Well 4 Europe

Never trust a rumour on deadline day...

Think once we sign Daley that might be our lot, would like another option up top on loan but can't see it happening. To be honest I would be fairly pleased with our squad, a bit thin but one of the best non OF 11's in the league and in reserve would have Clancy, Forbes, Hollis, Page & Daley all with decent experience and capable, we also have the likes of Carswell, McHugh & Lawless. I think if we stay lucky with injuries and suspensions we could challenge for Europe. As I say I'm hoping rather than expecting to get another player in, however my biggest hope is that nobody leaves between now and the end of the window..

Yes, I believe I heard or read McCall say that he's signed the contract and it was just the work permit holding the deal up.

You're quite right I could have, I didn't but I could have.

Will wait til after the Scotland game to give my thoughts..

Forgot I'd bumped this. Anyway I thought Higdon showed what a good player he is when he has support, when he's not isolated and expected to plough a lone furrow up front by himself he's a good player. The first goal showed his abiltiy, first the return ball with the outside of his foot and then to carry on his run and sweep the ball in with his weaker foot showed quality. His second was case or right place right time but that in itself is a skill. As for the whole him versus Sutton debate, they are different players but it's hard not to compare considering they are/were are main strikers. For me Sutton was more of a workhouse, where as I feel Higdon is the better footballer and I am personally glad we have him. As for the who will score more debate Sutton wasn't even quoted today for Hearts with Smith and Robinson both on the bench before him. Rumours going about a Hearts forum that Sergio doesn't think that Sutton fits in with his style of play, it was started by that nugget Ewan Cameron from Real Radio though who has been known to spout shite. However it appears life is not all rosy for our John. Our Michael on the other hand... 3 in 6 and joint top of the league

Great atmosphere, great football & a great win. Some good football, Pars didn't have a sniff until a fortunate freak goal brought them back into it. Without that they could still be playing just now and not scored, thought they were easily the worst team we've played this season. Clancy slotted in well considering he's only been here a day. Jennings bossed the midfiled, Law was classy as usual. Murphy started bright but faded as oppossed to the Humph who had a dodgy start but grew into the game, visibly lifted by his goal(what a peach as well) and I'm sure he appreciated the backing he got from the fans. Always been a big fan of Higdon and today he showed if we create the chances he will score goals, took the first goal really well and was in the right place at the right time at the 4th. Also didn't realise how good the 4th goal was as a team move, was too busy worrying we were gonna chuck the points away I didn't appreciate what a well crafted goal it was. Great start to the season, well done to McCall and the team.

Highlights

Yeh but what you're not taking into account is that the full backs signed by Saints and Killie(Tesselar & Mckeown I think) are their first choice full backs and as such will be on higher wages. We already have Hammell as first choice left back, Hateley first choice right back, Craggs & Hutch first choice centre halfs. We're not signing a defender to slot straight into the first team, we're looking for a utility defender as cover and as such will not be offering high wages hence Clancy. A player to cover for the first team and be back up. We have a limited budget and if McCall goes out to find a better player than Clancy to cover in defence then he might not have enough left to get in the forward/winger we badly need. It's a balancing act to get the most of his budget. Have they really, look at St.Mirren's bench when they played us last week, hardly strength in numbers. 12 Smith, 03 Barron, 20 Kennedy, 39 Thomas Reilly, 16 McQuade, 19 McShane, 32 Lamont Yeh they signed a young boy on loan from Burnley today but he could well be another Lewis Grabban. Killie do look like they have a bigger squad but I'm sure they also have a bigger budget. Also the transfer window isn't finished yet, who knows who will come and who will go over the next few days....

No.

---------------------------Randolph----------- Hateley----Hutchinson-------Craigan-----------Hammell -----------------------------Forbes---------------------------------------- -------------------Lasley----------Jennings-------------- ----------------------------Law------------------------- ---------------Higdon--------------Murphy------------------- Would like to see us give a diamond shape ago as I think it could really suit us away from home. Forbes played well last night and against Saints and deserves a place in the team in my opinion. He plays well in a midfield three and so do we generally and I think this formation would give us more cover in the middle of the park and make us less susceptible to counter attacks. People may be worried by the lack of width but both Hateley and Hammell have been bombing forward in recent games and could do so more effectively in the knowledge that we have extra midfield players covering for them when they go forward. Law and Murphy can also drift out to find space and link up with the full backs. Finally it would allow Murphy to play through the middle where he's more effective and give Higdon someone to chase his flick ons and leave him less isolated. Also giving Law a role to allow him to roam could prove very effective as he's our most creative player. Also gives us the option to throw Humphrey on in the last 30 mins again like last night to try and take advantage of a tiring defence. Although McCall does seem reluctant to change it, I would love to see us give this ago.

Solid but unspectacular. Exactly what we need. SPL experience, versatile and good cover. Welcome Tim.

Nicky Law for me. May have only been on for an hour but he was the best player on the park by a mile and we were 3-0 up when he went off so his contribution in that time fully justifies MOTM. Cracking goal as well.

Sounds like he plans on playing tonight although things could of changed ...

I never mentioned the "East Stand boo boys" and never said once that the failure of the players to perform was down to the fans. I merley stated that we have some fans who love a scapegoat and love a boo boy to have a go at. I don't sit in the East Stand and am not in any position to comment on what actually goes on in there other than hearsay. My main gripe was about people on this site who just seem to lambast certain players for no reason and I quite frankly couldn't give a shit where they sit at Fir Park. The second part of that sentence is madness and something I never once mentioned so I have no idea where you are coming from.

