The Queen of the South thread

[Senior_Coconut]

My expectations for the season were fairly low. Around 6th, no danger of getting dragged into any relegation dogfight.

While that still could be achieved my hope was that come the summer we'd have a clear out of the dead wood add a few players and have greater ambitions for the following season. I was expecting a turnaround or 5 or so, it's looking more likely 10 ish which could mean next seasons expectations have to be tempered again.

[overthetop]

Definitely expectations were low but so far much worst than hoped for.

The continued talk of achieving playoff place by manager is frankly embarrassing

[temps15]

With Heffernan and Huttons contracts up in January who would you keep and who would you get rid off, me personally I would keep Hutton and probably get rid of heffs as he just doesn't seem to have the pace for this league, maybe best for all parties if he has a fresh start with another team.

Are we still looking for a defender as Marc Macusland is available on a free, just throwing it out there

[Broony88]

With Heffernan and Huttons contracts up in January who would you keep and who would you get rid off, me personally I would keep Hutton and probably get rid of heffs as he just doesn't seem to have the pace for this league, maybe best for all parties if he has a fresh start with another team.

Are we still looking for a defender as Marc Macusland is available on a free, just throwing it out there

Did Mcausland not sign for Dunfermline or has he been freed from there ? I wouldn't sign him personally. Edited November 16, 2015 by Broony88

[19QOS19]

Did Mcausland not sign for Dunfermline or has he been freed from there ? I wouldn't sign him personally.

Indeed he did. Duno how long he's signed for mind you. I don't think a CB is what we need though. Midfield has been the issue all season IMO and if Fowler is planning on bringing another player in then I'd hope his top target is a creative midfielder. Though I can't imagine we'll find anything great in January!

Would dump Heffernan and give Hutton a contract until the end of the season personally.

[Rjc-1988]

After the Raith away game which we lost i honestly felt confident that we would compete strongly for 4th place but the performances since then have been really disappointing and way below expectations. At Raith Gary Oliver played up front and we dominated much of that game and although we lost a bad goal late on we kept attacking and were very unfortunate to lose that one. The players kept believing in themselves that day and there was much to look forward to.

Clearly we are missing Dowie massively at the back but it is hard to equate just exactly why the same group of players have lost so much confidence from say the Raith match .

One thing i do notice is our repeated failure to press the ball high up the pitch and with Heff and Lyle partnered together itis not difficult to see why a

pressing game has been difficult in the last two games. I think we need to consider a narrow formation as we keep playing wide players who dont have the ability to get in behind and who repeatedly cut inside on to their "good foot" - Conroy on right and Russell on left. IMHO better to play a diamond and let Kidd and Marshall push on in the wide areas. Jacobs is a must in midfield as there is no dig without him and I would play Lyle and Smith/ Russell up top with Oliver in behind in No 10 role. I would leave out Conroy and Harris for time being although Conroy could be a candidate for the no 10 role as he wouldnt have any defensive responsibility. I say this because Oliver is very inconsistent either in great form or like Saturday completely out of touch.

We must make more use of Smith - when you see how one dimensional we were in last two games without his pace up front it is pointless to play Heff ahead of him.

One thing for sure is that if we keep playing the same way as we have been of late the second bottom slot is a distinct possibility as St Mirren will climb away eventually, Livvy are decent, Dumbarton are solid as they proved last week. Although we have a healthy points advantage we have played two games more and our support is dwindling. Need to arrest this decline starting next Saturday with a more energetic and entertaining display. Falkirk and their supporters will be expecting to turn up and pick up the 3 points as a given but if we radically change our shape and start becoming less predictable we may just get a morale boosting result.

[Sloop John B]

Depends how much Hutton is wanting paid, if he is wanting silly money i'd bin him as he and Millar (If he is still about) are too similar but he is looking a lot better in a short space of time even if he is still a bit doughy and nowhere near as physical for someone his size.

Heff can go, he isn't bringing anything and for someone known as a poacher he isn't even that good of a finisher. We have far too many forwards and various positions where the money can be better spent.

[Monkey Tennis]

I'd agree about the midfield being key. I must admit that I now value McShane more than I once did.

Our midfield is certainly weak right now. We lack creativity as well as combative qualities. We also lack balance.

Is anyone else reminded of the ineffectual midfield of the Gus era?

Edited November 16, 2015 by Monkey Tennis

[Sloop John B]

I'd agree about the midfield being key. I must admit that I now value McShane more than I once did. Our midfield is certainly weak right now. We lack creativity as well as combative qualities. We also lack balance. Is anyone else reminded of the ineffectual midfield of the Gus era?

I felt his value has been overlooked at the time, Danny and Holt offering a different option out wide as well. I'd say every position we've lost has been badly missed which was expected as it's ahrd to replace quality with quality but not this poorly.

