Coventry Saint

I think it's the monkeys/typewriters thing.

xO, where O=orbits of Earth completed by one of Andreu's shots.

I'm still convinced McGrath is the answer in central midfield and I will die on this hill.

I've got a sneaking suspicion, based on no evidence whatsoever, that we might go in for Liam Polworth by way of replacement for JDH. He's gone way out of favour at Motherwell and is still only 26. I do want to see us add a bit more experience in the middle of the park and and I reckon he'd be a sound addition.

I'm not sure that dickheads like me complaining on an internet forum has a causative effect on referees failing to improve.

Anyway, now we know what league we're going to be in next season, and now we have to wait an age* for our next game, I hope we'll be seeing some contract extensions getting announced soon. Here are the players OOC at the end of the season, (Brophy listed as he's on loan). Of those, I very much hope Fraser, Durmus and Connolly will be getting signed up as matter of urgent priority. Fraser has been excellent, especially during February, and I'm sure Durmus must be running in his sleep at the moment. Poor guy needs a break. I'd like to see Flynn and Obika given another year, but if we move them along then I'm happy to trust Goodwin's judgement. I believe JDH will be away now, but I can live with that. The lifting of the salary cap in England here will change the landscape for players like him (and their agents). Mason won't be back - I doubt we'll see him play for us again - and I don't know enough about the others to comment really. * Relatively speaking

Literally the side of their feet collided with each other. I just can't see it myself. I'd be fucking furious if that was given against us. To be fair, we've been on the receiving end of many similar shite decisions, so I'll take the likely top-six place that it's led to and won't lose any sleep over it.

I'd question your use of the past tense there, tbh.

Never a penalty in a million years. What I will say is this is the first season in a long time when I do actually feel that whole 'these things balance out over the season' cliché has come true for us. Whether that's true, or is just based on perception because we're not relegation-threatened, and therefore we collectively feel less aggrieved, I don't know. Chicken/egg scenario, really: are we higher in the league because we're getting key decisions, or do we feel less pissed off at referees because we're higher in the league?

Any good?

The same way that last season ending early cost Hearts 24 points.

I honestly can't perm it into any formation that makes 100% sense. Who is right wingback? McAllister?!!

Pretty sure he's not even played for our first team. He was signed as 'one for the future' and, to be fair, our scouting has been broadly spot-on recently. Also, Jamie Langfield appears to be an outstanding goalkeeper coach. I hope he does well for you.

I still find it a bit surreal that we ever gave Rae the job, tbh. Worse still was that he actually did alright that first season, but then lost the plot that summer. Thank f**k we binned him when we did or we'd certainly not be sitting 6th in the top flight today. Sliding doors moment, I reckon.

I was thinking this. That result flattered us a lot, tbh. Definitely not in for an easy game.

Yeah, it's a reminder that you can't always write players off when their form dips: same goes for Brophy who was looking like an underwhelming signing, but turns out he's carrying a stress fracture. Now we just need someone to diagnose and cure Lee Erwin's ME and Vertigo and we're golden.

Nah, I stand by it! If they were both on the bench and I had to bring one on, I'd go Cooke. Happy to agree to disagree on that one.

I would 100% have Cody Cooke on the bench over Erwin. At least you felt like Cooke might ruffle some feathers when he got on the park.

Reminds me a bit of when Kearney took over at us, or Ross prior to that in the Championship. To outsiders we still appeared to be shite, but the fans could see the difference in the performances and the attitude among the players. We stayed up by the skin of our teeth on both occasions, but both survivals led to something better.

Fraser has been thoroughly decent for us. My MoM on a few occasions recently. I get that sometimes players just need to move on, but in him and Tait we made a couple of excellent signings - unwanted by their previous clubs - that have had a massive impact this season. We also signed Lee Erwin.

0-0, obviously.

Aye, that's twice I've seen you play now, post-Alexander, and on both occasions you have looked absolutely nothing like a broken team. You've also not looked like a good team (and nor have we, tbf) but the players are trying and pressing and covering ground. If those elements were missing I'd be worried for you (sideways glance at Killie), but you'll stay up fairly comfortably, I'd think.

I've promised myself I'd stop whinging about tactics since the Parkhead game, but I'm not sure I'll ever be convinced by a 3/5 at the back. I'm hoping it's just because we're setting up to be solid given our fatigue levels and that we'll revert when we're less knackered, but it still never feels quite right to me.

I guess our collective excitement at the possibility probably does leave us open to pisstaking, which would be fair. What I would say is we've only been occasionally impressive this season, IMO. Some big performances that really stand out, but an awful lot of fairly average ones too, and I don't just mean during our packed February. We had a long unbeaten run (which included the LC games), but we've also had three winless spells of 7, 5 and 5 games (including the current run.) We've just had three eye-gouging home draws against teams below us in the league, and wins in any two of those would have pretty much had us safe (in top six). Obviously the fixture list has played a part, but it's been in our hands and if we fail then we really do only have ourselves to blame. On the plus side, I guess at least we've been in the mix and this season certainly gives us something to build on.

Lol describe well.