The St. Mirren FC 2023/24 thread

[buddie06smfc]

He passed up Greg Stewart for Brock-Madsen FFS. 

Don’t think that’s fair, was it not that Greg Stewart turned us down for Killie so he didn’t get the chance to pass up Greg Stewart? The choice between Steve Clarke & Alan Stubbs isn’t much of a choice.
Alan Stubbs stressing just how important recruitment is yet when you look at the squad now not a single dud signed by him remains at the club. We binned the last one just 18 months on from his stint. He has detailed his own failures trying to blame the club and throw the hierarchy under the bus. A couple loan signings were passable, all permanent signings were hopeless. Managers dealings since show his points regarding budgets etc. are null and void.

[Ric]

Other than Hibs, Alan Stubbs has been an abject failure as a manger. Even at Hibs he failed to get them out of the Championship.

The very fact that he is still speaking about St Mirren, nearly 2 years after he was given his jotters speaks volumes. The very fact no other club has deemed him suitable for a position (any position, not just manager) also speaks volumes.

[ulysses]

52 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

You're not far off, though Flynn did his cruciate as well and won't be back for a bit.

If we can find a left back, we'll switch Tait to the right. I also suspect Morias would start on the bench in favour of an extra midfielder - probably Cammy McPherson. That's quite a negative middle three but Gus McPherson's transfer strategies loom large over our squad.

There is talk of us going 3-5-2 but that'd be crazy against Livingston, IMO, and also we don't have any wingbacks available at all. It would totally strangle Durmus to do that to him.

Yep, agree with that. If we don't get the Norwich boy through the door then you might even see Cammy starting at right-back, which is far from ideal. Although I'd still prefer that than throwing Ethan in at LB again. Boy is clearly a midfielder. 

Alnwick

MacPherson McCarthy Shaughnessy Tait

McAllister Foley Sheron Durmus

McGrath

Obika

Subs: Lyness, Baird, Thorvaldsson, Morias, Erhahon, Jamieson, Jack

[Coventry Saint]

1 minute ago, ulysses said:

Yep, agree with that. If we don't get the Norwich boy through the door then you might even see Cammy starting at right-back, which is far from ideal. Although I'd still prefer that than throwing Ethan in at LB again. Boy is clearly a midfielder. 

Alnwick

MacPherson McCarthy Shaughnessy Tait

McAllister Foley Sheron Durmus

McGrath

Obika

Subs: Lyness, Baird, Thorvaldsson, Morias, Erhahon, Jamieson, Jack

I'd agree that's probably our most likely starting XI if we were playing a game this evening.

Big season for McGrath, tbh. Not every player is going to hit the ground running, and I'm prepared to give him some time, but he should be settled in now. As has been discussed a million fucking times, we need goals from beyond Obika: McGrath, Durmus and McAllister have got big chances to claim those positions in the bank of three behind the big man. But they need to chip in more. That might be harsh in Ilkay, tbf, and I think he's definitely on for at least seven goals this season.

[Ric]

Can I throw in the fact that, when signed, Sheron claimed he was a defensive midfielder who can also play in defence - including right back.

I've never seen the lad play, so have nothing to go on, but if we are to take a hit and play a player out of position would Sheron in there rather than MacPherson be a better option? Sheron's place, if he was starting, would then be filled by MacPherson.

[ulysses]

2 minutes ago, Ric said:

Can I throw in the fact that, when signed, Sheron claimed he was a defensive midfielder who can also play in defence - including right back.

I've never seen the lad play, so have nothing to go on, but if we are to take a hit and play a player out of position would Sheron in there rather than MacPherson be a better option? Sheron's place, if he was starting, would then be filled by MacPherson.

Yeah fair point. Hadn't realised Sheron can play RB as well.

Goody does love players that can play multiple positions. Smart strategy when you have a budget like ours. 

[FTOF]

4 minutes ago, ulysses said:

Yep, agree with that. If we don't get the Norwich boy through the door then you might even see Cammy starting at right-back, which is far from ideal. Although I'd still prefer that than throwing Ethan in at LB again. Boy is clearly a midfielder. 

Alnwick

MacPherson McCarthy Shaughnessy Tait

McAllister Foley Sheron Durmus

McGrath

Obika

Subs: Lyness, Baird, Thorvaldsson, Morias, Erhahon, Jamieson, Jack

I think this shows how short our squad is at present. Looking around the forum, every other team, with the possible exception of Hamilton, has relative strength in depth for every position, and that's without drafting in players promoted from the youth ranks.

I know that we have Flynn and Mcgennis to come back, but we need significant cover up front and at the back.

Stating the bleeding obvious I know.

another worry is that if the 5 subs ruling comes in, we will be at an even bigger disadvantage to clubs with bigger squads.

 

 

[ulysses]

11 minutes ago, FTOF said:

I think this shows how short our squad is at present. Looking around the forum, every other team, with the possible exception of Hamilton, has relative strength in depth for every position, and that's without drafting in players promoted from the youth ranks.

I know that we have Flynn and Mcgennis to come back, but we need significant cover up front and at the back.

Stating the bleeding obvious I know.

another worry is that if the 5 subs ruling comes in, we will be at an even bigger disadvantage to clubs with bigger squads.

 

 

I think we'll definitely add another striker and a LB. Beyond that i'm not sure. Goody did say that this could be the season where we need to rely on academy players to beef out the squad. Never know, some could shine when they get a chance.

