Salvo Montalbano

Guessed the king right for once but not the year. 9.

Every time I hear somebody say that we'll be OK once Benedictus or Todd gets back, I picture the bit in The Running Man when all their henchmen have been dispatched and so they call on Captain Freedom. Sadly we can't just AI Generate some 1-0 wins... Firstly, can you name these businesses that were killed off? Secondly, given that every creditor barring Masterton (and Yorkston IIRC) accepted the offer, and that a great many of them subsequently formed Pars United to bring the club out of administration, I'm happy that they felt that way. In terms of the Rovers, I'm neither here nor there. Probably wish them well more often than not, except when they play us or are direct rivals for promotion or relegation or whatever. But while some of the social media stuff they put our is funny (I liked the tweet along the lines of "today's over-celebrations as seen from the dug out) and has digs at the right people, I find it a bit odd that so many posts are directly or indirectly about us. Falkirk tried the same last year and it was all a bit forced and flat. Allan didn't start on Saturday there but did set up a pretty decent chance after coming on at half time. I don't think he's great but as a squad man I think he's OK and won't be on big wages. He's a marginally better option than Chalmers IMO.

I think Alloa might beat Hamilton. Whether we get past Montrose/Cove/Kelty is another matter of course. I wasn't there today but I've been saying that for months. Maybe it's because I was brought up on Leishman and then Paton but I like fast football. Even Calderwood's teams, which were more patient and possession based, were quite quick when they needed to be. Thos current team bores me to tears. I spend a lot of our games on here or chatting since I know I'm not going to miss much if I look away for a few seconds. It's pointless letting the other team get their defensive shape back, and you'd think professional football managers would see that but apparently not as we're not the only team who seems to do this. Aye, defences win titles. But when we were keeping clean sheets we weren't exactly banging the goals in last season either. We need to score at least one to win a game and we don't look like doing that. Grim.

Three whole posts during the "box office" fixture between Man City and Chelsea. Greatest league in the world though. Palmer looked class in the highlights. Rodri crying about the referee will always be funny. Pep's performative protestations were pissing me off.

All the talk of injuries etc still hides a few home truths I think. Assuming we had a full squad (and including the current loanees we have), I'd imagine we'd line up: Mehmet; Fisher, Benedictus, Breen; Ritchie-Hosler, Hamilton, Otoo, Edwards; Todd; Kane, Jakubiak (? Or Wighton?) I think even at that we have issues. Mehmet I think we all agree isn't good enough. Breen I don't think is good enough for a starting berth. Edwards blows hot and cold. Ritchie-Hosler is untested at this level. Of all the forwards we have, none are particularly prolific. Heavy reliance on Benedictus to be as good as he was last season and for Todd to provide chances and goals. That starting XI should be good enough for a mid table finish but we'll need to play at promotion play-off/title winning form to get out our current predicament. Assuming we do stay up this season, I think there's quite a bit of room for improvement. And if it's Livingston that come down rather than the Uncle Roy backed Ross County or a big name like Dundee or Kilmarnock in recent years then every Championship club will be looking at it being a very open league (assuming Dundee Utd go up too).

So it is a back 4 or a 3? I couldn't make it today and couldn't get a stream. Sky app saying a 3-4-3 with Hamilton, MFW and Benjamin at the back but if Benjamin has went off and Hamilton "back", who was playing there before?

I wonder if the opposite is also true? A massive 400 odd Labour MPs splitting up into "Labour Left" (really left of centre) and "Moderates" (really right of centre). Especially since there are a few Labour voices who always sound much better in opposition. As an intellectual exercise it would interesting to imagine how a PR Parliament would look like if the two big parties split, and how many old Labour types would sit with a "Centrist Conservatives" party and vice versa.

1. Gen Kitchen sounds like someone from Cluedo. Maybe Col Mustard's CO? 2. Mental how well Reform do in these. 3. Is that Rupert Lowe the former Southampton FC Chairman? 4. Didn't know UKIP were still a thing.

King Wrong the 19th (at least, I've given up counting) but always good to see theoretical physics make an appearance. 9.

Guessed the king, knew the rest. 10

Away to look out the "its happening" gif...

I've always heard it as Kilbowie. Meadowbank had the few steps of terracing around the track. Although not in use, I'd imagine that meant that technically it wasn't an all seater as it could be opened if required? What Meadowbank did have for a while of course was it's own train station, although it wouldn't have ever been used for football fans, I'd have thought.

Well McPake has apparently said we are also now looking at another experienced striker as Wighton is going to be out for longer than anticipated. Quite what that says to Brad Holmes, I can't say.

Absolutely. The testing is a farce. Cycling had major issues so they make sure that people are tested regularly both in and out of competition. Win a race? Tested. Win an intermediate prize? Tested. On a training ride? Tested. At home with the missus? Tested. In football they never seem to test at all. Once a season, if that? And it seems to be more a UEFA/FIFA thing than something individual associations do.

10 in the league, and a PB 8 in the Comedy. Refuse to believe League of Gentlemen is funny though.

Thanks, had it in my head he was another loanee. In theory we have a bit if wiggle room then, but it sounds like it'll be one more at best.

Five domestic I believe, no limit on international. So we have Summers, Kane, Jakubiak from Scottish clubs and Fagan-Walcott, Benjamin, Moffat, Holmes from England? Which would mean we could have one if it's 5 in total (as we had Sharp earlier in the season) or two if it's 5 at any one time.

The game goes over 80 all the time though. It continues until the ball goes dead (unless doing so causes a penalty to be awarded).

I don't think anyone disputes that though? And Holyrood has some form of PR, which Scotland would presumably use in the event of independence being secured.

Wasn't Chalmers dropped for a few games earlier this season? I'm sure Allan was preferred to him for a couple of games (Morton away maybe?) alongside Otoo and he wasn't awful. Allan then had a poor game and Chalmers came back into the team.

A ten here too.

If we can't win this then we are as well consigning ourselves to relegation. We were honking at Gayfield though and were maybe lucky to escape with a point, so this won't be a gimme, despite Arbroath having an injury list even bigger than our own. The problem is that our style of play is so awful, I can see folk being upset even if we manage to win. That creates its own pressure and pressure is not something we seem able to deal with at the moment. It's Signora Montalbano's birthday on Saturday, so thankfully I won't be there.

FTFY

Aye if it had been a Craig Cairns or a Ross Hart or something I'd pay attention.

I know, I fixed it in my follow up post.