OrlandoDon

Interesting that the top 8 all play each other. A win would be big for us, obviously, especially with going to Celtic on Wednesday. COYR!

Good discussion. When I posted I was not criticizing Shinnie. I’m a big fan and still think he has a lot to offer. Thought he was very good early season and showed he still has it. It just appears that under JT sivert will be preferred, and I think palaversa is starting to have greater influence in games. I rate palaversa, big strong physical mobile and technical. Just think shinnie has become the odd man out, but certainly see shinnie playing regularly and rotating, especially with the age of him and sivert. however, I think a captain has to be one of our best players, and a leader. Starts every game. Certainly hesitant to make sivert captain as he’s old too and will he rotate. I like his leadership and the way he plays, but thought he disappeared for a month or so for whatever reason, that concerns me as a captain can’t do that. RE tobers and palaversa as captains, like them both a lot as players, but do they have leadership qualities? I feel shinnie is a good leader, much by passion and effort/by example, but that’s not the only way to lead.

I think I’m right in saying we drew there but also didn’t concede. Celtic are shit.

Interesting you put clarkson and polvara on the list. Neither have kicked on, for whatever reason, that I do see them as players to move on eventually. I think clarkson is here for at least another season, but polvara has been here a while and we’ve only seen glimpses. Been unfortunate/unlucky. I do expect, much like new signings, we’ll try to shift at least 3 or 4 every window. If we sign a foreigner that’s an impact player, say mitov or tobers, that’s fine with me, but I’d like to see top Scottish talent added. They’ve got to be good enough, like potentially a John mulligan or Liam smith from the other thread, but really don’t want the mcgarry or Ambrose type signings to pad out a squad. It’s not intended but played out that way, really, and for rules consideration too, hope to see some scots added. For that reason alone shinnie and Devlin won’t be going anywhere, but both still have a big part to play for us.

One of our key factors in the early season run was that we were pretty much able to churn out the same 11 every week. I’d be inclined to say same again for the third game in a row, with the exception of mitov if he’s fully fit. As much as I rate Devlin, the rest has done him a power of good, not overly fussed if he comes off the bench. Likewise, I really want to see our new 9 start but nisbet has hit a little form and is developing chemistry with our attacking 3 behind him. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 3-1 us, nisbet, gueye, dabbagh, although I’m pretty sure a tobers goal is coming soon.

Took me forever to find this but I refuse to start a new threat. last two games two wins and shinnie on the bench. Is this the beginning of the end for him? Think sivert was better yesterday and I’m a fan of palaversa, just don’t see Shinnie being a regular starter any more. part two of this, next season is shinnie the team captain? And given the nature of the game and finances, and current squad, are we seeing the end of a Scottish captain? If Devlin is our starting right back I’m just ok with him as captain, but makes me wonder if we’re towards the end of having a Scottish team captain.

Jamie mccart on a hatrick. Worth a look, we need a 9?

Are we factoring in what we need or just throwing out potential talent? To be realistic, do these players fill a need in our squad? I think rules for Europe require Scot’s in the squad and that’s a concern. We also have a bloated squad and need to move players on. liam smith - QOS - winger/10 - Scottish - for arguments sake, let’s say we sign okkels, we’d have okkels gueye topi, morris, and vinnie. Space for smith? I’d say yes and punt Vinny. Think we may punt Morris too. josh mulligan - defender/midfielder? Who does he replace in the squad? We have shinnie palaversa sivert polvara, even jack milne and Jensen. Ronan hale - worth a look for sure. We have no forwards. Hoping dabbagh comes good, seems like a similar personality to miovski and a very likeable guy. Hope we punt Ambrose nisbet and sokler and it’s the summer of adding talent at the center forward position. id say we need to target a couple of forwards and a winger. Probably a left back too. Other than that we have a large squad and need to be clearing out a few in the summer. We’ve done a lot the last two windows in bringing in, a few need to go. Also hope we bring in/move up some Scottish dons youth.

That may have been his only touch. I think he came on in the 88/89th min.??

I do think it’s partly what’s going on in Mackenzie’s head, he doesn’t look a settled player playing freely. also think it’s the McGrath okkels factor. McGrath wasn’t a winger and cut inside a lot, plus he wouldn’t get to the line, so Mackenzie was certainly encouraged to push on. Okkels is a wide player, and I suppose it takes time for okkels to settle, plus time for an understanding and partnership to develop. i think we got what we needed, three solid fullbacks and we can rest/rotate. Devlin was running on empty and a game and a half rest, plus one game a week for a couple of weeks, has clearly helped him. He was unfairly criticized but looked lively today. Jensen looks decent on either side that having 3 is a nice situation to be in, until summer I assume…

For me it’s nothing to do with a contract, where is the early season Mackenzie who was bombing up and down the line, getting and creating chances? He was one of our best players, and influencing games. he’s not the same player right now and I feel a fresh Delvin and Jensen are better attacking threats. Mackenzie is a solid defender, not arguing that, but early season Mackenzie got a Scotland call up, he’s not that guy currently.

It’s also the modern game at the moment. Build out the back and risk is taken. But doing that when you are Liverpool, man city, arsenal is one thing. At the same time, I don’t think we’ve been as ‘cute’ of late and have pumped it long or cleared it more frequently. But agree, other than 1v1 and in the attacking half, Morris doesn’t offer much.

