Widge

You'll not be successful, not because that's the right decision, but rather they're incompetent. You'd have thought a pre-season of learning the rules and how to utilise VAR correctly would have helped the referees, but no if anything they're getting worse.

I mean I know that a number of the players hire their own fitness guys, so......?

I don't think so. Compare Jephcott to someone like Sven who's not played a competitive match in almost 4 months and was without a club for that entire period, yet he's come in straight away played 90 minutes and genuinely looked like he could play another 90. Now I know that people are physically different and clearly Jephcott isn't naturally fit, but for a professional footballer to have been training for 3 months now and not look like he's improving is a worry. Ok it's a new country, a new place of work and new people around him, but attitude and application still applies.

I think others have touched on it, the fact that a 3-5-2 genuinely looks like the best option with the personnel available is quite funny. Let Wright and Gallacher play at wing back, your midfield 3 picks itself and you’d actually have 2 strikers on the pitch for it. I worry MacLean will see going to that shape a failure to change things, but the reality is, it was never the shape that was the issue under Davidson, rather the manner he wanted it to be played. A midfield of Sven, Phillips and Smith on paper is a good one. Sven appears very good at winning the ball back and covering, Phillips was actually pretty decent against Hibs and box to box he can cause issues, what I think we lacked yesterday was a creative player. I’d hope that’s Smith, let’s face it we all know MacPherson isn’t it and why he played yesterday I don’t know, but Smith appears on the limited viewings far better and keeping the ball and playing decisive passes.

Lots of excitement for this one I take it? Could be quite a pivotal game for saints, almost a full squad to chose from, starting to show maybe just a few little signs we're getting better (albeit not huge) and hopefully a team that's starting to gel a little. Hibs with their new manager and a first home game for him, so decent crowd perhaps for the home team?

So Drey, Gordon and Sven all available for Saturday. All of a sudden barring Clark and DJ you’ve almost got a full squad to pick from. It’s only taken 3 months. Also I assume by his total disappearance from the squads, Cammy Ballantyne is out the picture again since he’s never listed as injured. Doesn’t surprise me, I don’t think he’s good enough, but I think I’d still have him on the bench ahead of MacPherson, same with McGowan.

I think it’s pretty smart, but then I’m a sucker for black kits. Probably get it especially since it’s for a good cause, but the cost of kits in general these days is scandalous. If you want all 3 saints kits, you’re £165 out of pocket!

Without being funny, Davidson is such an arrogant man that I’m not sure his ego allows him to join Caley in the position they’re in. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t see it happening at all, especially if you’re as skint as they say.

In total whataboutary it appears that a decent section of the Rangers fan base reckon Gordon should have been sent off for the totally accident head clash where Danilo headers the back of his head. As apparently it was reckless and dangerous play, if that’s the case lads, may as well never challenge a player in the air ever again. The worst part is, they’re genuinely serious when they suggest it.

I didn’t think it was a penalty in real time, but what’s the point in having VAR of it doesn’t even get the referee to take a look at an incident that could be called either way. The fact there’s 2 incidents that are worthy of a review and should arguably have been sent to the monitor is proof that the people using the system are flawed. I can maybe see why the Butland one isn’t given; however Lawrence grabbing Kane around the shoulders and waist as the balls in the air is a clear penalty. Can we also talk about Yilmaz and his flying kung fu kick into Max, then having the audacity to claim he was fouled. That was a particular highlight.

On another day we maybe grab a goal in that. Maybe we get a penalty, maybe Kane doesn’t take a fresh air swipe 10 yards out and McPherson should definitely score with a free header from 6 yards. Robinson looked good, but still think he should play forward more. I like Smith, he keeps the ball moving and tries to get it on the deck. Phillips had a shocker today and I think Costelloe looks like a kid playing a man’s game. I can only hope that Wright gets fit quickly as he’d make a difference, same with Brown. For all Dare is good athletically he’s still defensively naive and it will cost us goals. Agreed with the comments on McClelland, he’s not quick at all; however that doesn’t mean he can’t be a good player. Let’s face it Frazer Wright and Michael Duberry were even slower, the difference being they knew where to play at all times, McClelland needs to pick that up quickly from Considine. No comment on MacPherson, but I’m done, we need to cut out losses as soon as possible, he just doesn’t have anything about him.

