The St. Mirren FC 2023/24 thread

[Buddist Monk]

So, on the team? I still think we have the basis of a team capable of staying in this division, not much more but certainly that.

On Smith? I have a feeling that this has come out because Stubbs likes to play formations without a number 10, Smith would have naturally said "Er, boss that sort of leaves me without a dedicated position, will I still get game time" with Stubbs saying "I can't guarantee you game time". That's all conjecture but it's as reliable as any other conjecture posted on here.

Ultimately you either allow Stubbs to push through the changes he wants in the hope that we come out the better team - that is a possibility, certainly not guaranteed but it is a possibility, or you fight him all the way. The latter won't really achieve anything, at least at this point. I say sit tight and see where the next transfer window finds us, it's only then will we properly be able to judge where we are. I have a lot of time for our players but they are just that, players, the manager is the person in charge.

With all that said, allow me to throw in this...

[DumbartonBud]

I can’t see where any new signings are better than those that they have replaced. 

Rodgers - only played a couple of games but no better than Samson who himself hasn’t been faultless

Coulson - aside from looking good going forward in the first couple of LC games would get in ahead of Stelio or Eckersley

Heaton- Saddled with the fact we paid money for him, hardly featured. Incredible to think that Stubbs worked with him at V9 for a week and thought he was good enough then. 

Cole - one goal saving clearance against Killie after that slow, no concentration, can’t pass can’t win a header. 

On the centre half’s I do have some sympathy for Stubbs, we did / do need a couple as I always thought that McKenzie was too injury prone and too slow for this league. A legendary night in the bankhouse doesn’t make him the answer. 

Hodson - only his first game but certainly didn’t inspire confidence, made no attempt to even challenge for any high balls and aside from a nice pass to put Flynn through barely found a team mate all game.

Willock - Meh, is he any better than Flynn or Magennis in his position. 

Brock Madsen, first time I’ve seen him, awful first half, a couple of nice touches in the second but never looked like getting a shot in never mind scoring, a bit like Ross Stewart against Dundee. 

Cooke - looked awful in his LC appearance, slightly better in his 10 mins today but certainly not any better than Sutton last year. 

[AW saint]

Time for our chairman to come out anc address these issues. Why are we signing substandard players and allowing the heart of the side to bd ripped out. 

[Biscuits]

Well having slept on it I had hoped to wake up this morning feeling slightly better, at least able to take some positives from the season so far.

However, I can’t.

Absolutely none of Stubbs signings are good enough.

Coulson - too small, not enough fight, can’t defend.

Willock - did we not get him from Man Utd? He should have absolutely ran the show yesterday. A 22 year old still on the books of them must have something about him surely? Certainly hasn’t shown it with us - largely anonymous.

Cole - holy f**k. As I posted elsewhere - he might be the worst player I’ve ever seen. Can’t head, can’t pass, no positional sense. Just absolutely fuckin hopeless.

Brock Madsen - he must have touched the ball about three times in the first half. Looking at him you think his strength must be in the air - it isn’t. Don’t know where it is.

Heaton- obv out injured but the game I watched him in against spartans didn’t fill me with hope.

Cooke - another tall guy who seems to get smaller when he jumps.

My son said after the game yesterday that he doesn’t want to go to the Celtic game now. Can’t say I blame him.

I’ve been defending Stubbs on here up til now. Felt he wasn’t being given a chance. But after yesterday I wouldn’t be too upset if he goes (I know he won’t). Yesterday felt like a throwback to Craig / Rae.

Last season already feels like a lifetime ago. And I really can’t see it getting better.

[glenburn bud]

28 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

That's not true. Smith was told he could go before Miller became available. Its only became public knowledge in the last 24 hours. 

Budgetary constraints aren't the issue. Our manager genuinely believes our best attacking player can't play in a 442.

Which is funny as it is compounded by the fact that a guy who made a very good career as a centre half, couldn't spot a decent one for the life of him. 

Stubbs Record at Rotherham was shocking, he looks like doing exactly the same thing with us.

Substituting Kepekawa after 3 mins of the second half tells you all you need to know about his lack of man management skills.

I now have the fear about him having any more dealings in this window, as he’ll most likely be gone for the next one when we’re rooted to the bottom of the league, with a new manager scrambling about trying to sign replacements for the substandard shite that Stubbs has left him with.

[Demented Zebra]

This going to be one costly exercise it has to be done now. God help us against Hearts and Celtic. 

[Coventry Saint]

18 minutes ago, Demented Zebra said:

God help us against Hearts and Celtic. 

Not sure Thommo's interested in the gig, tbh. He's quite happy with his TV gig.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Coventry Saint

[Dee Man]

On 26/08/2018 at 09:17, djchapsticks said:

Which is funny as it is compounded by the fact that a guy who made a very good career as a centre half, couldn't spot a decent one for the life of him. 

Could be worse, you could have a manager who was a winger who doesn't believe in wingers. 

[Biscuits]

Could be worse, you could have a manager who was a winger who doesn't believe in wingers. 

