Zamora Fan

It’s a shocking team and squad so not expecting a result. But there are still plenty of senior players out there. Given the opponent I expect us to keep the ball better than we did last week and to at least look like there’s a chance we’ll score a goal. If we can do this and avoid a pumping I think that’s enough to be reasonably happy with at this stage and given the injury list. Maclean’s a genius if we can steal a result.

It was a tight call but that was why the ref blown up as lino thought Carey was offside — if he'd scored with the shot it would have been VAR'd. It was one of those delayed offside calls.

A striker like Chris Kane to get us up the park and annoy the centre halves would make a big difference.

Theo Bair starting for Motherwell at Dens. Wild.

Yeah I think that's fair on Flaherty. He didn't address the financial spiral when it was his job to try and do so. On Grieve, it sort of just seems like it wasn't working out and he wasn't a fit with the set-up. From the players he recommended I get the sense he wanted to go for complete gambles when Davidson wanted the opposite. I always assumed the Grieve signings were Cleary, Mahon, Eetu, Bair and Gallacher. Cleary was fine but obviously unfortunate what happened there. Mahon/Eetu/Bair didn't work out, but Gallacher might still.

Ventured on to We Are Perth the other day and saw a post saying Steve Brown, Davidson, Flaherty and Grieve got us into the position we’re in at the minute. Just seems a bit bizarre to me to group Grieve in with the others (maybe harsh on Flaherty too?). He recommended targets, the club didn’t have to sign them. And still feel the signings that have hurt us the most are Davidson ones. Like the sound of Matt Smith but folk are going to have to be patient with him. Even in that highlights clip it looks like pressing at that level is basically non-existent — completely different game up here. An attacker who can play “anywhere across the front three” is needed and then we start to look passable.

Good post. The state of the squad isn't Maclean's fault and for now I'm happy enough with his approach to recruitment given the circumstances. But at the same time I'm concerned by the way his team have reacted to adversity at such an early stage of his management. The heads going down after conceding a goal is really concerning when you'd hope there was still a new manager bounce around the place. Also something that's playing on my mind at the minute: Some of the senior players — and one of the more promising youngsters in particular — don't seem overly bothered about impressing the new boss do they? Some of the players who struggled under the old regime have had a new lease of life in terms of effort levels and output since Maclean came in, e.g Carey in a more natural position, Gallacher. But I'm concerned about the continuity of shiteness from some of the other senior players we will need to rely on. Not just talking about the captain either.

Formatting a complete mess there but our biggest weaknesses are at CB and CM — so McGowan needs to play in defensive midfield so he can try and protect both as much as possible. Wright and Carey are our most (only?) creative players — they need to play in their best positions on the right and left wings if we are to have any chance of creating chances. Sadly for both of these things to happen we rely on Brown being fit to play right back. If he doesn't make it our chances of getting something here drop to somewhere near zero. A fit Chris Kane would be a massive asset here but since that doesn't seem to be something that will happen, might as well go with Jephcott up top on his own. Means we can bring an actual senior striker in May on from the bench on the 60 min mark. I'm a bit concerned Maclean will go 4-4-2 here. With the current state of our midfield/defense Hearts would just breeze right through us — absolutely screams 'decent start ... concede on the break ... respond well and push for an equaliser ... concede again on the break ... then fall apart and concede anywhere between 1/2/3 more.'

I would pack the midfield as much as possible. Mitov Brown Gordon Considine Gallacher McGowan Ballantyne Phillips Wright Carey (or Max if not fit) Jephcott

As a 16 year old (is that his age?) CB being chucked in for your first game you’d hope the experienced defender (and captain) next to you would talk you through the game and cover for any nervy/inexperienced moments … rather than look just as lost as you in a game against Stirling Albion. I feel for him and hope his confidence isn’t completely wrecked. ‘LG’ becoming a serious issue in this team.

You know it’s bad when Jordan White’s da is piling on.

What is his best position supposed to be? I get the sense it’s not RW or as a CM which is where the manager has played him so far.

The centre back situation is a disgrace really. A poor kid forced in before they’re ready because the only other two CBs are utter shite. Not good enough across the park but that’s the area where it’s really hurting us even in games against L1 opposition. The manager is gonna have to be more pragmatic and find a way to make what he has less soft and easy to beat, while he tries to shape it into his image. Otherwise we are going to be adrift by Christmas.

