Eddie Hitler

I see. So when you became aware that changes were coming into force, you didn't then need to have a planning stage where someone would say "hang on a minute we might need to get this done differently...", it was fine just to steam in thoughtlessly because you could just moan about how it was everyone else's fault forever? Also I fail to see how that caused the other issue of shite drainage that has been referred to. It wasn't the new rules that forced it to be built in a valley.

Where's the unfair disadvantge if all clubs have to do it? It shouldn't inhibit any club more than another and, anyway, it isn't like Elgin have ever shown any interest in being promoted to anywhere.

Yeah and did no-one think of any of this in the planning stage the bally thing was being built? Should they not have found a better site? This is a thing entirely of Livingston's own making which apparently has to become everyone else's problem, alongside the notion that all the other clubs are supposed to care about Livingston maximising revenue.

Yes, it's not a given yet. One other poster characterises it as "highly unlikely" we lose all four. While I wouldn't go the other way and claim it's "highly likely we will", it's a tough run of games. Three away games, including against an OF team, and the one home game is against relatively in-form Hearts. If the Hearts of the first home game against them turns up, we would have nothing to fear but they aren't that team presently. Flipping it on its head a bit, for us to fail to make top six from here, two of three teams currently sitting sixth to eighth need to overhaul us in the shape of Hibs, Dundee and Motherwell. Motherwell have to essentially "run the board" and beat everyone to overhaul us I think. A draw away v them would finish their hopes if still existing by then. Dundee could catch us, but I think their game in hand will be critical to their chances. Lose it and they are nine behind us with four to play. That would be an ask albeit not impossible. Even a draw leaves them a long way off, and a win still means AT LEAST two more wins needed from their last four - one of which is against The Rangers. Hibs probably have a good chance of being five behind us with four to play after their game in hand against County. They have a nice run in EXCEPT an away game against The Rangers of their own. You can never say never, but I think it's likely they would then need to probably win two of their other three to overhaul us before the split. However - we all want Europe, so I see these next few games being as much about - if we can - giving ourselves as big a gap over 6th as we possibly can before the post-split games. We fell over the line last season with no gap - and the Hibs defeat ended our European hopes to all intents and purposes after that (notwithstanding a couple of other decent efforts such as the games against Hearts and Celtic where we ought to have taken more).

Understand where you are coming from but I was losing my voice screaming, jumping up and down uncontrollably AND some of the screaming was intertwined with shouting at my mates "don't let them steal it from us! Please don't steal it from us!"

Yeah, it doesn't though because your mythical Competent Refs to Use Your Beloved VAR technology are a fucking myth. Stop trying to be smart, and live in reality.

Sorry, but the technology is NOT fine either. They don't even have enough cameras to get all the needed angles to make decent decisions. And we will NEVER EVER have these mythical consistent refs that people keep insisting will show up and use it well. They will always be incompetent. VAR also costs money that can ill be afforded. So if it's No VAR = incompetence and crap decisions, or VAR+loadsamoney = incompetence and crap decisions, then I'm for getting VAR into the fucking bin. And let's be clear - those ARE the choices: the Incoming Competent Refs are a myth.

This song is regularly played at the ground I think?

If they come and sit in, as they probably will because Levein is the most negative f**k whoever managed in Scottish football, that won't suit him. He needs acres of space to run into. However, if we get a goal and IF they open up to try to get into it, then he could have a lot of joy as a sub for the reasons you mention.

I'm with you and would prefer this too. I like Taylor. Yes, he's a bit gung-ho at times but I think he's a better player overall. Would also prefer (because of the nature of our league) three big centre backs - two of whom can also go up and cause bother at set pieces. As you say, it isn't happening though because the manager wants to play the vice-captain to the point of putting him on his "wrong side" of the three.

Think this is spot on. I also feel, personally, that it's a bit of an "Old Firm" attitude to insist that the manager be a "St Murn man" before they will be treated the same and given the same chance as any other manager. However, it's also doubly dim because, given Robbo now DOES have links with the club, he's about as much of a "St Murn man" as Goodwin ever was anyway (it's not like the latter supported us. I do get he was there as captain for the LC win etc but it doesn't actually mean he is any more "linked" with us than any other player or manager, past or present).

