Francesc Fabregas

He really isn't.

With Stenhousemuir having played last night, I took in this fixture today. The first half was largely dull but the second was a good laugh, with David Goodwillie scoring two world-class goals to give Clyde the victory. I thought a draw would have been the fairest result, particularly when Alloa Atheltic spent a good 10 minutes or so pushing for the winner, but Goodwillie's supremely individualistic second was sublime. I don't think anyone in the ground realised the striker had scored until he ran off celebrating; I think we'd all thought he'd smashed it into the side netting. All in all, in was an enormous three points for Danny Lennon, especially when put into context alongside Wednesday night's embarrassment at Broomhill. For a long time I've thought Clyde are "David Goodwillie and 10 other cunts" and I didn't really see anything here to change my mind, despite a couple of decent performances here and there. Goodwillie was miles ahead of anything on the pitch, on either team, and his movement and use of the ball is so good (I'm sure Clyde fans don't need me to tell them that). Scott Rumsby did well at centre-back, Kevin Nicoll was his usual spoiling self in the middle of the park and Ross Cunningham showed up well from time to time. His cross in for Goodwillie to bullet in the opener was glorious. I can't say I thought all that much of Alloa. Barry Ferguson's 3-4-2-1 formation did not work and I don't understand why he persisted with Fernandy Mendy and Conor Sammon. Mendy was turned inside out by Goodwillie on at least three occasions (you could see the striker pulling onto him every time Clyde broke forward) and he shanked the ball out of play under no pressure a couple of times. Alloa looked far better after his substitution and the change in formation. As for Sammon, well, you try to watch him and look at the attributes that led to Wigan Athletic paying around £600,000 to sign him. He's a big boy and he's quite quick off the mark, but other than that? I just don't see it. There was one moment when he failed to control a simple pass into his feet, which led to his manager scream: "FUCKING HELL, SAMBO" at him. It's all elementary now but they would have been better off keeping Robert Thomson because he's far more useful than Sammon. Stefan Scougall had some nice touches in the second half and took his goal well (although David Mitchell appeared to get two hands on it before it kissed the post and crept in), Jon Robertson should start every week and the boy Cammy O'Donnell has a bit about him. I'd be a little concerned about Ferguson's ideas for this team because for long periods today, it didn't seem to make a lot of sense.

That was a poor game of football between two sides who have their work cut out if they're to challenge for the top four. I thought a draw might have been the fairer outcome but I can't really begrudge Edinburgh City their victory. They took one of their few chances and Stenhousemuir did not. Good on them. I don't know what to make of this Stenny side. I was encouraged by some of the performances in the Betfred Cup but they have not been replicated in league campaign, save for a 30-minute spell against Albion Rovers. We didn't play well against Stirling Albion on the opening day and we didn't play well tonight against the Citizens. The Warriors looked unimaginative, we didn't offer enough support to the forward line and, perhaps most of all, we were really slow. It wasn't until the introduction of James Lyon on the hour mark that things began to pick up a little but other than a late flourish, we didn't create anything or put our hosts under any duress. The team selection surprised me. Our line-up changes on a game-by-game basis with no real rhyme or reason and I don't think Stephen Swift knows what his best XI is, nor do I think he knows the most appropriate system to field them in. Players come in and players are dropped, and although we've flitted between a 4-3-3 and a 4-4-2 with a midfield diamond, there doesn't appear to be any real difference between the two formations. When asked why he brought in Jon Craig on loan from Kilmarnock through the week to play at left-back, Swift said it was because he felt it was a position he was "looking for more". It was strange, therefore, to see Craig on the bench and BJ Coll playing ahead of him. We now have three left-backs at the club and one right-back, Ross Lyon, whose absence through injury saw Craig Reid step up in his place tonight. Reid looked off the pace, both offensively and defensively, and it worries me we've got such a large squad but lack cover in an important position, one that's fundamental to how the team attacks. Robert Thomson was the only player who performed to a good standard tonight. He looks miles ahead of anything else in the team at the moment and his drive and his graft was impressive over the course of the match. Other than that? Tam Orr's penalty was dreadful and he couldn't really get into the game, (although it didn't help that his team-mates were often some distance away from him when the ball found its way to him). Adam Brown looked reasonably bright before fading, Nat Wedderburn plays as though he's running knee high through syrup, Darren Christie is perhaps better utilised as an impact substitute, and I've not seen anything at all from Euan O'Reilly since he joined the club. Special mention must go to the central defenders, Sean Crighton and Nicky Jamieson. The pair looked so uncomfortable this evening, with things like straightforward balls over the top causing inexplicable panic. Jamieson in particular seems to be making critical mistakes in every game - he failed to stop Marc Laird's run in the Stirling Albion match in the build-up to the winning goal, he almost cost another against Albion Rovers last weekend, and tonight he somehow sliced a simple clearance and fell over, allowing Ryan Shanley to nip in and score. (Could Ryan Marshall have done better? Probably.) Central defence should be our strongest position and I think we all expected more from two experienced players. One point from our first three matches is a disappointing return and if results go against us tomorrow, we will be bottom of the division. With games against Cowdenbeath and Kelty Hearts coming up, two tough encounters, I'm worried about where the first league win of the season is going to come from. Swift and his team have a lot to do before next week's match.

