DC92 Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 57 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said: Aye, you'd take a single-goal defeat. But I think we're well-placed to go out and be positive. They can't be a side with a lot of confidence. And, looking at that league form, they're just fucking pish. 5 wins and a draw in their last 6 now. Although they have benefited from a red card in 4 of those 5 wins, so maybe they've just been lucky rather than turning a corner. I'm cautiously optimistic, but I've seen Scottish sides going out to beatable opposition so often in recent years, including ourselves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insert Amusing Pseudonym Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 6 hours ago, DC92 said: From observing here/Twitter/the media in general, there seemed to be a bit of a perception that we're a shambles who'll go backwards this season. Fair enough, we were dreadful towards the end of Neilson's time, the current "management structure" has extremely bad vibes, and it took us a while to start bringing players in. In the meantime, however, it looks to me like we've patiently built a squad that is significantly stronger than last year's. I found last summer hugely disappointing. The early signings like Forrest and Grant felt like squad filler and I was waiting for the European cash to bring us some big hitters, but we did nothing in July and August other than Shankland and Kio (who was shite). The first XI ended up being worse than the season before and then the spine of the team was crippled by injury before the group stages even started. This time Gino and Mikey Smith are the only starters we've lost. The latter was teetering on the edge of "finished" and Atkinson looks like he might finally be coming onto a game anyway. The former is a big loss, but with Oda emerging and Tagawa and Vargas coming in it definitely feels like we've got plenty of pacy options in the forward areas to cope with that loss. Despite last season's failure, we were third top scorers by a decent margin and it was really the defence that let us down. We haven't added much there, but I've always maintained that even a bog-standard centre-half who wins his headers would be a significant improvement. He'll definitely have harder games, but Kent won 9/9 yesterday and looks like he could be the type we need while Halkett recovers. In midfield, we had so many games where we had some combination of Halliday, Grant, Kio and Snodgrass and it felt so powderpuff and sluggish compared to the energetic ball-winning midfield we had the season before. When we restored the Devlin-Haring partnership towards the end of the season it made a big difference to our ability to impose ourselves on games. Beni has returned (for now) and we've added Nieuwenhof who is an unknown but at least seems to be more in the industrious mould. On top of that, Boyce's return and the addition of Lowry gives Shankland and McKay the competition they've been missing, and the way the fixtures have worked out, we may even have Gordon and Halkett back before we play Hibs or the OF. Another right-back is definitely needed and I wouldn't mind a physical option up front to mix things up, but we're looking pretty strong once everyone's back fit and bedded in over the next few weeks. All of that said, it's way too early to get carried away about finishing third. There are still unknown factors (the management situation, the defence hingeing on Kent's ability and Halkett's fitness, injury returnees, Hibs and Aberdeen's new signings, etc.) but I'm cautiously optimistic, much more so than last year. I agree with most of this, other than i'm pretty confident we will get third barring another disaster with injuries. I just don't think Hibs or Aberdeen are anywhere near our strongest team 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wonder Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 (edited) 30 minutes ago, DC92 said: 5 wins and a draw in their last 6 now. Although they have benefited from a red card in 4 of those 5 wins, so maybe they've just been lucky rather than turning a corner. I'm cautiously optimistic, but I've seen Scottish sides going out to beatable opposition so often in recent years, including ourselves. 2 of those games were Crusaders though and they've had the benefit of red cards in every other game. I'm not saying we should sweep them aside but I am also cautiously optimistic. Edited August 6, 2023 by Tony Wonder 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 3 hours ago, Insert Amusing Pseudonym said: I agree with most of this, other than i'm pretty confident we will get third barring another disaster with injuries. I just don't think Hibs or Aberdeen are anywhere near our strongest team Seems about right There’s a distinction between “pretty confident” and “Thinking that Hearts are nailed on certainties” which some people will miss Third is by no means guaranteed But that’s a good thing if Aberdeen and Hibs were so much weaker that finishing below them was unimaginable then finishing above them would be meaningless 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 rosenburg are absolutely horrendous ATM and the world and his (and her) dog knows it They're going to need extra help to get anywhere against us; we just need to keep alert and manage the tie, taking our chances when they come 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionel Logue Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 What a lovely Monday morning. Sunny, blue skies, spring in the step. