2025/26 Ins & Outs Discussion

[wunderwell]

I'm not sure where to put this comment - but those writing AP off with certainty I think are wrong.
If we are to be patient with our new style, I think  we can be patient enough to at least see AP over the first ten league games. 
Theo Bair was a running joke in his first x games for us. Plenty more I can add to that too.
There's a player in there, and it could go either way.
To add - I have more doubts about Said than AP in terms of future prominence - but again ten games and I can add more.

[steelman1991]

3 minutes ago, wunderwell said:

There's a player in there, and it could go either way.

So I keep hearing, but so far there’s little evidence to suggest it.

[weeyin]

23 minutes ago, steelman1991 said:

So I keep hearing, but so far there’s little evidence to suggest it.

If we tried passing it in front of him instead of lobbing high balls he might be more productive. 

[Kmcalpin]

1 hour ago, wunderwell said:

I'm not sure where to put this comment - but those writing AP off with certainty I think are wrong.

He strikes me as being a penalty box player end of, although admittedly his service has been poor so far. We either have to adapt our game to suit him, or he's moved on. I can't see JBA changing our style to accommodate one player.  His one saving grace is that our midfield and "support" strikers have yet to start firing on all cylinders. 

[wellon]

5 hours ago, Pettywulliegrew-2 said:

A better player than his dad ????? That would be nice ……..over 600 appearances mainly at a very good level -English and Scottish Primer league winner + Scottish cup/league cup,captained Scotland at a World Cup 50 odd caps earning his first cap when he was 27 ……….unfortunately his life seemed to spiral out of control when his wife (  Callum’s mum) died when she was 43….shame TBF

He was like Barton,  thought he would come to Scotland and stroll it but he got found out...watched him for Scotland and he was whole hearted but limited imo.

Yep, it's a shame he lost his wife but a lot of people with a lot less resources have gone through that...anyway all power to his boy.

[thewelllfan]

Hendry looks to be a decent addition we need a holding midfielder and a winger/No10 and our squad is ready for the season. 

Ward/Oxborough

JK/Sparrow Gordon/SOD Mcginn/Mcghee/Balmer Longelo/Wilson

Watt Fadinger/Halliday

Just/Ross Slattery/Nicholson Maswanhise/Said

Hendry/Stam/Osong/ + Sule/Robinson/Stuperavic (All injured for a period of time)

If JBA doesn't fancy Balmer shift him and get a Cb in.

[fizoxy]

AP has 6 goals in 25 games for us, and 20 in 40 for his last team. To say there's little evidence of his ability to score is lazy and incorrect. He had 2 injuries last season, on top of literally moving from the other side of the world, at the same time his baby was born. It's well known that it takes players from other countries an extended time to settle. Never mind when the club changes manager twice and overhaul the style. 

In addition, he works his arse off, leads the line well, is solid on the ball, puts himself about, and frequently gets himself into good positions. All attributes that tend to buy players time, but for some reason AP isn't getting the benefit of that from some. JBA said that it will take time for the forward players to gel, which makes sense. 

No one knows for sure how it will play out for him, but there's no evidence to suggest we should cut bait on him when signing a goalscorer is proven to be one of the hardest things for a club to do, and our market is the likes of Callum Hendry.

We just came off of losing two managers in a season and having to reshape a bloated and unbalanced squad that looked dead on its feet at the start if fhe yead, and we've managed to make a good start of it, so I don't think now is the time to nitpick on individuals. 

[wellon]

3 hours ago, Onthefringes said:

Generalisation for you, an informed opinion from extensive experience from a few levels inside and outside the clubs.

i’d wager I’m not the only one who’d say same.

Back to ins and outs.

Mind the guy who used to host " the good old days" ? That first paragraph is like something he'd come away with, not sure what uoure saying but it doesnt matter anyway , as you say, back to ins and outs.

[fizoxy]

4 hours ago, AllyMax said:

Hopefully he won't be the new Simon Mensing

I thought that was a great signing at the time, but unfortunately he was one of the long list of players who were only good against us. 

[stv]

16 hours ago, wellgirl said:

You just made the bad knee thing up (I hope) 

Nope, was a long time ago tho

[steelman1991]

10 hours ago, weeyin said:

If we tried passing it in front of him instead of lobbing high balls he might be more productive. 

Makes no difference to him. Play a ball in to his feet or in front of him and his next touch is a tackle. IMO He’s been poor irrespective of what we feed him and continues to be. 