In terms of lack of mobility I'd agree with you, Allan Johnston, Simmons and Scott McLaughlin weren't the most mobile/good at football but they had McKenna to do the dirty work which we lack along with a lack of width I. I'd say otherwise we have better footballers in the current midfield. There is potential for them to do better with a few correct decisions. There was never any chance of those 3 turning into decent players as they were old or just crap. I'm not for binning everyone and playing the under 20s as you know there there is something there. Which is probably the most frustrating thing about this team.

We lack a balance in midfield, so a leader who can take the game by the scruff of the neck, somebody to do the dirty work and be consistent on a weekly basis. So Paul Burns essentially.It's a bit much to expect Pickard to turn into anything near that good that young and its hard ot say right now who will be available in january. But almost anything is better than playing three luxury players and a striker in midfield.

[Skyline Drifter]

I'd agree about the midfield being key. I must admit that I now value McShane more than I once did.

McShane was horribly under-rated here. Posted so more than once last season. Never understood the criticism he took from some quarters. He has left a very big hole and I would take him back in a heartbeat. Even last season his absences tended to coincide with our poorer performances. We may have missed him a bit less though if either Tapping had been fit or Burns had stayed. Losing those options has amplified McShane's departure.

[Guest Flash]

We lost McShane, McKenna, Burns and Kerr who had been decent midfielders over the last couple of seasons.

Replaced by Conroy, Jacobs, Hutton and Millar.

That is some drop off in either work rate or quality (for this level) or both. Not happy to lose any of the first four, ignoring Kerr's antics, but quite happy to lose all of the second four.

[NM_1919]

It's the half arsed effort of a lot of the players that's getting me. There was times on Saturday the ball was breaking and queens midfield mostly stood and watched. I totally agree with folk saying we missed McShane, I wasn't his biggest fan but his quality was evident last year. We also miss a McKenna or burns type midfielder who along with harassing could play a pass and keep the ball.

Another thing from Saturday, is why play heffernan and conroy? It offers us nothing on the break, where we probably need pace to counter attack away from home. Ball just keeps coming back week in week out. I know we're sitting mid table but the quality on show is absolutely terrible.

Yet again, from a set piece the man Derek Lyle has been marking has scored was same against Livingston. He marks a man then just stops. Twice I'm pretty positive it's been other teams centre forward. For me that should be a defensive player that's marking him, maybe on the livi one we were matching for height in one of their defenders coming up. But Saturday is inexcusable, Higgins or brownlie should be marking Denny at the corner. Thomson should probably do better, at the time I thought it was at the back end of the six yard box so Millar maybe has a point (but even at that his half arsed efforts don't cut it for me anymore), the marking is still terrible.

Really can't see us getting out for a while now.

Edited November 17, 2015 by NM_1919

[palmy_cammy]

I don't think McShane would have too much impact on this current midfield. He was as guilty of hiding as the current lot.

McKenna and Burns on the other hand would both make a huge difference.

[Bluegrass Bairn]

QoS, StM & Morton have been the surprises to date; Morton have done better with Duffy than many of their own fans thought they would, StM have been gash (which has been great for us), and you guys are currently off the pace a bit - I took this to be down to losing half your team in the summer, so am surprised at comments above about perceived lack of effort.

Still only one win off 4th though, so you're hardly out of it.

[Monkey Tennis]

QoS, StM & Morton have been the surprises to date; Morton have done better with Duffy than many of their own fans thought they would, StM have been gash (which has been great for us), and you guys are currently off the pace a bit - I took this to be down to losing half your team in the summer, so am surprised at comments above about perceived lack of effort.

Still only one win off 4th though, so you're hardly out of it.

I don't honestly think there's too much in the 'lack of effort' thing.

I just think it's a bit of a default observation when things aren't going well. The issue for me is that quite a few of our players aren't sufficiently good at football.

[Guest Flash]

I don't honestly think there's too much in the 'lack of effort' thing.

I just think it's a bit of a default observation when things aren't going well. The issue for me is that quite a few of our players aren't sufficiently good at football.

There are some who would be a lot better at football if they got their finger out.

I don't remember anybody saying the players lacked effort when we took 9 points from the first 10 games and were second bottom underMcIntyre. So it isn't a default observation at all.

[Sloop John B]

I don't honestly think there's too much in the 'lack of effort' thing.I just think it's a bit of a default observation when things aren't going well. The issue for me is that quite a few of our players aren't sufficiently good at football.

Aside from Brownlie, Harris and Heffernan I wouldn't consider them to be bad players. Just about most of the squad have been part of teams that have played at the upper end of this division or in the league above. I don't buy the not trying argument but I'd say it's not a good fit of players for what we need

[SUPERSOUTH]

Good 4-0 win for dev team last night, interestingly James Fowler took part and showed great effort, commitment ans tracking back that is missing from some of his first team.

[Distant Doonhamer]

Good 4-0 win for dev team last night, interestingly James Fowler took part and showed great effort, commitment ans tracking back that is missing from some of his first team.

Came off at HT. Presumably saving himself for action on Saturday.

[Doonhamer doon south]

Is it likely he name himself in match day squad.