capt_oats

Fwiw: I'm just taking screenshots off WhoScored? I'm not 100% as to what their criteria is for each metric eg: what constitutes a 'touch'. I noticed on Sky's coverage that they've been using touch maps and what not so I'd guess that they're using the same data source. I'm wary of leaning too heavily on stuff like that but it gives an illustration of who's actually involved and where without necessarily diving into the gimpy xG type chat.

The ball he played into the channel with the outside of his boot was a peach. Keeping him in there also means we've 6ft+ players across the back 4. I thought Robinson's comment in his post-match when he mentioned Lamie's versatility gave a hint as to why we've brought him in - besides him being a pal of Declan and Tony obvs. As an aside with O'Donnell added to the squad this must be the most 'local' players we've had in years.

Last week's news and all that but I noticed Robinson was still pretty chippy in his post-match on the club YouTube. *Looks at Jake Hastie and Liam Polworth* Not to pile on Grimmy but after the heavy hinting about O'Donnell covering left back I thought playing him in his natural position ahead of Grimshaw, in hindsight, was the right thing to do. @Al B's post in the match thread was a pretty spot on appraisal of what we could have won on Saturday. It's a small sample size but I can't be the only one who's noticed that we seem to be getting far more out of Seedorf with him playing on his natural side rather than as an inverted winger. Also, I mentioned this the other week but the amount Carson is getting on the ball outside his area is interesting particularly taking Big Bev's distribution issues into account. I'd be interested to know how this compares with his 17/18 season as #1 and also with Gillespie last season. Proper sweeper keeper vibes - the ML1 Neuer.

Given how poor our record is through there I'm happy enough with a point. After the opening 3 games a clean sheet seems like a big win for us considering Doidge, Nisbet, Boyle and Horgan all had potential to cause us problems. Not losing, not giving away a daft penalty, not conceding in injury time and Callum Lang not committing attempted murder seem like solid positives for us to take away from the game. It's very dry patter so apologies in advance but with all the chat through the week about us bypassing the midfield etc it seemed worth pointing out that DT had more touches and more passes than anyone else on the park. Source: WhoScored? Also vaguely interesting from our POV how close Lang was playing to White.

O'Donnell starts at right back. Lang is in as well. Grimshaw and Long benched

Aye it's 30 dead on: First Team The chat from Robinson in the press conference yesterday was that there's no money left for bring in new players though he went on to talk about actively looking to get the "better" younger players out on loan as there's no Reserve league at the moment. I'd have thought for the most part we'd cover the wages for Development loans but the landscape has changed a bit. Unsure whether loaning out half a dozen of the young 'uns would free up any money.

They put out a best of compilation last year.

There he is...

We still look like we're in pre-season tbh. Then again, against County we gave away a daft pen, hit the post, missed a sitter from 6 yards, missed a pen. Then our big summer signing got himself sent off for trying to detach Michael Gardyne's leg at the knee. With apologies to @thisGRAEME as I'm ripping off his Terrace bit - the 15 mins or so Calum Lang was involved against County is absolutely the best we've looked going forward in the 3 games so far. After that both our left back options are out long term, Donnelly needs surgery and our only right back has been absolute humpty. There's been a lot of chopping and changing. With the injuries, suspensions and trying to get everyone some sort of game time we don't look anywhere near close to having a cohesive starting XI. Weirdly Livi was our worst performance of the season and it's the only one we scored in...twice. I'd absolutely take a draw here.

That's Robinson confirming that with no Reserve football we're actively looking to get the better younger players out on loan.

I think you are right.

Percentage of shirt sales with the sponsor going to Scottish Association for Mental Health. I bought mine without when they were released but will happily chuck SAMH a donation just now.

The Thunderdome is BACK.

With our very own @thisGRAEME

AFAIK he's been playing left back for us (based on who he's been subbed on for) but given our situation with the full back positions that doesn't mean much. He was involved in some of the pre-season bounce games and has been on the bench the last couple of games. He's still only 16 so it'd be a surprise if we chucked him in any time soon.

Tbh, one of the weirder quirks of this season has been that - as of yesterday - we were sitting with a 29 (TWENTY NINE) man first team squad with only one right back (a nominal one at that). I get that Grimshaw's probably been one of Robinson's first names on the teamsheet on account of his graft but while last season we had Tait to cover both full back positions taking that safety net away meant it was a weird look to see depth in literally every other position but a solitary right back. Anyway, with everyone fit I suppose our squad looks like this now.

Genuinely interested to see where we play O'Donnell - especially after Robinson's venting earlier. The quotes in the spiel suggest we're looking at him as a left back option - at least initially. So do we stick with Lamie at LB and play O'Donnell in his natural position ahead of Grimshaw or do we play O'Donnell out of position at LB ahead of Lamie and stick with Grimshaw as RB.

On the face of it that's a fair enough question but it's not like we've been dishing out 4 year deals like your neighbours. O'Donnell's signed until January with an option to take him to the end of the season (presumably if he can't get a "bigger" club lined up). I'd imagine the wage we're paying will probably reflect the fact that it's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Of our First Team squad 16 (including 2 loans) are out of contract at the end of the season (maybe more as they didn't clarify the length of contracts of the Reserves who extended). If you look at our business over the summer we've seen fewer come in than went out and a number of them will be on less than the players they've replaced eg: Fox replacing Gillespie: Out: First team: Hartley, Tait, Ferguson, Gillespie, Livingstone, Ilic, Manzinga, Aarons (end of loan), Ndjoli (end of loan), O'Hara (end of loan) = 10 Reserves: Hemfrey, Brown, Kettings, Starrs = 4 Total: 14 In: First team: Lamie, White, McGinley, Fox, O'Donnell, O'Hara (loan made permanent), Hastie (loan), Lang (loan) = 8 Reserves: n/a Total: 8

Hi.

There he is...

Of "those coming back" Hastie is surely the most obvious (along with Long).

Cheers. My tiny speakers weren't exactly clear.

Nah, he's generally been talking DT up. His comments last night sounded like he was calling a few out based on their recent form. Also, I could be wrong, but in the post match it sounds like he says he thought 'Sherwin and David done well". It did but it was more him losing possession and Campbell getting the break of the ball. Maybe I'm just being unkind though. I mean, I'm not saying Chris Long's pish - he was very good for us last season but he's been nowhere near it in the first few games.

It's a not-even-veiled dig at Chris Long. He was offered a new deal before the end of the season and didn't re-sign until 10th July which was almost a month after our pre-season started (the assumption being that he had been holding out to get a better move) and save hitting the post against County he's been virtually anonymous in all 3 games so far. Last night he had 16 touches of the ball in almost 80 mins and didn't manage a shot on goal, Saturday it was 15 touches in 65 mins and against County it was 14 in 71 mins. For context White (who wasn't exactly dominating the game) had 35 touches in 90 mins and Dykes had 53 for you guys.