MearnsWell

The Flasks 10 minutes at Rugby Park has to rank as the biggest non-event debut of any 'Well signing in the past decade, given all the hype. What Jay said.....

Klimpl just ahead of Stevie Hammell, broke things up well in the middle. Here's hoping we can get him permanently.

As others have said, dire in the first half and outrun in the midfield. Got the goal at the right time, lovely wee bit of interplay between Hammell and O'Brien on the left to set it up. Clearly we were lifted by this in the second plus a half time rocket no doubt, and really enjoyed the last 45. Highlights for me were Sheridan who while undeniably raw, had some lovely wee touches and isny short of pace when required. Klimpl did a great shift, as did Hammell and Hughes. The mark of a side going places is winning when you're not playing that well, so hopefully the top 6 and Europe beckons...

Sieb Dykstra Luc Nijholt Brian Martin Miodrag Krivokapic Rab McKinnon Colin O'Neill Krisztian Vadocz Paul Lambert James McFadden Tommy Coyne Davie Cooper. Trickiest one for me was who the ball winner was next to big Krisztian, but no-one can hold a candle to Pyscho in that department, purely for senitimental reasons...

O'Brien very strong case but you'd have the old workrate versus end-product conundrum, went for Klimpl for keeping it tidy and for the sole memorable entertaining moment in the game. Quote from todays Sunday Herald :

Was that the muppet at the end of a row who kepy giving Fizzy dogs abuse the full first half? Was tempted to give him some verbals also, noticed he became notably quieter in the second, now now why

Well from where I was sitting in the East, every punter was questioning the tactics and performance in the first. Why, if the pitch is in a state, would you do a 4-5-1, flood the midfield with ball winners, when the opposition knows its going to be a long-ball fest and has Flipper and Mehmet up front? Anyways, we did try to play football in the first half but were totally non-effective for that reason. When we brought on Sheridan, we had a nice 4-4-2 with a decent front pairing, particularly when Dazza came on which gave us 2 natural wide players in wide positions. Seemed logical to me, so why didn'd we start with it and get it sewn up early? Anyways, Sheridan looks to be a decent shout, nice touch, good at linking, decent pace and in the air, a more than adequate replacement for Porter, but Sutton must be so p***ed off. Oh aye, and Klimpls stepovers in the 2nd The man is clearly a cult hero in the making...

6' 3" left winger? Superb, finally someone to capitalise on Coach's renowned crossing accuracy when he completely misses out the centre forward with another looping diagonal...

Not too surprised to be honest, if a suitable offer came in he'd be away, and £400K is decent business. As others have said, we'll miss his link-up play as Sutton is more a penalty box player, but I reckon if he gets the service he'll score. Gutted to see him go though, as he's the best 'big' striker we've had at the club in years, great pace, feet, link-up play as well as arial ability and scoring rate. What is the best way to boost the squad with £400K now? Interesting, almost a new thread....

Boring, but another vote for Klimpl, doing great in the holding role, bite, tackling, passing accuracy, comfort on the ball, stamina and the vital 'slight nutter' quality. Just shades it from Hammell who I thought had a great game, maybe a bit more space out wide given the Bairns back 3, but he must have hit the byline in double figure amounts (Step-who?) and put in some quality balls including the cross for Clarkys goal.

As many others have said, a classical smash and grab, down to us not taking our chances more than anything else. Will we ever see the likes of Fizzys and Porters misses with the goal gaping in one game ever again? Ach well, focus on the positives which were for me wee Stevie, who was scintillating in attack until he was brutally fouled out of the game, Ports (as always) and Klimpl who is fast becoming our best midifeld holding player/destroyer since oooooohhh... Simo or Psycho? Onwards and upwards...

Buzz is OK, has his moments like most other keepers, last season him and Craggs could've done with going to Relate, but he's done a good shift with us and realistically you wouldn't begrudge him a move. Remember a similar thread on P&B about what opposing team player in each position you'd take, and by far the most popular left back was Stevie Hammell, which made me smile. Contrast that with the genereal consensus on here... As far as Lappin goes, he was good for us last season, did OK in his two stints at full back but would still take wee Stevie over him purely as a full back. Lappin is more a wide left mid in a 4-4-2, rather than an out-and-out left winger like O Brien. Our problem is we're too overloaded in the midfield department (particualry with Klimpls re-invention as a quality holding player) to justify forking out a massive wedge for Lappin - we'd need to punt at least one or two. Look at McGhee's attempted trade for an ICT midfielder, was he trading Boab, Fizzy, Dazza...who knows? Personally, with Klimpl coming on to a game, Boab is looking more like an expensive spare part week by week.

