AndyDD

That's good. Wonder if anyone will have played their way into the lineup on Saturday. Maybe one of Sabatini, Kerr or McKay will lose out to Stokes. Be interesting to see how we go.

I don't think it's always so simple. You likely need to consider factors like how well the chosen players complement each other, their relationship on the park, an appropriate balance to the team, and so on. Fr example, you might have two or three great right wingers in your squad; you don't play necessarily play them all at once. Gallagher has built some tentative relationships with other players within the system over the last games, which Mckenna has not. Ditto Tierney. His performances warrant consideration for continued selection, as does the performance of Considine, who should probably still lose his place to Tierney for Serbia.

Unless the 3 at the back changes, we're really only looking at a choice between Cooper, Considine and Tierney for the left side CB role. Gallagher and Mctominay have earned their spots over the last run of games. McKenna getting game time for his club is good, but I don't think he should be displacing Gallagher. Cooper wasn't especially convincing in his last games, especially the one in the Czech republic, but overall he did okay. Tierney only got one game, the 1-1 with Israel, but does play this position with Arsenal quite a bit. Considine did well in both his caps. A tough call.

'A composed presence in the middle'. Let me have a moment to think about. Aye, take as long as you need.

We've got Dumbarton away, Clyde at home and then Forfar away, so 9 point haul would be magnificent since, as @Tory Boy says, you'd think Thistle/Cove/Falkirk will be doing some mutual throat cutting. Getting those three wins won't be easy, though. Not at all.

Cheers mate! Can't disagree with that any of that, although I'd maybe chuck in Cove as one of the places that will be particularly hard to go to. I don't see them losing many home games up there. Their away form might be where they fall down. We shall but see. I think (and hope) you're right about Saturday. When we click, I think we look quite dangerous. Just need to hit our stride, hopefully sooner rather than later, and get goals for the likes of Gal, Connell and the midfield. Carrick has started where he left off last season.

Sabatini has been really good, a composed presence in the middle. Robert a bit part player thus far, yet to really make an impact. Think he's seen as someone who'll come good after a prolonged period of adjustment. Definitely flashes of talent, so fingers crossed.

https://www.idlehandsduffy.com/post/diamond-watches-partick-thistle-2-1-airdrieonians Ach well, that was disappointing. A good day for the 'Murray out' brigade who seem to wait for defeats with something close to salivation, but a narrow defeat in a well fought game is no cause for doom and gloom. Hopefully the weather isn't as dreadful and we can get a game next week. Three games ahead of us that we could really do with winning, but can't see any of them being easy.

Clyde 2-1 Peterhead Cove Rangers 2-2 Partick Thistle Dumbarton 0-3 Airdrieonians Falkirk 1-1 East Fife Forfar Athletic 0-2 Montrose

Yeah; I think having a player of Graham's quality leading the line will serve Thistle well; he is the kind of player that can turn 0 points to 1, or 1 to 3. Even his clearing headers from some of our balls into the box made significant difference. You're right though, there will be some comfortable wins here and there but more often than not it will be cagey, hard fought matches like yesterday. I don't disagree with that assessment, I think we struggled second half until the second Thistle goal, at which point we started to come back into it. Not sure if that was us going more direct or Thistle retreating to try and sit on the lead. Likely a bit of both.

Thankfully, there are no good sides in this division. That was a tight game, and all evidence would suggest that the league will be similarly well contested. As things stand, it is hard to imagine any side running away with the league, nor is it easy to envisage many going long spells without dropping any points.

Nah that's a fair assessment. Airdrie had the best away form in the league last year, was our home form that let us down (5th best home form), so hopefully we carry that on into this season and give yous another bloody nose. The meltdown would certainly be hilarious...

Aw fair play that's my mistake, I didn't clock that it was someone else who made the initial post. Hands up.

You might want to double check that...

As i've said before I very rarely miss it and agree with others, it still beats the piss out of the rest of the output. That being said, they could maybe be doing with getting some younger football fan, another non-old firm supporter, who disagrees with them and thinks they are a pair of auld fuds, to join them. Add a bit of bite to it. They tend to agree on football matters too much these days.

I'm in this, so ye know it's good... ... quiet back there!

Roy looked a different player in pre-season there so real shame about the broken wrist in the first competitive match. He does seem to have it in him, but confidence and momentum big factors for him. Scored a belter last season to put the cherry on it when we smacked east fife about last October, the 4-0. Cracking goal. Gallagher and Carrick both had decent returns last year, so fancy them to do the same again. Personally fancy a wee Richard Foster own goal on Saturday, but so long as it goes in, I'm no caring.

Was incredible, how brazenly they continued to compare apples and oranges with season ticket holders in stadiums and folk in shops/cinemas/restaurants. Genuinely can't decide if they are at it or really this stupid.

To be fair, they still have the odd dig at the old firm. Last season, when both were going well in Europe, I remember them opening the show remarking that they expected the two clubs and their fans to issue statements thanking their fellow scottish clubs, on the basis that when they get pumped in europe they always blame the other teams for not testing them adequately. You also get the impression that Tam's excitement for the old firm had Cosgrove champing at the bit to slate him and he did make the odd grumble in disagreement, but in recent seasons i've definitely noticed less slagging of the cheeks. Tam also fell into the Sportsound habit of bemoaning the fate of Hearts and Thistle, which grated all summer. Still thoroughly enjoy the listen, but could do with a bit more nose thumbing and a return to that slag-the-Old firm angle.

Horrifically Cringey delivery and definitely pissing in the wind with no prospect of success, but I don't think it's that unreasonable to express a preference for Scotland games to be free to air. Their ire should be directed at the free to air broadcasters who don't even bother their arse trying to bid for them. I mean let's no pretend that Sky aren't a bunch of contemptible c***s who treat Scottish football with derision and contempt, but at least they bid for the fucking rights.

Agree with the fear that we're all set up for a rug pull haha would be typical. Might be that Clyde managed to catch them cold. If we can get through the first half without conceding (or better yet nab an early goal) they could cave in. Would especially enjoy the twitter entertainment of the bolded part, though. Seen a few Clyde fans lobbing grenades that way on Saturday.

As promised... I make no apologies for the fact that this is focused on Airdrie but I hope I wasn't too unfair on Peterhead, who I thought competed well, as per and suffered unfortunate injury after unfortunate injury. https://www.idlehandsduffy.com/post/diamond-watches-airdrieonians-2-0-peterhead

Hahaha couldnae help myself . Thanks, much appreciated. Aye, seen McInally greetin' in his post match comments. Had our defence on toast? Wild.

https://www.idlehandsduffy.com/post/diamond-watches-airdrieonians-2-0-peterhead Pleasing start for us, as we've all said by now. Here's hoping we can take advantage of the increased pressure on Thistle and they don't get a reaction from losing, quite badly it seems, at Clyde.

Dumbarton 0-2 Clyde East Fife 1-2 Montrose Falkirk 1-0 Forfar Partick Thistle 0-1 Airdrieonians Peterhead 1-1 Cove Rangers