Let's not forget that the transfer window is open into October this year, so still time to get a couple more in and let some of the younger ones out on loan. 

[Coventry Saint]

15 minutes ago, FTOF said:

I think this shows how short our squad is at present. Looking around the forum, every other team, with the possible exception of Hamilton, has relative strength in depth for every position, and that's without drafting in players promoted from the youth ranks.

I know that we have Flynn and Mcgennis to come back, but we need significant cover up front and at the back.

Stating the bleeding obvious I know.

another worry is that if the 5 subs ruling comes in, we will be at an even bigger disadvantage to clubs with bigger squads.

 

 

I'm not sure if the five subs thing is going to offer the advantage people think it will. When you watch any friendly match, sides always lose their way and shape when they make too many subs. Also, look how often teams go without making the full three subs they're currently able to.

Could be wrong, of course - I guess we'll wait and see. And I agree with the rest of your post.

[Arch Stanton]

We definitely should not be playing McPherson and Erhahon at full back.

Erhahon should go on a season long loan in the Championship at CM and McPherson made excellent progress last season at CM. Their development would stall if played regularly at FB.

We should be signing a LB in his mid-late 20s, someone with plenty experience.

[djchapsticks]

29 minutes ago, ulysses said:

I think we'll definitely add another striker and a LB. Beyond that i'm not sure. Goody did say that this could be the season where we need to rely on academy players to beef out the squad. Never know, some could shine when they get a chance.

Let's not forget that the transfer window is open into October this year, so still time to get a couple more in and let some of the younger ones out on loan. 

Honestly, even in normal circumstances, I'd only say we should be after a LB, a CB and 2 Strikers currently.....full back cover at a massive push.

So I agree that a Striker and LB will definitely come in but I think we'll go for another centre half or centre forward dependent on the budget and availability after that.

 

I still think we'll see three more faces from here.

 

[Ric]

Isn't one of the youth players who were promoted a striker? If so then I can't imagine we'd need 2 more. We operated with Morais, Mullen Obika and Cooke last term. Cooke while not terrible and barring a Jack Hamilton gifted hatrick, did very little and surely could be "replaced" by a youth team player. Add one more in and we are at the same level as last season, imo.

I think everyone agrees on a LB, and I certainly wouldn't mind seeing another CB added. I wonder what stage (Nick) McAllister is at. He's been hovering around the edges of the first team for a while now.

Interesting to note that when you look at the official website, Sheron is shown as both a defender and midfielder. I guess that can't be by accident, you'd expect whoever does the site to check with Goodwin (or Gus, or  one of the coaches) where he should be placed.

[djchapsticks]

1 minute ago, Ric said:

Isn't one of the youth players who were promoted a striker? If so then I can't imagine we'd need 2 more. We operated with Morais, Mullen Obika and Cooke last term. Cooke while not terrible and barring a Jack Hamilton gifted hatrick, did very little and surely could be "replaced" by a youth team player. Add one more in and we are at the same level as last season, imo.

We also had Jakubiak and Chabbi. So six strikers at one point which was definitely two too many.

I definitely feel we always need to be going with 4 senior forwards if we are entertaining the prospect of 2 up top, which we did at points last season.

[Ric]

1 minute ago, djchapsticks said:

We also had Jakubiak and Chabbi. So six strikers at one point which was definitely two too many.

I definitely feel we always need to be going with 4 senior forwards if we are entertaining the prospect of 2 up top, which we did at points last season.

Jakubiak, yes, sorry, you are right.

Did Chabbi get more than about 40 minutes sub time?

[djchapsticks]

11 minutes ago, Ric said:

Jakubiak, yes, sorry, you are right.

Did Chabbi get more than about 40 minutes sub time?

Nah, at the point where he was starting to get time was the point we shut down. He came on a couple of times and looked lively enough.

[AW saint]

We need at least 2 more front players. A player with pace and a target man. We need options to help Obika. Morais has yet to prove himself. 

[djchapsticks]

58 minutes ago, AW saint said:

We need at least 2 more front players. A player with pace and a target man. We need options to help Obika. Morais has yet to prove himself. 

I've no doubt there will be at least one and we won't see it coming. Obika and Morias both were complete bolts from the blue last season. No-one knew either was signing until they were announced. 

[AmericanFan]

5 hours ago, djchapsticks said:

I can pick 3 US players who have scored more goals each in the last 20 years than anyone in a Scotland shirt has scored, ever.

Altidore, Donovan and Dempsey. Donovan alone got about 60-70 international goals.

OK, this is offset by playing a lot of far inferior teams in the CONCACAF games but even then, it's still a far better record than any Scottish national striker.

I‘ll give you Dempsey, but I don’t really consider Donovan a true up top striker as he spent so much time on the wing as well. 
And there’s no way Altidore scores 42 international goals playing outside of COnCACAF. 
In fact, I can’t recall Altidore scoring any goal of major importance outside a win vs Spain in 2009 where Tim Howard made a billion saves in what was one of the more improbable victories of all time.
The fact we own a win over Spain during its golden generation is bewildering.

[ulysses]

Wonder when we’ll get details on streaming. Got the fear now after reading about all the problems with Motherwell’s effort tonight. [emoji51]

[ZingaliMan]

1 hour ago, ulysses said:

Wonder when we’ll get details on streaming. Got the fear now after reading about all the problems with Motherwell’s effort tonight.

Club said a week before kick off details will be sent out I assume with a pin number.