[wellgirl]

Elijah Just named in New Zealand squad 

[stv]

56 minutes ago, wellgirl said:

Elijah Just named in New Zealand squad 

Some trip for a home game that . Don't see how that's helpfully to us at all.

[robsterwood]

1 hour ago, steelman1991 said:

Makes no difference to him. Play a ball in to his feet or in front of him and his next touch is a tackle. IMO He’s been poor irrespective of what we feed him and continues to be. 

Least SOD is getting a break now.

[Spit_It_Out]

One thing about AP that I can't work out is his decision making is beyond poor so many times he has made the wrong call and he seems never to learn from it.

He could have had a handful of goals by now but seems to make the wrong calls nearly everytime the ball comes to him.

 

 

 

[Mintymac]

44 minutes ago, Spit_It_Out said:

One thing about AP that I can't work out is his decision making is beyond poor so many times he has made the wrong call and he seems never to learn from it.

He could have had a handful of goals by now but seems to make the wrong calls nearly everytime the ball comes to him.

 

 

 

There lies the issue for me . He's a penalty box striker but to be effective in that role you need good quality/delivery from both sides and that has not been happening . 
I like JK and Longelo but when it come to delivery there no Geordie Gent . You could also include Sparrow in there . 
Think it was Slattery who played a decent ball into AP in the league cup and guess what happened next . 
You could be a million pound penalty box striker but if service isn't good then it's a problem in

[grizzlyg]

5 hours ago, robsterwood said:

Least SOD is getting a break now.

It'll never last 🤣🤣.

[wellgirl]

40 minutes ago, grizzlyg said:

It'll never last 🤣🤣.

One wrong kick of the ball on Saturday 😏. Nah seriously - good to see SOD playing well 

[stv]

6 hours ago, Mintymac said:

There lies the issue for me . He's a penalty box striker but to be effective in that role you need good quality/delivery from both sides and that has not been happening . 
I like JK and Longelo but when it come to delivery there no Geordie Gent . You could also include Sparrow in there . 
Think it was Slattery who played a decent ball into AP in the league cup and guess what happened next . 
You could be a million pound penalty box striker but if service isn't good then it's a problem in

Any striker worth their salt is a penalty box striker. Guess what,  if they get good balls into the box any striker will score. It’s when the balls in are not so good but they still get goals that makes a good striker .  I’ve yet to be convinced he’s actually up to the job. Looks kind of indecisive and non committed to me.

[weeyin]

16 minutes ago, stv said:

Any striker worth their salt is a penalty box striker. Guess what,  if they get good balls into the box any striker will score. It’s when the balls in are not so good but they still get goals that makes a good striker .

I'm not sure this is true. Different strikers have different abilities, and different strengths in different areas. Just like any other position.

I'd say Kris Boyd was a penalty box striker. Michael Higdon, not so much.

[wellfan]

9 hours ago, stv said:

Some trip for a home game that . Don't see how that's helpfully to us at all.

Increases his value if he does well. 

[wellfan]

8 hours ago, Spit_It_Out said:

One thing about AP that I can't work out is his decision making is beyond poor so many times he has made the wrong call and he seems never to learn from it.

He could have had a handful of goals by now but seems to make the wrong calls nearly everytime the ball comes to him.

 

 

 

It’s because he’s shite, but many on here will continue to make excuses for him because ‘effort’ etc. 

[joewarkfanclub]

1 hour ago, wellfan said:

It’s because he’s shite, but many on here will continue to make excuses for him because ‘effort’ etc. 

You've decided he is shite. As have one or two others. You may turn out to be right. But I would say based on the body of evidence to date, it is inconclusive.

He spent most of last season injured. He is now on his 3rd manager in a year and a brand new style of play.

If we get to December and he/we dont look any better in the goals for column then you might be proved right. Until then, how about we cut him some slack and give him a little support?

[stv]

1 hour ago, wellfan said:

Increases his value if he does well. 

Not that much really  and when he is in the NZ squad playing he's not available for us. Then  for at least three games after will be knackered with the travelling to the other side of the world and back. Total games he could miss for us when he's called up would be five or six. Not to mention disruption to our team formation when he's missing , why couldn’t he just be Welsh.

[robsterwood]

The seasons just started. Match fitness and sharpness takes time. From matches I've seen. AS has not had great supply. His work rate has been good. Others have been wasteful in final third and not had criticism had criticism. He's also been only recognised striker on games he's played. Give him time.