Don’t think anyone has said it was enjoyable or we played well. But it’s progress and a win. And there were some positives.

Really liking our attacking midfield at present. Far from perfect but the strength mobility pace and interchangeability of topi gueye and okkels is a big plus for me. Okkels a hand in the first, topi scores the second, and gueye will create and score for us. Hoping our new 9 adds to this but I will say the mobility of this 3 allows nisbet to be a penalty box player.

Did Mackenzie cross the half way line? Don’t recall one attacking run for him. He’s a shadow of his former self at present. Both Delvin and Jensen offer more. You also saw a rested Delvin who looks like he’s getting back to himself.

Good battling win. Thought the defense played well, I do like our central defensive pairing, plus good games from Jensen and topi. Dabbagh MOTH.

I don’t really agree with the blame the club mentality. I do agree with the Efe Ambrose comparison. Ruby is prone to major fuck ups, and that’s regardless of who plays next to him. Completely missing the ball, being badly caught out for speed, very poor on his left foot, getting caught out of position. Perhaps experience alongside him for the last one may help, but the main issue with ruby is he made personal mistakes and stupid decisions. Even the red card at Motherwell, he makes a stupid dive in tackle and then head butts, we had experience on the field when he did that. ruby just isn’t good enough, end of. Russel Anderson was pretty shit with us when he started his career, mainly at right back. With time and learning, and moving to central defense, he developed over the years. In the modern game a defender wouldn’t be given that time to learn, and with ruby I see the same mistakes now that I saw when he first arrived. His pace is the same, and he’s always been a bit too emotional. We can’t afford time give him time, and I think he’s shown that he’s not the guy we build around.

Understood. It’s purely a hypothetical, they may play multiple positions and they may be able to play at our level. And we may get them cheaper than we paid for Jensen but would it be significantly cheaper, I don’t know. Buying Scottish players is a tough market. I’d prefer Scottish players but that’s hard to find. My point is that we signed a player to play a role in our squad and two or three games in Jensen is getting criticism. Unfair criticism in my opinion.

Perhaps, but repeating myself, we’ve signed a player who can play multiple positions. He’s also young, 23, and I may be right in saying has come to us at the end of his season? I think he’s been very positive, very eager to be involved, an attacking fullback who gets up and down, and if Delvin had scored today we’d be heaping endless praise. I think the guy deserves a break and a chance, he’s got to get up to speed with Scottish football and has been throw right into the starting 11 within days of arriving. Think many are being highly critical, take a breathe.

I don’t accept that. I think perspective is a factor- a back up keeper, a new right back who hasn’t played there before for us, a new defender who has been here maybe a month and joins a team in total turmoil, a central defender who has been here days and severely lacks match fitness, a left back we don’t know what the fuck is going on, a young right mid very low in confidence whose only been here a few months, a center mid badly needing a long break/summer, another center mid finally being given a regular starting role, a new left mid we have no clue if he’s any good, a number 10 who has just returned from a long term injury, and a 9 with zero confidence and who knows his replacement has just been signed. A team who hasn’t won a league game since early November, a team who hasn’t scored in numerous games, and who is hemorrhaging goals. We won 3-0. zero negatives if you ask me, many positives from today but certainly not perfect. We’re a squad who needed completely overhauled and it’s happening mid season, we’re not far off third in the league, and in the QFs of the cup. Not a bad season all things considered.

We are not talking about a back up right back though, we are talking about a player who can play multiple positions, that’s been our ongoing issue. Someone even referenced dom ball in recent weeks prior to jensen’s arrival. We shoehorned Milne into that role, mcgarry couldn’t play more than one position, and we’ve cried out repeatedly for a right/left back to provide competition/cover. Think Jensen is getting unfair criticism. again, who in Scotland would have been as good/a better signing?

Who could we have picked up in Scotland??

Morris has zero courage. Plays well when there is no pressure but far too often hides. Found form when all was good but has disappeared far too much. A summer punt if you ask me. Oklels plays every week to see if he’s worth buying. we needed a Jensen. And it costs as that type is hard to find. He’s not going to dominate any position and may come off the bench when others are on form, but he’ll do a job in multiple positions when needed. Like topi, he’ll step up and graft when needed, plus to be fair, is learning the Scottish game and has been thrown in at the deep end. we have new players, players back from injury, players trying to find form, and our 9 not yet available. Based on today I’m optimistic.

Agree on this and that has to be the plan moving forward. Much like the whole team, we’ve got to stop with the endless chopping and changing for the most part, stick with palaversa and play the fresher of the old guys. back 4, we’ve got three full back, give devlin a game or two more rest then play to form. Central two shouldn’t change unless injury. Attacking 3 from today should start weekly. New 9.

I’ll take that. Shutout too. Don’t agree with Steve Tosh, who thought was overly critical, given our form dunfermline came here with nothing to lose and had a go. We won, shutout, and got goals. Lots of changes and newer players, work in progress. Jensen and topi did well, nice for gueye to get a goal. Palaversa is a weekly starter if you ask me. thoughts on central defense??