ohwulliewullie

Yes, we’ve done this in a few games, and it certainly puts everyone on edge. I can see both sides of this though… you can either say we’ve got away with it (such as on Saturday) but Alexander can argue that it’s generally (always?) worked. Having said that, in a cup game… if Aberdeen had scored at the death, we’d have had to make more subs in extra time to give us more attacking options to try to win the game… or defend and hang on for penalties… so I thought it especially risky in the Cup.

I haven’t watched it back (and I won’t bother) but we were simply beaten by a much better team. As much as Celtic had other chances and Kelly had a few good saves, we were a bit unfortunate with the third (I think it was Sol who slipped / stumbled and would have easily cut out Abada’s cross) and the fourth (deflection could have gone anywhere). I personally didn’t see the players chucking it, although they may well have been knackered towards the end having chased shadows for most of the game. Cornelius was the example of this - ran himself into the ground. I’m fact, I thought the players kept plugging away… unlike the Rangers home game that was a shocker. Next couple of weeks will be a more realistic test of this team’s ability and character obviously

I heard that as well, even before the season started… so Watt’s great form might have been at least partly as a ‘get it up you, I’ll show you’.

A just-about conceivable team could be: Kelly (Scotland), Mugabi (Uganda), Ojala (Finland), Solholm (Norway), McGinley (England), Nirennold (France), Donnelly (Northern Ireland), Slattery (England), Tierney (Republic of Ireland), Van Veen (Netherlands), Efford (USA) Gone are the days of Wullie, Boaby and Tam fae Lanarkshire or Glasgow

Is the last day of the transfer window not now officially called ‘Devante Cole loan day’?

Even better still if Hedges is away as well… I always think he’s a very tidy player.

Does anyone know what injuries o’hara and Lamie have, and how long they’re out for?

I guess I was making the point that painting the worst case scenario… focusing on infections…. and imposing / trying to justify additional restrictions… may indeed have that effect. I heard something on the radio the other day (not sure the source) that in the current Omicron vaccine / booster push, 750K people in the UK had come forward for their first vaccination… which I felt was surprisingly very high (in a good way, as it’s in everyone’s interests as I said)

If I had to take a stab in the dark, I’d suggest it’s to ‘encourage’ people to get vaccinated / boostered… which is in everyone’s interests… and if so, and it works… maybe the end justifies the means?!

I used the word ‘fear’ more in the sense of concern for society in general, rather than feeling personally scared. If I could go to the football then I wouldn’t hesitate, and I’m going about my business as normally as I can (work / gym / etc), albeit I’m in pubs / restaurants less than pre-Covid. As you say, given that we’re only 20 days into the current wave, in my opinion a wee bit of caution for a couple of more weeks say (to prove that the NHS can cope with what transpires) is OK.

I don’t agree with you, but I may eventually do so on a number of your points… but your perspective is well argued and I appreciate the fact that you’ve pointed out a few things that I previously hadn’t considered. The reason for my caution is that I fear that the high number of cases will turn into a high number of deaths… as a result of the normal time lag between infection - hospitalisation - death (e.g. as more older people became infected during the festive period)… and the risk that the NHS is so under pressure that many people die (as a result of Covid or other causes) who would otherwise have survived with proper / timely care. This is the situation that the NHS faces now, or could do soon… the reasons for that / root causes probably matter less right now than what is actually done about it. For those reasons I’m OK at the moment for a more cautious approach that means there are more restrictions in place.

I presume Celtic want to loan the guy out to get him more games than he otherwise would, with a view to seeing if he has a long-term future with them... and / or to put him in the shop window to off-load him more favourably in the summer. And I assume the fee / portion of his wages we're paying will be in line with our normal wage structure. If he's better than what we've got (and / or gives us cover for injuries or Covid)... which helps us get Top 6 / Europe / further in the Cup... which then helps financially towards the long-term (even if he leaves in the summer)... then I'm happy for him to be at the front of the queue. The other possible benefit is that it may mean (say) Crawford could go out on loan (with someone else paying some of his wages) as we don't then need him to be around for cover. Assuming the guy's decent - and people who know more about these things than me suggest he is - I'd say it's a good move.

Players come and go, this is what happens. Most who leave I’m not too bothered about… there’s the odd one that I’m gutted to see go, but you wish them all the best (Campbell, Moult)… then there’s the occasional sore one (usually because of the timing / poor fee / where they’re going / how it happens (Hastie). Watt is in the ‘sore one’ category for me. I don’t have anything against Dundee United particularly, although they’re clearly a rival for top 6 and maybe the European places. I just thought Watt and MFC were a good match, and he’s been a very important player for us. I’m a bit gutted actually. But I’m now in the camp of do the best deal we can in January and get a replacement in, which isn’t going to be easy. Say min £100K plus £100K if they finish above us in the league.

Exactly my thoughts

Solholm and Mugabi solid, Cornelius energetic and a goal, but I go for Donnelly… strolled it in an effective performance in his first start for a while (if I remember correctly)

What are the chances of a story like that coming out the day before a game with the ugly sisters?

How important is Tony Watt to this team? Tonight was a perfect example of what he brings… goals… a bit of quality in general… ability to keep possession and usually pass it to people in the same colour jersey… wins fouls… and a phenomenal work rate to help the team defend from the front. What a guy.

Morecambe must be interested as well then

Excellent all round, starting with being solid at the back. Mugabi and Shields excellent, but the stand-out (with brilliant interventions at both ends) was Ricki Lamie

Exactly my view as well

It would be a nice touch to make a pre-match announcement on Saturday to acknowledge the part that Gordon, Souttar and O'Donnell played for Scotland on Monday night

I have an alternative theory on the impact VAR will have on this… I actually think it will help the gruesome twosome to get even more soft decisions in their favour than they already get… “that confirms there is contact in the box” or “that confirms it hit his hand”. I think it’ll actually make it easier for refs to give them such decisions. All it will rule out is the really obscene ones. Example to illustrate my point: the Kipre penalty and sending off decision against Scott Sinclair in the League Cup final. If he doesn’t give the penalty he’d have to book Sinclair for diving. Even with VAR, I don’t think this would have happened. The decision would have stood, as is…. Even though we all know it was a dive

100% agree

Surely we have to start playing four in midfield. As almost everyone has said, our current three are collectively not good enough, and / or the strikers are not working hard enough when we haven’t got the ball, to support the midfielders and make it harder for every opposition midfield to pass it round and through them. I’d have O’Hara in for Woolery, which would also make delivery from set pieces generally better. I’d also possibly put KVV in for Shields (although I don’t think KVV is moving as well as he would be if he was 100% fit). I think Grimshaw is fine, if all he has to do is keep things simple, be energetic, close the opposition down, and play short passes to the nearest guy with a claret and amber jersey on. I also think McGinley is fine, as long as he’s given more protection from midfield than he got against Celtic, for example. Carroll is better going forward, McGinley is a better defender. In short, I think an extra man in midfield would solve a lot of issues in itself, even before you need to get into debates about who should be in the starting XI. And I really hope Ojala went off as a precaution, as he’s been looking very solid.

I agree with you… although I think what I’m saying is that a change in shape to have four in midfield *I think* would give us more possession… help us get forward… support the front players (and reduce the number of crosses into our box at the other end for that matter)… create more chances… In other words, to get out of the chicken and egg scenario…. Try changing the shape first - which is easier than changing the players. It might even make the midfield players look better as well.