To be honest not trying to defend Dazzer who can be annoying in his constant praise for Humphrey but some of the stick he gets on here is very harsh and unwarranted if you ask me(the Humph not Dazzer). I suppose cause Fitzpatrick's left and Forbes ain't playing somebody has to get the brunt of the abuse from certain sections of our fans. Just look at Sunday, by no means the worst performer yet along with Higdon he was the one getting it in the neck. However Humphrey was in good form towards the end of last season, funnily enough after McCall dropped him for a few games. He's fast, good work rate, CAN beat a man and CAN put some good crosses in. Yes he's also capable of comical moments of tripping over the ball and firing crosses into the stand but if every one of his final crosses were a peach he wouldn't fucking be playing for us. Right now he's clearly lacking a bit in confidence and looks to be struggling but this whole Humphrey is useless witchunt that's going on is ridiculous. Every non OF team in the SPL would like to have Humphrey as an option yet according to some on here we should just get rid off him cause he's pure useless. Ridiculous. Anyway Daley, to me looks worth a punt. Could be someone to add something different.

Really because comments such as: Suggest you feel McCall wasn't trying his hardest to win that game.

Would like to see Forbes and McHugh get a game but not wholesale changes. Craigan is the one I would definitely give a rest too. Nothing to do with his form because for me he's been one of the standouts for us so far this season but 3 games in 6 days might be too much at his age, one of the reasons he retired from International duty. I would play Page and prefer to keep Craigan fresh for Saturday. Give Page a game at centre half, I know some will think we will miss Craggs experience in defence but if Page has any aspirations of breaking into the first team he should be able to comfortably handle this game. Would be tempted to rest Murphy also, as they will target him as our main threat and he could be in for some rough treatment. He will still stroll it but I'm just worried about him picking up an unnecessary injury. If he does play I would take him off as soon as the game is done and give one of the youngsters a chance. Think we should win it comfortably.

I agree we didn't play that well and can accept it but people trying to suggest that McCall and co weren't trying to win the match is ridiculous. If these people genuinely believe, really, that McCall is losing these games to Rangers on purpose then quite frankly they deserve a good slap for listening to too much of that Celtic paranoia pish. He got his tactics wrong today but he also got them wrong in the cup final against Celtic, are we trying to lose to them too? Or maybe McCall is not a mini Mourinho like so many on here, is a relatively young manager doing a decent job in only his second job in management who's bound to also make mistakes. What young manager hasn't? The way some on here go on you would think it was the easiest job in the world. Give McCall a break, he's done a good job so far and we have still had a cracking start to the season. I personally am looking forward to the games against Clyde and Dunfermline and have started to enjoy the football alot more again under McCall and by in large like the way we go about playing with him in charge. So can we drop this whole we lie down to Rangers pish, leave the conspiracy theories to Celtic fans and get behind McCall and the team and enjoy what by and large has been an excellent start to the season.

I can't believe some people are trying to insinuate that McCall and some of our players weren't trying to win today. Fucking hell get a grip, some of you c***s are no better than Celtic fans. Suppose the previous 9 years of defeats to Rangers were McCall's fault? Or were Malpas, Gannon, McGhee & Brown all in on it too? Get a fucking grip.

All been said, should have played Forbes, too open, ripped to shreds on the counter. Humphrey abuse is harsh IMO. He beat his man and put in more crosses than anyone else(his usual mixed bag of results) linked up well with Hateley and done alot of work which is more than can be said for Murphy. Vast improvement on last week. Higdon well he's not John Sutton so I don't know why we keep using him in the same way. I actually felt a bit sorry for him as he was isolated with no support. I still think he will be a very good player for us but he definitely plays better when Murphy or Law is closer to him and doesn't play the lone striker role as well as Sutton, however I won't be as quick to jump on his back as a few seem to have done already. Murphy was poor again, not in his best position but he seems to lack belief that he's good enough to take these guys on. He's got the ability no doubt but he needs an injection of arrogance or bravado or whatever you want to call it that McFadden and Goodwillie and the likes seems to have. Big Hutch again showed he has along way to go to be the player some on here think he will be. The amount of times he lost Jelavic at set pieces was unreal and led to the first goal. He was left exposed towards the end but he needs to stop letting Jelavic bully him!! Then again he is young and hasn't even played 40 games for us yet so maybe he's just young and still learning. Another one with alot of potential. The rest well... weren't great with Hammell probably the pick of he bunch. Randy was solid enough but maybe a bit suspect at the second? Anyway we move on, a trip to Clyde in midweek and Dunfermline on Saturday, few places we haven't been for a while, I'm looking forward to it.

This. of a thread. Jutkiwicz, Porter etc... All been mentioned before... Always one who overreacts. Do we have to have these sort of threads after every defeat?

McCall on the website: Sounds like he's trying to bring in a winger/striker (Daley fits the bill) and trying to find a defender in the loan market. Is their any money for an actual signing as now it seems all the talk is of loan signings only?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq1IMI02Mm4 Also one for Jamaica. Looks to have a penchant for the spectacular then again Forbes could look like a world beater from his Youtube highlights. Though he might be worth a punt for someone that can produce something out of the ordinary.