Spider1975

He's more experienced than Tizzard and if we're determined to play with at least one ball carrying CB in a three that can progress things forward, (and add some aerial threat), then it would make sense to make it him rather than Thomson who, in turn, could maybe go back to midfield?

Don't disagree, but Davidson has made some strange decisions regarding how he deploys his personnel. I get playing Thomson in defence if you're playing him in that Libero role, but he isn't, he's playing on the left of Tizzard, who in turn is being shored up on the right by Wilson. Longridge, a midfielder and actually, despite my criticism, was way better 2nd half against Utd when he moved back centrally into that role. Despite this he's proven to be decent as a RB earlier in the season, but does CD play him there, no, instead we put him in as a RWB which he doesn't really have the pace for. Similarly, as he moves Thomson back and Longridge wide, Turner ends up deeper and we've all seen how much better he was when playing further up the pitch, which then means we have to rely on McKinstry to be our creative threat when Thomas is unavailable, or as we saw today, see both Sheridan and Paton come deep. I'm not saying CD hasn't inherited significant structural issues and by God it's been a season of significant upheaval, but I'd hope as a manager, CD would have the flexibility and know-how to be able to change tactics and formations to suit the playing staff he has.

Given QP's performances in the last few games you might just get your wish, if not this season, then most probably next without some serious surgery, but thank you for thinking of us anyhoo. Again, like most others, sorry to see Arbroath head down. All the very best for next season and wishing you guys a speedy return.

We have so little in the way of effective squad depth that the vast majority of the first eleven are almost undroppable. As others have said, if we couldn't get fired up for this game today, we have little to look forward to should it come to a play-off against Hamilton, Alloa or Montrose. Even if we do survive to fight another year in the Championship with Falkirk heading up and looking way better than Arbroath, some serious surgery is going to be needed to avoid a similar fate next year as Arbroath have suffered this year.

When playing three at the back, we shouldn't be seeing balls being played through that back three - it happened several times today. Tizzard was far from great, but I'd level similar criticism at Danny Wilson who was guilty of giving the ball away far too many times. Whilst CD seems to insist on playing three at the back, he does so with the same lack of faith in those CB's that Veldman had & thus we see Thomson there, week in week out, when we badly need his dynamism in midfield. CD continues to insist on playing five in midfield, with which we really shouldn't constantly be seeing Paton and Sheridan on the half-way line trying to get possession - but we are. Whilst this is going on and due to the lack of Thomson in midfield, we instead get Turner, who gets worse the ever deeper he plays and therefore ever more a bomb-scare - to the point that he's beginning to make McKinstry look competent. United twigged it last week - that despite having five in midfield, the two wide players were isolated and exposed - especially Longridge, who whilst able and competent at right back, hasn't got the pace for a wing-back role. Robson and Scott gave us the pretence of threat on the left, but other than that it was just another 90 mins and £20 wasted. All in all we have a manager insistent on playing three at the back & five in midfield but without a squad assembled to do so - and that squad seem very much like strangers when they cross that white line at 3pm. Football should be relatively simple - round pegs in round holes - this system is not fulfilling this.

The sooner it's over, the better.

The fixture back in December was probably the nadir of the season for me, (and given what went before and some that's come after, that's pretty impressive stuff). Even big Dunc's red card and the fact that Veldman evidently had his suitcase in the dug out with him didn't make it any more enjoyable. Wet and windy forecast again, hoping DT is back and we can reverse that previous result.....4-1 to QP, minimum of 7pts in the remaining fixtures and we can forget this season ever happened!

Decent chat on Livi on AVFTT last night. Watched Livi at Lesser pre-season and was far from impressed, (even more so with the hindsight of how QP faired from then until January). Martindale has done an impressive job, but all good things come to an end and certainly think that without something changing the rot might not stop at demotion to the Championship. Can't see whoever finished in 9th going down against any L1 play-off winners but with Falkirk coming up, (Arbroath likely to be heading in the opposite direction) and Livi being replaced by DU, next season's Championship is likely to be wide open.

Yup, becoming increasingly apparent it's a p*ss poor source!!!!

Maybe a little premature and with the caveat that we do stay up, but according to Transfermarkt (and given the knowledge they've not updated Ferrie's extension feel free to correct the following), barring Wilson, Thomas, Fox, Williamson, Paton, Tizzard, Turner and Joseph Smith, the entire first team squad is out of contract at the end of the season. Who are you releasing, who, if any, are you listening to offers for and what do we reckon is needed for next year?

Was wondering the same thing, thought the rustling/flapping in the wind was a work of genius by the stadium, designed to introduce an ersatz sound of applause?