And from todays Evening Times, we have a large former international Norwegian on trial : -----> Link

Eh? Klimpl is a handy defensive midfielder cum centre back, Murphy was solely a left back who arrived with much fanfare and didny really deliver, fortunately Stepover was on hand to cover. Don't get me wrong I rate Klimpl, just canny see any connection with Murphy whatsoever.

...or, going back further, Rob Maaskant. A pylon of a player.

Actually think Dance of the Knights works a helluva lot better than the old Safri Duo number as build-up music, if they could run out to the opening riff of Enter Sandman instead of Local Hero it'd be perfect. Or alternatively segue into Ride of the Valkyries complete with pitchside pyrotechnics, napalmed palm trees and cheerleaders that kinda thing...

Aside from Cooper and Faddy, who are the obvious choices when it comes to skill/entertainment, also loved Rab MacKinnon (an entertaining fullback if thats not a contradiction), Uncle Phil (particularly in his younger box to box period)l, Boydy in his flying fullback days and wee Dougie. Oh and Krisztian Vadocz obviously... Too many to single one out.

Cruel Melvin, cruel.... Seriously, with Boab now looking to be surplus to requirements, it still rankles that McGhee turned down the option when he had it. Vadocz alongside Lasley (or indeed Klimpl) would've been seriously decent, plus 2 million euros (big Krizstians transfer fee from Nijmigen to Ossasuna) would've softened the blow when he did move on. More than we'll get for Porter and Hughes combined I'll wager...

McGhee admitted in the press not so far back during Lasleys in-form period that Malcolm wasny getting in the side due to Lasleys form, and he was signed specifically as a holding midfielder for that purpose. Now that Lasley has shaded, and Klimpl has jumped the queue, I think Boab is in the shoogly nail/expensive luxury category for us. I was also in the open minded camp re Boab, and could see why McGhee signed him - ready made combo with Hughes, physical presence, "I wanted someone that'd jump on folks heads" - however Lasley and Klimpl are to my mind, on their best/potential form, much better options, free-kicks aside. He does give us cover at the back, however so does Klimpl.

He'd a good game yesterday and looks to be a decent midfield rottweiler, which gives us cover for Lasley (maybe too similar, but Keef has understandably tailed off from his outstanding earlier form) and Boab, who was signed for that purpose. Wee bitty overloaded in that department for our budget to be honest, but it's always nice to have options I suppose, and he gives us cover (albeit debatably not as good as we have) in central defence.

Never seen a player polarise opinion so much since oooohhh Marc Fitzpatrick, who was also playing yesterday and who no poster has commented on. Every cloud.....

Nice to have something positive to talk about for a change. Some of the football today was top drawer, reminiscent of last season, personnel highlights today were Porter obviously, Hughes who looked in the mood (I'm hoping the form of these two isny just down to the approaching transfer window) and O'Brien who was up for it the whole game, nice to see someone out wide with pace who wants to go at people and who has the skill to pull it off the majority of the time. Klimpl was decent also, lots of pace, dig and tidy on the ball. Wee Stevie was decent as well, and was unlucky not to score late on when he did a man, cut inside but hit the side netting. Also set uo two today - first and third. Uncle Phil tribute was brilliant also.

I think TBH he was just referring to the traditional appeal to the fans to give him and the team their backing. I don't think he did the Jambo's U-turn purely out of loyalty to us, its a mutual benefit thing all round. Yes it cost Boyle another £100K or whatever, however he was hedging against McGhee taking us on a run in Europe and maintaining a reasonably high (top 6) league slot, both of which would've easily offset the expenditure, plus buffed up McGhees CV for his next move in the summer. As it stands it ain't worked out that way, and you need to choose your words very carefully when the team ain't cutting it and you're not fulfilling expectations for whatever reason. I've said on more than one occasion McGhee is a very smart cookie, and if he doesn't turn it around soon, he has clearly laid the foundations for the "I'm not appreciated by the support, I'm walking" exit strategy.

Well today is the crunch, either the players take inspiration from the emotionally-charged scenario as do the fans and collectively we get our finger out for the three points which hopefully give us the momentum we need, or we're in a war of relegation attrition for the rest of the season. I still have no idea at this point where it'll go...

...and courtesy of BBC live text, Colin Calderwood has just been punted so I don;t think Porter will be off to Forest. He can do much better IF he matches last seasons form anyways, problem is he hasn't. Time will tell.