Joeboy

Yeah I thought he was a standout on his Scotland debut. His stock is obviously not very high at the moment and I do agree when I have seen him this season I haven't exactly been impressed. However, we have seen McGhee get the best out of struggling, out of form players before and I think he could possibly fit that bill.

I'm sure many of you will have seen yesterday that Dundee Utd are releasing all but five of their players. Very much slim pickings looking at the list, but I'd possibly take Paul Dixon. Personally, I don't think I'm in a place to have a balanced opinion on Chalmers, coincidentally most of the games I have missed this season have been the ones which he has started. I have only seen him start four times, one at left mid against Dundee Utd in August. However, those who have seen him don't give him sparkling reviews and maybe I should be blessed I haven't seen much of him. If he isn't up to the task and we can get him off the wage bill, I probably would take Dixon. Had you asked me a year ago I'd have taken Charlie Telfer, but his stock seems to have fallen and it doesn't look like he achieved much even on loan at Livingston. On a side note, there is some chat on Pie and Bovril about us recently following Will Vaulks of Falkirk and Stuart Bannigan of Partick on twitter. While I wouldn't think there's anything majorly substantial in a twitter follow, a quick glance suggests to me that we don't follow any players who haven't played for us!

In the past I've never even thought about the renewal process and just walked in with my money and paid. However, for the first time in 20 years I'm close to deciding that I won't renew. This season's increase means that if I miss two home games over the course of the season, which unfortunately is inevitable for me, then I am cheaper paying at the gate. Part of me feels bad about the fact the club needs the income generated by season ticket sales in the summer, but at the end of the day, taking away any emotional attachment, I am a customer of a business. The increase in price means that buying a season ticket has little or no incentive for me. Strangely, this decision comes off the back of me enjoying all of the games I have been to recently. I can't see a time where I would choose to sit in the house, or in the pub, while we are playing at home and I can actually make it, so I don't see my motivation for attendance waning. The increase might seem minimal and my actions might seem drastic, but in truth there just is no value in buying a season ticket unless you can guarantee that you'll be at every game.

Last season I would have taken Moore in front of Theo Robinson and although I hold his first spell at the club in very high regard, David Clarkson. With hindsight, I would have had him in front of Wes Fletcher in the pecking order too, although I did believe at the time he would be a decent signing. I think he was deserving of a chance to be backup and given how things have panned out, over the course Moore could have replicated the aforementioned trio's achievements with us this season and quite possibly bettered them. However, now he has a season of playing week in, week out behind him, with a goal ratio better than one in two, he's in a better place to be backup and I see the logic in giving him a new deal as it probably represents better value than seeking a backup striker. For anyone fearing it turning into Bob McHugh, who we no doubt held on to too long, Moore has had two loan spells where he has scored regularly (7 in 12 and 14 in 26), whereas Bob McHugh didn't get sent on loan until he was 23 and we were trying to punt him. Where Leitch is different from Moore I suppose is that I can see Moore coming off the bench and knicking a goal. I can see Leitch come off the bench and slot in the middle steadily, but perhaps without making a major impact. I would be sad to see Leitch go, I do like him as a player and I think there have been times he hasn't had a fair crack of the whip, but I can't see us offering a deal. I think Lasley is probably the biggest obstacle in Leitch getting a new deal to be honest. With Lasley nearing 37, I doubt either will be first choice next year and I doubt we would have both kicking about as backups with the highly rated Campbell emerging.

I don't expect much to movement in the way this summer. I expect Samson to be number one. We may sign a back up keeper if McGhee doesn't have faith in Long to be number 2, which is quite possible. If Hammell, McManus and Hall sign new deals we are more than adequately covered in defence. As much as I think Lasley will sign a new deal, I think we will sign a central midfielder to be first choice alongside Pearson, given Lasley's age. With Cadden also there and Campbell emerging I think that leaves us covered there. Wide positions we have Ainsworth, Cadden, Johnson and Thomas with the possibility of MacLean emerging, so I'd say we're covered there too. I personally wouldn't be that against us looking at a striker for cover, but also think it's plausible if Moore has been offered a new deal that the four will be McDonald, Moult, Mackin and Moore. The only two with beneficial sell on value in the squad just now for me are potentially Moult and Johnson, if we sell either, we will possibly try and replace them. So, all in all, a central midfielder and a backup goalkeeper are the most likely to arrive by my reckoning.

