Kmcalpin

You think it's more likely to be March or later?

Just speculation on my part but I get the feeling that something wasn't right before kick off. For almost an entire team to have a real off day does happen but is unusual. Were some players still suffering from a bug? We're they burnt out (Accies had played about the same amount of games that we had) ? Was our attitude all wrong? If players like Campbell were pulling out of challenges then something was clearly wrong. Still time to move on now.

Absolutely. By bringing on a defender and not a midfielder that told Accies we were panicking and it sent out the wrong message to our own players. For much of the second half we effectively sat too deep and played with 9 defenders. The midfield badly nèeded to push out and give the defence some breathing space. I'm not a great fan of McGuire in midfield but I think he could have added some height and freshness.

Pretty much agree with that. McGuire's limited stints in midfield have not been successful and I too see him only as a central defender but I don't know where he fits into that pecking order. I don't think that Long was ever seen as a target man that's just not his game as we saw yesterday. We need 2 out and out strikers and a defensive central midfielder.

Agree with most of your post, but this wasn't a game on which to judge them. One of our poorest performances in the last 3 or 4 years. They were given the freedom of Fir Park to do as they wanted. Other Premiership teams haven't had the same welcome extended to them that Accies had yesterday. Yes, our central midfield is certainly a concern. Alan Campbell is normally fine but he wasn't at the races yesterday. He badly needs a rest. Liam Donnelly is ok and yes we missed him but we have no other out and out decent defensive midfielder able to hold the line against bruising opponents. Take Donnelly out and we are soft as s**t in the engine room as we witnessed yesterday. I'm not 100% convinced of Polworth - ok at lower Premiership level but is anonymous when the going gets tough or when playing against better teams. O'Hara has a lot of convincing to do. If Sloth can't get a sniff of first team action now then he never will. Young guns like Cornelius and Semple deserve their chance but need to be played carefully. Was I the only one who thought that, after our substitutions yesterday, we played a 5-3-2 formation or maybe even 5-4-1?

Don't be misled. Posters have, in the main, been very restrained. The reaction I heard post match was considerably blunter and franker.

I think today proved that we need at least two strikers to add some firepower and physicality up front, given that Cole is moving on. We also need some more defensive prowess in midfield, preferably someone with height and presence given Robbo's comment. On the assumption that only Cole moves on then I'd say we need a 2 strikers a combative defensive midfield player.

Without doubt our midfield was the root cause of our poor poor display. They couldn't protect the defence, couldn't give the strikers decent service and basically looked intimidated and hid. Big faults elsewhere too of course. Options weren't great but we did have some. They may have worked or they may not. If as Robbo said he needed more physicality and height in the team, then Barry Maguire could have given that to us in midfield in place of Campbell or O'Hara. Semple or MacIver could have replaced a totally anonymous Polworth and Grimshaw could have been shunted forward into the midfield to give it some much needed bite. By bringing on Hartley that only served to encourage Accies by showing them a glass jaw or more likely that we were utterly rattled and bricking it. Scott should have been hooked at half time, if not before. Changes ought to have been made at half time as by that point the writing was well and truly on the wall. We had very limited options up front but we needed to play more on the deck than we did. Aimless high balls to Long or Hylton was never going to work. Almost the entire team looked complacent or s**t scared of Accies. Credit to Accies, they played very well off the ball and seemed to have 15 players on the pitch. Anytime and almost anywhere our player received the ball he was quickly closed down and bundled off the ball. Their long ball tactics worked a treat from the first minute to the last. Its ok having talent but you still have to work hard and get stuck in. Too many of our lads had no stomach for a battle or as Robbo hinted were physically unsuited to it. If ever we missed David Turnbull it was today - a player who can mix it with the roughest but still play football. Still, we continue to retain 3rd spot and the defeat has come at a perfect time for us, if there is such a thing. Hopefully management will have a better idea now of where personnel changes need to be made with the window opening shortly.

Gillespie for me. Did very well considering we had no midfield screen and an off form and exposed defence.

We played well for maybe 15 minutes then fell away badly. Rarely seen a team dominate us so much at Fir Park as Accies did today. We were far too complacent and were totally outfought losing almost a all 50/50 battles. Midfield were totally anonymous. Our second half substitutions only served to give Accies encouragement. Many mistakes both on and off the pitch today.

