AndyDD

I don't think Cove will win 9 points out of 9 in their remaining February games (Home to QP and Falkirk, Away to Alloa) so it's imperative we do and close that gap to some degree (We are Home to Montrose, Away to Peterhead and Home to Clyde). If we can win all three, and if I'm right that Cove don't, then March looks set to be a crucial and possibly decisive month in the title race. First things first, get a win over Montrose. It won't be easy by any means, but we are definitely capable of winning the game. The players should take confidence from that second half performance and if we can get a goal during our customary fast start at home, I fancy us to get ourselves some revenge. We're definitely a better side than we were on the opening day of the league campaign, that's for sure.

I'd have thought that beating Cove was a must but, upon reflection, I'm fairly content with that point. 7 is not a huge gap and I don't see Cove winning all their remaining games. Had we lost it was over, but I don't think catching them is beyond us quite yet. It does make the QP draw, and especially that damn clyde result, all the more frustrating. We merited the draw, I think that's fair to say. We have it in us to beat them when they come down the road, too. I was excited when the rumblings of Moffat joining on loan were first felt on here, so a shame if that has indeed fallen through, especially when I think we would benefit significantly from having a different attacking option to complement what we've already got. I hope very much Gabby does make it to the squad on Saturday as he does offer something different to Gal, Smithy and Allan. Massive game ahead this weekend, against a side who have had our number in the two prior fixtures but who, again, I think we're more than capable of beating. If QP want to throw in another draw in their fixture, that'd be lovely as well.

Airdrieonians 2-1 Montrose Alloa Athletic 1-0 East Fife Clyde 0-1 Dumbarton Cove Rangers 1-1 Queen's Park

Really liked him, seemed to get better the more he played. Likes to burst forward from the midfield and looked very much at home in a quick-passing football side. He did have a very good midfield around him (relative to his division) which complemented his strengths (and vice versa) and he would on occasion be caught dallying on the ball. He also got caught out of position in some games, but he was clearly improving on that over time. Overall, he was excellent and was really starting to stand out even amongst a very strong midfield. How do Ayr play? A lot of the ball and a dominant midfield? On a good surface? Ball on the deck? If so, good signing who will do well. If not, then I have absolutely no idea.

Frizz or McCabe for me.

An uncharacteristically sluggish start, sporadic periods of good pressing, a miss that smacked gobs right across the stadium, an horrifically bad pitch and a searingly bad hangover; not my favourite ever day at the fitba. The game was pretty poor, with both sides failing to really do that much with the ball. They played like I felt. Airdrie unable to nick it towards the end despite some late pressure. Opportunity missed again, but no ground lost, so hopefully we are a lot fresher next week.

Cove Rangers 1-2 Airdrieonians East Fife 1-0 Clyde Falkirk 1-1 Queen's Park Montrose 2-0 Dumbarton Peterhead 1-1 Alloa Athletic

Our chance conversion rate can't be too high, I wouldn't think. We create a lot in every game but have never scored more than 3 this season. Cove likely create less but convert a higher proportion. As I said earlier, we've only three forwards which, for a team that plays two from the start, isn't sustainable. Those games between boxing day and McInroy going included matches against the bottom three, which skews things significantly, given the other two games have been against 5th and 6th placed sides, so i'm not convinced his absence from the midfield made a huge difference to our concession of those four goals. I agree with you, it would be great to get McInroy in. It would be brilliant to get him and a forward in. That being said, if it came down to one or the other, I think we need to consider that our midfield is already our best area. I think on balance we need another option in the forward area to complement the three we have available, more than we need another attacking midfielder. What further business we do, if any, will be largely determined by what is actually available in the remainder of the window and if they are actually an enhancement to the squad or not, so that's going to come into it. We'll not really know until and unless they are brought in, I guess.

No I suppose that one is largely on the club, but it would have been a win win for everyone involved had the SFA allowed QP to continue in Hampden. Hardly booked out every second Saturday. I suppose Firhill is still in Glasgow, which might have been something they'd have wanted. Maybe Broadwood? I dunno. Hamilton as fair a shout as any I suppose.

Ach I know, but options would have been quite limited, I imagine. Personally felt QP should have been allowed to use Hampden until Lesser Hampden was ready, but that was always seemingly a non-starter, which is unfortunate.

Yeah, inevitable consequence of the amount of games being played on it. Not the fault of QP. Just the way it is. As I was saying in my post, not likely to get any better and quite likely to get worse. More of a problem for us given how we like to play this season than it might have been in other years. Hey ho.

This is heartening. Please do not alter this very sporting approach.