Let’s not turn this into an “our manager is worse than your manager”.

We’ll win

[Demented Zebra]

9 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

Not sure Thommo's interested in the gig, tbh. He's quite happy with his TV gig.

Aye hilarious, when you pay someone to cover your shift travel from Rothesay it's an expensive day out to watch that makes the blood boil. Getting beat if your team tried is acceptable for me. We did not have one shoot on target , at home ? There is no fix here as long as Stubbs is in charge. Players from last season look dejected and very unhappy. Still if you are watching from afar the pain is not there. 

[Demented Zebra]

14 hours ago, Gareth_Glasgow said:

I don’t think even Stubbs is stupid enough to tell his best player he can leave, surely that isn’t true? Maybe I’m giving him too much credit though.

Trust me it's true. Smith told he was not in the team. Smith not happy , was told to f**k off.  Heard it from quite a few people one of I know who gets inside info. 

[Coventry Saint]

39 minutes ago, Demented Zebra said:

Aye hilarious, when you pay someone to cover your shift travel from Rothesay it's an expensive day out to watch that makes the blood boil. Getting beat if your team tried is acceptable for me. We did not have one shoot on target , at home ? There is no fix here as long as Stubbs is in charge. Players from last season look dejected and very unhappy. Still if you are watching from afar the pain is not there. 

Alright, I wasn't having a go at you. 

[Buddist Monk]

56 minutes ago, Biscuits said:

Let’s not turn this into an “our manager is worse than your manager”.

We’ll win

Well no, while it's clear people have concerns about Stubbs, he's at least won things as a manager. Something McCann has never done.

 

[Demented Zebra]

37 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

Alright, I wasn't having a go at you. 

Sorry still pissed off with yesterday. 

[Fony Titz]

That was absolutely brutal. How Brock madsen lasted till 80 mins I’ll never know.

Mullen only player with pass marks today. Really hope the rumors about smith aren’t true

I'm not sure we watched the same Mullen.

He was at least trying I'll grant you that but he was brutal.

[buddie06smfc]

Big Brock needs punted already he is murder. Can’t understand Smith being dropped I’d have had him in ahead of Magennis, who has been poor - if Stubbs insists on playing Brock.
I can see why he wants the big striker up front but I’d far rather have Mullen playing and lack the height. Played straight into the hands of Livi yesterday. Punting Cammy Smith will be a very poor move & I don’t think Kenny Miller is what we need. Regardless of whether Smith stays or goes. Hopefully see some movement in & out this week, as long as it’s not Cammy Smith.
With the players we have it looks as if a 3-5-2 would be far better, no obvious options for wingers in a 4-4-2. I think Willock is a very good player in the middle of the park and would play him in there with McGinn and Magennis/Flynn. 3-5-2 would give Cole more freedom to f**k around with an extra bit of cover. Needs to throw Heaton in at centre half only way he’ll get up to speed with the game.
Certainly wouldn’t chuck Stubbs, he’s built the squad he needs time to work with it.

[Stu]

Don't see a problem if Smith has been told to go. I'm sure West Brom will have a highly rated 20-year-old who hasn't played a first team game that can replace him. If not, I hear Prescot Cables have a handy midfielder.

We all knew it was going to be a tough season, it always is for a newly promoted side and we were going to have to make do with the loss of Morgan and Davis. However, the signings have, for the most part, been useless. How many have been an improvement on guys we had? In fact, how many have even been of a similar level to the guys we had. I didn't have a problem with guys like Reilly and Hippolyte leaving if we brought in guys who were at least as good to replace them. We haven't. In fact, have we replaced Hippolyte at all? Likewise, while we were never going to get someone of similar quality to Morgan, I can't think of anyone who we have signed who you could point at as being able to perform a similar role in the team.

Thank god I wasn't able to make it yesterday. I thought the boy Jones was meant to be a holding midfielder who could maybe do a job at the back, so why was he flung into defence? And despite my flippancy earlier, dropping Smith is utter madness. Should be one of the first names on the team sheet - so he starts on the bench. Is the problem because he wasn't a Stubbs signing? He almost seems to be getting rid of guys he didn't bring in purely because he didn't sign them, rather than for footballing reasons.

Not to worry - it's only Hearts and Celtic next.

[flyingscot]

3 hours ago, Dee Man said:

Could be worse, you could have a manager who was a winger who doesn't believe in wingers. 

Our manager doesn't believe in them either to be fair... No wide players at all. Play CMs or Strikers there... Of course the signing we need to fix this is Kenny fucking Miller. 

[buddie06smfc]

What exactly was there to replace in Hippolyte? The guy played about 42 minutes for us. I get that people don’t like Stubbs and his signings but some of the reasons are just ridiculous.

[flyingscot]

2 minutes ago, buddie06smfc said:

What exactly was there to replace in Hippolyte? The guy played about 42 minutes for us. I get that people don’t like Stubbs and his signings but some of the reasons are just ridiculous.

Well at least he could have offered  natural width. Can we name a better player that has been brought in?