That's smashing, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow!

How straightforward is it to get a ticket for tomorrow's game against Alloa Athletic? There's no information on the club website or on social media.

After last night's win against over Dundee United B, I think we will go into Friday's game lining up with: - Robert Thomson - Tam Orr - Darren Christie - - James Lyon - Nat Wedderburn - Cammy Graham - - Jon Craig - Nicky Jamieson - Sean Crighton - Ross Lyon - - Ryan Marshall - Euan O'Reilly might come in ahead of Graham in the middle of the park but other than that, I can't see many deviations!

I think you could well be right. Here's the current team: GOALKEEPERS Ryan Marshall (signed from BSC Glasgow) Graeme Smith Davie Wilson (signed from Clyde) DEFENDERS BJ Coll (signed from Forfar Athletic) Adam Corbett Jon Craig (signed from Kilmarnock - on loan) Sean Crighton (signed from Airdrieonians) Nicky Jamieson (signed from Alloa Athletic - on loan) Ross Lyon (signed from BSC Glasgow) Jamie Mills (signed from BSC Glasgow) Craig Reid (signed from Kelty Hearts) Jordan Tapping (signed from East Stirlingshire) MIDFIELDERS Michael Anderson (signed from BSC Glasgow) Adam Brown (signed from Alloa Athletic) Ross Forbes (signed from Dumbarton) Declan Hughes (signed from BSC Glasgow) James Lyon (signed from Partick Thistle - on loan) Euan O'Reilly (signed from Airdrieonians) Nat Wedderburn (signed from Dumbarton) FORWARDS Darren "Daz" Christie (signed from Pollok) Cammy Graham Thomas Orr (signed from Stranraer) Ryan Tierney (signed from BSC Glasgow) Robert Thomson (signed from Alloa Athletic) OUT ON LOAN Josh Grigor (Syngenta) I'm not sure why Jon Craig was brought in given how well we're stocked in central defence and at left-back (unless we have players missing through injury?) However, if everyone's fit and available, then we probably have at least two players too many and there could well be movement before the end of the month. If that is the case then I'd imagine Adam Corbett is perhaps the likeliest candidate to move on.

That was a decent win over Dundee United's B team this evening. Did anyone take it in? Can anyone sum up the game? Apparently Cammy Graham scored a good goal, something our Twitter account mentioned several times, each time more egregious than the last.

We have signed a teenage defender called Jon Craig from Kilmarnock. Apparently he can play at centre-back and left-back (where I imagine we'll stick him given the paucity of good options). He played in the second half of Killie's friendly against Linfield in pre-season and he scored at the weekend for their under-18s side.

I've only ever been to Meadowbank Stadium the once (I think it was for a match between Edinburgh City and Annan Athletic and it might have been the Citizens' first win the SPFL) but it's miles better than the current situation - it's located in a decent part of town, there are plenty of places to go to around the ground, you get a good view of the game and it has a weird Soviet Bloc vibe. I'm looking forward to seeing Edinburgh back there soon!

