Proudtobeabairn

Confidence wise the Rangers game has come at the wrong time just as we start to build up a bit of momentum. Hopefully whatever happens on Sunday M&M can get the heads back onto going on a run now in the league. I actually think the mandatory testing we need to do for Sunday could be a bigger risk than the fall out from a heavy defeat. Any positive test could mean a few self isolating for Peterhead & Clyde. Fingers crossed we're clear.

Look, you could well be right and Connolly will be great this season (I hope so) but based on last season I'm not buying that he's likely to massively improve our team. He's a lower/mid level championship player at best. A goal last night doesn't change that (Leitch too has scored this season) - only a run of games will settle it. Also, he didn't even replace Leitch last night (he replaced Morrison) so could well be the case that M&M see Telfer as first in line to come in for Leitch.

This annoys me too - its complete bollocks but gets wheeled out almost every week. It also neglects the fact that no-one in the starting XI is 'on it' for the full 90mins every game (far from it)

I guess we'll see. Hard to agree Connolly was better than Mutch or Gary Miller last season but all about opinions.

Keena back up top should see us convert more chances. Sammons general play has been greatly improved but isn't a great finisher. His two chances on Sat should have seen at least one hit the net (or at least on target). Not convinced Connolly will add much tbh though will be a better option than Leitch. I do think Telfer deserves a run based on his appearances from the bench so far this season. Todd remains a bit of a mystery.

Suspect PJ will keep his place until after the Rangers game. He may need to perform heroics to stay in goal past that match. Lose 3 or 4 and M&M can slot Mutch back in. Harsh on PJ as nothing done wrong in the league games but Mutch is our player and could make us money in future - would be odd to keep him on the bench rather than let him develop further in the team.

No fan of many of the rules but the government are damned if they do, damned if they don't here. With the tier system there's clearly an attempt to balance curbing the spread and keeping as much 'normality' alive as possible. For the time being, that means closing shops and hospitality but keeping professional football and schools. I'd rather this approach than straight into a blanket ban on sports and full lockdown again. There are clearly risks but I think there's an appreciation that football in Scotland is important to so many.

I see we're having to test our players before the Rangers game. Fingers crossed we don't through up any positive results as could play havoc with the subsequent 14 days if we have players who then need to self isolate.

I get that the last few years have been hard to take, but I honestly think some folk revel in misery on here. The slightest peep of optimism and folk jump on it. The last few years are gone - until there is genuine reason to fear we won't go up this year, how about we let folk support the team. Almost as bad as folk who constantly complain about the Facebook group yet seem to spend an awful lot of their time reading the Facebook group...

Great to see Durnan dropped though I assume Mercer was injured which is why he wasn't on the bench. Pushing Miller out of midfield to RB was by necessaity rather than design. Whatever the reason it worked so really hope we don't go back to Miller in midfield v Cove. Sammon in for Francis now seems like a no brainer and hopefully Telfer in for Leitch too. Leitch looks capable but doesn't get on the ball nearly enough.

I expect we'll see Kelly start on Tuesday night - hopefully we'll also ditch Miller, Francis and Leitch from the starting XI. While its not been a terrific start, there's a bit of panic mongering going on here. Tighten up at the back, get Keena, Connelly, Todd/Telfer back and I think we'll start picking up wins. Cove have started well but will drop plenty of points.

Fair enough, I 100% agree with getting him as far from the midfield as possible - gambling that he might have been better than Mercer at right back (which lets face it wouldn't be hard).

Would give Todd and Telfer more of a chance over the next few games. Drop Miller out the midfield and Leitch. Kelly left back, Miller right back and a big bag of rubble in for Durnan.

Unbelievably poor at the back. That simply has to be the last time we play Hall & Durnan. Drop Gary Miller & Akeel Francis too - both offer absolutely nothing.

working now

Yup... that's the squad

I agree Alston looked much better yesterday and I also think Leitch played really well, some nice touches and best I've seen him play for us. Hall has to go asap, he's a liability and while I agree that almost 33 year old Brian Graham tends to get vastly over hyped on here, any striker with decent ability will expose him. I also think East Fife will struggle badly this year and will turn out to be one of the easiest teams to beat this season. We're still not creating enough chances for me although the weather did play a part yesterday and maybe make that a bit more difficult. Overall an improvement but still hard to gauge where we are. Next two games will be telling and less than 4 points a worry 6/6 and we're off! P.s on current form Francis over Dowds but Dowds does seem like the better footballer and might end up being the better partner for Keena imo

None of the defence are good enough. We got lucky on more than 1 occasion where Durnan or Hall passed straight to a Forfar man. Mercer came forward once and when he did thought he was Maradona rather than getting a decent ball to one of the strikers. Gary Miller offers very little for me. Fine last year when we had such a poor side that we needed someone to put a tackle in but in this league with our budget we shouldn't need a man in front of our defence. I'd put him in the centre of defence in place of one of the diddies and get an extra man into the midfield. Most go on about Gomis tiring in games but I honestly think people notice that more because its become 'a thing' - how many times did Miller, Leitch (or yesterday) Alston contribute in that last 20mins when we were chasing the game? Agree with those above saying its criminal the subs were so late. Miller should have been on soon after going down to 10.

We were appalling today. Defence needs completely replaced (Mutch to be fair has been solid until today so exempt). The other 4 are dire. Midfield was completely off the pace. Miller and Alston both had shockers. Miller is like playing with a man down in this league, we simply don't need someone to break up play but add nothing creatively when we should be attacking teams in this league. Alston miles off the pace. Morrison and Dowd pass marks though its clear that man marking Morrison well will substantially increase your chances of taking points off us. Even then neither were exceptional. Francis and Morrison both never appear to have the ball 100% under control. Onto next week - hopefully a blip although I'm getting a strong sense of deja vu as I type that...

Is there concrete proof that the Gow/Lang/Miller etc consortium is an actual thing? So far all communication around the AGM is about approving the share issue to allow the Rawlins investment. Who/where has the Gow etc rumour started from and if true, why isn't anyone able to share details? (Presumably they would be seeking to ratify it tomorrow night?)

This is exactly what I was thinking. Nobody gets FTV "for free" but an overseas subscription with VPN would mean no PPV cash to the opponents. I've no idea whether overseas subscribers can watch these games with their current subscription but assume if they can then the same would apply to league away games where viewing via an overseas subscription would remove the need to fund our opponents via PPV. Presumably for league games the whole PPV fee goes to the home team?

Can the Falkirk TV PPV be circumvented with a VPN?

Don't understand the pant wetting over Connolly - a guy who for the most part last season was completely ineffective.

I think its fairly obvious that relegation and subsequent Covid restrictions are the main reasons ST sales are lower. Any initiative that brings in extra money should be supported, the 'wall' is a no brainer.

Will be interesting this week when the cup ties start and the part time clubs are forced to take tests - could see a complete shambles of games called off and isolation. Biggest week yet in terms of whether the league campaign is actually going to get underway on 17th.