The African

Let’s hope so. Never keen to start counting chickens though. Have been a ‘well fan for too long not to realise that the next crisis is only aouple of dodgy results away.

Great result. Things seem to be moving in the right direction.

Let us just concentrate on things we have ontrol of. We have a limited squad with limited talent which is not going to be helped by such distractions as “ topsix” and “other results going our way”. Recent results may have seen us move towards safety, but performance remains inconsistent and sketchy so small steps should be the order of the day. As for this fixture, much as I would love another three points, I’d take a point and that is whatI reckon we will get. 1 all,with our goal being an OG.

Noted, cheers.

Wikipedia ( I know, not always the most reliable source) has Craig Tanner signing a row year deal in 2017. That would suggest that his contract will be up this summer. He is only 24 so, if his body is capable of a sufficient recovery, he has plenty of time to rebuild his career. When healthy,he certainly looked to have enough about him to be worth a place in a squad at our level. All a question of whether he can get and stay fit enough to do so. Good luck to the lad.

I hope you are right regarding the fee. In many ways Bigi was a luxury we just couldn’t afford. Shame, as I couldn’t help but like him. You have tithing that his shortcomings will be just as obvious for Hibs as they were for us

Is it the case that loan deals can still be agreed for a few days after the window closes?

If Hartley does go to Hibs, I would imagine we would have to seriously look at trying to get Aldred to sign a permanent deal in the summer. Beyond that, would it fre up enough cash to allow us to strengthen our squad elsewhere with a quality player onloan? Probably getting a bit late in the day for that.

Please don’t mock the Gods. They do not like it.

With a bit of luck the Turnbull signing could turn out to be tremendous business for all concerned. Think that will be it for us in this window, unless we can get some guys off the books in the next day or so. We should have enough to keep us in the top league for another season and start a more serious restructure of the squad in the summer.

Just the sort of run that pretty much always ends against us.

Without ever getting too ahead of ourselves, a big game. At home, against a close rival from our end of the league table. If we are to doa ythingbeyond survive this season, then winning this could be crucial. No pressure then.

Okay, I give up.

I’ve told you before!

Begs the question as to who is actually surplus to our requirements now. I’d say Newell, but he is probably injured, Sammon, but only with us onloan and would have gone back to Hearts already if they wanted him, Bigi and Frear, but who would want them,and sure as eggs is eggs, you can guarantee that we would pick up a couple of injuries before their taxi had left Lanarkshire. I reckon our business is pretty much done until the summer.

Main needs a goal. I would give him a half for the reserves if they had a fixture.

We already have Main, Samson, Johnson, McCormack and Scott in terms of strikers. I can only see a new one being brought in if we move at least one of them on. I can see a case for Sammon going back to Hearts, Scott going out on loan for more experience and any offer for Main or Johnson being tempting to accept, but how likely are any of these scenarios?

If we can get Turnbull signed up it will be a fantastic bit of business. After that, anything else achieved in this transfer window would be a bonus. In terms of the squad, we would probably be looking at getting guys out, rather than bringing many more in.

Dundee will be on a High after a great result for them at Tynecastle. It really would be in our best interests to try and bring them back down to earth. Unfortunately, we have been inconsistent all season, and you cannot expect the young players we have recently brought in to the squad to change that. Right now I would take a point.

Oh ffs! Don’t say that! In fact, don’t even think it.

I have to admit that I am only looking behind us. Big game coming up on Saturday now.

Typical that the bastards from Tynecastle would let us down. Still, a good win for us and the other results went our way.

Dunne is useful if playing the left sided third of a defensive three. His pace covers for those without it and the other two makeupfor the odd error he may make. Playinghim as part of two centre backs is risky. Aldred and Hartley are similar. Solid but unspectacular and neither the quickest. McHugh is capable and probably offers more than any of the other options at centre back, but he also offers something as a defensive midfielder screening our defence. Throw in the potential of Mbulu and we are not short of options. You would think that there is a combination in there that should work. We also have a decent right back in Tait and plenty of midfielders ( Campbell, Grimshaw) we could try out in the screening role should we want to play McHugh elsewhere. What we have failed to do is fill the gap at left back. I would give someone a serious run to try their luck there, either Livingstone or ATS. I suppose half of the problem is that we use seven of the eleven players in a team to stop the opposition scoring which leave four to make a significant contribution in trying to actually win a game. Not easy with the standard of player available on our budget.

Well, yes and no. The grand scheme of things is that we find ourselves in the relegation mix with the three aforementioned teams. If we all lose then our positions stay the same. I would suggest though, that anything that increases the current gap between us and them could be extremely advantageous to us in the medium term that is the rest of this season, so these fixtures do matter. Given the nature of all four matches, this looks like a decent opportunity to build up our lead over the rest of the genuine strugglers. Given our recent, and not so recent, propensity forfailing to grasp such opportunities, I predict an away win with some confidence. Still, COYW!

Right now I’d take a point. We have been so inconsistent that a win would not be a complete surprise, especially as Hibs also fall into that category. The truth though is that they are a better side than us so we should be looking as any sort of result as being a bonus.