Come on mate, Ainslie Park is the worst ground in the SPFL. Ochilview is a thousand times better!

I think this game will go down a must-win fixture for Stenhousemuir too. I don't think we've looked quite as desperate as Edinburgh City but if we've got aspirations of hanging with the play-off contenders, we have to beat down-on-their-luck sides like like the Citizens. By all accounts we should have taken all three points from our match against Albion Rovers at the weekend, with some of our play in the second half looking encouraging, so we should be looking to build on that. We've got an unappealing Challenge Cup tie with Dundee United's children's team to negotiate tomorrow night first but I reckon that match will tell us a lot about the team we'll field on Friday. Speaking after the weekend's match, Stephen Swift said the game against United gives him the opportunity to try out some of his fringe players at the expense of those who have not been perceived to pull their weight (ie, Ross Forbes). Depending on how they get on, we may or may not see some changes at Ainslie Park.

Ryan Marshall made a decent save to deny Curtis Main in our League Cup defeat to St Mirren, to be fair to him, but other than that I haven't seen much to suggest he's any good. He seemed to completely miss the flight on Div Wilson's strike and allowed it to loop right over him and into the net. Chuck in his anxiousness from dealing with cross balls and you've got a goalie you can't really trust. Hard to tell from the highlights if Stenhousemuir were any good but Darren Christie's cross in for Robert Thomson was lovely. I didn't really expect much from a 33-year-old forward with just a handful of SPFL appearances under his belt but he's looked really exciting coming off the bench. I was disappointed with his contribution against Stirling Albion but he's been handy in most other games. Nicky Jamieson didn't look to convincing and it's disappointing, but not surprising, to read Ross Forbes didn't do all that much before being hooked. With Stephen Swift saying he's going to change things around against Dundee United B on Tuesday night, I wonder if Forbes will be benched and someone like Euan O'Reilly or Michael Anderson will come in ahead of him. Wouldn't mind seeing Davie Wilson get a start in midweek too.

Fair play to whoever writes Cove Rangers' match reports - this team are always cheated, never defeated!

Took this match in and generally enjoyed myself - other than a lull midway through the first half, there was a lot to like. Queen's Park deserved the win, no doubt about it, but Cove Rangers really shot themselves right through their big feet. Fraser Fyvie was red carded for a bad tackle just before the interval (I'd need to see it again but his sheepish reaction suggests the referee was correct) and then Kyle Gourlay sold the jerseys for Bob McHugh's goal. Slicing a clearance is one thing but letting an innocuous shot from outside the box spill through your fingers is something else entirely. I don't particularly rate Stuart McKenzie but I'd much rather have him in goal than a dumpling like Gourlay! I'm not quite sure what to make of Queen's Park, and I'm still not sure after this game. They really looked the part against 10 men and should have scored three or four, but too many times in the first half they resorted to shelling channel balls for Simon Murray to run onto. Also, I didn't really like what I saw from Calum Biggar - his 45 minutes on the pitch were so negative, I don't think he passed the ball forward once. If I was Laurie Ellis, I would encourage everything to go through Liam Brown - he lost the ball a couple of times (and one of them, on the edge of his own penalty area, could have been fatal) but he's such a bright, intelligent player and can take opponents out of the game with a little shake of his hips. He's really grown into a smashing player after his disappointment at Motherwell and I hope he does the Spiders a good turn this term. Queen's Park really did seem to enjoy themselves after the second goal and some of the counter-attacking football and the interplay between the forward players was great to watch. Gourlay redeemed himself somewhat with a couple of good saves but, as mentioned earlier, QP could have run up and handsome scoreline. Wullie Muir was fine on the rare occasions he was called upon, the back four looked solid enough (although I'm not convinced about Tommy Robson) and Brown can be a catalyst. What about Cove Rangers? There were times they looked quite good. Blair Yule was probably my man of the match and he really did he best to carry the ball forward and drive his team up the park, and Rory McAllister put in a good shift when he came on, but I don't think they're getting value for money from their "big-name" players. Fyvie let his team-mates down with that tackle (why snap someone in the middle of the pitch with half-time approaching?) and although Ian Vigurs chipped in with some genuinely glorious passes, you'd like to see more from him than just "pointing". Good to see Morgyn Neill still has some of the worst distribution I've seen from a centre-back in the lower leagues. Good luck to both teams going forward this season.

