CrosshillWell

Streaming well on a few of the SportsDevil sources.

If you look at Chelsea and their model of basically 'warehousing' talent, then you can see an even bigger problem. Not only are they purchasing players for their academies, young players are being bought, almost in bulk, then shipped put on loan, where good performances increase their value. Many of these Chelsea players will get nowhere near the first team squad, yet will return the club a healthy profit. A quick look at the website reveals that they had thirty five players put on loan in 2015. Sporting Lisbon are doing much the same and in Scotland look at Celtic. Did Celtic really need to buy Scott Allan or young Christie from ICT? Did they pay a fair price for them, comparitively? I'm just glad that with Moult and Johnson, our sellable assets are tied down to two year deals presently. In my time we have lost McKinnon and Lambert on Bosman transfers, watched McDonald, Pearson and Murphy go for fees which were a steal and now the question marks around Robbie Leitch at present. Hall is another one, but I suspect the compensation was a fair sum, to most on here. We produced the best Scottish footballer in a generation in McFadden, let us hope we can bring some more through our academy before the vultures circle.

I'm pretty sure we'll get it right. In McGee, Craigan, Lasley and Hammell I trust.

I'm wondering about the price of ink cartridges in Staples.

Have Kilmarnock signed eight players on loan? Anyone know what the limit is?

Just a tad concerned that it won't be pretty come 1645, Haggis.

I'll reserve judgement on applying the term 'joke' until after Saturday.

We were six days away from a cup fixture on Sunday and we were so off the pace it was frightening. Only Johnson and Thomas got pass marks in my eyes, you really had to be there to see how awful it was. The match report on the club website angered me as it read like some propoganda piece and conveyed a match I don't actually believe was the one I watched, such was the bizarre claims that we put them under pressure as they planted three goals past us in forty minutes. I have a lot of faith in Mark McGee, but Sunday was such a pitiful performance I'm actually concerned that we'll get pumped on Saturday and we'll hear more 'up to speed' narrative spouted.

Yet Griezmann just played his seventieth game of the season last night. Okay, so it is a different level of athlete, but our professional footballers are meant to be athletes none the less. On the Easter Road showing, I'm certain many of the SPFL teams will be much fitter than us.

Other teams have already played competitive European qualifiers, not heard other managers bemoaning that.

At Easter Road yesterday we looked unfit and hopeless accross the whole team. I don't know what Rangers team will feature against us, but on yesterday's performance we could get hammered. I still don't get this argument of being fit for August, we play in a competitive domestic cup in Saturday.

We've known all sumer that the league cup kicks off next weekend, yet McGee wants to be ready for the game on 6th of August? We were played off the park by a much fitter Hibs team and we failed in all areas after the second minute. It was a bit like watching England v Iceland in the respect that we didn't seem to have any strategy, shape, focus or game plan. Then we started pumping long balls up to our forwards of McDonald and Ainsworth who were playing against six foot plus defenders. If Hibs had taken some more of their chances and Samson hasn't made some crucial stops, we could have been right or nine goals down and that would not have flattered the opposition. It was a calamitous display that was horrible to watch.

I'm afraid it was a rather inept performance with all players failing. They looked a lot less fit than Hibs and a lot less hungry. McHugh seemed unable to take the ball with his back to goal and turn. McMannus was woeful. Heneghan seemed lost. Tait was exposed as his right side centre back was as explained. I'd carry on except I've had a few beers and I'd rather concentrate on having dinner and watching the Euros....

Horrendous performance. Reminded me of the Malpas regime.

Totally lacking in ideas. Pumping long balls up to Ainsworth and McDonald. Truly awful.

4-1 now. Carved apart at every opportunity. Johnson off injured.

Should have been four there....

Heneghan and McMannus together are a nightmare to watch.

Defending has been shocking.

3-1 down.

Moult and Laing not in squad for today.

Maybe we might play a midfield three with McHugh and Lasley/Campbell holding and maybe Thomas getting a chance through the middle? I'd like to see Cadden in that role too. Moore seems to give us mobility that Moult or Blyth might not, so I'm hopeful we'll see him feature this season. Ainsworth has been posted as missing in the few friendlies played. Kept help but feel that his time at the club is up. Gifted player who can lack any application at all in many games. I live between Easter Road and Leith Walk, so this will be the closest game to me all season probably. Hibs are a expecting a good turnout today so hopefully we thrash them.

Funds freed up from both Law and Pearson. Hopefully we might get some compensation for Leitch.

I think Kennedy would benifit from a loan spell at Championship level or below. He really needs to see physical, competitive action.

Difference is that Casagolda was an unknown striker that was worth a punt. Another was McDonald.