Kmcalpin

A toss up between Big Mick and Ben Hall for me. Despite receiving little protection from their full backs and midfield they held firm in the face of unrelenting pressure. Mick shades it because he did his best to organise others.

I assume that the Police are quite happy for us to travel? Heavy snow where I am here in the east.

We've heard that kind of story before haven't we? Probably an agent involved somewhere to stir up a salary auction.

A reasonable team line up and probably my choice - maybe only other option is Laing coming in to replace Cadden, and that could be a double edged sword. Yes, we did lack confidence last week just look at the first goal - we were like a tortoise in its shell. The players also need to work a bit harder but I think that is gradually coming. I like Pearo and Cadden looked very promising but the problem is that they seem to be very alike in that they're both box to box players. We still lack a defensive central midfield player and Pearo looks most uncomfortable in what is an absolutely critical role. If Mark McGhee can solve that problem short term we're in with a shout if he can't then we'll struggle.

It depends if Mark McGhee rates of any of them though. Lets see who have we got? Josh Law (first choice but just ok); Kieran Kennedy (largely untested but didn't play well there last week); Craig Reid (totally out of favour); Luke Watt (a right back but not ready yet in the boss's eyes); Stevie Hammell (not a right back). You may well be right time will tell. If we sign 2 or more players and none is a right back it'll be interesting which positions are targetted.

Presumably centre midfield and right back? If its right back we have to decide if its to replace Josh Law or to deputise for him. If we aim to sign more than one this month, I'd rather invest in 2 quality ones than in 3 "ok" ones. In the medium term we also need a left back.

I suspect we'll some late activity. Yes, last minute steals can and have happened but I believe the club usually draws up a list of targets for each position the manager wants to fill. Its just a case then of working our way through them - maybe at the last minute if we are gazumped.

AF = acronym fatigue?

Point AF??? Single Point Autofocus?

Good moves so far that will free up some wages. We will be a bit light up front but I guess central midfield will be a priority along with a right back maybe?

I just got round to watching the highlights tonight and no way is Cadden to blame for the first goal. We packed the 6 yard box and our right side but the left side was totally exposed and unoccupied. In short we defended far too deeply and young Cadden was left to cover 2 men yards apart. Not right that he was left to carry the can.

Fair comment. Many of us suspected that he might be shifted on during the transfer window. As you say it'll save a wage albeit that he'll receive some compensation.

Really? Please don't patronise me. You obviously know me better than I do myself!

Hammell and Lasley are different kinds of players. As far as Hammell is concerned, he is very much a mixed bag. First and foremost he is a defender and full back. Defensively however I would say that he is lower Premiership / Championship standard. It has never been the strong part of his game. All too often he is caught out of position, and by that I don't mean up the park when we are on the attack. He's also prone to being caught out frequently on the wrong side of a player for example. I've no doubt that he is one element (of many to be fair) in our poor defensive record in recent years. That said I do prefer him to the likes of Straker or Chalmers. Attacking wise he is a different kettle of fish and is a good mid Premiership standard. He had a bit of pace, and has always been good bombing up the wing or as an option for out ball. All this is only my opinion of course although I know some others agree and yet others disagree. But... the proof of the pudding and all that. If he likes playing in Scotland fair enough nothing wrong in that. However if he was of an upper Premiership standard you'd have thought the likes of Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen or Dundee United would have snapped him up but they never have. So that tells us something. To be fair they may have spoken to him but he refused to move because he likes out club so much ...I don't know.

Hammell and Lasley have been good servants to the club and these days players tend to be more mercenary and move on more often; thats just the nature of the game now. The truth is though that they have been good club players no more no less. In terms of quality probably mid Premiership. They both flirted with English Championship clubs but failed to make the grade. Had they been a bit better ie Paul Quinn / Jamie Murphy / Mark Reynolds standard then they would have moved on to bigger clubs (Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs years ago). In terms of quality they have been a good match with the club's status for the past 10/15 years and provided us with a good degree of continuity and stability. We have been able to bring in established pros of a similar and slightly higher standard (Porter and Humphrey for example) but have been unable to retain them.

