Kmcalpin

Dean Cornelius?

Its ok Grizzly, I wasn't suggesting that you were. More of a comment on the relative perspectives of the different supports. We'll get a similar insight into that on Saturday.

For tomorrow, I'd reinstate Dean Cornelius to give us some drive, mobility and energy in the middle. He'd also provide VV with better support than he's been used to. Tierney might be talented but, at the moment flatters to deceive and is a bit lightweight. He's also been playing too deep (instructions?) to be of much help to VV.

If he was in charge at Fir Park, there would be massive unrest on the terraces (if there were any). He might get results but the punters would loathe and hate his brand of football.

Pretty much agree with that. However Hammell will never get the media exposure that Neilson gets and if he had said the same things it would hardly have rated a mention.

Lamie is another player who has regressed this season. In my view, and its only my view, we need 2 first pick central defenders. Lamie is the best of a poor lot. In an ideal world he'd be ok as back up, as he was at Livingston, but thats about it.

Thats a sweeping statement. I agree about Morris and Maguire, but not about the rest. In any event they're all different kinds of player. Slattery is our best midfielder and he's a good Premiership standard, but he's not performing just now - we can only guess why. Goss too is a decent player but he requires the right formation and players beside him, but thats not happening right now. Tierney is work in progress and not ready for regular first team football yet. Again not being used correctly, when he has appeared. Cornelius is a decent player who needs gametime. He brings energy and drive to the midfield which is what we need at the moment. Not sure about Spittal either way - what is his best position? He's not a winger and isn't suited to playing just behind Van Veen.

You're aware that Hammy said recently that we signed Louis Moult on loan knowing full well that he would probably never be fit enough to play a full 90 minutes for us?

At least today's performance proved that we need several players in January. Whether thats remotely possible or feasible, I don't know. For starters, a commanding centre back who can organise. In midfield some pace please and an experienced old head as an anchor in front of the defence. Oh, and two strikers.

A tad harsh and perhaps impetuous Greg, but yes you do have a point, and a valid one at that. At what stage, or date, do fans stop blaming Alexander for absolutely everything, including today's tactics, and accept that Hammy is maybe at least 1% responsible? We're making the same mistakes and have the same weaknesses game after game. The fact that he is a very popular former player shouldn't cloud folks' judgement. I've stopped listening to his post match interviews as they're tedious and all the same. As for today, why did we sit back at 2-2 and let Hearts come at us? Losing 3 goals to a ten man team just isn't acceptable and serious questions need to be asked. The squad does have serious weaknesses especially in central defence, centre midfield and up front. However its the lack of leadership and character that worries many. Something is not right. Having said that, we do have some decent players who just aren't performing and who have gone backwards - Kelly, Slattery and VV for example. I'm not saying its all Hammy's fault but..... We are stretched for bodies but we do have alternatives in midfield and I'm not sure he's getting the best out of what we have. The personnel and formation with a lone striker just doesn't seem right and it isn't working.

Some truth in that. Does KVV come deep because he likes to play like that; because he is forced due to being a lone striker without much support; or because thats his instructions? I agree about Ross Tierney and think that Dean Cornelius would be a better fit to provide more support.

I've just watched this and completely changed my mind. Its a red all day long. If Watt tried to pull out of the challenge, why did he rake his studs down Goss' shin? As far as I can tell, he simply walked off with no backchat or complaint - unlike Tony Watt eh? He knew perfectly well what he did.

A very importnat and indeed satisfying win. Watt's red card was downright wrong but this is the type of decision of we've very very rarely gotten at Tannadice over the decades and I missed it! The seethe from United fans would have made the trip worth it - a humourless and grim set of supporters if ever there was - East Stand patrons pale into insignificance by comparison. We ground out the win and that was about it. Just watched the highlights and some of our defending was horrendous. Even early on we defended far too deeply. Again missed chances. We showed United far, far too much respect with both 10 and 11 men. Still a wins a win! Happy days.

It depends what you mean by compete. If you mean win a cup or reach top 6 probably not. If you mean stay clear of relegation then maybe, just.

