Coventry Saint

There's a code on meaning you can get the game (and a further month of Premier Sports) for £6. Seems reasonable.

It's less obvious that you're sweeping something under the carpet if you wait a couple of weeks.

We actually showed something that resembled attacking intent against United on Friday. We moved the ball about ok and our wing-backs were genuinely very advanced. Plenty of forward balls from midfield and our two debutants showed up very well. Despite all that, we mustered a whopping 0 (zero) attempts on target. I know we put four past League One's Partick Thistle, but even that result was an aberration and we really didn't deserve that margin. tl;dr - I think we'll win, but a single goal will probably decide it and I don't think you should fear a pumping. Honestly.

What I hope we'll go with: --------------------------------------- Alnwick ------------------------ ------------------------ Fraser - Shaughnessy - McCarthy -------------- Tait ----- Doyle-Hayes ----- MacPherson ----- Erhahon ------- Mason ----------------------- Obika -------------- Dennis --------------------------- In reality, it's likely to be McGrath alongside one of the strikers.

I always used to enjoy all those Mind the Gap memes from the Morton lads on here, back when we were in our 'rightful place'. Whatever happened to those?

If Goodwin is determined to play the 3/5 at the back, the width is going to be provided by the wing backs so unless Connolly has the defensive capabilities to play that role I'm not seeing where he fits into that formation. It seems odd bringing him in if JG always had the wing back plan at the back of his mind unless he thought he could do that role but training has shown otherwise. Alternatively JG might see him as something other than a wide player in which case he can't be showing much if the likes of Cammy are getting the attacking support slot ahead of him. I think you could make a case for Connolly slotting in instead of McGrath in that line-up. We were basically playing a 3-6-1 on Friday - I was genuinely surprised to see how advanced Tait and Mason were, and it made a real difference. But I've gone a bit cold on McGrath, tbh. He's just not quite doing it. He's tidy enough in possession but he's creating little to nothing, and it's not like he's popping up on the edge of the box, Dorman-style. While it wouldn't be a pure wide role, I think giving Connolly that free role to play off the striker could work, based on what I've seen of him. His pace means he would either force defences back, creating space for others to get forward from midfield, or he would have room in behind if they push up. I honestly would be looking for any way I could to get him in the team, even if he just runs himself ragged for an hour.

Our game at Ibrox was 3-0 going on 8-0. Not surprising that Rangers have done this to someone, and I doubt it'll be the last time. They look proper this season. The main thing we have in our favour is that in Alnwick we have a keeper who, when playing behind a settled first choice defence, can be the difference between a horsing and not.

Same here: "winning" would be top of my list of different things I'd like us to try.

Wind-ups aside, I think there is limited chance of us horsing them this week; I don't think they need to fear an absolute tanking. I do hope we'll go with the same line-up as Friday, but with either Erwin or Obika in for McGrath. We'll dominate possession, but it'll be a tight scoreline.

It's an odd one: there's almost two phases to it. McMullan plays the ball, but then it's not going out of play, Obika's running through, and McMullan clips him. Would that have been given against us? Absolutely. Edit: as @Billy Jean King said.

Doyle-Hayes looks quality, and I thought Mason looked decent. I think if you go 3-5-2, then you need two actual strikers on the park. I've wanted to give McGrath a chance but he's simply not doing enough. Everyone else was passable, but the conditions were ridiculous and it was a farce in the end.

Me too mate. This is some laugh, mind. £12.50 well spent.

Weather like a Junior Morias shot. Mist.

I think McGrath will be making way for a second striker before too long. Then Connolly on for Fraser and we go to a normal back four.

Richard Tait is a baller.

I personally don't think there was enough in it, but VAR would 100% have given it.

5-3-2, I reckon. Tait in the back three, the other two as wingbacks. McGrath playing off Dennis with the other three in the middle of midfield. I wasn't going to bother watching but I'm keen to see the new guys.

Bold.

I've always thought it was Smeesa, tbh, but like our defence when there's a cross coming in, I'm more than happy to concede.

Let's keep it for a season, then have a SMISA vote to rename as St Mirren Park.

I like the gesture, but it's a shit name. 'SMISA' just isn't a nice word to say. I'd like to think they'd have come up with something catchier if they ever dreamed the ground was being named after it. Still, I do like the gesture very much.

Couple of subs on the 83 minute mark, then?

It's incredible how far we've made that James Anderson money stretch, tbh. Great to have football back, assuming there are no more f**k-ups. I've totally lost track of where we were (aside from 'shite') and who was playing/in form, etc. I've even forgotten that I'd decided not to cough up for any more PPV games for a while. Any guesses for how we're lining up on Friday?

He was clearly quality. People are nuts.