Kmcalpin

Thats it for me. For some reason the pre season has been problematic, but hasn't it also been for the other clubs? A few players don't look fit and prior to the first game not many had played a full 90 minutes. Injuries have taken their toll, especially at left back. Gallagher was carrying an injury and the manager has stated pubicly that Hylton needed to get fitter. David Turnbull is clearly a bit off full fitness and is not yet able to influence games the way he did. For whatever reason , he's also playing deeper than he normally would. He'll need more game time and we'll just have to accept that he'll disappear in games for the time being. I'm not Donnelly's biggest fan but we have missed him in front of the defence. Apart from him do we have another defensive midfielder? Barry Maguire has been groomed for that role but for some reason hasn't featured. Last night our off the ball work; that is closing down, harrying and hassling wasn't good enough as we saw with Livingston's second goal where we needed to get in their faces. Offensively, the midfield hasn't been supporting the striker as it should. Jordan White is no world beater but he deserves a chance. He might make it he might not, but we need to cut him some slack. So far this season the wingers haven't really performed and have been too distant from the striker. White suffered from a lack of decent service last night. All this isn't to say that the defence and attack have been playing well, they haven't; but for me the midfield has a lot to do with our problems.

Absolutely and that for me Greg, is the main reason we failed to register a win. Although we’re limited by injuries, the midfield mix just isn’t right. Whatever O’Hara is he isn’t a defensive midfielder - he’s a box to box type. Campbell took his goal very well but couldn’t compete with the likes of Bartley and Pittman. Maybe he isn’t fully fit? Turnbull is getting there but only slowly.

Yes. White suffered badly from lack of support and decent ammunition. We had no one close enough to help him as the lone striker. If we can’t play Long alongside another striker be it Watt or White then he shouldn’t be picked. He isn’t a midfielder. Seedorf also played far too far away from White.

Apart from a couple of freezes it was fine for me. Muted the commentary at halftime though.

Absolutely. I thought Campbell and O'Hara were poor when not in possession and failed to shield a shaky defence. Wide men failed to create much as well. DT looked good in flashes but still has a long way to go. I felt sorry for Jordan White and Chris Long. They were up against a huge defence and long high balls were never going to work - wrong tactics IMHO. In the main they had to live off crumbs. Not a game on which to judge White. Overall happy with a point given the way we played tonight. It could so easily have been a loss. We couldn't match Livvy's off the ball energy and work rate. We're also off the mark goalwise.

Again where was our defensive midfiield? Standing off players.

Our defensive midfield really need to impose themselves.

Its good to go into the break a goal up but we really need to stop Livi launching so many high balls into our box where we're struggling. Encouraging to see Davie Turnbull open his account for the season but he's done little else.

Does anyone know who the commentators are?

Looks more like a 4-5-1

We're very much second best so far and the likes of Campbell and O'Hara need to step up their game.

Goal - DT!!

My thoughts exactly. Just lets get the 3 points and worry about the method afterwards.

I was thinking of Donnelly as a midfielder and therefore young Dean Cornelius would come into the reckoning. Incidentally, Stephen Robinson has said that Hylton hasn’t featured much so far because he wasn’t fully fit.

That's not good news. Maybe the only upside to that is that it'll open the door for a fringe/young player?

Very much so. First goal will be critical. Defence will be the same I'd guess, unless there are more injuries. In midfield I'd play Polworth and Turnbull for 45 minutes each. Maybe time to drop Hastie? Perhaps scope to play Watt & White up front? Doubt it will turn out that way though as I think we'll retain the 4-2-3-1 formation and go with a single front man. I thought I'd read somewhere that Donnelly was the player who is self isolating so its doubtful if he'll feature unless rumours are wrong.

Am I right in thinking that Glentoran, in common with other Irish teams, will not resume league fixtures until some time in October? Consequently, they may be a bit ring rusty.

I’ve been following the team for a wee while myself and have seen some far worse squads. The team of the late sixties being relegated to the old second division comes to mind. Alex McLeish’s team? Maurice Malpas’ team?

Welcome back Stephen.

I wouldn't say that it was worse but it was certainly poor. All in all the United goal was a team effort.

The defending on our left flank was far worse. The United player was afforded all the time and space he could reasonably ask for to whip over his cross. I just wish our wingers were given that degree of freedom.

Hartley was poor last season as was Tait, and Grimshaw, faults and all, replaced him on merit. We've got off to a poor start this season not helped by injuries. New players settling in - maybe. On paper we have a strong squad but that hasn't been translated to the pitch yet. Many keep on referring to our formation as a 4-3-3 but its not. More accurately its a 4-2-3-1 with a lone striker most usually Long, left a bit isolated. To play that formation well you have to have good link up play with the guys immediately behind but thats not happening. You also need to have specific skill sets, espcially in midfield. Long doesn't have the skills or physique to play in that role as others have said. I like him but not in that role. The wingers too aren't setting the heather on fire. The problem is that we don't know our best formation or line up. David Turnbull will obviously take some time to recover his form. There's a good quote from a post on FPC "As a deep playmaker is unlikely to work because we don't have the players around him for it do so. If he's not yet fit enough for him to play his proper game more dynamically we should either be asking him for just 45 minutes of it or leaving him out until he's actually ready." I think thats very true.

The first question is "Is Donnelly fit to play". If he isn't then its academic. We would have a choice of Mugabi, Maguire, Devine or Hussain. Personally I'd opt for one of the first two but management will know the fitness and readiness of individual players.

I’ve thought that our preferred formation was 5-4-1 but that’s. A crude assessment. Apparently it’s 4-2-3-1. The fitness of defensive personnel will be crucial tomorrow. If Donnelly is fit to play I hope it’s not in central defence.

If Sky decide to change things at the 11th hour, it shouldn’t. McGinlay now out for 4 to 6 weeks. Donnelly doubtful too.