What shite is this. We’re a team of midgets and #ballers now. It was actually worrying that against Dundee we had 2 players over 6 foot playing and that was it!

Quite possibly, but a Craig Bryson/Liam Kelly like career down south is still a respectable one and will set him up for life I’d imagine.

Ali McCann captaining his international team at 24 years of age shows how good he can be, just hope he doesn’t stagnate at Preston. Even if saints get no benefit (who really knows), still want him to play at the highest level he can.

Yeah of course it was haha.

The first goal from the header is clever movement, he checks back and gains a yard on Beck, who probably through inexperience didn't catch on in time. As for the second Max scored, no idea where your defence was, can't help with that one sorry. You'll probably get that with a young fullback, he for the most part looked excellent on Saturday, quick, strong and effortlessly glides past folk, but with the odd lapse in concentration which in a matter of seconds can cost you. Ideally you've got a senior defender talking him through that side of his game. Unfortunately Lamie probably isn't that since he needs to focus on his own game too much to avoid making mistakes.

Ok I’m going to very quickly break down my thoughts from yesterday. Firstly the positives, main one being that we showed spirit and a great attitude until the end, that’s not excusing the first 70 minutes, but at least we’ve got some grit. Best saints player on the pitch was Dan Phillips, since becoming captain his game has elevated to a level we know he can do, he was very very good. Another player who looked good was Chris Kane, we know what he can do, so let’s get game time on him and let him become the focal point we’ve not had for 12 months. Mention to Max as well for actually gambling we need more of that from midfielders. I also thought of the new signings Matt Smith looks a good addition and once he gets up to speed should help us keep the ball and look forward. Now the negatives. Brown isn’t fit, he didn’t look comfortable from the first minute to be honest and I suspect that’s why he played so poorly. Costelloe had a poor game but I’m not writing him off, he at least tried to keep going he just came up again Beck who was excellent, a fit Drey Wright makes a huge difference in that game though as he’d of matched Beck and kept him pinned back. We also miss his ability to drive us forward. Robinson looked so much better when he actually looked forward, if he can improve on that he’ll be solid, but he turned back into danger a lot yesterday, sometimes flicking it down the line over the other fullback is a better option. There’s a lot more I could critique, but I think once again we need to stop playing May up too alone it’s never ever going to work. We looked a lot better with 2 up top, but Phillips and hopefully Sven have the legs to cover it. Ohh and MacPherson can get to f**k, came on got booked, waved his arms around and generally looked a massive step down from Smith.

Close this fucking thread down and start again!

Get your chart out for the lads!

When you’re trying to reduce numbers and the squad size it’s important to know that every player can contribute and is good enough to play when required. For me that leaves you looking to move Ballantyne, Booth, Crawford, McPherson on I’d say with Parker and Max out on loan. It’s maybe harsh, but the guys we’ve brought in arguably look better and it shows that we most certainly can do better if we’d put our minds to it the last few seasons.

My Celtic supporting boss isn’t happy, so therefore I’m fucking chuffed

Well well well, maybe MacLean can organise a team and shitfest games! Excellent result and hopefully let’s us push on now.

He’s predominantly played out wide for us, not the biggest, but is a tenacious little b*****d who packs a decent turn of pace. He won’t stop chasing and hassling and is a sure fire bet to get booked every game. Don’t know how good he really is ultimately but he’s arguably been one of the only players to look decent for us this season so far.

Aye I get the sentiment, but he’s not played a competitive match in almost 2 whole seasons for us whilst picking up a wage that could have been spent elsewhere. It’s time for him to go as he’s not reliable in the slightest and I acknowledge that’ll be the end of the season, but he should never have gotten an extension when he did.

Robinson sounds similar to Montgomery in the respects he’s not played a lot of football, but has been rated at youth levels. I suspect he might turn out to be a decent signing actually and the Wigan fans seem to think he’s a decent player who’s unlucky he got injured. Time will tell, but I’d say he’s a better standard than Costelloe and probably needed as it appears Booth is broken for good.