Feel the Dundee fans on this thread currently might cut any cynics who think they might be up to their old financial tricks some slack. It wouldn't be the first, or second, time, now, would it? (All our clubs have been on their arses at one time or another, of course, but there are a few repeat offenders).

I think it's six bookings before you get suspended (according to this: https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/1849/suspensions-for-players-in-mens-football-annex-c-section-4.pdf) and he's only been booked five times by my count. The same table on page 1 there also makes clear that the suspension doesn't kick in for a couple of weeks after the sixth booking (knew there was a delay, but wasn't sure how long it was).

Robbo seems to take a "horses for courses" approach. It's harsh to drop a guy who scored twice but it's a different sort of game incoming. We knew it was likely that, at least until we scored, St Johnstone would be unlikely to be leaving a lot of space in behind for an Olusanya (or Greive even) to charge into and make hay and that we might have to break them down - so no shock seeing Mandron start. In midweek, it's going to be all about hoping to catch Celtic on the counter so you want your speedsters on from the start, I think. I would actually be shocked to see Mandron start, the two goals notwithstanding. Olusanya is probably a bit stronger and a little quicker than Greive (and more chaotic!) and so I think he will get the nod. We'll see.

Would like to see more of Nahmani. The shot that Grieve took which went miles over the bar, Stav was looking for the "give n go" and had made an intelligent run looking for Greive to slide it back to him. Seems a clever player.

That, while when teams do give them a game domestically they go tonto and demand the manager is sacked

Although we looked reasonably lively early doors, we didn't really get into the game and didn't get a chance to see if we could have a right good go at them, which was the disappointing thing really. I don't think they looked clever at the back but the difference was that even early doors they were having a bit more joy going forward than us. I think we are a good match as far as they are concerned, as they still want to go to their full backs (as we do) and there was an awful lot of space for them to get to the byline early doors - they were slinging balls in freely and that led to the red card situation as well. I felt that they played us at our own game a wee bit, they did try to press us when we were on the ball and there were some panicky clearances and touches from us. At the same time, while we struggled to make much impression when we were down to ten, you can see that their defence is easily made quite anxious looking and it isn't going to be long before they are dropping points again. For our part, the nature of how the game panned out means defensive players looked best and I thought Richard Taylor, Gogic and Hemming (one or two brilliant stops) were our best players yesterday. It's to be noted that we remain four points ahead of Hearts and six ahead of Hibs and Aberdeen. The two Edinburgh clubs face the OF in turn in the first two games after the break and we need to get points from Dingwall and at home to St Johnstone - do that, and the bubble remains unp***ked, I would say. Fail to get a win in either and we are suddenly winless in five (including League Cup) and it all looks a bit less clever.

I think the point is why torch this season in the meantime? We might as well just let all the players go since they are going to leave eventually? Surely ideally you want to have a great season and win some prize money, then he can leave and we can replace with better? I don't understand this 'just sell cos he's leaving anyway" mindset. Not at all, unless you actively want a weaker team on the field.

Agreed, Norrie. It's for the board to be all scared and snap at guaranteed money. It's for the fans to dream big, want to keep good players, and hope to finish up the table and gain more prize money in doing so. I don't really go in for this fad of fans playing at being "realistic businessmen".

I see O'Hara as a more all-action player than Boyd-Munce, who's possibly a bit more of a playmaker? Understand that, countering especially, a lot of the play goes through Mark, though.

We don't want to sign players who no-one else wants and who might not have been keeping themselves fit (thus needing ages to get up to speed).

We had better have an idea of someone we can turn around to and immediately snap up if this is going to go through. If Gogic is a central defender now, then we all of a sudden don't have much midfield cover (and I don't want to hear "Flynn can do it...", I want improvements not patchwork).

He says it isn't met and doesn't expect it to be? So I would say that he's saying there have been offers but more money has been sought and baulked at by prospective buyers?

I think he did, but predates McLean.

Arguably not. Still throwing a lot of crosses into the box though. I might have had Richard Taylor ahead of him personally and perhaps one or two others (can you give a supersub Player of the Month? :D)