Lasley has had a very good season, very effective when played in the correct role with suitable players beside him. Hammell has had the odd fault over the course of the season, but we are a far better team with him, than without him. While it's time to maybe think of replacing him long term, he's definitely worth another year. Our attempts to replace him in Chalmers, Francis-Angol and Straker show how difficult a job replacing him is. McDonald is a no brainier. McManus, I am not his biggest fan, in fact I have been highly critical of him over the past two seasons. The most annoying thing is how good he can be, but isn't so often. However, I do think I judge him on how good I think Stephen McManus should be, rather than how good a 33 year old Motherwell centre back should be. If our other three centre backs are to be Laing, Kennedy and Hall, then they will need experience. For all his shortcomings, remarkably I do think he will be tough to replace and could be talked into keeping him for continuity's sake alone.

I wouldn't buy another one until our kit suppliers change anyway. The quality of the macron gear is honkin.

I think for compensation you need to offer him at least what he is on at the minute.

I think Ferguson, Moore and Leitch are shoe ins to be released to be honest. Leitch was unlucky, both with his major injury last year and being dealt a bad hand by Baraclough with the signing/immediate inclusion of Jake Taylor. But as someone approaching 21 who didn't play a minute of first team action between September and March, I'd say the writing is on the wall for him. If he gets a chance and makes an impression post split then maybe that could change, but I doubt it. Moore was always one that I thought would flourish for us, I watched the 20s a lot in the season he was scoring for fun and watching him and Bob McHugh playing in that team, I thought there was a marked difference from McHugh scoring goals because he was more developed than most of the opposition and Moore scoring goals and generally having a bit about him. An injury when it happened did really cost him and he was another who was dealt a bad hand by Baraclough signing strikers like Fletcher, Robinson and Clarkson who have had little impact. However, that said, with him being 22 this year and being too old to play for 20s, along with the purse strings supposedly being tightened, I don't McGhee offering him anything. He has scored a goal every other game at Ayr roughly, right enough. I know he has only had three starts for the first team, but when I've seen Ferguson play at the top level he has looked really out of his depth. He has since been ousted in the young defender pecking order by both Hall and Watt. I personally see no benefit to keeping him on.

When we beat Accies 4-0 at Fir Park last season, I thought Gordon was outstanding in the first half then absolutely bowfin in the second half. Any talk of letting Hammell go is off for me. This chat seems to be forever recycled on this thread but he deserves another year for me. Our team is far better with than without him and even if he is getting on a bit, he isn't exactly easy to replace as Francis-Angol, Straker and Chalmers seem to have proved.

http://stv.tv/sport/football/1338026-out-of-contract/ A list of players who are out of contract from the Premiership in the summer. I wonder who is realistically within our reach. I think we'll sign a midfielder so Bannigan or Osman from Thistle are two players I'd be interested in. There are a few decent right backs on the list, which no doubt will have half our posters salivating at that prospect, but for me if we sign Hall, Hammell and McManus on new deals, there won't be any room for defensive arrivals. Other than that I can see us being interested in goalkeepers and forwards, none on that list appear to jump out, unless anyone would take Scott Brown from Aberdeen. Although it wouldn't inspire me, I wouldn't be that surprised to have Samson as number one next season. Edit- just noticed the boy Schalk from Ross County, I'd probably take him.

I am also a bit of a part time Coventry supporter and having seen seven Cov games this season (four in the flesh, three on TV), I would say league one probably has a better standard of player than the SPFL, certainly in the top half anyway. However, Coventry trying to get the ball on the deck and play football is often the exception, rather than the rule. It is often filled with tough players up for a battle whose technical limitations would count against them at a higher level. Although the product itself isn't always the easiest on the eye, I'd say there's at least more attempt to play good football in the SPFL.

Having watched them back there, I agree partially with you. Against Inverness, he certainly could have been positioned better. However, Tremarco got made a massive run from left back to get into that position, you have to ask why none of our midfielders or forwards spotted it and made any effort to match his run or help Law out. The one against St. Johnstone is unfortunate. Perhaps he should have put a tackle in, but it's a dangerous game diving in, in a situation like that. He was beaten a bit easily though, I'll give you that. I guess my point is that I think the criticism of him is over the top. I think every defender in our team has made mistakes this season which directly caused goals, but people seem all too keen to continually bring up Law's. I think he is a steady right back, not the best we've had, not the worst we've had and probably about the standard we can expect/deserve. I too was impressed with Laing's spell at right back and would like to see him develop into first choice right back, but I certainly don't "dread" seeing Law's name on the team sheet and I'm more than happy to see him play a part in our squad.

