North British

Never mind things could be worse , think how the Pars fans feel after watching their expansive passing side tonight .

I would be interested in him until Christmas , good experience. Wonder if QoS would be in the mix ... Think he was down there for four or five years ...

Tend to actually agree with most of this , swap in Kelly for Robbie and it’s about bang on . We’ve been stiffening the midfield with centre half’s for a while now and it’s not ideal . Signing a McGavin/Trafford type would eliminate this habit . That said we still would need another in the Kelly/Robbie mould . So that’s two proper central midfielders and I still think we need a proper centre forward . As I said previously I doubt we’ll get all three in this window . Getting two thirds would be decent business .

I wonder if he might get a run at right back on Saturday ! May as well see what’s he’s got before the Inverness fixture comes into clear view .

Your 100% correct . Had to get out of town fast .

Would be a bit off a laugh ! Not completely out the question either . I wonder how much Hopkin saw of him on the training field before his untimely return to England . Ipswich fans did speak quite highly of him .

Squad too small only a few weeks ago now it’s too big , oh dear God . There will be a downsize before the end of the month if that is other teams like the look of what’s on offer . Given that McAlister can play CH I’d say say we have one too many in that stable . One will go , hopefully Baird rather than Aero . In the midfield Chalmers will be going if anyone wants to pick up his wage . Hewitt and McKenzie should go out on loan until Christmas with a view to playing for us in the new year .

This is were your problems lie wee Henry , your looking for too much in one window .

I’m pretty much onside with 80% of the above , where I beg to differ is the step down of the last couple of years . The McCall machine floundered every season as the Autumn turned to winter . If we played summer football I’d be screaming for a manager that played fast slick passing football . However we don’t and it’ll be parka weather soon enough . Hopkin does need to be less predictable and at home two strikers are a must ! I mean did wee Henry expect us to be going up in Smith’s first season ? What a wee laddie .

Wow spin it how you like moosh but it’s one defeat in five games , centre forward with 3 goals in five games and in the last 16 of the LC . I also have it on reasonable authority that Chalmers and Baird can go if they can find themselves new clubs . Also the Burnley thing went tits up and talks are ongoing to revive it . Are things perfect , in my opinion no they aren’t but this is a long journey Ayr United are on , but they are on the journey , for the first time in about 50 years . So your points are noted , now stop throwing your toys about and grow a pair .

Mate you seriously need to catch a grip ! You make some good points , Adeloye for instance is no target man but he is clearly a goal scorer , maybe even a chanel runner as well . The irony is he’s the harder to find type striker , a big lump to play beside him in the target role should have been easier to find . Perhaps the Burnley thing can be revived and we can get Harker onboard . The midfield is fucked at the moment , but we’re looking to get somebody in . That’ll let Aero go back to defence and that in turn will probably see Baird moving on . However for all your good points there is a whiff of of hysteria and agenda against Hopkin , let’s have a look at some facts : 1. We have lost one game in five and that was away from home at the darlings of the media 2. We made it out our LC group , made some prize money and will make some more gate money from our last 16 tie 3. We have a striker who looks like hitting double figures 4. We have a pretty decent pool of players 5. And of course a Chairman willing to put his hand in his pocket . So I’d say hardly the worst of times , yes room for improvement, but not the time to through the rattle out the pram and desert your team .

Think for Dundee United he may go 4-5-1 . McAdams Houston Baird McGinty Reading Salkeld Murdoch Aero O’Conner Maxwell Adeloye

Pretty much agree with you on this . He’d do well on the right hand side of midfield with Maxwell on the left going with a 4-4-2 . Adeloye and Afolabi up top . Salkeld being replaced by O’Conner as defences tire . The main issue is as we all know is central midfield , obviously a signing is due shortly to partner Murdoch or Aero in there . Is Charlie Trafford still available? All hypothetical as 5 at the back is how we are going to roll for the short term anyway .

There was a clear shout from the keeper , what it was I’m not sure . But if he keeps quiet McGinty blasts it away . Proper cock up though . So the negatives of yesterday’s game have been well documented on here . The positive thing was we fought back and stopped Arbroath going home with three points . The would have been criminal from a home tie against a team most lightly confined like our selves to a bottom five finish . Dundee United up next , a tie we most lightly lose no matter what kind of team we field . So a good opportunity to try some new combinations. I’d be wanting to give McAdam a start , also McAlister should be given a go at right back or right midfield . With the caliber of the opposition I’m guessing we’ll go with 5-4-1 which horrible . I’d prefer a 4-4-2 but it might be a while before we see that .

I think he may keep O’Conner for the last 30 mins when the game is less structured and Arbroath may be more tired . Other than that I’d agree pretty much with your team .

Any hint of relegation from Hopkin or any other manager employed by Smith and there would be changes . I expect finishing between 7th and 5th will be enough to get the second year of the contract .

Take your point but I think he had Accies down as the same caliber as Killie . Same team same formation just a different outcome . Reason : we were about 10% better at our work against Accies ... My feeling is , as mentioned by another poster , that we’ll be going for three points in every home game and maybe just trying not to lose when away from home . However don’t expect a cavalry charge on Saturday , we just ain’t that side these days . I would love to see a 4-4-2 on Saturday but i’d settle for a 5-3-2 . The 4-5-1 at home would give me the fear ..

On the topic of Crawford , he was a luxury player in a team that was fairly loaded with them . Ironically he would be a better fit in the current side , with plenty of others around to lift the piano . Hopefully O’Conner can live up to the hype and be our piano player . On Saturday we must find a way to have him on the field at the same time as Tommi and Johnnie . With that three on the pitch we really need a Kerr style player with some legs in the centre of midfield . Could Chalmers do it , not sure he could ! Pretty much means we need to sign one .

Very true . Ticks a lot of boxes .

Rethink he’s signing for Accies . We have a different midfielder training with us it seems .

First of all Killie won the game , fair play to them , they were the more assertive side . Hopkin gave the side that beat Hamilton their chance , are they our best eleven . No of course not , McKenzie gave little protection to Reading Hewitt and Murdock struggled in central midfield . The three boys who arrived this week need to bed in . Our defence and keeper options are decent . I think we’ll be fine this season . Killie away on paper is our hardest fixture of the season , them being favourites with the bookies and media darlings . We’ll see them at our place in October on a football pitch , with our crowd in and hopefully a ref that isn’t onboard with the media narratives . On the rest of the campaign Saturday is a game we need to be winning . We have the players to do that . Rest of the first quarter we have QoS and Morton at home , important games .

Defo got on the bus with his kit .

Sounds like a brilliant signing . Celtic boys at work rate him highly . We are getting there now . Perhaps Doran will be added next week as the craic was two forward type players were inbound . High fives to the Chairman and manager for putting this group together . Still could use an Alain Horace type in the middle of the midfield . But hey let’s not grumble . Beers are going to be skelped tonight , just wish we were going up there tonight . If we lose it won’t be for the lack of effort from this group , however I fancy us tonight . The peacocks will be wanting to stroll around and show us their skill sets . Think they might just be in for a shock ....

I have no idea who he is . Just a no9 on loan . We also have opposition in the chase for him .