Pull My Strings

Nice tribute from Holt for his first. Edit: I see it's been done.

"A fine header", he said, and everyone agreed.

I'm not familiar with your work. Are you an idiot or a troll? Just so I can judge the correct level of withering.

We (United fans) didn't actually sign Docherty - that was the club- and the club didn't buy Docherty - he arrived on free transfer. And he's been excellent. It beggars belief that someone can have watched the guy for any period of time and not realise what a good player he is. Does the dirty stuff very well, passes the ball on constructively and generally organises the play and players around him. Can't comment on his suitability for mobile catering but I've no reason to believe that he wouldn't put a good shift in, if required.

Injuries to Holt, Gallacher and Graham meaning a return for Denham?

Goodwin made reference after the game to both Meekison and Cudjoe having picked up knocks in training. The way he said it didn't make it sound serious but who knows.

Yeah, Watt's a cheat as well.

Would be terrific. Very happy for Rovers to be the closest challengers.

Och aye, crack on lads. No harm in it. Most of the best players are arseholes to some degree.

Yeah, it was odd. Not aware of any history. Some folk just want to be arseholes I suppose.

Aye, we were a hundred yards away. Could just about make out the argument but no sense of what caused it. Really rich of Easton if that's what it was. Yes, Holt's number 4.

Did that happen? I don't recall a dive from Holt, or indeed any sort of claim (although we were 100 yards away). Are you sure it was Holt? Easton, on the other hand, I do recall. Decent player but does like a wee dive and roll around. It would be a nice irony if Easton was calling someone else a cheat.

Holt plays on the left side of the pair so if anyone was out of position, it was Gallacher, but, without having seen a replay, I'd be content to say that it was just an excellent early cross and good work by Vaughan in finding space. Holt has been absolutely superb for United all season and I didn't see anything from him today from a United perspective to criticise. I suspect this is more to do with the contretemps between Holt and the Raith player in the box which saw them both carded.

Good game. I enjoyed that. Raith are decent but I think we’ll pull away before too long. Best performances of the season for Watt and Middleton, imo. Both looking much more confident after last week. Muir was dreadful and missed so many fouls on both sides.

A. * "See you're still raging", or B. * "See your still raging [blank]" ... but still raging what?

Ach, I don't disagree with any of that. Just saying that (i) you guys were clearly trying to play football in the right manner, without being c***s (unlike some other teams) and (ii) [the subtext] that's much appreciated, thanks; it's obviously easier to win when the opposition are good sports. For what little it's worth, I sincerely hope you do well (but I share your reservations).

Dunno. Holt did well to win a challenge and play the ball forward but it broke to a Queens' player and then it was one good ball forward, quick cross and tidy finish from the edge of the box. Every goal's preventable but that looked more like good attacking play than poor defending to me. Could be wrong though.

Yeah, man. Totally agree. It was just refreshing not to be playing against a team of cheating arseholes.

From an opposition fan's perspective, I was impressed with Queens Park. Tried to play football throughout and kept going right to the end. A more cynical team might have tried to kill the game at 1-0 or even 1-1 but Queens just kept trying to play the right way. There was no diving, feigning injury, time wasting, wrestling, kicking, etc. It was refreshing. Made for an open, honest game. Very good goal for Queens too. Good attacking play rather than poor defending, imo. The converse view is, of course, too trite to mention so I won't. Genuinely wish Queens well and I hope they don't suffer too badly for their honesty. For United, I thought we responded quite well for 10 minutes after losing the early goal but then sat off too much for the nect 20/25. Watt and Middleton very poor during that period. Then one great ball from Glass to set up Middleton and everything changed for the pair of them. Both much better thereafter and the confidence seemed to do them the world of good. Comfortable win in the end and some very good performances from the back 7, Glass and Fotheringham. Two goals and three assists from Watt and Middleton too so can't say they were poor either (apart from that sustained period when both were very poor). Will this be the game which propels them forward to the level of the rest of the team? I remain to be convinced but you can't argue with the goal contributions today.

Presumably the young winger who went to Leeds from Motherwell, did nothing and then was released at the end of his contract. Not what we need.

No, me neither. No suggestion that he was even a Rangers fan as a bairn.

I thought the second booking was quite harsh but the first was just idiotic so no one to blame but himself.

Aye, maybe.

Yeah man, I covered that with the winning when playing badly bit. Every fan of every other team in this division would be touching themselves improperly at the start we've had. Modesty is fine but false modesty or, worse, preening negativity is less admirable. Given what we've seen for the last .. 8,9 years, I absolutely did not expect us to start this season as clearly, demonstratively, objectively the best team in the division and yet by every sensible measure, we are. We might collapse, and I will apologise for the hubris if we do, but I just can't see it. We are solid as f**k every week, against everyone, the only variable is how dangerous we are at the other end. Thanks. I'm only pleasantly buzzed thus far but there's still time.