Team Lineups

[JamieHAFC]

It show that we are very strong in numbers in Midfeild! Do we need Mark M? Or is the £££ better spent on another striker?

I think if we sign Mark Miller it could mean one of the midfielders would be leaving, might be Ali Crawford but i can't see it.

[Reid]

Marwood hasn't come up here to sit on the bench, he'll surprise a few this season.

I'm you've watched Gateshead a lot then?

[Ya Bezzer!]

Twardzik

Reid Ramsden McManus Hammell

Ainsworth Carswell Leitch Lasley Vigurs

Sutton

Is what we'd probably have to line up with just now,once we sign a forward (probably Clarkson) it'll be a 4-4-2 with one of the central midfield dropping out.

I have a feeling, and I might be wrong about it, that McCall will start the season with Nielsen and see how it goes. It might come down to performances in friendlies though.

In defence, I agree with your line up, Ramsden will move over into Hutchinson's old position and Craig Reid will continue at right back. McManus and Hammell are first picks from last season on the left hand side.

If we were playing an SPFL game tomorrow and basing things on McCall's selections last season I think our midfield would be the standard four across the middle with Fraser Kerr on the right, although new signing Josh Law might play there, the standard Carswell/Lasley central midfield and Vigurs on the left. He might go for Leitch, who probably has a bit more natural ability than Carswell along side Lasley or he could bring Craig in, who did well on the occasions that he played defensive midfield but I think McCall's natural instinct is to stick with the tried and tested so I expect Carswell to get the nod.

I'd then expect Ainsworth to play off Sutton upfront.

IF WE PLAYED TOMORROW SCENARIO.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nielsen

Craig - - - - - - - - Ramsden - - - - - - - - - McManus - - - - - - Hammell

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kerr - - - - - - - - -Carswell - - - - - - - - - - Lasley - - - - - - - - Vigurs -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - Ainsworth- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sutton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It will be interesting to see what happens though if we bring in a new centre half. Will Ramsden take his right back position back from Reid? Perhaps the fact that Reid can play elsewhere means McCall might have him on the bench.

If we bring in another forward which we seem to be doing, Ainsworth will go back to right midfield and the new forward will play off Sutton.

BEGINNING OF NEW SEASON SCENARIO

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nielsen

Ramsden - - - - - NEW GUY - - - - - - - - McManus - - - - - - Hammell

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ainsworth - - - --Carswell - - - - - - - - - - Lasley - - - - - - - - Vigurs -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - NEW GUY (Clarkson?)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sutton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Quitongo's Left Peg]

We're now building the base of a decent side. I imagine the side that will take on Ayr tomorrow will look something like -

Samson

Barbour Connolly Ashcroft McAllister*

Hamill Pascali Clingan

Cairney

Miller McKenzie

*trialist but rumoured to be our next signing.

[Saints Bevy Squad]

If I was Tommy Craig (lolwut etc), I'd be doing everything to get the best out of the central midfield three, because if he doesn't dick about like what Lennon did and played them as a trio consistently, then they should be looking at seventh place and upwards.

Having McGinn next to Goodwin at the back of midfield in a 4-2-3-1 wouldn't necessarily restrict McGinn to playing there - formations are neutral; it's the balance of the players within it that make it count - but even so, I think a more decidedly 4-3-3 shape would get the best out of all three. Certainly, comparing it to Mourinho's 4-3-3 at Chelsea, it just makes sense to me:

• Goodwin is at his absolute best when he isn't allowed to fanny around with the ball, so get him to stick to what he's good at and protect the centre-backs, who I consider to form the weakest part of the team;
• McGinn is a wonderful box-to-box midfielder and will press and harry all day long (not to mention his technical attributes), so he would best suit an Essien-type role, linking the back to the front of the midfield; and
• McLean has so much more to offer in his play than just be a number 10, so play him in the Lampard role i.e. the most forward-thinking of the central midfielders while letting him develop his all-round game. Thompson's hold-up play perfectly complements McLean's late runs towards the box.

It puts a lot of creative emphasis on the wingers and I think for it to work, in the medium term at the very least, there would need to be another established winger or creative type to allow changes on the hour if the pattern of the match isn't suiting, because those are typically the most consistent roles in the team. I think the rest of the line-up would be pretty settled though.

In any event, the 4-3-3 offers a lot of flexibility, between playing a high line and getting crosses into Thompson with support from one of the midfielders, or playing defensively with a lot of protection to the deep midfield area and being able to counter on the flanks.

Just the way I would do it, anyway. No doubt we'll see 4-4-2 with McLean shoe-horned on to the right flank or something.

Good analysis on the 3 midfielders. We look pretty strong in there as long as they stay fit.

Wylde I think will be important for us. He likes to get down the wing and try and get crosses into Thompson, and is capable of a goal or two.

On the other wing would be Teale, who is superb on his day and IMO still has the legs to get past anyone in this league provided he stays clear of any injuries this season.

Would like someone unpredictable like Isma or Hasselbaink for something. Bit different.