Panic over: I have secured my ticket for the biggest game of the weekend. (£17 does feel a little steep, somehow; it's just a pity that Lord Haughey's charity didn't take neutral supporters into consideration!)

How easy is it to get tickets for this match? Can I pay the gate, or is something more nefarious involved?

What's the best way to follow up a mediocre performance at home on the first day of the season? Why, a trip to take on our bogey side, baby! There wasn't a lot to like about Stenhousemuir's showing against Stirling Albion last weekend - chances were at a premium, the ball spent a long time in the air and too many players failed to make a positive impact - and I'm hoping to see something a lot better at Cliftonhill tomorrow. I'd like to think Stephen Swift has more ideas up his sleeve than simply getting Ryan Marchall to pump it out to Robert Thomson on the left flank, and I want to see more from Ross Forbes and Nat Wedderburn in the middle of the park - I only really noticed the former was playing against the Binos whenever we won a set-piece, while the latter was cumbersome and didn't really influence the game. I like what I've seen from the Rovers so far this season and I know we're going to be in for a difficult afternoon. They have energy and enthusiasm in abundance and we although we probably have better players, effort often beats talents, especially at this level. Brian Reid has recruited well and this side look a lot stronger than the team that started last year's campaign. I think Cammy Binnie is an astute piece of business and probably the best goalkeeper the manager could have signed in the circumstances. I don't think we'll see any changes from the side that started against the Binos; I don't think we really have a lot of depth to make the alterations anyway, especially in central midfield. - Robert Thomson - Tam Orr - Darren Christie - - James Lyon - Nat Wedderburn - Ross Forbes - - Jamie Mills - Nicky Jamieson - Sean Crighton - Ross Lyon - - Ryan Marshall - I'd be delighted with a win tomorrow but I've got a nagging feeling we'll lose this one. I can't quite put my finger on it but I'm not all that confident.

I can only echo a lot of the comments posted above. I thought it was an even contest, with both sides creating some decent openings, right up until the moment Stirling Albion scored. From that point on, Stenhousemuir showed little ingenuity or creativity and only really threatened at the death. It was a disappointing way to kick off the season. Martin McNiff's goal was a dreadful one to give away. Nathan Flanagan slalomed his way into the box, under no pressure whatsoever from an opposition player, and squared it to his team-mate for a simple finish. Absolutely appalling. Jamie Mills was especially poor at left-back and even although it's early days, I've yet to see anything from him to suggest he can compete in League 2. He doesn't seem to offer much going forward or the going the other way and Flanagan, an average lower-league winger, had him on toast throughout. Weirdly, I think we suffered when we withdrew Tam Orr for Euan O'Reilly. Robert Thomson was really making inroads on the left and moving him into the middle and bringing Euan O'Reilly on and playing him on the wing just didn't work. Thomson was no longer effective as an orthodox centre-forward and O'Reilly was rubbish, constantly giving the ball away or running into cul-de-sacs. I do really like Thomson and think he'll be an important player this season. Other than the big forward, everyone in maroon was so-so. Darren Christie linked up well with Ross Lyon at times but didn't do enough to frighten McNiff and get crosses in from the right; Ross Forbes offered so much from set-pieces but not much beyond it; Nat Wedderburn has the turning circle of an oil tanker; Nicky Jamieson put in some good tackles but was also culpable at the goal; and James Lyon really should have scored just before the interval. Stirling Albion looked quite good - Flanagan was the man of the match, Kyle Banner kept Orr quiet and Ray Grant knitted things together well when he came on midway through the second half. I expect them to finish in the top four this season. There is plenty for Stephen Swift to ponder after today. I look forward to next week's game against Albion Rovers.

