Sh*teAndMuck Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 (edited) That’s the first I’ve seen them having missed the friendlies. Observations… Pros Aaron Essel - looks like a player. Gets around the pitch quickly and loves a tackle. Kyle Cameron - looks assured and good on the ball. Absolute rocket for the goal. Benji’s quick feet that got the pen. Second half we looked decent, passing the ball well. Improved when Stevie and Adama came on. Cons Josh McPake - just awful. No redeeming qualities and appears slow for a supposed tricky winger type player. The first half in general we lacked, everything. I think the keeper looks dodgy. Looked awkward with a couple of simple takes and doesn’t appear to be confident with his kicking. Not sure about the other two centre halves, Sam and Jack. Not much pressure on them today but they still had a couple of hairy moments I thought. The way we’re set up makes it seem extra hard work for us to carve out a chance. Carey played well but is wasted further back at wing back. Don’t think it’s Drey’s position on the other side either. I’m sure I’ll think of more stuff but anyway. A wins a win. Edited July 13 by Sh*teAndMuck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintdunc Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 In other news, Stenhousemuir cruised to an easy 4-0 win against Buckie who finished above Brechin last term. Not to worry though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derektaylor84 Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 Highlights posted quick tonight. www.youtube.com/@derektaylor84 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsjfc Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 9 minutes ago, Saintdunc said: In other news, Stenhousemuir cruised to an easy 4-0 win against Buckie who finished above Brechin last term. Not to worry though. I was speaking to a Brechin fan who was saying that Buckie lost a few players on the back of not getting into the playoff. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomGuy. Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 6 minutes ago, nelsjfc said: I was speaking to a Brechin fan who was saying that Buckie lost a few players on the back of not getting into the playoff. They lost their manager too. Sounds like the club genuinely didn't want promoted and chucked it, and some staff/players left in disgust. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE FAT MAN Posted July 13 Share Posted July 13 21 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said: They lost their manager too. Sounds like the club genuinely didn't want promoted and chucked it, and some staff/players left in disgust. Imagine the travel involved to places like stranrear You can see why 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankChickens1 Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 (edited) Theo Bair played in a Copa America semifinal against Uruguay last night. Football is undeniably very funny. Credit to him. Edited July 14 by FrankChickens1 Oops 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSJ.84 Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 3 hours ago, FrankChickens1 said: Theo Bair played in a Copa America semifinal against Uruguay last night. Football is undeniably very funny. Credit to him. Was the third placed play off last night. You'd throttle Alphonso Davies for doing that in a game that had any real significance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 If we get clearance for wee Andre I think he'll become a cult hero at Saints. Quick as f**k, good crosser and hopefully grows his hair out as he looks better with a big afro. Can see Adam selling thousands of wee Andre bobbing afro dolls, every car or mantle piece in Scotland will have them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 I don't want to labour the point but the formation yesterday alarms me. I don't want 5-2-3 to be our default this season. Callum Davidson set the blueprint for it in the double season and we are so far away from having a squad like that. It's just beyond any plausibility that we are going to undertake the level of recruitment required. But even if it is to be their preferred system and there is some sort of argument about getting comfortable with it, we NEED to be more flexible and pragmatic and able to change it up. So it was never the set-up for yesterday, three centre backs against a team we were going to need to break down. We lacked passing options all afternoon because we had an extra defender and a neither central midfielder was prepared to take up an advanced position, MacPherson in particular was more interested in taking it off the centre backs in areas thaf were far too deep.. When we did spread the ball, so often the first instinct was to check back the way and play a safe pass, inevitably backwards or sideways, although part of that maybe does come down to a lack of options. But generally it's so cautious, negative and one-paced. And the quality of when the ball was passed forward was poor, Kimpioka made a number of bad passes look better than they were with his hard running. On a double-edged positive, Sidibeh looked very good when he came on. Suspect we won't see much more of him. And what will be left isn't much. Isn't it great to be back... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saintee Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Our midfield options are absolutely stinking. