tarapoa

Exactly - lazy weegia reporting. The days when the better players from ourselves, Hearts and Hibs go there are probably over - unless the players contracts are expiring (e.g. Rat I, Rat II and potentially Barron). Unless there is some sell-on clause tripped, I would presume that we could comfortably hold out for much more than a cheek would be willing to offer for Miovski. Likewise, the days when ourselves/Hearts/Hibs can snap up the best players from the 'smaller' top flight clubs are mainly over too. Again, unless they are Devlin-style free transfers - we just won't pay the fees. It's a big world these days and we're right to be fishing in wider ponds.............or we could get Derek back of course, and re-sign Gary Mackay-Steven.

Apparently all the English sides that played on Thursday produced 'very flat' performances yesterday. Burrows also mentioned in a recent interview that there was research on the 'medium sized' clubs from all over European leagues that had to play Thursday-Sunday and an obvious pattern of detrimental league form was evident across the board. Maybe the fact that for once Barry actually rotated his squad between the two fixtures was the reason we were significantly less lacklustre yesterday than Paisley, Parkheid, Rugby Park and Hibs/St J at home. Sadly that cannot explain the schoolboy defending. Plus, as well as we played later in the match, it still looked like Hibs were the side who started yesterday on the front foot. The fact we failed to exploit a side that take so many risks in playing out from the back actually means that was a significant missed opportunity.

Last season when he was on that winning run, he was the master of downplaying everything. Came across as modest, unassuming etc.... On the back of some poor results this season, he seems to have gone the opposite way, and is very bullish and being overly positive or offering up excuses. Still not sure if this is some kind of strategy on his part or he's basically just nae the brightest and dealing with the media is well outside his comfort zone.

I like my data, but where it can be somewhat flawed is the context of the game. I didn't get along yesterday, but judging by the highlights Hibs were the side who got on the front foot early and made it count. Now, on previous post-Euro Sundays (and given our record when losing the first goal) that is pretty much game over there and then. The team did least turn up and make a go of it this time, but who's to say that if we'd equalised, that Hibs wouldn't then have re-taken the initiative and upped their xG a tad.

Jane Lewis interviewed Clarke and mentioned the 'difficult travel' between Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart.

Need some Yer Da comments on how complicated and dull getting the draw procedure explained is.

Kenny McIntyre just been on previewing today’s programme and yet again spends half the time going on about the bloody song that will be played. If I want music, I will just switch on the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show. I usually do anyway on a Saturday - but fitba chat, regardless of how inane and shock-jockish the show has become, will normally delay this. A song on Sportsound remains as welcome as a turd in a sugar bowl.

James Richardson has labelled us the “the great entertainers” on his TNT Sports highlights show. I think that also means “can’t defend”.

He can play well in the middle of a three - move him to the right and it’s different gravy, as we saw earlier in the season. Thought he ended up exposing Milne as a consequence, not helped by HJK’s best player being their left-winger (worth a look?). As for Gueye - just not going to happen. Dandies generally do not take to target men types and he’s way down the pecking order. In amongst the dreadful first half from every player, there were actually one or two nice touches suggesting there’s something there. Also he was good enough to play in the Belgian top flight - but the club maybe just need to cut their losses. The midfield needs bolstered and Hayes looks more and more done with each passing appearance.

Three very decent 2-2 away draws - and VAR does its job and we probably beat PAOK at home. Given PAOK did the double over Eintracht and utterly robidouxed Hearts - them some perspective maybe required. Disappointments have been the home games with the Swedish and Finnish champions.. Eintracht in a fortnight is now meaningless for both clubs - but the LC final probably means we play tonight’s first half team.

Philippe Clement is the Belgian Jean-Marie Le Penguin.

His uncle is probably called Billy Mad Dog McProddy and has a season ticket at Linfield.

Soapy Titw@nk struggling a bit here.

Sevco having to go to Betis to get a result would significantly improve our chances in the LC final. Think our first half team today is an idea of how seriously we’ll take Eintracht the same night.

McCausland has all the attributes to be the next John Fleck.

It was not even one second

Who’d have thought a boy fae Senegal that we haven’t seen all season wouldn’t be the answer in -10 deg in a blizzard in Finland.

It’s our Carabao Cup team. Will be annoyed if we finish bottom of the group due to doing this.

Welcome to the Dons on a Sunday after a European fixture. The chance to watch eleven blokes that look like they've never met each other act like they've got sandbags strapped round their calves. They will probably fail to muster a single shot on target until a 77th minute trundler when 3-0 down. Barry will then give an interview stating that they can't have any excuses, and then state how many games they've had, and that 90 minutes against 'real quality' on Thursday night has taken it out of them. £34 for that - oh dear.

We are more likely to come down to your level, which will likely be a bit better when McCall gets his feet under the table surely? As well as Darvel, I still have unpleasant memories of how bad we were at Annan in the LC last season. 1-1 after 90 and glad to get ET, which we won 4-1. Saying that, maybe if the perfectly legitimate equaliser at Darvel had not been 'mysteriously' disallowed, we could have kept that stain as equally under the radar as the shocker by the Solway Firth. My memories of Clyde were actually a Pittodrie Scottish Cup QF in the late 80s - seem to recall a few of us, teenagers at the time, walking in midway through the second half and we won 5-0.

Hartson really is a slavering idiot.

Oh dear - using the latest in years of corrupt officialdom in favour of Sevco/former rangers to vent on a St Mirren grievance. Despite that being one of our post-Euro apocalyptic Sunday performances at Paisley, I’m still annoyed VAR didn’t even look at the pen shout for us a minute after that.

I thought VAR would help solve the scandalous bias that is Scottish football officialdom. Sadly, whilst it remains subjective, if anything it just adds to the problems. Keep it for binary stuff like offside or goal-line decisions - otherwise just get it in the bin asap.

These kick off times are an assault and shame on Scottish football for accepting them. Having to hurry my Sunday morning coffee and rowie here for a fixture that always used to mean meeting in the pub a couple of a few hours before k.o. As for the match - well there’s no “tired” excuse today, but their new manager looks like there’s a chance he may know what he’s doing. We’ll probably do well to get a point.