MelvinBragg

With Ainsworth and Hammell out, I can live with that...

Saunders is another, like Forbes, that I thought would go on to much better things. I also agree about Stevie Nicholas. Going further back, when Greig Denham broke through, I remember thinking he'd go on to have a good career...

It's worked for them with Robertson and Mackay-Steven. Also Celtic did it with McGeady. I always wonder if we'd have managed the same with Saunders but for injuries. It's certainly a change of approach. A few times recently we've gone for players not deemed good enough at bigger clubs (Angol, Cummins, Page, Kerr, Thomas and even this season Kennedy and Laing). Be interested to see if looking for the best players from smaller clubs works out better...

Interesting question is, was McDonald rested last week or was he not picked due to poor form..?

I'd add Luc Nijholt in the first semi final against Celtic in 91 as a superb defensive performance...

I don't disagree but the fact that his latest "replacement" is no more ready for the job than previous deputies was more the point I was trying to make. If we could squeeze one more season out of Hammell while hopefully our coaches (and watching Hammell) helps Chalmers improve, then that'd help. Having said that McGhee helped turn Jim Paterson into a passable left back so maybe we shouldn't write off Chalmers too soon..

On the basis of Saturday, his best eleven should not include McDonald or Johnson right now, that is clear. For me Grimshaw did reasonably well although his distribution could have been better on occasions. Kennedy has potential, even if he has a few rough edges. Ainsworth is one player who seems to be playing to close to his potential this season. Just wish he'd be a bit more disciplined in staying wide rather than drifting infield. Like the look of both Moult and Fletcher despite them being starved of service this season. Sadly neither looks cut out for playing wide in a 433 so most weeks, it'll be one or the other. 433 should also consign McDonald to the bench. Not a player to lead the line. As someone has said elsewhere, may need to look at addressing the imbalance in the squad in January. More negatives. For anyone who likes to point out Hammell's flaws (and we know he has some), any time anyone comes in to play left back in his absence be it Angol, Straker, Chalmers, they never look half the player he does. Is he perfect? Not at all, but he's still the best left back at the club by some distance. Chalmers is young but right now looks far from ready. Johnson, as others have pointed out, looks half the player he did last season or even in preseason against PNE. McGhee will have to try and figure out what is wrong with his head and/or fitness and address it. Even in poor form this season, he's scored a goal, has an assist and won a penalty. More than some have contributed. Which brings me to the guy that missed that penalty. For those who said McDonald was being played out of position, I ask why that prevents him from passing to a Motherwell man ten yards away (I know he's not alone in this, but he's our "star player" that I suspect we've pushed the boat out for) or controlling a football? For me dropping him on Saturday wasn't a bold decision. On form, it was the obvious decision. Moving on, Laing in midfield may work long term but is the middle of a relegation battle the place for him to learn the position? McGhee may not know who's his best eleven after Saturday's game. But he probably has a better idea of who's not in it...

Tom Hateley, like him or not, another player that served us well that Gannon signed...

Pretty sure Hutchinson only played one or two games under McGhee. Murphy, I'll give you...

To be honest, when he was played as a centre forward when Fletcher was injured, that looked to be the case...

Thinking 442 with Law at right midfield and Kennedy at right back. 352 with Johnson playing in midfield (assuming Law and Chalmers as WBs) would be beyond mental..

Who was Hibs goalie that night? Can picture the guy buy can't remember his name. Ross McCormack lobbed him despite him being well over 6ft...

A few crackers been mentioned already. I'd add.. 4-1 against Hibs, Faddy's first goal on his return and Higginbotham's belter. Beating Partick 4-3 season before last with McManus' late goal. Remember jumping about with my wee boy in my arms both of us going mental. Remember thinking that it doesn't get better than this...

I agree. It's crass and also irrelevant. But that should also apply to those within and outwith the club using it as evidence of how great a guy he is/was. Should all be about his football management ability. Was never his biggest fan first time around but he starts with a clean slate and I'll judge him on how he does this time. I'll admit there were some fantastic performances under him last time (away to Hibs in the league cup was my particular favourite) but there were also some stinkers (St Mirren in the Scottish cup a particular low). But those were different times and a different team so let's see what he can do with this one. As others have said, with the plethora of strikers, I'll be interested if he can create the same sort of attacking team that he did last time round. Moult reminds me of Chris Porter so you never know. Defence? Well, he wanted a big dominant centre back and we have Kennedy who looks like he fits the bill. Luke Watt? Can McGhee straighten out his alleged attitude problems? Midfield will be the interesting area. Will he see something in Jake Taylor or will he stick with Lasley and Pearson? Where will the likes of Leitch, Grimshaw, McLean and Cadden feature in his thinking? While he wouldn't have been my first pick for the job, I await with interest to see what decisions he makes...

I appreciate that they work every Saturday (and I'm sure sports scientists recommend rest periods) but would it kill players to come in on a Wednesday for a few hours, maybe even do some tactical work, study videos of upcoming opponents... Just a suggestion, obviously...

Craigan or Leitch number two then?

Any word on the backroom staff? Robinson staying as assistant?

Bob Malcolm. Maros Klimpl. Michael Fraser. Playing Stephen Hughes at left wing in a cup game against St Mirren...

I was never his biggest fan first time around. And right now I fear what this will do to our proposed strategy of bringing through young players. Don't recall too many of our own youths getting a chance under McGhee last time round...

McBookie seem to think it's a three horse race between Dickov, Valakari and McGhee but they're probably getting their info from on here...

Darren Randolph..

That I don't know. Yet... But from what I've heard, Valakari doesn't sound like one of the two. Just my impression...

I've been told that it's a (very) shortlist of two...

I kind of see what you're saying there but the other way to look at it is if we bring in a known face who knows the players (and their reputations), then it may not be the fresh start we may need. A fresh set of eyes may be what we need. Having said that, if United are going for Wright, I'd be surprised if we went for Valakari ahead of Paataleinen...

Whose twitter? A lot of shoit posted on there...