joewarkfanclub

I think its just load. The game is getting quicker and the close season is getting shorter. Our teams used to finish mid May and start back mid August. Now they finish the end of May and are back playing League Cup mid July. I know players live very different lifestyles now, but their bodies must still need some rest and recuperation. Im sure JBA said as much in a recent presser.

Its starting to look a lot like last year. Hopefully it doesnt spiral down into the shitfest that ended up. We are starting from a much higher water mark though, so Im hopeful we will be alright.

There's a world of difference fitness wise playing the way Kettlewell did and playing the way JBA does. FWIW, I actually think the players look way fitter this season than they did last year. But a high intensity press and playing out from the back the way we do takes a lot more energy than a low block.

See, I can understand why it was given but I think stonewaller is pushing it. I get his hand is out from his body, but it deflects onto his arm from close range and I felt he was trying to bring his arm towards his body rather than away from it. I actually thought the one on the line a few minutes earlier was more of a shout as it stopped a certain goal. But thats not the rule anymore (if it ever was) so probably the correct decision. Edit: feck Kettlebell! 😆😆😆

Exactly my point. We have been very good at playing out from the back and as a bi-product, teams are getting very little of the ball to do anything with. Its just when they do, we arent defending our box very well. We have conceded 7 goals in the league and gifted 5 of those by not doing our jobs properly.

I dont think he has had a real run of games until this season. Last season he came in with no pre season, got injured twice then broke his wrist. We have what we have until January. If his record doesnt improve by then, I will maybe concede he needs moved on. Until then we need him to contribute until Hendry, Osong etc are fit enough to push him for a starting spot. Im happy enough that Maswanhise will get us enough goals to keep us out of trouble, but we need someone to lead the line and at the moment Stama is it. We do need to stop shipping gsoft goals though. Its great that we do that mostly by just keeping the ball, butnit would be great if we didnt concede pretty much every time we give away cheap possession!

As Ive said elesewhere, I think a big problem next week could be injuries. With Koutoumbis, Welsh and Stama all going off with some sort of pull/tweak/injury on top of the others we already have (McGinn, Hendry, Slattery, McGhee, Sparrow) then we could be severely limited as to the team we can put out. Hopefully some of them are just minor/precautions and it wont look as bad as Im projecting.

Harry Paton never had footwork that good! 😍😍😍

I know some folk have already called time on Stama, and thats fine. These things are a matter of opinion. But we have a striker who has scored 7 goals in 10 games. I dont think its the scoring goals thing we really have a problem with. Delivery into the box is just as much of a problem. Longelo and RCC are still getting to know each other, so not gonna be too critical of them, but there were several times they got in the way of one another yesterday by making the same runs or not playing the right pass. That will come. Similarly Said looks amazing until he gets to box and wont shoot or delays his pass. Hopepfully that will also come. If we get all those things going on and Stama gets more opportunities to add to the GF column and Maswanhise maintains his form we will be in a good place. My main concern right now is injuries. Welsh, Koutroumbis & Stama all went off in pain yesterday, with some of the others already out, we could be seriously short next week despsite having a pretty big squad.

I thought Watt and Fadinger were both good, although probably more so in the first half. Went for Longelo though as he is the one that continually provides an attacking threat in the final third. Albeit his final product today wasnt his best. Said continues to frustrate. He looks amazing right up to the penalty box then for some reason loses all composure!

Bit of a rinse and repeat today. Very good first half. Dundee barely laid a glove on us and we thoroughly deserved to be in front at the break. But much like previous weeks we are not transmitting our dominance of the ball into clear cut chances and goals. We get into very good positions and fail to play the killer pass or get a shot away. No one player is to blame, its a a collective failing. I thought we lost a bit of impetus after they scored, what was a really soft goal from a cross ball, and although we recovered it a bit with the substitutions, it was the same mistakes with different personnel. We need to find a way to fix this, as it is fast becoming a self fulfilling prophecy. Thankfully Aberdeen seem to be struggling and there has to be a winner next week, but you wouldnt be surprised if it went to penalties......

Teamlines.....

Didnt realise that. Could leave us with an issue. Unless Halliday plays! 😆

Would probably prefer to see Koutroumbis at right back, but dont see him dropping SOD if McGinn is indeed injured. JBA seems to like his trusted Lieutenants on the field......

If McGinn is indeed injured....... Ward SOD Gordon Welsh Longelo Watt Priestmann Fadinger Said Stamatelopoulos RCC I imagine Just & Maswanhise will feature from the bench.