Thats been a feature of our play for quite some time now. I often make the same comment but am not sure if thats only how it looks. Is it down to poor awareness, organisation, instructions? As recently as the Aberdeen game last weekend they were working their socks off to close us down and harass us, where as we stood off them. Whatever the reason, why make it easy for the opposition? I know we're limited for bodies just now but the midfield mix just doesn't seem right. Slattery is off form and I just don't know where Spittal fits into the team. I'd have Dean Cornelius starting every week - he brings drive and energy to the table that we so often lack.

Aaaaarrrggghhh!

Yes it'll be a tough game- aren't they all? Largely agree about what we need but I'd add another CB to your shopping list and possibly a winger also.

A start would be to change the formation to stop VV being isolated, or at least change the personnel to suit the current system.

As others are rightly saying, surely the review should be active in order to examine the full game and not simply switch off at the final whistle. This seems a ludicrous explanation. Surely the paying public are due an explantion from the VAR staff/match officials. As it is, we don't know for sure what the actual explanation is. We don't even know if the match officials/VAR staff have even discussed it post match.

Looking at the highlights our defending is very poor. Could Kelly have made it harder for the scorer at the first goal? He seems stuck in no man's land. Even at Aberdeen's early disallowed goal, Lamie has no idea that Duk is unmarked and behind him. Their 2nd goal, you're right Spit_it_out, it starts off with Aberdeen players breaking and unmarked in midfield - no challenge or closing down at all. McGinn is left totally exposed with no cover in front of him - Spittal? He's been hung out to dry. The cross comes in and the scorer is unmarked between 2 defenders. There are several other examples in the highlighted clips. Must do better.

I'm with you; that's my understanding too. Taking a very "generous" view of the officials, is it possible that the VAR camera angle was wrong and didn't pick up the incidents? Maybe once but 2 or 3 times??

McGinn didn't looked great yesterday but as a mate pointed out he was often having to cover for others drifting out of position. That made him look worse than he actually was. Aberdeen weren't great but our defence was a bit shambolic and leaderless.

I wasn't referring to the timewasting at all i.e. feigning injury. That was cheating pure and simple, although the media will refer to it as game management. I don't think Stevie would resort to that. More along the lines that Joewarkfanclub said "once it was obvious Goodwin had set Aberdeen up to counter our set up, he didnt go and match him up. We had the players on the bench to do it and I think it would have protected our defence a little more and given us a better platform to play from. " I'm no tactician, but there were a few "faults" that were obvious from the kick off that we didn't address at all. Also, Tierney playing behind Van Veen just didn't work and hasn't worked before.

As things stand, I think we'll struggle to take much from our next 4 games. Its too early to bin Stevie yet but you're right maybe an experienced manager would help to stabilise our listing ship in the short term. He may yet turn out to be a great manager. I think JonnyMFC is exaggerating a tad when he says SH is tactically inept, but worryingly he's certainly been outfoxed a good few times most recently yesterday. I didn't like Goodwin as a player and not as a person, but he certainly had Hammell's number well and truly sussed yesterday.

Agreed. Certain members of the squad like Kelly, Lamie and Slattery have regressed. I exempt Van Veen from criticism today as he clearly wasn't fit and shouldn't have started. I know Hammell has been hobbled by injuries but he isn't playing players in their best positions and the system of 4-2-3-1 just isn't working. Today, Tierney was playing far too deep, leaving VV isolated between 2 wide players. The youngster needs to spend 6 months in the Development squad - not ready for first team football. Yes players had an off day today, but what worried me most was that we looked disorganised with a disfunctional midfield and leaky defence. From start to finish the defence looked very shaky. Anyone who thinks that our only problem is a powderpuff strikeforce is kidding themselves. Our problems lie in all parts of the team. Aberdeen weren't much better than ourselves but took the few chances that came their way. They had more pace, won more 50/50 battles and were more streetwise. For their second goal I counted 3 "mistakes" starting in midfield and culminating in McGinn having to cover 2 men. We gave them too much space and time, in danger areas. What do we do in training? The team lacks bite, energy, aggression and pace. Leadership is also sadly lacking. Presumably one of Stevie Hammell's objectives is to keep us up this season? Finally I'll refer to a bizarre incident highlighted by my good friend Spiderpig. Just as Paul McGinn was about to take a throw in front of the away dugout, Jim Goodwin reached over and pulled his jersey from the back. Even more oddly and somewhat worryingly, the 4th Official who was standing about a metre away laughed and joked with Goodwin about it. A yellow card??? If thats the standard of our officiating then we're all doomed.