steelboy

No one is saying fill the team with youth players. Just give them a chance in the first team and on an equal footing with the guys we have signed. Clay was undroppable for a long time last season. Frear was terrible in the first half on Tuesday and anonymous in more than half his appearances but it's not going to effect his role in the squad. "The reason we have signed some of the dross we have is because the youth players aren't good enough and the manager at the time has incorrectly assumed he could find an outside player to benefit the team" We would have been no worse in terms of results using Campbell and Turnbull rather than Lucas and Moore and Mackin rather than Bowman and Blyth (they would have scored more imo) but we would have saved a lot of money. What could have made McGhee think that Clay, Lucas, Bowman and Blyth would benefit the team, they were pish on paper and in the flesh.

I'd say it's down to whether we are doing all we can to develop these players from 18-21. Look how long it took Erwin to make his debut. Thomas probably hasn't applied himself properly but at the same time we were training without a qualified coach for large chunks of last season so who is supposed to be bringing him along? It's unarguable that players we sign who are utter shite get preferential treatment over our youth players. It's easy for a manager to say a youth player isn't good enough as it bears no reflection on him. Admitting your own signings aren't up to scratch makes you look bad and you end up with ridiculous situations where McGhee is deluding himself Lee Lucas is a player. We'll always have guys in the squad who aren't up to top league level. Better it's cheap youth players who might improve than expensive imports like Kennedy, Clay, Blyth, Fletcher etc. Use the youth players smartly and it frees up wages to increase the quality of the core squad.

Erwin moving to Leeds was the right move for both parties at the time. It would have been good to bring him back but possibly him or Robinson didn't fancy a third spell together. From what I'm hearing the lack of Scottish players and opportunities for u20s isn't popular down through the youth set up.

After seeing the two plodders we had up front on Tuesday i'd probably rate anyone who can trap a ball.

Erwin and Moult would be a great forward line. Don't see it happening though.

I thought McDonald's form when off a cliff near the end of the season but the effort he put in in the Accies and Killie games which were must win for us was immense. He's a difficult character but we should all appreciate the contributions he has made.

Another striker is badly needed whether Moult stays or not. At the back you could say we need a left back or a centre half but the 3 at the back is going to be the major problem. Hearing Robinson single out Dunne for praise after the game was worrying, the guy can barely pass the ball.

Any team news for tonight? Hoping to see Maclean and Campbell starting and some other u20s off the bench.

Like for like replacement for Blyth then..... If it's just to bulk out the u20s squad then that's reasonable although Falconer, Scott and Semple all seem good prospects.

He couldn't get a game for Flyde which isn't promising. We still look very short up front.

Just looking at the groups and you would expect us, Hearts, Falkirk and Ayr to take full points. The Dundee Derby group winner will probably also have full points if there is a winner in that game. If five teams all finish on 12 points the worst goal difference will be unseeded in the next round. We are in a strong position at the moment but it should be good motivation not to take our foot off the gas in the final two games.

Accies definitely have a smaller budget.

I think the one on one problem is why we haven't sold Moult back to England. If you look back at last season he's went one on one 4 or 5 times and bottled them all. He's brilliant at one thing, finishing crosses. If he goes to Aberdeen he'll score 20 goals. If he goes down South and plays against bigger,better centre halves who knows. When you see him off the park he's under 6 foot and slight. That's a lot of question marks for a Championship club.

Charlton and Birmingham lost him for free as well. It's hard to sell goalies.

Tanner had some decent touches about the box. Robinson might be expecting more from him than he can deliver at the moment if he is expected to be our main creative force. I'll go for Cadden. Good runs, great finish and he looks lean compared to last season. I'm also looking forward to him and Bigi trying to out celebrate each other when we score.

Looking at Killie's squad it looks like they will be playing plenty of young Scottish players. It will be interesting to see how they get on.

We should be hoping it works out for him for the sole reason it will focus the club on the necessity of getting u20s in the first team systematically (rather than just sub appearances when we are desperate for a goal). Cadden only got a start because we took a 6-0 doing from Hearts. Our own young players apparently have to go above and beyond to earn a first team start which is crazy when we are spending a fortune on bringing in dross like Lucas, Bowman, Clay, Chalmers, Blyth etc.

You didn't see us continually lumping the ball long under Robinson then? The style of play may be better this season but that remains to be seen and the signings and 3-6-1 aren't pointing towards attractive, attacking football.

To be fair both times we beat Killie under Robinson they knocked the ball about well but were undone defending set pieces. It seems like they have some good young players coming through as well.

The worst culprits are well past 40.

Mainly because he was rubbish last season and at the start of the summer there was talk of moving him on.

I think we would still get shot of Bowman given a chance. Blyth as well obviously.

He wasn't playing at a top six level last season. I don't see Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs being interested in him.

It will be some statement if we start against Queen's Park with a 4-5-1.

He might not fancy Aberdeen but I doubt he can say no to the pay rise. He has a young family, injury problems and probably doubts over the quality of his team mates this season. He would be mad not to jump at the first good offer.