The European football level St. Mirren FC 2024/25 thread

[houston_bud]

14 minutes ago, geo87 said:

Baird definitely isn’t a scapegoat. Time and time again he is caught sleeping and out of position.

He’s certainly not the only one in that 11 that isn’t good enough - but deserves criticism like the other ones who are costing us

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve criticism. He had a howler at the first goal at Ibrox and that certainly isn't an isolated error. I do feel that he often gets singled out though when other players have also been making similar mistakes.

[Buddist Monk]

Baird got abuse in the Championship, somewhat unfairly at times, sometimes utterly justified. We all saw that he was not the most consistent at that level. We were winning though, and didn't need to rely on our defence to keep us in the game. How many times last season did you predict we'd win and keep a clean sheet? The former yes, the latter no.

With Davis gone, and only one replacement (Kpekawa, it's clear Heaton is not ready) who is not commanding and needing to get up to speed, combined with Coulson and McGinn, it's a recipe for disaster. That was increased by the formation Stubbs played too, mind.

Are we needing to replace the whole back line? No, not in the slightest. What I would like to see is a classic hoof it the f**k out of the box defender. I really don't care what level he comes from but so long as he's solid, has experience and can huckle players at this level then that'll do. Interestingly we already have a player in that mould but "he's injured"

I genuinely believe one decent addition in that defence, and whether he replaces Baird or Kpekawa it doesn't matter, would go a long way to shoring things up. Coulson and Baird/Kpekawa all seem like they need leadership in there and it's not coming from any of the players just now. McGinn being the captain you'd expect to get involved as you would Samson, but you still need someone in there to shout when to cover, when to pull up the offside line and when to commit and when to hold.

[houston_bud]

10 minutes ago, Buddist Monk said:

Baird got abuse in the Championship, somewhat unfairly at times, sometimes utterly justified. We all saw that he was not the most consistent at that level. We were winning though, and didn't need to rely on our defence to keep us in the game. How many times last season did you predict we'd win and keep a clean sheet? The former yes, the latter no.

With Davis gone, and only one replacement (Kpekawa, it's clear Heaton is not ready) who is not commanding and needing to get up to speed, combined with Coulson and McGinn, it's a recipe for disaster. That was increased by the formation Stubbs played too, mind.

Are we needing to replace the whole back line? No, not in the slightest. What I would like to see is a classic hoof it the f**k out of the box defender. I really don't care what level he comes from but so long as he's solid, has experience and can huckle players at this level then that'll do. Interestingly we already have a player in that mould but "he's injured"

I genuinely believe one decent addition in that defence, and whether he replaces Baird or Kpekawa it doesn't matter, would go a long way to shoring things up. Coulson and Baird/Kpekawa all seem like they need leadership in there and it's not coming from any of the players just now. McGinn being the captain you'd expect to get involved as you would Samson, but you still need someone in there to shout when to cover, when to pull up the offside line and when to commit and when to hold.

We kept 14 clean sheets last year. Admittedly most of them came with Davis in the team, but the defence was strong.

I agree that one addition could be all the difference, that's the point I was making. Hopefully the boy from Southampton can be that addition. I'm not totally convinced that MacKenzie is the answer to all our problems, I get the feeling he is becoming a better player in the eyes of some fans with every week he's been out the team. 

[Buddist Monk]

10 minutes ago, houston_bud said:

I'm not totally convinced that MacKenzie is the answer to all our problems, I get the feeling he is becoming a better player in the eyes of some fans with every week he's been out the team. 

I agree with you, regarding "absence making the heart grow stronger" with MacKenzie. I'm looking to what we have just now. I didn't see the game and learnt nothing about how we played from Miller's pathetic coverage who only wished to talk about how he would suck off anyone wearing an Aberdeen top. No idea what Jones is like. He is the U23 captain so you'd hope he'd be pretty mouthy, which when your defence is leaking like ours is, is a very useful attribute to have.

I think there is more to come from Kpekawa, how much more I don't know and I equally don't know how long it will take to get him up to a decent level. That might be Stubbs' thinking with him pushing through the bad in hope that he comes out the better player. I don't think he'll ever be amazing, but I do think he'll be capable for our league.

[kingjoey]

21 hours ago, Buddist Monk said:

I know we were shit, but he is paid to be impartial. Even before the game he was insufferable with his arrogance, then rather than commentating he just spoke entirely as the ex-Aberdeen manager not a pundit, and Gordon in the studio does nothing to dampen it - which being an Aberdeen fan he's not likely to.

 

Maybe unsurprisingly I can never understand the vicious hatred of Willie Miller on here. Scott McDonald, Billy Dodds, Pat Boner, Alan Preston, Alex Rae, David Currie are all there, and God gets stick. And Richard Gordon? This is the man who had to broadcast live to the nation immediately after his team were murdered 9.0 at Celtic Park, and you would never would have believed, such was his professionalism. Basically, what I’m saying is, get a grip.

[Buddist Monk]

Just now, kingjoey said:

Maybe unsurprisingly I can never understand the vicious hatred of Willie Miller on here.

It's not vicious hatred, that's hyperbole. It's exasperation at this complete lack of professionalism.

Just now, kingjoey said:

And Richard Gordon?

I said he wouldn't stop it, not that he was a culprit. In general Gordon is fairly even in his comments although it's clear he's an Aberdeen fan.

Just now, kingjoey said:

Basically, what I’m saying is, get a grip.

If you had to listen to the situation reversed, you would not dismiss people's concerns quite so easily.

[RandomGuy.]

