Raith Against The Machine

Get Michael Dellios on, Murray.

These subs are making us markedly worse. They're the only ones available to Murray, but it's why we aren't winning this game.

It's been coming. Folk in the stand going mental at Murray for not "changing it" sooner, but we've got nothing. We can chase a losing game with the subs we've got but there's one teenage defender and no midfielders on the bench. This game is just our season in microcosm. We need to work so hard to create so many chances because we're not clinical enough, and while our defence is half-decent, it can't withstand pressure for huge periods.

I said what I said.

We've got nothing on the bench to shore things up. We can stick an extra runner on but that's about it.

MacDonald compensating for this by coming for absolutely everything isn't as effective as he thinks it is.

Sheridan must've won about 15 headers since he came on, and retained possession with precisely none of them.

It's really only three of the back four (excepting Millen) who are really comfortable in the air, and that's really it. We've not got a Sheridan or a Rudden who can come back and help out.

We've been better than I expected, although it's still clear as day that we lack a proper striker. We need to get Jamie Gullan one of those shock collars, and set it to go off any time he goes wider than the span of the box. He never stops running and he stretches the defence but it's of very little use when it leaves us with nobody in the middle to take advantage. He needs to leave the dropping off and roaming to Vaughan, who's better suited to it. The left hand side of our defence has coped well, but largely thanks to Rudden inexplicably deciding to pick on Lang instead of Nolan. We got away with one we shouldn't have when McMullan went through, but limiting Dundee to just that and the in-swinging freekick is a solid 45 minutes. Second half we'll need more of the same, pushing Dundee back into their own third and upping the pressure until something goes for us, but that's really been the case for all of our games this season. I dread to think where we'd be if Connolly wasn't on such sharp form.

Will also need him to try playing the ball at some point. I can't imagine how frustrating it is watching him every week if he just runs into folk like this all the time.

Rudden seems determined to go up against Tom Lang. If he changes focus to Ryan Nolan, I think he'll cause real bother.

Paid extra to get wee green baws instead of the wee black baws that fill your boots when you play on it.

Shooting the right way!! 7-0 Dundee.

I don't know if I'd even go that far. He's been brilliant in a number of games this season, but he's also had plenty quiet spells too. He's every bit a solid Championship player, but as you say, nobody's shelling out for him (unless it's a nominal fee because he wants to go back across to Ireland again, or something along those lines).

It's far from inconceivable that a player with an undefined "illness" could miss two games in four days. I don't think we need the conspiracy theories just yet.

Connell is on the bench, which sadly reduces the chances of John Frederiksen having his first goal televised.

That makes sense, I stand corrected.

There was something in the paper a week or two ago suggesting Connell's loan ran until some time next week, but Killie have already announced that he's been released. So if he's playing tonight, either Killie have announced it before his contract officially ends (which would be weird), or we've offered him a permanent deal.

Maybe we should give this Dellios a chance. Some of our forwards haven't managed to get a strike off in months.

Further response from the club in The Courier That would appear to be that, as far as "Silverbear Capital" are concerned. The Rovers essentially calling this Dellios clown out as a fantasist, and name checking his Michelin Man too. Very unbecoming that it's had to be played out in public, but good news that this mob have been chased.

Primary School on the CV. A huge red flag.

It's maybe just a wee error in the Courier, but it also says he's a free agent... who's a loan star.

Raith Rovers accused of mismanagement? Why I won't hear of it!

I think you're giving Steven "Aw shucks guys, geez, I dunno" MacDonald far too much credit.