Lets just say they are er....envious of the success of our Youth Academy.

Like all of you, I hope we beat Accies comfortably, but am taking nothing for granted. As a few posters know, it would really rile them if our Academy graduates score.

Very true. The club tried very hard to find a buyer for Randolph but no English club would pay a fee for him. I was told at the time by a club official that this was because "Good keepers are ten a penny in England."

A French TV reporter? A bit embarrassing for Ross County?

Looking forward to Sunday's derby but we must take nothing for granted. Accies would like nothing more than to dampen our day. They'll prove difficult opponents as always and I doubt they'll come to Fir Park to slug it out with us toe to toe and to entertain us. Hopefully the likes of Donnelly, Long and perhaps Cole will be available. Does anyone know whats wrong with Cole and Long?

A very good team performance at a difficult venue and with a few regulars missing. Yes, the straight red card, thoroughly deserved by the way, was a pivotal point in the game but the team stuck to its task and wore County down. I've watched the TV highlights and we missed a fair few chances, as did Ross County (maybe not quite so many in their case). They can't whine about losing late goals as they did the very same to us earlier in the season. MacIver's goal was an absolute belter, and while I doubt he'll do that too often I hope it gives him the heart to kick on and not prove to be a false omen like Marc Fitzpatrick. Gallagher continues to impress and Hylton is improving. The big man is a real threat at set pieces isn't he? I hope Seedorf can find some form and consistency as he has real ability and pace. O'Hara too seems to be settling in although his opportunities so far have been limited. One of the few minuses for me was the goal that we lost. The County player who crossed the ball was in acres of space with Tait standing well off him. He was allowed time and space to pick his target who was unmarked in the danger area. Still Robbo and Keef will no doubt be analysing every mistake as well as the good things. A very satisfying game especially for those who travelled.

I assume Livingston have already informed us about this as they have high moral standards about such negotiations as we already know. On a more serious note I thought that we'd already offered both keepers deals and were awaiting their responses. We need to get one signed up fairly smartly.

Great result so credit to management and the players. Great that big Declan scored a last gasp winner. Are County regretting releasing MacIver? Our travelling support would no doubt celebrate. They deserve this reward for giving up their Boxing Day to travel up to Dingwall. Safe journey back.

We look a bit lightweight up front. If Scott gets injured we're really struggling. Hopefully some of the absentees will be fit for Sunday and there are no more bugs or injuries.

Well the transfer window opens in less than a week so what movement do posters think we'll see? Robbo has mentioned one departure and perhaps one or two coming in. Who might leave? Sloth? Cole - almost certainly. A keeper? What positions will we look to consolidate or improve? A striker? We can't discount someone leaving of course and, if that happens we don't want it to be just before the window shuts.

It'll be a tough one all right and a share of the points will be a decent result. County are a streetwise team as we all know, and of late, have had an Indian sign over us. They also tend to score a disproportionate amount of goals in the last half hour or so; so no complacency or sitting back please if we're level or ahead at the 60 minute mark. They'll have a few of their regulars, like Graham, back today so we can consign talk of their bug to history. As always I hope we can keep them well away from our penalty box and that our keeper is well protected and has little to do. You'd imagine that Polworth will start in place of Donnelly. I've no problem with any ex players of ours scoring for County against us so long as we score one more than they do and we return down the A9 with 3 points. Safe journeys to our troops.

Fair comment. From the highlights we also had a few chances and a disallowed goal. Its history now though and the 3 points are ours.

Yes, we were fortunate not to lose a goal or two but what goes around comes around as they say. Killie have worn Dick Turpin's hat more than once at Fir Park.

Any word of Liam Donnelly?

In general you might well be right, I don't know, but at Brophy's missed sitter O'Donnell is allowed free and unhindered access to our penalty box, only 10 or so yards from our goal, to cut the ball back to Brophy. If we want to sit deep then at least we should make sure that a opponents can't stroll into our box unchallenged. Still, its a small matter in the great scheme of things. No matter how hard they try, a team will always make mistakes.