Ric

You can make any excuse you want for it, but the facts are the facts, he was so bad with Kilmarnock last season he had to be dropped. Go back and watch his games. If he can suffer confidence issues, once, then he can suffer them again. We would be having the same discussion if we had brought an outfield player who had suffered the same fate. If people are sitting there thinking I am criticising him unfairly and will never recognise if he has a good game clearly never read my comments. I said the same for Curtis Main, who was an absolute embarrassment for us for months, months. Did he come good in the end? Yes, he did. Did I call him out when he was being dogshit? Yes, I did. Did I call him out for his excellent performances last season? Yes, yes I did. Do I want him to be a success? Of course I do. The biggest thing is how he reacts to his mistakes, because keepers who make none (just like any player who makes no mistakes) are as rare as hens teeth. Robinson is the person who makes the call, it's his job on the line, and considering his success with us last season he has earned the right to make those decisions. Personally I think he was blindsided by Carson's tantrum and limited by our budget, so he's had to lean into the Hemming as #1 out of circumstance rather than desire. Bottom line is that we all have opinions, but that's all they are. I don't get annoyed at people bigging up Hemming, because... people certainly have, yet people seem to get annoyed when I am less ebullient. The only arbiter here will be the end of the season, when we have a much better idea of how good (or bad) he'll be. Again, though, I obviously wish for a positive outcome.

You are being very selective there. For a start it wasn't "one incident", as I posted links to his performances for Killie where he failed to command his box when he joined us. He had a nightmare for them last season and had to be replaced. That's the reason I am concerned about him being #1. It's not some sort of unfair agenda against the lad. Is it his fault he is #1? No, of course not, it's Carson's for having a tantrum. Do I blame him for taking the opportunity, again, of course not. It is Robinson that's made the call, and it's his job on the line so I presume he must trust him, but that doesn't stop people having an opinion on what they see. Secondly, as for him being a step down, he is, you simply cannot argue the case. Part of that is because we have been very lucky with our keepers recently. Is he a better keeper than Hladky, Alnwick or Carson? If you think so, then that is a crazy take. The keeper we had before that was (iirc) Samson. Is he better than Samson? Perhaps, that's a different argument. The biggest thing for me is for Hemming to learn from his mistakes. Keepers have mistakes "baked into them", it's how they react that is important, and we won't really know that until the team experiences a tough period of results. Finally, when he's had a good game, I've said he's had a good game. Feel free to check my comments.

Don't they already have two?

Kettlewell is a great manager, while you'd expect Hibs to stick with Gray if he keeps winning.

"still at it" Calm yourself.

Not me. I never even saw the game. As I said, I didn't watch the game so can't comment. IMO, we've been very lucky with keepers, but Hemming is definitely a step down. Admittedly this isn't really anyone's fault other than Carson for throwing his toys out of the pram.

You are right, in general, that we do need to improve our away form as last season I think it was a total of 3 wins on the road. That said, we still made the top 6 with that record.

I admire the confidence!

I'll take that on - I'd analyse his goals as much as I would any keeper we have. My main issue with Hemming is that he doesn't command his box, and we saw that in the game against Aberdeen. Other than that he's looked better than he did with Killie last season, but that was a pretty low bar. All keepers are confidence players, we'll have a much better idea of just how well Hemming will cope is when we are not winning games.

Never watched the game, didn't even listen to it on radio, but I did follow the BBC website and the comments on here in the game thread, and it seems like we got what we deserved. The positive, I suppose, is that we still managed to get a point even when we didn't earn it.

According to the BBC, Robinson is actually managing St Johnstone today..

No Mandron, and more interestingly no Urminsky.

I see the cheeky wee scamps at the BBC design department have included Baccus in their Transfer Deadline ident.

I'd happily trade in the ability to bring in a manager outside the transfer window if it guaranteed we don't lose our manager outside the transfer window. If it can be done for players, it can be done with managers but I just don't see a push from clubs (or the governing body/bodies) to make that happen.

Postecoglu/Spurs, if any team could be considered "the epitome of the under achieving basket case", then it's them.

You'd deal with it the same way you want rid of a player, while promoting from within until the window opened.

..and I feel there should be. I think the window is a good thing, it has flaws but I dislike having richer clubs being able to buy their way out of trouble at any time. For me, the manager should also be included in that.

The fickle nature of being a Scottish football fan - normally we are looking to the closing of the window in hope we bring players in, this time we're hoping it closes with no players or managers going out. Can't really argue if we have agreed a release clause, but it would be disappointing (to say the least) should we lose who we are worried about losing...

If he is, then he's caught you and @Thenorthernlight... ...well played Robo! Although I said this could be a 2-1 or 3-1, for either side, I've now got the feeling we'll draw. This shows why I never bet. In regard to Small, they must realise he was banned at the end of last season, you'd also think it would come up in conversation when the management team were discussing his possible return.

Fair enough, it's got to be about the only one.

Again, you make it sound like this is a crazy notion never entertained by football, yet I can give you numerous situations where there were subs before penalties. That is a decent record, to be fair, McGrath if given the chance will have a better ratio though. This isn't some ex-player love in, this is me recognising that he is just really successful at penalties.

What would, subbing someone on for a penalty? We've seen it before, both with outfield players and the keeper. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. The only reason I mention it is that, from memory, McGrath had a 100% success rate for us, I honestly cannot remember a time he's missed. He might have, I'm sure someone will correct me if that isn't the case, and if it's not it's certainly in the high 90s.

Perhaps, perhaps not. He came on as a sub against Häacken, so perhaps missing some match fitness, but if Robson is looking to rest some of that midfield I can see him getting the nod from the start. What will be interesting is if, and it's only an if not a when, Aberdeen get a penalty will Robson be tempted to sub McGrath on? He has such a good record, it's worth the gamble.

The only weird take is you thinking this is a weird take, or perhaps you've forgotten McGrath's record with penalties? As for comparing me to Elvis.. ..that gave me a good laugh, I'll not lie.

I very much doubt that, and it's nothing to do with Hemming, and everything to do with the likely taker.