couttsy

Agree with much of what you've said re Hylton, Aarons and MacIver, although our options at full back without Carroll are really poor. Grimshaw has been terrible for weeks in my opinion, with Tait being almost as bad when he has come in at RB. Dropping our goalkeeper for throwing the ball out to defenders under pressure when he's been instructed to do so because we have no physical presence up front is harsh in the least! Hopefully with Watt (and maybe MacIver) coming in we're back to having better options for him to hit with throws and kick outs. Who has or hasn't signed contracts beyond this season cant come into our thinking at this stage. Maybe if we are secure in top 6 and not getting into Europe then that becomes a consideration. I think the inclusion or not of Gallagher tomorrow could swing this game one way or the other......Lets hope he's fit and ready to go!

‪Easy option is to go 4-3-3 with Gillespie, Grimmy, Tait, Hartley & Gallagher, 3 from Campbell, Donnelly, Ohara & Polworth then Watt & Aarons & Long (Maciver if not fit). However I’d go 3-5-2 with Gillespie, Gallagher, Donnelly & Tait. Aarons & Hylton as wingbacks, Campbell, Ohara & Polworth, Watt & Long (Maciver if Long not fit‬). Talk of dropping Gillespie is crazy in my opinion.....With the exception of Gallagher I think he’s been our player of the year.....

Donnelly....,no argument

Yeh, we all know Main is no world beater but he’s showing us exactly the type of player we’re missing...... Let’s hope Watt can give us a bit of that, plus a goal or two!

Looks reasonable given injuries, however I'd go with Campbell in for Grimshaw and play OHara a RB. Lets hope Watt can hold the ball up, win the odd header and stick one in the back of the net.

I’d start with a 4-4-2: Gillespie O’Hara, Gallagher, Hartley, Carroll Aarons, Donnelly, Campbell, Polworth Long & Watt Not sure if O’Hara has played RB before but he seems to have all the attributes to play there. Really, really don’t want to see us line up with 2 lightweight wingers and Long again......

Not normally one for hysterics after a defeat, but can’t help but look at how far Killie & St Johnstone are behind us never mind Livi and Hibs.....We have been awful since the break... The sooner Dunne and Turnbull return to add reinforcements the better. Oh and can we please stop playing with Long and 2 lightweight wingers, just does not work, nobody holds the ball up, nobody to win the ball in the air. Watt must play on Sat, if he’s not fit enough he should play the first 60 mins rather than bring him on.

Deffo not at a left back, I think Carroll’s had a great season. Toss up between a fit Dunne & Hartley for me. Dunne maybe just having the edge due to the pace he brings.

Spot on. In 35 years of going to FP he’s by far worst I’ve seen.....

Let’s hope Gallagher makes it, the thought of Hartley & Mugabi gives me the fear! Would love to see us start with Watt, Long and Aaron up front but suspect Watt will be on the bench if we get clearance in time.....

Tough one to take tonight....Positives are that the 1st half was a massive improvement on Sat, Arrons looked lively and Long had a far better game. Have to say that heading to FP I thought that going toe to toe with Celtic and playing 3 forwards was always going to end in tears and so it proved. A lot wrong in the 2nd half but need to bear in mind the quality we were up against, particularly Edouard who was outstanding. Other results couldn’t really have been better for us, which should hopefully give us a bit of encouragement going forward. On to Saturday and what now feels like a pivotal game in the season, a cup quarter final to look forward to and 3rd in the league come Sat evening will see us feeling good about ourselves again. Lose and it’ll be 3 defeats in a row 4 without a win and a real feeling of panic......

Prior to selling Scott, the transfer window closing with us bringing in another fast winger/forward type and then watching us on Saturday I would have said no to Watt...……...however with the those 3 things going as they did I think its a no brainer until the end of the season as long as he is showing the right behaviours, fit and up for it!

I’d go with a 4-5-1 and try and stay in it until the last 20 mins or so. Gillespie, Grimshaw, Gallagher, Hartley, Carroll, Campbell, Donnelly, Ohara, Polworth, Aarons (if he’s fit, Ndjoli if not), Mazinga.