I think Josh Law gets a really unwarranted bad press on this forum. He's not Cafu, but I think he's a steady right back who does a good job. I bet many other teams would like to have a right back on six assists.

It's funny how people see games differently. I thought he was ineffectual against St. Johnstone and it served to highlight how crucial a player for us McDonald actually is. Either way, the little impact he has, I would rather promote a young striker or look elsewhere. I know goals don't count for everything as a striker, using the season Ojamaa was terrific and only scored four goals as an example, but Fletcher's stats from last season, even when fit are far from staggering. He went through a spell of scoring once in 21 games at one point.

I guess it all depends on what you are judging McManus on. I have been pretty much his biggest critic since he joined, but I am probably judging him as a multiple league winning ex Scotland captain and not as a bog standard centre half. I had little complaints in his first season, but he was playing with a higher calibre of centre half in Hutchy and on the face of it, despite finishing second we were still conceding an average greater than 1.5 goals a game. His mistakes or lapses are probably ones I'd be more forgiving if a Fraser Kerr or Kieran Kennedy made them, but from his pedigree we should expect more. Another thing that goes against him is that I expected young/inexperienced centre backs to progress as a result of playing beside him. Hall looks like he is on the right track now, but other than him, can you really say Cummins, Kerr, O'Brien, Laing or Kennedy have looked noticeably better with his influence? Is Stephen McManus the player we expected him to be? Definitely not. Is Stephen McManus as good a player as we can expect to get in his position? Sadly, probably.

He's not what you expect from a three times league winner, who has played in the last sixteen of the Champions League twice, earned twenty six Scotland caps and was once subject of a seven figure transfer fee! I hope that recurring line will help you through your afternoon break, Desp!

Pearo is under contract next season anyway.

McManus is a weird one, I've been critical of him all season and don't think he has been the player we thought we had signed, but we do need experience in our backline. I don't mind the idea of one of Hall/Laing/Kennedy playing, but not the idea of two of them playing at the one time. As much as I think McManus has been totally lacklustre this season, I am left asking myself if we could get a better replacement. I know that sounds incredibly strange. I think the discussion is all hypothetical right enough, as he is a shoe in to get a new deal anyway! As for Lasley and Hammell, I'd give both new one year deals, with focus on coaching. Lasley has proven he can still be very effective when used correctly (see the last couple of games as a key example of this) and despite Hammell's injury record of late and him not being as young as he once was, we have proved time and time again to be a far worse team with anyone else at left back and even still I'd struggle to name you many left backs from league I would take ahead of him.

At the "class of 02" q&a night Lasley singled him out as one to watch. Sounds like a midfield terrier.

It was his fourth (Kilmarnock, Celtic, Partick, Accies) but generally I agree. Regarding pens, I think it's good to just make your mind up and go with it. It may have crossed his mind that McGovern may expect him to change direction as he hit one last week. The penalty was well hit, right in the corner and I'm happy to write it off as a good save by the keeper.

Yeah, it's even stricter than 20s I think. Hence why Jack Leitch (still 20 until July) isn't eligible. I think it might still have the age rules that the under 19s league did before the 20s was introduced. I'm torn on this one to be honest. Was discussing it with a couple of mates last night. On the one hand, if both are playing every week in the first team then they should be spared of their youth duties, but on the other hand, both will have played in most of the previous rounds and it might seem like they are being punished for being good while their mates get an unforgettable experience. Plus, they could also add a lot of value to the side. Also depends on their first team commitments around that date and where we are in the league by that point.

I wonder if McGhee is wavering between the side who have won the last two, or the side who beat United 3-0 in a different shape a couple of weeks ago. Personally, I'd like to see us go unchanged, with the game being on our own turf and take the game to them.

Yeah, McDonald was immense. When he is part of a front two we are at our best, not as a lone striker, not in the daft role Baraclough deployed him in. Seeing how we played at McDiarmid Park without him last week reinforced for me, how vital he actually is. I think that was his 7th assist on Saturday too, as well as 11 goals. Also, I thought Lasley had his best game all season and that deserved a mention.

I thought that myself. Higher class of pundit this week on it.