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonLichtie Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Hello! I am hoping someone may be able to help.... Three trialists featured for yourselves last week in the friendly between our teams.... can anyone tell me who they were? I know one was Aaron Essel (the one who started?) but not sure on the other two..... any help much appreciated 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSJ.84 Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 (edited) 7 minutes ago, SimonLichtie said: Hello! I am hoping someone may be able to help.... Three trialists featured for yourselves last week in the friendly between our teams.... can anyone tell me who they were? I know one was Aaron Essel (the one who started?) but not sure on the other two..... any help much appreciated Aaron Cocks and Kyle Cameron. Cameron was the one that started. Edited July 14 by PSJ.84 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentino Bolognese Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Broadly similar views to most on here after yesterday. My big takeaways from today, like others, were that the formation and general approach to the game is a concern. Certainly looked to me that we were set up not to lose the first half. Thought it was interesting that when the attacking subs were made and we went with Adama and Benji both up top we immediately started conceding chances which I suspect will have confirmed CL's expectations and he won't be risking that again in a hurry. However that was the first I've seen McPake in the flesh and he is absolutely dreadful, as others have said absolutely nowhere near the level required. He lost a footrace against Ewan Spark when he had a couple of feet head start. Essel I like a bit more but does seem to dive in too much for my liking. Defence seemed fine but no idea how they will be against tougher opposition, have to see on that score. Benji worries me as a starting striker. Him and Ikpiezu seem cut from the same cloth - all flying limbs. Like watching a Thunderbirds puppet play football. Some of his touches are dreadful, and being an fast nuicance isn't going to cut it. That said I felt for him as he was on the end of a lot of fouls. Thought Taylor Steven looked fine. Was very struck by Adama going to applaud the far end support at the end when everyone else went to the main stand. Seemed to mean something, and I didn't like it one bit. Very minor annoyance - no need for 'cash only' pie stand in this day and age. Overall not sure we learned that much, let's see what Webb's millions brings us but yeah, we can't be playing that shape again all season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenrothes 1884 saint Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Adama got his photo taken with his flag and some fans, that was all 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentino Bolognese Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 3 minutes ago, glenrothes 1884 saint said: Adama got his photo taken with his flag and some fans, that was all Ah, OK. We were on our way out and didn't really see. Just looked odd to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomGuy. Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 I'm kind of stupidly deluding myself into believing the back 5 was just because all the available full backs were injured or deemed not good enough, so Wright and Carey were seen as best options, so wing back the best option. But aye, its not why he done it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsjfc Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Mentioned on the group thread but no real issue with any system as long as the players fit it. Sanders isn't a ball carrying centre half and no team is going to be worried about Matt Smith and Josh McPake as the supporting attackers in a 3. Seems mental those two are in the last third and Wright and Carey aren't (although appreciate Carey is mainly due to lack of any other option). We created more when May and Sibedh replaced those two. Suppose the glass half full view is that a LWB is signing this week and Levein talked about targeting a new CB and winger. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted July 14 Author Share Posted July 14 We have a lot of work to do to be ready for the league season quite clearly. If signing the likes of McPake and Sanders means we'll not be able to bring in better in their position then you have to question why we bothered. I'm not even sure they're passable squad players on the basis of their pre-Saints careers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnoswald2712 Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Lots of folk not happy with the formation (understandably) and the lack of entertainment and attacking intent but If everyone was available how would you set us up? I’d go Rae Kjeltens. McClelland. Cameron. Bright (Raymond) Essen Wright. May. Carey Sidibeh. Clark Clearly if Raymond is signed he’d play before Scotty Bright but looking at that, I feel we need at least one if not 2 centre halfs, a genuine creative midfielder and one if not 2 full backs plus probably a starting goalkeeper. When you see that it makes you question the signings of Sanders and McPake and really question giving MacPherson another year. It’s kinda like buying a brand new state of the art telly after the electric has been cut off. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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