As others have said, what a horrific performance, with so much wrong it’s hard where to know where to start.... If I was to have a go, I think the biggest problem we have going forward is the lack of a physical presence up front. Lost count of the amount of times Hartley had the ball at his feet yesterday (particularly in the first half) only to look up and see everyone running away from him, desperately needed someone to come and take it to feet, on the chest or in the air. Not saying Scott would have made a huge difference yesterday, however he is a presence and would have fulfilled a bit of that role. I fear the fact we haven’t signed a 6ft+ centre forward who can hold the ball up and bring other players into the game is going to result in a slide down the table....hope I’m wrong. We had no out ball at all yesterday meaning when we played it forward it just came straight back. Think Long needs to play off a bigger striker, also think he’s getting off very lightly due to the fact a lot of his team mates were also poor yesterday, thought he hid throughout....

At the figures quoted it seems to be a good deal and probably one the club can't really turn down, however its not half depressing for fans that good, young talent seems to be heading out the door after 1/2 a season if you're lucky...…...Although, granted its better than developing young players that aren't good enough and no one wants as a result, would just be good to get a couple of seasons watching them develop. I fear a slide down the table and a Scottish Cup exit if we don't sign at least one striker today....

6 or 7 I found really easy but found if difficult to leave out, Murphy, Humphrey, Higdon, Kipre, Randolph Tait Craigan Hutchison Hammell Turnbull Lasley Jennings Law Moult Sutton

Agree, when Hartley and Seedorf came on we deffo changed to play a 5-3-2, with Seedorf and Long in a 2 up top, which just didn't work.... Thought we were crying out for an extra body in midfield, not another a centre half. McGuire for Hylton looked the obvious move at the time.....Campbell and OHara looked knackered and Polworth had dropped out completely, missed Donnelly massively. Scott, whilst ineffective and getting grief from the East Stand was the only out ball we had, so when he went off the ball was never going to stick up front and just kept coming straight back. Desperately need to find a 6ft plus centre forward who is mobile and can put the ball in the net, unfortunately on our budget that is a tall order!

Thought the right back in particular played very well. Attacked every ball and played Hylton as well as I have seen over recent weeks, not to mention scoring the first goal and assisting the second.

Shocker of a performance, got exactly what we deserved....Played well for 15/20 mins, after that we were a mile off the pace. Massive fan of Robinson, but thought at the start of the 2nd half it was crying out for another body in midfield. McGuire for Hylton was the obvious change....Scott was terrible in the 2nd half but when he went off it left us with no height up front at all and with Accies stopping us playing out it left us with no out ball....... Tough one to take....

Think this will be a tough one and wouldn't be too upset with a draw presuming we win on Sunday. 4 points should hopefully keep us in 3rd place going into the break. As many have said Polworth will come in for Donnelly presuming he's not fit, with O'Hara or Campbell playing the Donnelly role. I would also bring in Cole for Long.....

Went for Gillespie, but could easily make an argument for Gallagher or Carroll as both were excellent.

Some of chat on here is mental.....drop Gillespie, really?! I thought he was our man of match and has had a great season.... We won three on the spin without losing a goal before today and sit in 4th place, 1 point off Aberdeen and 8 ahead of Killie in 5th. Did we play well today, no, were we playing a team with a vastly bigger budget and as a result better players, yes. Cut them a bit of slack lads....

I thought Donnelly had a great 2nd half to be fair. Scott and Hylton unplayable at times, Cole put in a good shift and Gallagher & Mugabe solid. A great night, particularly given other results :-)

Tough competitive game as usual against Saints. I'd go with Gillespie, Tait, Carroll, Hartley & Gallagher, Campbell, Donnelly & Polworth, Hylton, Cole & Scott. 2-1 Well (Scott & Cole) :-)

I think the opposite....in their predicament they’re more likely to go for tried and tested at this level.... Hopefully right that the compo scares them off. Think his contract is until 2022 so not likely to let him go on the cheap. Incidentally he’s now the 7/4 favourite with Skybet...