Kello

Naismith McAusland Plummer Kelly

Goodwin

McGinn Mclean

Teale Thompson Wylde

On paper if they were all fit for the start of the season 10 (maybe excluding Plummer) would be fine to start against Motherwell. Obviously we need to bulk the squad out a bit though.

[banana]

Right now, probably exactly the same as our standard starting lineup at the end of the season, minus the Gunning roaster.

Rado

Watson/Dillon Dillon/Souttar Morris Robertson

Rankin Paton

Dow Armstrong GMS

Ciftci

Would expect a Morris + New Experience Signing central defensive pairing come the start of the season.

[Ya Bezzer!]

We started the friendly today v Fulham with a 4-4-2

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Twardzik - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reid - - - - - Ramsden - - - - - McManus - - - - - Hammell

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ainsworth - Carswell - - - - - - Lasley - - - - - - - Vigurs

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - McHugh - - - - - - Sutton - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Most of the squad got a run out as subs in the second half.

[Ryan1869]

Clarkson scored for killie today lads.

[Mr Waldo]

Clarkson scored for killie today lads.

How did he play?

It's a shame he's 'too similar to what we've got'. I like him, he's a good player.

Did he look fit and not injured in any way at all?

[Ryan1869]

How did he play? It's a shame he's 'too similar to what we've got'. I like him, he's a good player.Did he look fit and not injured in any way at all?

Dunno bud was a closed doors game v Ayr and he was on the bench. We just gout update of scores.

[Quitongo's Left Peg]

How did he play? It's a shame he's 'too similar to what we've got'. I like him, he's a good player. Did he look fit and not injured in any way at all?

Played 45 minutes and scored a goal. Didn't really do much for the rest of the time, but his movement was clever and he might link up well with Lee Miller.

[RandomGuy.]

A week until the start of the season, how do we think our sides will line up for this first game?

I've no idea about us, I imagine we'll play a weakened side due to playing in Slovakia a few days before, but as Radford hinted at elsewhere, we don't really have the depth to rotate all that much unless we suddenly decide to sign a couple of players

[hoopy1967]

If we get knocked out the Champions League and given the way Deila has had us playing probably

Forster

Lustig Van Dijk Ambrose Izaguirre

Johanson Mulgrew

McGregor Commons Griffiths

Stokes

If we're still in it(unlikely) we'll probably play a weaker team

[Spain]

With Adams likely to try and minimise how many new boys he throws in at the start, we'll probably look like this at first:

Reguero

Saunders Dreesen Boyd Celcer

Brittain Quinn

Arquin de Leeuw Cardle

Jervis

If he hadn't picked up a knock in pre-season I expect Boyce would be starting up front instead of Jervis. We'll probably see Fenlon come in at right back over the season, and Balk getting used for in the holding role. There's also the Carey question. He missed most of pre-season with us, but you would think he would rotate in and out with Cardle and probably de Leeuw (if he's not going to hack full games again) to give us a different type of threat.

[Slacker]

Fox

O'Donnell Muirhead Balatoni McMillan

Fraser Osman

Lawless Stevenson Higginbotham

Doolan

I reckon we'll sign a defender before the Ross County match. So I would hope McMillan isn't at left-back, I'd prefer him to O'Donnell on the right. I'd also want Gallacher over Fox but think that's how Archie will call it.

[Deestruction]

I'm very interesting in out lineups this year. Our squad is flexible and has players who can play 2/3 positions to a decent level. Yesterday this is how we lined up.

Letheren

Konrad Benidictus

McGinn Dyer

Thomson Ferry

Harkins McGowan

Tankulic Stewart

Largely using wingbacks to provide our crosses, and allow us to play GGH and McGowan in the middle as creative midfielders. Both done well with Harkins in particular linking up well with Tankulic to create chances for them both.

I do think we will play 4-4-2 a decent amount against the other predicted Bottom 6 sides, and against the Top 6 sides we will go 4-2-3-1 with it being.

Letheren

McGinn Konrad McPake Dyer

Thomson Ferry

Boyle McGowan Harkins

Tankulic

From the XI which started yesterday, I reckon we will probably see more of MacDonald than Stewart in the 4-4-2, although Stewart had a fine showing, but will need proving in the Premiership. Wighton may show up sometimes too, but more favoured in the 4-2-3-1 with McGowan and Harkins playing the wider roles.

We'll obviously start with McPake pairing with Konrad at the back too, which will shore up our defence even more. The only worry I have about our defence in matches is if we play the wingbacks, our 2 holding CMs need to mind to fill gaps wider and let McPake/Konrad hold the middle of defence. Other than that, we're good to go.

[Craig McCulloch Burley]

Currently we'll be lining up;

Mannus

Mackay Anderson Wright Easton

Wotherspoon Millar McDonald O'Halloran

Maclean May

That kind of goes into a 4-2-3-1 at times, with May, Wotherspoon and O'Halloran drifting all over the place behind Maclean.

Murray Davidson will come into that team in place of either Millar or McDonald when he's fit.

May leave ST Johnstone to Rotherham