MelvinBragg

Surely not? SFA keeping their offices open late? Cue Rangers' fans conspiracies that their embargo ends on September 1st and the SFA are trying to stop them from signing anyone on Monday...

Fast but crossing variable? Chris Humphrey a couple of seasons ago then. If he's equally adept at getting us from our own half to the edge of the opposition box, I can live with a couple of flaws. If he was perfect, we wouldn't be able to get him in on loan..

Other bonus in playing McFadden as an an attacking centre midfielder is that it puts our best footballer at the heart of the team. Should ensure better supply for Ainsworth, Vigurs and Angol in attacking situations. Which in turn should benefit Sutton and Anier who've been feeding on scraps. We created our best chances on Saturday when McFadden was playing centrally...

I think McCall will try and revert to his 4231. Possibly looking at Hollis Ramsden Hutchison McManus Hammell Carswell/Lawson Lasley Ainsworth McFadden Vigurs/Angol Sutton/Anier Obviously that sees McFadden play in the position Ojamaa played last season and he doesn't have the same pace but it lessens his defensive duties and it gets him closer to Sutton or Anier, either to be available when Sutton takes the ball in on his chest and is looking for options or to thread the ball through for Anier, depending on which way McCall goes in a particular game... Given there are three either/ors in the lineup I posted, at least we now have some options...

Thing is, entering the league cup at the last 16 stage, even seeded, chances of getting a really easy tie are slim...

I'll admit that McFadden wasn't great but not tracking back?? I seem to recall him winning the ball back in the right back position several times in the second half...

For me Carswell looked decent. More mobile than our other midfield options...

While I agree changing the team again isn't ideal, glad to see Carswell get a start..

Bit early in the school year, Mitch, but report card says: must try harder...

Bear in mind, 11pm on a Sunday the pubs will be about shut so you'd be forced to watch it in the house. Never good...

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...