I think Stenhousemuir can challenge for a play-off place. Our squad is a mix of well-known SPFL players and non-league jobbers and they've shown up quite well in the pre-season friendlies and Premier Sports Cup matches. Although results haven't necessarily gone our way, our performances have been spirited, the players have looked the part and you can see what Stephen Swift is trying to do with them. We're a good attacking side and I reckon Robert Thomson and Tam Orr can get about 20-odd goals between over the course of the campaign, while players like Darren Christie, Cammy Graham and Ross Forbes will have an important role to play and chip in with a couple themselves. I am a little concerned about the defence - I don't trust Ryan Marshall, the goalkeeper, but I'm not sure if Davie Wilson is any better, and that's now back-to-back games where we've seen a calamitous howler (both involving Nicky Jamieson, interestingly enough). I'm not 100 per cent sold on the full-backs either - while they're good at bombing forward, Ross Lyon especially, they don't seem to be the best defenders and I think they can be got at it. I think we're capable of scoring goals but we'll probably concede a lot in the process. Also, some of the squad players have yet to impress so far. A shoot prediction based on nothing more than my own prejudices: Kelty Hearts will win the league by a double-digit advantage; Stirling Albion, Elgin City and Stenhousemuir will finish in the play-offs; Edinburgh City will narrowly miss out on the top four, so too will Forfar Athletic; Cowdenbeath and Stranraer will finish in the lower reaches of the table, a handful of points from the play-offs but miles away from danger; Albion Rovers will probably beat Kelty twice but have a difficult season; and Annan Athletic will finish bottom but survive the play-offs. I think it is going to be a superb season of football ahead.

Aye, we lined up with a 3-6-1 (or maybe it was a 3-5-2?) formation this evening, with BJ Coll as a left-sided centre-back and Jamie Mills as left-wing-back.

I thought St Mirren were well worth their win this evening, with the scoreline being reflective of the overall game. They had the better of the play, created a lot more chances and probably had gears they could have gone through if things got a little sticky. The only time they looked rattled was towards the death when we pushed for an equaliser but Lee Erwin's late, late strike killed off the game. Stenhousemuir had a couple of neat moments here and there, and I think most of the players can be proud of their efforts. BJ Coll put in some nice tackles, Nat Wedderburn had a couple of neat touches in the middle of the park and I really like what I've seen from Robert Thomson so far. I certainly think we'll hold our own next season and maybe challenge for a top-four slot. I'm not too keen on Ryan Marshall, however. He looked shaky in the first half, completely missing a punch (and flattening Curtis Main), before selling the jerseys after the restart for the Buddies' opener. He didn't attempt to dive for their second and didn't react well to a shot that was well-struck but hardly flying by him at their third. I wasn't convinced by him after the Thistle match, albeit there was little he could have done about the their two goals. But hey!, these games are just a kickabout before the real stuff starts next a week on Saturday.

I must say, I was impressed with Stenhousemuir's performance against Partick Thistle yesterday. The first-half display in particular was excellent and we really went toe to toe with the League 1 champions with some bold adventurous play (Daz Christie's nutmeg on Kevin Holt being the highlight). If we can take that kind of showing into the bread and butter of the league, we can enjoy a successful season. We tired in the second half and didn't really have an answer to substitute Scott Tiffoney, who bodied Christie and Ross Lyon with his trickery and pace. Thistle stepped things up and we didn't really have an answer to it - when Brian Graham netted their second, it was unlikely we would respond. Nicky Jamieson was my man of the match and he really looks like a smashing signing. His tackle on Kyle Turner early in the match saved a certain goal and I think he can go on to form a dominant partnership with Sean Crichton. Perhaps most importantly of all, it was brilliant to see supporters back in the ground. Reminded me of the old times. You forget how much you miss the sound of the crowd, the noise when the team bounds forward on the attack, the old boys wailing when someone steals yards at a throw-in, the fury when an opposition player puts in a bad tackle, Wonderful stuff.

I remember thinking he was a very useful player at Queen's Park and was surprised they didn't keep him on when they moved to full-time football. I didn't see much of him at the Recs last season (every time I brought a stream, it was Andy Graham and Scott Taggart at centre-back) but I have high hopes for him at Ochilview.

He has signed for Stenhousemuir FC on loan.