Well, the QP supporter pessimism was reaching fever-stage last week, but now beginning to be quietly optimistic, however would dearly love to see less caution from Davidson and change his philosophy ever so slightly in order to get our best eleven, (and therefore chance of a win), on the pitch at the same time. Despite having Danny Wilson as part of a back three, we seem, as others have mentioned, to be back into a period of being unable to defend crosses. The last game showed how isolated one wide player could become with United doubling up on both Longridge, (who looked far more settled when moved back into the middle) and Scott. The dilemma facing Davidson is how to get the best out of his attacking options in Paton, Sheridan, Turner and especially Thomas, whilst also playing his preferred three at the back, which imho doesn't suit either Thomas or indeed, Robson, who is still, arguably, our best (on paper) LB. Turner gets better the further forward he is and Thomas (if fit), needs to be on the left. McKinstry has surely played himself back to the bench as I cannot see him, however good he might be in training, being given yet another opportunity to show case missed placed passes and general lethargy. Whatever happens, the time for caution has probably passed and with Dunfermline and Arbroath trips coming up and an inferior GD to ICT, we need a win. Given all this I'd like to see CD ditching the back three and going back to a back four. Thomas in front of Robson on the left, (it's worked before, several times) and Turner and Scott on the right. Depending on fitness, it'd be good too see the effect playing with Danny Wilson would have on Fox, which would allow Thomson to return to midfield, beside/in front of Welsh and Paton and Sheridan up front.

I beg to differ

As I've said previously he's kept us in games/won us points far more often than he's cost us. First half goal line scramble imho, he should have come earlier, but that in turn was caused by Longridge getting skinned/out-fought before hand. Second(?) goal, the bounce was affected greatly either by some spin or the wind, so I might be being a little harsh. I do kind of feel though that Call is often at his best when he doesn't have the time to weigh up options and relies instead on instincts. I was hoping that the inclusion of Danny Wilson might have solidified the defence a little, alas, not.

Big, big reaction needed next week. Huge.

Dunno where we go from here. Ferrie seems intent on playing long balls, despite the fact there is more chance of hell freezing over than anyone in a QP top winning a first or second ball. Any notion we had of playing out from the back has vanished too - we just go from side to side until someone misplaces a pass and we end up defending for our lives again. And we're so painfully slow at progressing the ball forward at times. Agree regarding McKinstry, but there are others too who must be nearing the exit. I fear time may be up for Longridge, he was honking today - or at least until he moved centrally, as until then he was out-run, out muscled and guilty of giving the ball away far too much. The feel today, from the team selection to the subs just felt like a 'let's get this over and done with and concentrate on ICT' vibe. I'm hoping Ferrie rediscovers his mojo too....and soon. Apart from the penalty save, (the penalty was stinking), he was pretty indecisive in coming for things today. Almost got caught out in the first half, was caught out in the second.

A certain Glasgow south-side team tried that earlier on this season....it didn't go well.

One for the purist this afternoon, anything above head height likely to end up in the North stand

Maybe. Just think it is wholly unsuited to lower league/Championship football and as a 'National' stadium it is a bit of an embarrassment compared to others within the UK/Europe. Agree with the sentiment about other stadiums though, especially at c.£20/ticket. All in all the main reason behind my high disappointment and frustration with Lesser - not many teams get the funds and opportunity to construct, from scratch, a new stadium. We did and we made an absolute horlicks of it.

Personally, Lesser. The main (only) stand is actually not a bad place to watch football, albeit with some weird acoustics. Had that been replicated the entire way round & given some decently priced catering and giving G4S the heave-ho, then I'm sure we'd all be pretty happy with playing there. Personally speaking, Hampden is a bit of a dump and is badly in need of either significant modernisation or bulldozing. Over-priced, poor quality catering and the lack of any atmosphere render it a pretty soulless experience

Fully expect ICT to beat Arbroath and close within a point, which means next w/e fixture vs ICT becomes super important. I'd much rather go through the motions in this one, (definitive free-hit) and have everyone fully fit/rested for next week and then concentrate on Dunfermline and Arbroath away.

BBC reporting (via TeamTalk) that Birmingham are interested in Darryl Carrick

Are you a bone fide moron, or have you suffered a recent head trauma?

There's still time and hopefully he's still around next season. The defence has been chaotic. Fox, when he's not been injured has been mercurial at best. Tizzard showed promise but the focus on 'youth development' was quickly forgotten when Veldman needed a scapegoat/sacrificial lamb and dumped him so publicly at Airdrie. The other CB's have largely had to play second/third fiddle to Thomson, a midfielder, who was preferred in defence to them. We seemed, earlier in the season, unable to find a RB that could both provide attacking threat and defensive stability and Robson has arguably been off it since January last year. Amongst all of this Ferrie started the season playing second fiddle to McKenna, who after larger teams started sniffing around was wrapped in bubble wrap to protect the fee he eventually got us, (which has given credence to the notion of youth development as a major revenue stream). Given all of this and whilst I fully appreciate you aint seen the best of him, the fact that Ferrie has kept his head against 8, if not 9 teams in this league has been an absolute bonus.