Kmcalpin

According to the Sunday Mail, he's out for 5 months or thereabouts. Knee damage.

Whatever he might or might not be, he certainly isn't a defensive midfielder.

I think it was originally reported that McGinley was out for between 4 and 6 weeks (with a groin problem?). So that basis he should be available again from mid September onwards.

Good analysis of the goals that we lost. Many of the goals we lose are down to standing off opponents, not covering and giving them too much room. I’m not suggesting our lads charge about like headless chickens but they need to up their work rate to close opponents down when we’re not in possession.

A fair bit, though not all, of our inability to hit the net is down to lack of ammunition from the wingers and other midfielders. Even our set pieces such as corners have been largely ineffective.

Its not uncommon to be searching for your best 11 until say late September. However this season we have suffered several bad injuries and that has not helped continuity nor solidity. That said, we still don't seem to know the best formation, be it 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 to field. That, I do find odd. The defence has been unsettled due to new players and injuries and I understand that. Some of the strikers are new and I get that they may take a little time to settle. However its the midfield that baffles me. It just isn't functioning well and its the same players we had last season (Campbell, O'Hara, Polworth, Hylton, Seedorf). Hastie being the exception. Its the misfiring midfield thats the root of many of our current problems. On paper we have a stronger squad than last season and I was expecting better things but it just hasn't turned out that way at all. Yes, we've suffered injuries in a key area but something just doesn't seem right.

Today's Sunday Mail. Not mine's I hasten to add. Out for 5 months with a knee injury, picked up in training. I'd forgotten about Barry Maguire, the "Forgotten Man". If he can't break into the team now when can he?

My feelings as well, although maybe had we not gone to 4-3-3 we might have ended up with a slightly better goal difference - who knows. Its becoming plain that Mark O'Hara is being played out of position. He's a box to box player not a defensive midfielder. Liam Donnelly is not returning anytime soon . We have several options there. A) Try out young Dean Cornelius there (today was maybe not the game to do that); B) switch with Allan Campbell; or c) get in a new player, preferrably on loan until Donnelly returns after new year. At any rate something needs to be done. I'm not really in favour of spending any of DT's transfer income on getting in new players, but a short term loan deal for a midfielder might be an exception.

Is Donnelly not out of commission for 4/5 months?

Give him a chance. He's only played one competitive game.

Has Hastie ever played wing back before?

Likewise. In his appearances so far he's done the square root of nothing.

Yes we'll have to improve our work rate when not in possession. That means closing players down, getting in their faces and annoying them, denying them space and time, cutting out needless crosses and not defending too deeply. A tall order tomorrow but it can be done. We'll have to bottle up the wings, something we're not good at. Certainly, I'd be worried at starting Grimshaw. Given the number of substitutes allowed, Yes, I'd be telling our front men to run themselves into the ground for 45 minutes.

I too picked up on rusty / tardy stanchions and struts and thought that they’d seen better days. Whilst the piecemeal appearance of the 4 stands looks odd to say the least it’s the poor facilities in the 2 oldest stands that get to me. In short there’s no feasible solution to upgrading the POD and John Hunter stands. It rankles with me that a significant proportion of our future budgets will go to maintaining, not improving, these out of date structures.

I’m sure the deal would have been nearing completion a day or two before our Euro tie. Had we played him he may have picked up a slight knock at worst or at best tired him self out. As it is he will be fresh for Sunday, benefitting his new employers.

I've regarded Fir Park as my second home for over 60 years now. Its the one constant in my life, and I really love the old girl, but her time has come and gone. I agree Pepper that we need to move. Nostalgia and sentimentailty are one thing but future fans will want decent and up to date facilities and rightly so. I doubt we'll move anytime soon but it has to happen.

I'm pretty sure that we decided not to select DT for last night's game a day or two before he actually signed for the dark side.

Am I right in thinking that Celtic signed Phil O'Donnell just before our Euro game against Borussia Dortmund in 1994 and he didn't play for us in that match?

In the interests of sporting integrity, I hope that Celtic don't select DT on Sunday, or if they do, he doesn't actually play.

A very good result and we progress to the next round as a seeded team so thats the important thing. The game itself was a mixture of positives and negatives though. I didn't think the line up and formation was right and the two wing backs looked uncomfortable especially Grimshaw. A good decision to hook him. We looked vulnerable down the wings and the midfield struggled at times to compete with a competitive Glentoran engine room. They also looked good in in the air in both boxes and caused us some trouble there. We did however look better up front with 2 strikers. Good to see Long get on the scoresheet and look sprightly. It should boost the strikers' confidence. Until Glentoran had a man red carded it was very close and they could have scored a couple of goals and a further couple just after they went down to 10 men. After that they tired and wilted and we moved up a couple of gears. Something still not right about the team though and the scoreline shouldn't mask our weaknesses.

What cash do we earn for progressing? Is there a payment per round?

5-1 full time and a morale boosting win although there were a few concerns again tonight in midfield and defence. Glentoran deserved their goal as they caused us some trouble earlier in the game. We progress. COYW!

Maybe Glentoran are tiring but its great to score 4.

Well, with a single exception our corners have been woeful. Glentoran are finding too much space and we need to put more effort in off the ball, to deny them that. Please keep the ball on the deck!

Adam Livingstone signs for Cove Rangers. Good luck Adam!