3 hours ago, kingjoey said:

Maybe unsurprisingly I can never understand the vicious hatred of Willie Miller on here. Scott McDonald, Billy Dodds, Pat Boner, Alan Preston, Alex Rae, David Currie are all there, and God gets stick. And Richard Gordon? This is the man who had to broadcast live to the nation immediately after his team were murdered 9.0 at Celtic Park, and you would never would have believed, such was his professionalism. Basically, what I’m saying is, get a grip.

When we beat Aberdeen 5-1 Willie Miller couldn't name half the goalscorers, said it was an absolutely dreadful match, and barely described anything other than the goals. Brian Easton scored a thirty yard volley that was described as a "hopeful hit from outside the box" 

He's an absolutely fucking awful pundit when he's commentating on Aberdeen, and is exactly the same as Pat Bonner in that he only cares about one team involved. 

[kingjoey]

43 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

When we beat Aberdeen 5-1 Willie Miller couldn't name half the goalscorers, said it was an absolutely dreadful match, and barely described anything other than the goals. Brian Easton scored a thirty yard volley that was described as a "hopeful hit from outside the box" 

He's an absolutely fucking awful pundit when he's commentating on Aberdeen, and is exactly the same as Pat Bonner in that he only cares about one team involved. 

Couple of things there.  Firstly, Easton’s goal was undoubtedly a “hopeful hit from outside the box”, total fluke (not that I’m bitter). Secondly, unlike Boner, he is first to criticise Aberdeen and McInnes, and praise the opposition when things don’t go well for the Mighty Reds.

[Buddist Monk]

32 minutes ago, kingjoey said:

Secondly, unlike Boner, he is first to criticise Aberdeen and McInnes, and praise the opposition when things don’t go well for the Mighty Reds.

Just another example of Miller being obsessed by Aberdeen. If they do well, all the punditry is about them. If they do badly, all the punditry is about them. Who are they playing? Doesn't matter it's all about Aberdeen for him.

Now I don't mind bias from ex-manager and players, it's totally expected, it's different when he is supposed to be providing a balanced report of a game.

[kingjoey]

11 minutes ago, Buddist Monk said:

Just another example of Miller being obsessed by Aberdeen. If they do well, all the punditry is about them. If they do badly, all the punditry is about them. Who are they playing? Doesn't matter it's all about Aberdeen for him.

Now I don't mind bias from ex-manager and players, it's totally expected, it's different when he is supposed to be providing a balanced report of a game.

Yawn.

[Buddist Monk]

1 hour ago, kingjoey said:

Yawn.

And your point is caller?

If you can't see past your own team in order to see the bias that is on show then you are as well being an OF fan.

[glenburn bud]

Willie Miller is an insufferable dullard who should be nowhere near any radio station. He’s worse than Chick Dung as a pundit.

[jimmy boo]

Willie Miller is an insufferable dullard who should be nowhere near any radio station. He’s worse than Chick Dung as a pundit.

He's bad but not quite that bad Shirley?

[djchapsticks]

Kenny Miller to be involved on Saturday. NAP.

[G-MAN]

For everyone moaning about God on here. What did you expect him to say ?

You should have been a goal down after 7 seconds..then we had a second chance before a minute was up.

It seriously could have been double figures yesterday. That was the worst away performance I think I have ever seen in years.

Vent your anger at your manager for the bewildering tactics employed from the first whistle. You were utterly utterly dreadful.

[Buddist Monk]

8 hours ago, G-MAN said:

What did you expect him to say ?

Oh, I don't know, doing his fucking job, the job he's paid to do and the job (as it's the BBC) we are all paying him to do. Your pathetic attempt to spin this as sour grapes is laughable, but not surprising. It's also mimicking OF fan behaviour, and your response is very much in that vein.

When Aberdeen scored this is what Miller said, verbatim, "Oh, yes, there's the first", and said it in a triumphant tone. This is just a typical example of the blinkered old fool. Not a "We have the first goal" or "Aberdeen ahead" like others, no he has to qualify it with "oh, yes" and said in a tone that it was just a mere formality. Now before you start trying to argue about that one specific point, this is consistent and continual, it never fucking lets up.

Now, let's take another example of someone doing punditry, Steven Thompson, a dyed in the wool St Mirren fan. What sort of responses do you get from him when it's games involving his ex-club? Surprisingly evenly balanced. There's always going to be a soft spot and you get that from all pundits, but not a complete fucking obsession. Some people are capable of providing objective punditry, Willie Miller simply cannot. Is he even capable of actually doing the job professionally? I honestly don't know. Either he is a stupid c**t or a bias c**t. I am tempted to go with both actually.

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Buddist Monk

[Buddist Monk]

9 hours ago, djchapsticks said:

Kenny Miller to be involved on Saturday. NAP.

The concerning thing is that several media outlets are tipping him to come to us. I know nobody who has heard of anything along those lines. As a player I reckon he could do a job, but I certainly wouldn't want him to come to the club. What would be more worrying is that if he came it would line him up as the next manager after Stubbs.

[Alert Mongoose]

23 minutes ago, Buddist Monk said:

 

Now, let's take another example of someone doing punditry, Steven Thompson, a dyed in the wool St Mirren fan. What sort of responses do you get from him when it's games involving his ex-club? 

 

 

 

No Surrender. 

[Buddist Monk]

Just now, Alert Mongoose said:

No Surrender. 

Now you see, you could expect that being an ex-Rangers player but how is his commentary about Rangers? Even handed. How is his commentary about St Mirren? Even handed. Just goes to show you can have a soft spot for a team and provide balanced commentary.

btw, nice to see you Arabs coming to life again now that Czaba has turned things around..

[McG]

Expect another signing in today or tomorrow.