Would we be looking for a nominal fee for Robinson or just settle for getting him off the wage bill?

According to STV, the SFA approached Accies a week or two back to suggest the game be played at NDP. Accies gave them a provisional yes but never confirmed that and now they've changed their mind.

Yes, good point - they do and thats why its puzzling for me that we can't seem to find any players in this mould. Jim Gannon did indeed sign Jennings but did Stuart McCall not award him an extension?

Interesting. I don't think he's played that badly. I would have thought that there are areas of more concern than central defence. McManus and his partner are constantly left exposed by the central midfield and the 2 full backs failing to cut out unnecessary crosses. Sort out those 2 areas of concern and our goals against tally will plummet. Certainly at Tynecastle McManus and Hall received no protection at all. Personally I'd try to keep the defence together just now given injuries and departures.

Yes it will be interesting. Will it be a talented creative midfielder in the Nicky Law mould; will it be a defensive hard man like Steve Jennings or Stewart MacLaren; or an upmarket Mark Fitzpatrick type quiet grafter like Liam Grimshaw. What about a useful jack of all trades type as a replacement for Keith Lasley?

Overall, I agree but it depends what our managers have been looking for and ultimately their views on how the game should be played. Mark McGhee likes a strong powerful midfield and he's right, saying a few years ago "every team needs a hard midfielder to stand on heads". He also knows we are weak there and likely to become even weaker unless action is taken. As I've written elsewhere, the midfield is a complex area of a team and needs the right mix of players there. One of my favourite players in the past was Vic Davidson but theres no way I'd want 3 or even 2 of his type in a midfield. Despite signing Steve Jennings, Stuart McCall did not like hard, defensive midfielders and did not go down that route. When Jennings departed he was not replaced. From what I've been led to believe, and yes its an unconfirmed rumour, Ian Baraclough signed Theo Robinson in preference to forking out the cash for Jackson Irvine. So I'm just not sure what kind of midfield Stuart McCall and Ian Baraclough actually wanted. Ostensibly it does seem that defensive midfielders are like gold dust but I'm not so sure. An oversimplification I know but successful sides like Inverness, St Johnstone and Ross County all have hard, physical and hard working midfields who get wired in or if that isn't enough, put the boot in in a surreptitious manner and their approach is based on that type of engine room.

I don't think Ross County are better than us. Looking at the 2 squads I'd say we are the more talented and therefore potentially better. However they are perhaps better organised and more solid. At the moment they are making more of what they've got, but I'm confident that will change as Mark McGhee learns more about his players and implements his changes.

The way to deal with that is to continually coach players to eradicate their weaknesses and if that doesn't work replace them. Not my words.

I should qualify what I wrote. At this point in time he isn't as good as Pearo, and may never be, who knows. However he made a reasonable start yesterday no more no no less. As you say some have gone overboard. I've always been a great believer in replacing like with like, as far as possible as it keeps the teams shape consistent. As things stand, if Pearo is out for a game or perhaps two I think young Cadden would make a reasonable deputy. I'd rather play him again than another more experienced defensive midfielder (if we had two) or another experienced winger. More than any other area of the team midfield has got to be a blend of the right kind of players and its that that is causing Mark McGhee some trouble at the moment. The midfield wasn't right at Tynecastle and it wasn't right yesterday. He seems to be going through a process of trial and error to find out what combination works and what one doesn't and thats entirely right. So far he's found out what doesn't work although it is a matter of degree. My ideal midfield, if there is such a thing, would comprise a speedy winger, a fit box to box versatile player, a defensive and mobile hardman, and a creative type.

If we can strengthen the midfield this week I'm optimistic of taking something from the game otherwise I'll be more pessimistic. Still we're due a bit of good luck and I don't care how we take something from the match.