DieDee

Score / scorer(s)?

Would say all three are more comfortable on right hand side, a really good quality left hand sided central defender a priority....and a left back...and a keeper... and a holding midfielder.... and a striker, or two

I may be in a minority here but Cammy has been one of our best performers over the last couple of seasons (not a high bar I grant you). He has the kind of drive, and is clearly one of the fittest players we have, that most managers would appreciate. If we had offered a new 2 yr deal for Marshall, Ashcroft, McGhee, Legzdins, Reedy, Sheridan or Lawlor I wouldn't say any of these are SPL standard, Cammy I'm totally fine with. Bookmark me

Fans are going apeshit, way out = Davidson "turning it down". Here's hoping

Charlie Reilly on pre-contract?? If 5 senior players "only" being offered renewals then I recon Kerr, Sweeney, McMullen, McCowan & Jak. Legzdins could be coach / cover so probably not in the "real" 5. Hopefully Mulligan, Cameron & Sharp still at Dens and sign 9. If Rudden and French could be moved on that would be grand / add another 1 signing.

McIntyre or McGhee?

A budget is given to most managers and it's up to them to work within that budget. I think, clearly without knowing the detail, we've had a number of players getting significantly more than the market would require given their performance level. Now is a great opportunity to redress that balance. If, as reported in certain places, Bowyer is on a rolling contract then he could easily be with us next season. Maybe the board will take on his request that he wants to be nearer his family and are not that fussed about him leaving. Bringing in a new manager when we only have 4 players for next season gives me the fear though, particularly with the current board's track record.

Yes, but also play Mulligan further forward, particularly first half. Coyle will know that we aren't that great if teams get right in our faces and we need more physicality in this game. For this reason I'd start Williamson over Cameron. Also, if it's raining it has to be Byrne, McGuire was like Bambi on ice last week

Well that should be a given, draw keeps it in QP's hands (and ours), a win and realistically the league is ours. I'd probably go with same team as last week but quite a few were off it then so use of subs a lot quicker if some aren't up to scratch will be biggest thing. That and not having a sh*ty ref

So you should, a draw would be pretty much just as good given the goal difference. Prefer Arbroath to take the 3rd bottom spot

Not 352 for me. 352 effectively becomes a 532 when teams attack us, leaving not enough strength in midfield. v Ayr, in terms of game-plan and execution, it was excellent. Kerr in at RB would help for the run in, Mulligan was fine as cover but ain't no RB. I, like other, think Mulligan is best through the middle. We need a midfield play-maker though and Mulligan isn't that. A fine performance from Cameron but up against the more physical teams Williamson is better. I'd also like to see Williamson with the Zak Jak combo in front, think that would help his game immensely. McGhee was fine but if in midfield has to be a holding midfielder (can fight it out with Byrne and McGuire for that role). Main gripe was Hannant, started well enough but became a bottle merchant. For the two winger positions first 3 options surely have to be from McCowan, McMullen and Mulligan.

Grayson, Tolaj, Clampin, Hannant, Maguire, Kwame with Williamson, Robinson and French. Enough there to make a mark. I can't help but thinking, if Bowyer had insisted, that McGowan could have played a part till the end of this season too instead of one of the crap signings mentioned. Bowyer had to be given time to get the best out of what I would regard as a decent squad for this level. Unfortunately the more time passes the worse we seem to be getting. At this stage I am extremely worried that, given his track record, his next signings will not improve the squad one bit.

Absolutely gutted about the Gowser decision. I get that he's had more than enough chances and a new contract wouldn't be offered as it's an indiscretion too far, but surely get him to play out this season. If we don't go up I'll consider it to be a key factor, and one that was self inflicted.

McGhee is at his level, not overly impressive but just seems to do enough. We need a good, sound holding midfielder and McGuire was pretty garbage 1st half, although he had, to be fair, some really good moments. Williamson should start, and with him, McGuire has a good out ball and it's maybe worth giving this pair a run to see if it develops. I'd still prefer to see McGowan doing the main holding midfielder role but will he ever return? Reading back, I see the Cammy haters are piping up again. Once again he is the least of our problems but some just can't seem to help themselves.

Criticism where it's due. Goal 1, Sweeney looses out to cross ball, Sheridan can only direct to their player (unlucky) who knocks it back in from close range to Akio who shows great movement to nod ball infront of Kerr (hardly sleeping but possibly could do better). Goal 2 - Tolaj is marking Stanton at edge of box. When ball is crossed in Kerr can see that Tolaj has lost his man. He makes an attempt to cover but is just too late

Why did others get banned?

Did pretty well but can't see him as a regular starter. We don't have much cover defensively but for his sake I'd rather he went back to Dunfermline to get plenty first team game time in his favoured position.

Maybe doesn't particularly rate Byrne (he has been very hit and miss) and Gowser not looking a safe bet to be a regular so where is the holding midfielder? He's been turning to McGhee, that says a lot

That said he was pretty poor first half. Mind you Mulligan wasn't great at RB either. Wonder if Fisher can play LB (haven't seen him much but seem to recall he was always on the left) or really more of left side of central defence?

this. I suspect a major reason we haven't started contract negotiations with some players, with others not going to be offered anything regardless, is that they are getting paid way more at Dundee than they would elsewhere.Starting negotiations early with we want to pay you a lot less would just hack them off. Get the impression that the likes of Motherwell get much closer to the balance of quality to cost than we do. The McGinn signing being a classic example

Any rumour about when Gowser might be back?

But is the season before proof? Couldn't win without Charlie then. The biggest factor is the manager, I suspect Bowyer would have kept us up so quite a few of these players, that can now put together the kind of run that we haven't seen in a long, long time, shouldn't be so discounted. We could also encounter the issue of players downing tools if they don't get say a promotion based contract. That said I agree that there are a number of players that shouldn't even be squad players next year (Grayson, McGinn, Marshall, Sheridan, Osei, Jakubiak, McGowan?). Plenty freed up budget there to work with, considering we may lose Williamson and Robinson too, without losing all continuity. As long as they're not expecting silly money...

So how about Sharp French Ashcroft/McGhee (half each) Sweeney Kerr McCowan Anderson Cameron Jakubiak Osei Sheridan Couldn't bring myself to put McGinn in there, even though getting punted out this cup wouldn't be a bad thing. Assume Marshall still out, any of the youths worth a shout in defence?

Sheridan looked fine in his short stint last time out so I wasn't disappointed to see him start. Unfortunately he was back to his brutal worst. At half time I was hoping Mulligan would come on to improve the threat through the middle. Is it that we just don't seem to play well with two up front because we just don't have the quality? Been so long I can't remember the last good pairing we've had that worked effectively together.

Thought Lawlor looked decent on Saturday but at this point a new goalkeeper and LB surely have to be the priority. Must be some bigger clubs, particularly from England, that have a LB that is going on 23, Kamara type signing, that probably won't be seen as ready for his current club's 1st team that could be enticed to Dens and do more than a good job up here. Use the Cummings bonus to give us the best chance of going up, it'd more than pay for itself if we can.