threat". As for the fitness issue, he missed the first week of preseason before we went to Spain. Perhaps the time when the most intensive fitness work was done? He should have caught up by now though. For me, the fitness issue is secondary. The issue is less to do with that and the fact he's playing on the wing and more to do with the fact he's shouldering all of our attacking responsibility. He needs others to take the heat off him a bit...

It's 1730, not 730pm...

I was thinking more of poaching their coaches at younger age groups. Instill the right mentality in any players we bring through...

Crowd figures suggest something is broken...

Ah, that's what happens when you don't go to the games. I assumed they put out the same back four as last week, which would have meant no new faces..

Which new centre half?

Same back four basically. And kept their main threats in McGinn and Hayes. And if I'm being honest, they weren't replacing players as good as we were replacing...

Team is Hollis Ramsden Hutchinson McManus Hammell Lasley Vigurs Angol McFadden Anier Sutton Make of that what you will. Looks like 442 to me with Vigurs and Lasley in the middle. Does Vigurs cover enough ground to play in a midfield two? Guess we'll find out soon enough...

I wouldn't be chucking Lasley on the scrapheap altogether. If he was willing to take a reduced wage as a squad player, a one year deal might not be a bad idea. My reasoning behind it? Next summer, we'll have McManus, McFadden, Hammell, Hutchinsin and Lasley out of contract. That's a lot of experience. There may be value in having an "auld heid" around the place if there's going to be an increased reliance on the likes of Cummins, Carswell, Kerr and Murray. Obviously Lawson and Sutton are both experienced players but if Lasley wasn't looking for a first team wage, there might be something he could bring to the club rather than the team...

Aye, kind of echoes my thinking. If Hollis has waited for his turn behind Randolph then surely the same could be said of Carswell when Jennings and Law were at the club. We've brought in Lawson and that'll surely affect how many games Carswell plays. Thing is, Lasley can't go on forever so I'd hope to see us gradually phasing Carswell into the team this season as his replacement...

I think you only get "juvenile" tickets until you're 12. Concession is between 12 and 16, I think..

Not so sure. Hutchinson is a good player but last season people were slating the likes of Cummins and Kerr for repeating their mistakes. Hutchinson is still making the same mistakes he was making two or three seasons ago. He's improved a lot of aspects of his game but until the rushes of blood are cut out (or at least reduced), I think there's a limit to how far he'll go, despite all the obvious tools he has at his disposal. Which might work in our favour as even with this flaw, he's a very good SPL player...

Indeed. That and the fact that Ramsden has looked pretty decent in any games he's played at right back. Thinking second half of the 4-1 against Hibs last season when we didn't have Humphrey playing, so no "proper" winger in front of him. I wouldn't swap Ramsden with many right backs in the SPL. Not to say he's one of the best but he's probably on a lower wage than a lot of them and not many of them are markedly better than him. He rarely lets himself down...

I'd start with Ramsden isn't a right back. That one seems the most mind-boggling...

Aye, very good, Captain Birds Eye...

McCall is sticking to his word. Last season when it became clear Randolph was leaving, he stated that whoever came in, Hollis had waited and earned his chance and any new keeper would have to compete for the jersey. In his first two games, Hollis has done little wrong so McCall, to his credit, is being fair to him and true to his word...

Kinder draw, not too much change in their team from last season...

Put that more succinctly than I put it...

Maybe because Anier impressed him and he wanted him fresh for Sunday. Are you really that stupid or does Robert De Niro have something to worry about..?

4231 both games Midfield looked like Lasley Law Humphrey Ojamaa McFadden last season and Lasley Lawson McFadden Vigurs Angol last week Anyone saying Ojamaa was playing as an out and out striker last season is kidding themselves on. You can argue about comparative quality of players but it was the same shape. Vigurs having less pace than Ojamaa and having to track back more as we were playing a better team made it look like a 451...

I don't get how people thought we'd set up negatively at home? It was exactly the same formation we used last season but with different personnel. Difference was we were playing a better team that didn't give us the time we had in the SPL last season. That and the fact we have less pace than last season...

Maybe because he wanted the traveling fans to at least have a goal to celebrate? And while it makes no difference in real terms, the competitor in him would have wanted a result when it was possible... Stupid fucking question..

It shows how weakened a side we're finishing the game with when you look round the team and Hammell is the obvious pick simply because he's experienced...

I think he's at least given McCall something to think about. Both he and Anier have done themselves no harm at all. Having said that Hollis hasn't done much wrong in his two starts...

He's certainly putting forward a strong case...