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylish Kid Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 16 hours ago, DC92 said: 5 wins and a draw in their last 6 now. Although they have benefited from a red card in 4 of those 5 wins, so maybe they've just been lucky rather than turning a corner. I'm cautiously optimistic, but I've seen Scottish sides going out to beatable opposition so often in recent years, including ourselves. So basically they're last seasons Hibs I would be cautious though, we never fare well with Continental refs for whatever reason and we're always picking up cards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyzer0 Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 22 hours ago, DC92 said: Beni has returned (for now) Seen a couple of things like this recently online - is this down to rumours he's away before the transfer window closes, or that his injury is of the sort to recur (also saw some shite on Kickback about his Christian beliefs and his recovery, but I'm ignoring that). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC92 Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 1 hour ago, lennyzer0 said: Seen a couple of things like this recently online - is this down to rumours he's away before the transfer window closes, or that his injury is of the sort to recur (also saw some shite on Kickback about his Christian beliefs and his recovery, but I'm ignoring that). Not implying any inside knowledge. Just that he's back from a long time out with a knee injury and missed a couple of months with another knee injury prior to that. Hopefully he's completely clear of it now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underboyleheating Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Hearts fan on the game show Tipping Point attempting to win the jackpot so she can put the cash towards recording a rock version of the Hearts song. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underboyleheating Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 The rock version of the Hearts song is a goer, she won £3000. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StellarHibee Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 18 minutes ago, underboyleheating said: Hearts fan on the game show Tipping Point attempting to win the jackpot so she can put the cash towards recording a rock version of the Hearts song. TIppiNg POinT thread for this pish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gannonball Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 32 minutes ago, underboyleheating said: Hearts fan on the game show Tipping Point attempting to win the jackpot so she can put the cash towards recording a rock version of the Hearts song. 22 minutes ago, underboyleheating said: The rock version of the Hearts song is a goer, she won £3000. When I got to Tynie that song stays in my head for days after, Im reluctant to hear this version incase its in my head for weeks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukDukGoose Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 17 hours ago, Craigie Jambo said: rosenburg are absolutely horrendous ATM and the world and his (and her) dog knows it They're going to need extra help to get anywhere against us; we just need to keep alert and manage the tie, taking our chances when they come More of this hilarious level of over confidence, please. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC92 Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 22 hours ago, Insert Amusing Pseudonym said: I agree with most of this, other than i'm pretty confident we will get third barring another disaster with injuries. I just don't think Hibs or Aberdeen are anywhere near our strongest team Aberdeen's remaining business is the main unknown at the moment. They've done well to sell a couple of fairly replaceable players for big fees on top of the European money, so I expect they've still got a lot of cash to spend while we're basically done. Still, at this point I'd rather have the squad mostly in place rather than a big wad of cash with a few gaps to fill. Just shuddered thinking back to Neilson's "you can see we need a few in" comment the night before deadline day last year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wonder Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paranoid android Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Tony Wonder said: Fucking hell! Apologies - couldnae resist posting that on the Peep Show thread! Edited August 7, 2023 by paranoid android 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insert Amusing Pseudonym Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 1 hour ago, DC92 said: Aberdeen's remaining business is the main unknown at the moment. They've done well to sell a couple of fairly replaceable players for big fees on top of the European money, so I expect they've still got a lot of cash to spend while we're basically done. Still, at this point I'd rather have the squad mostly in place rather than a big wad of cash with a few gaps to fill. Just shuddered thinking back to Neilson's "you can see we need a few in" comment the night before deadline day last year. They've spent a fair bit already tbf. I don't doubt they'll bring in some more but i can't see it being transformational. Maybe. I hope rumours of 700k for Scales are true. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 55 minutes ago, Insert Amusing Pseudonym said: They've spent a fair bit already tbf. I don't doubt they'll bring in some more but i can't see it being transformational. Maybe. I hope rumours of 700k for Scales are true. For some reason people still think Scales is a decent player, I just remember him being the worst player on the park when Darvel pumped them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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