The pitch isn't going to be any better than it was in the cup match versus Thistle, and will likely be worse, so that's a concern for our style of play, but with a bit of ruthlessness we should have enough to win this. Expect it'll be a narrow scoreline again though, if not another draw. Might take that one bit of quality, like the last time. QP at serious risk of dropping out the top 4 but we really need to try and get another win and lose no further ground on Cove, especially after Tuesday. If we could try and defend crosses with a modicum of competence, that'd be lovely anawl.

Ultimately our midfield is without question our strongest area of the park. Guys like Easton, Frizzell, Scott McGill and McCabe are goal scoring midfielders capable of that bit of match-winning magic and of controlling games, opening up teams and dictating tempo. With Salim sidelined for the long term and Gabby McGill still likely to be away for a few weeks yet, we are running with Gal, Smithy and Allan as forwards. That's it. I don't think having three available forwards, when we start every game with two, is sustainable. You want at least two forward options on the bench, ones who hopefully have different attributes too, so that you can use them as best suits the circumstances of the game if and when you need or want to change things up.

I think his agency also represents a cupla Airdrie players as their agents.

Really not keen on 5 subs as a principle, I must admit. Hey ho.

I'd take Kerr McInroy back, of course, he's a very good player and did very well for us, but I'd see it as a bonus now. We need to try and get another forward in, as hard as that is going to be. We've only got three available as it stands.

Really did blow it last night, missing an excellent opportunity to cut the gap to a much more surmountable looking 5 points, but defending like that gets you punished, even when the opposition aren't up to much. Nearly gifted them a winner, too, if Tade had elected not to go for the spectacular and took his time. He could have taken a few touches. Whilst we dominated the game, for all our good football, we didn't put it out of sight they way we did in the two games last season. Pathetic defending for both goals, but in truth the backline looked shaky all evening and a better side than clyde punish us earlier and more often. I'd love a deadly striker, but since those are thin on the ground in January, I think the focus has to be on getting the defensive frailty and lack of composure sorted out. We always look likely to score a goal or two, so it really is criminal to concede so many goals, so very cheaply.

Thought I might have calmed down by now, but nope, I'm still absolutely fuming at the way we missed that opportunity. Criminal defending at both goals, poor finishing, shot-shy at times and a failure to turn domination of a game against a fairly dreadful side into the kind of comfortable victory we managed in both games against clyde last season. It might seem we were unfortunate to be punished at both lapses but in truth the backline was shaky all night. We looked vulnerable any time clyde attacked and we did not manage to launch attacks from the back as quickly as usual either, both factors likely down to the decision to change things in that area. To surrender the goals in the manner that we did, to give them a chance with a gilt-edge to win the damn thing too, was pathetic. We played some excellent stuff at times (albeit there was a lot of cheaply surrendered possession, too) and should have been out of sight, but we were not. The lack of composure, the complacency at the back, was abysmal. Sort that out and we can and will win the league. Fail to change this and we will suffer more results like that, and worse. A better side than clyde would have punished our defending earlier and more often. Even QP will beat us if we defend like that, and they struggle to beat anyone these days. Huge chance blown.

Clyde 0-1 Alloa Athletic Dumbarton 1-1 Cove Rangers East Fife 1-1 Peterhead Montrose 2-1 Falkirk Queen's Park 2-1 Airdrieonians

It will be interesting to see who plays where now, but that's the Wardrop gap plugged with MacDonald and the left back space filled, too, with Patterson. That's two holes that were left in the squad so good to have them cleared up. Brody is a young player untested at this level, so we need to keep that in mind, but still, an actual natural left back. Lovely. Next up a forward please. Ideally before Saturday, as we should have enough already for tonight

Should be a comfortable win given our league form and obviously superior players, but the squad is still rather stretched and we often seem to suffer a cup hangover, so complacency will have to be guarded against as Clyde have been in okay form themselves of late. Great opportunity to reduce Cove's lead to 5 points, and the fog fair bailed the hosts out as we were turning the screw at the point of abandonment in pursuit of a third, so hopefully the team go into it with the right level of application. If they do, we win the game. If they could avoid gifting a soft goal to them that'd be lovely anawl.

A solid signing. Versatile and dependable, proven at this level and hopefully better for his experience playing and training in the league above. By no means necessarily the area of the pitch we're most in need (unless he is indeed coming in to play left back) but certainly fills the hole left by Sam Wardrop's unexpected retirement in the early autumn.

Haha, just a bit of (bad) luck I suppose

It appears he's going back to Ireland with Sligo Rovers