1. Celtic 2. Aberdeen 3. Rangers 4. St Mirren (p***ks) 5. Hibs 6. Hearts 7. Livi 8. Dundee 9. Motherwell 10. St Johnstone 11. Kilmarnock 12. Ross county

Also really needs said that the centre back pairing of Gordon and Considine is dreadful. Neither of them can pass the ball and both are better in a back 3 where someone else can hide their deficiencies. Gordon + a CB of proven quality still isn’t ideal if you want to kick on but is an absolute must if we are planning to at least try and stay up..

I can’t get behind seeing Carey or Wright as the problem I’m afraid. They are close to being our only senior outfield players with a bit of creative quality. Carey was shite last year but was played out of position about 75% of the time. We need more players like them to take some of the slack. Plus, I’m afraid to say, a couple of players in the ‘do a job’ category. Slot David McCracken, Graham Cummins and Paul Paton into today’s team and we probably get a point at least IMO. It’s great blooding some youngsters and offering first team pathways but right now our squad looks like one of the stronger teams on an U20s league (RIP) matchday. Needs to be a balance and I think and hope, given he was here for the entirety of TW’s reign, Maclean will be aware of this and seeking to rectify it.

Have we ever started a midfield 3 who all came through the youth system? That’s pretty cool. True for 6/11 in the team in total by my count too.

Wotherspoon over Hallberg any day for me I’m afraid. Really sad about this and he doesn’t deserve being released for one mediocre half season on the back of a horrible injury. Best Saint ever?

Need more players who can chip in with goals from midfield and the wide positions if this 4-3-3 is Maclean's thing imo. Overly reliant on May and Wright for goals all season and that will be even more acute if we stick with the system from last five games. If we keep Kane, Wotherspoon and Brown from the OOC players, I'd then be looking for a LB, a CB, one more midfielder in the MacPherson/Phillips mould, a winger and then if there's space in the budget a forward, probably on loan (presuming both Crawford and Bair will be shipped far away from Perth). Would give Gallacher a shot at competing for the LB spot with An Other if he's happy to stay. Leaves us with something like this, with the option to go 4-4-2. The two defensive positions are the ones Maclean really needs to get right. Sinclair Brown/McGowan Gordon/McGowan New CB/Considine New LB/Gallacher Phillips/McGowan MacPherson/New midfielder Max K/Ballantyne Wright/New winger Carey/Wotherspoon May/Kane/Clark/New fwd

They do have coverage of the dramatic bottom six final day .. but you can genuinely tot up the mistakes here in what is literally 3 quick lines of copy. (Taken at 15:40) — Motherwell - Dundee United is 1-1 — Saints - Livingston is 1-0, they’ve obviously chucked the bit for United’s game in there — And that isn’t how you spell “facing.” Any more?

What happens if Flap Jack gets injured or sent off here? Surely Livi have another keeper on their books?

Btw, could anyone imagine MacPherson (who has his uses) ever delivering a corner as good as that one from Wotherspoon at the end?

Ryan McGowan delivering a victory for anti-racists everywhere.

If the ownership situation is sorted out this summer, then no, probably. We’re a top flight premiership club and need to start acting like it, not giving the head coach gig and the task of a massive rebuild to someone with no managerial experience. Owner and new board’s first responsibility should be to conduct a proper interview process — Maclean should be invited to apply and if he’s the best candidate then fine. He’s done well to keep us up, lift the mood and get us playing some nice stuff but it’s not quite enough for me. And tbh I can’t help but feel he’s been really lucky our opponents lost their heads in 3 out of 4 matches so far. He’ll always be a legend but if he wants to be a football manager, maybe he needs to prove himself down the leagues first. If the ownership situation isn’t sorted this summer I could see the argument for keeping Maclean for a year-long audition so there’s at least some stability but even then that feels like risking a third consecutive relegation battle. If we did this Gus MacPherson would have to closely involve himself in the efforts to rebuild the squad.

It’s a red card on current rules (which cite excessive force I think?) but I’d much rather we punished tackles like that with yellows tbh. He goes for and gets the ball, wasn’t particularly high. Not complaining though - we were all over the place and Killie goal was coming until that.