MearnsWell

Hit the nail on the head, for me though I think the Nancy games burst his bubble, he admitted he stayed for European football, haven fallen on his arse at the first hurdle (and secured a nice wee pay bump on the way having manipulated the alleged Lithuanian scenario to his advantage), he's disinterested and coasting, key players in the team are expecting a move on the back of what they achieved last season, its a vicious circle. He canny lift the team, the team areny that bothered because 3 or 4 of them ain't gonny be here in their own minds as of January.

Missed the game today, but heard McGhee saying Coach was being put in midfield on the radio prior the the game. Assumed that he's be wide right in a 4-4-2, albeit he wasny great there the only other time I saw him play, but was incredulous to find out he'd been deployed in the centre. Surely Boab and Lasley would've been better for the physical grind required in central midfield in a derby game. Wide you could have had O'Brien on the left, and Dairlyea/Jamie Murphy on the right, you then get width to bang in crosses for the two large front men instead of relying on diagonals and aimless humps. We desperately need a result against ICT, the winner of this one will get the boost to hopefully push on up the table, the loser will be doomed. On current form, I know not which we'll be...

Sorry, am I the only one who can actually remember that for all Stepover being a great player for us, entertaining footwork and all, when he went outside and tried to hit the byline he always got caught by the opposing full back as he wasn't the paciest. This typically meant him having to turn and either pass it back to whoever was behind him or loop it in with his weaker right foot having checked back. The irony is that Hammell probably has got the pace to hit the byline and the left foot to whip in something decent.

Is Craggo actually getting slicker at doing his midweek BBC Scotland sports chat programme hosting or is someone just winding the autocue properly now? Oh, and did him and Buzz go to Relate counselling at any point last season?

I think Melvin to be fair on a few occasions has said Porter (or Sutton) up front with Clarky in a 4-4-2, as Sutton and Porter clearly canny play together in a front three, or indeed a front two on last nights evidence.

Cannot disagree with any of that Melvin, I would say though that I think Reynolds is still coasting the wave of the hype from his initial two seasons a bit, hence the continuing media bigging up and recent Rangers bid. I do say this with the proviso that I was one of his most vocal supporters in that period, and have said that recently that he's shading off a bit - the difficult second season syndrome (except it's his third) - which to be honest is inevitable with young players at some point. I still reckon that it'll be likely he will move on The Fizzy issue, for me he's not a wide left offensive player in the mould of Lappin, his best performances are slotting in in the middle beside Lasley and Hughes, doing the donkey work and making the odd run forward which Hughes should be able to pick out. I think he's destined to be one of the borderline squad players who polarise opinion, whether this is good enough for him who knows? Boab back in the middle is interesting, McGhee has came out in the media and said he's not as good as Lasley in the holding role based on this seasons form, hence why he's been benched until a vacancy arose in central defence. Again, I'd have to question McGhee's transfer policy on this, I could see his initial thinking in that Hughes and Boab were a ready made combo for the middle, but for me only in a 4-4-2 and only when they're both on form, which hasny happened. Yes he can offer us cover at the back, and he's actually been OK, however in terms of bang for the buck/minutes on the park for the dosh invested, he's been a huge waste of funds (see also O'Brien this season).

For me the Porter replacement thing is a bit of a moot point - Sutton was clearly signed with that in mind. Sutton and Porter don't click as part of a front three - a bit too similar, although I'd say Porter iis the better at linking play, with Sutton a more out-and-out penalty box man. As Melvin says, Sutton and Clarky should work as part of a front two, think we're struggling for personnel to do an effective front three with Rossco's departure. I think Jamie Murphy has the potential to do that role but is still a bit raw, and I would question why O'Brien was ever signed since he's more a wide man in a 4-4-2, and is still below Murphy and MMMcGarry in McGhee's pecking order for the wide front slot in a 4-3-3. Signings? A decent wide left man like Lappin would be a good shout, although see the O'Brian point - he's be even more of a waste of money in this case. The defence is kinda in injury-related limbo for me, the crux is whether Klimpl can cut it either in the centre or right back. Craggo isn't going to get any better with age, Reynolds may be off within the next year or so, depending on how Klimpl goes, a decent left sided-centre back with pace who could cover Hammell at full back would be a good shout. That kind of player doesn't come cheap or grow on trees however. Hughes should be around 'til summer but needs to sort out whatevers killing his form this season, we're pretty well covered in the rest of midfield.