The traditional single thread, now officially Rico approved given we're out of the league stages for this weekends game against Queens Park. I don't think their name will ever not given me the fear from all those years ago. Still blame some of the Globe Reds for convincing me it was a good idea to go after work !

They scored plenty during their league cup mini league, so goals aren't an issue. They have dried up a wee bit since they started their league campaign though, although maybe a bit harsh given they've played one of the favourites and Livi in their first two games.

I'm expecting nothing but professionalism here and tbh just want us to progress. Interested to see if either of the recent new signings make an appearance or we stick with the winning team. I'd hope with the latter and phase them in accordingly. Given it's at home, we probably have a bit more leeway than playing away. Regardless, i'm excited to see what they can bring.

Any idea on ticket sales for this one? 

Out

Bed

Bed (hopefully)

Snowboarding (hopefully)

2-0, Shinnie and Mackenzie

I put a lot of money on Sokler to score today 😞

Today is a day we lack a threatening 9.

McGarry increasingly looks a liability rather than an asset.

2 minutes ago, OxfordDon said:

McGarry increasingly looks a liability rather than an asset.

To be fair Nelsen just wasn't looking when he passed that. 

Shinnie falling out of it. Surely we have a CM to bring on.

TOPI 🇫🇮 

34 minutes ago, OxfordDon said:

topi time

damn right it is.

1-0 Keskinen

Thank fuck, at last

I think Ambrose gets worse each week

Job done. Nice that we are developing a style of play. We are still work in progress but a win is a win.

Result all that mattered at the end of the day.

Will take Spartans next at Pittodrie please.

1 minute ago, OrlandoDon said:

I think Ambrose gets worse each week

Didn't offer much when he came on. felt for ester, odd we'd set up in the first half like we did on the second he would've had more chances

And a clean sheet. See hearts and Ross county lost, so happy with the win!

Until clarkson is back, we have to have McGrath at 10 and two from vinnie/morris/topi wide.

gueye has had minutes and not done enough. Agreed, sokler up top with McGrath behind will be better for ester too.

Although it wasn't exactly swashbuckling stuff, you can slowly see us getting closer to figuring out our strongest XI. It wasn't turgid stuff like you'd expect with a 1-0 win over a lower league side, I actually quite enjoyed it.

Sokler and Gueye both played okay, but I think we can only play one of them as in that first half they both wanted to do the same thing - come deep and link up - which is fine from one of them but neither offered a threat.

Second half, McGrath into the middle, and linking up well with Vinnie, we looked far more dangerous and so did Sokler - shame he didn't score and not just because I had dollars on him!

Keskinen, it's easy to say this because he scored, but he looks like we will be a nightmare for defenders. Like what I'm seeing.

Milne, early mistakes aside, did okay. No worse than Rubezic. I'd maybe still rate MacDonald over the two of them.

Keskinen seemed to look more dangerous in the middle than out wide. I don’t think he’ll be the out and out winger we were expecting. Vinny played well I thought other than some brainfart decision making.

skip to 3:38 for what frankly was the highlight of the day 

 

28 minutes ago, Slim said:

Keskinen seemed to look more dangerous in the middle than out wide. I don’t think he’ll be the out and out winger we were expecting. Vinny played well I thought other than some brainfart decision making.

Yep, agreed, another player that can play through the middle! He was good though, looks a player. Not a terrible game, but perfectly highlighted our biggest weakness, which is the front man. Neither looked good enough, nor offered anything that the others wouldn't. I think it's our number one priority. Can we carry one of the strikers through the campaign? Possibly. Not sure we should though. It's difficult for Thelin, he's adopted two average strikers and the data lads have identified an even worse one, but chopping and changing them until January to try and find something isn't a great solution. 

Anyway, not many standouts today. The back four were good enough, the midfield two solid and McGrath was good as usual. Topi great and Besuijen did well when he came on (hopefully ending this season's Shayden Morris experiment).

A small mention for Mackenzie today. Thought he was excellent and had been pretty consistent this season. Could be the next big money sale of he keeps this up. 

I like the positivity from the full backs. Clearly being allowed to play and finding themselves in great positions. 

Second game in a row where Nelsen has been very good. Never breaks out of a saunter but seems to boss the game.

11 minutes ago, redordead said:

A small mention for Mackenzie today. Thought he was excellent and had been pretty consistent this season. Could be the next big money sale of he keeps this up. 

I like the positivity from the full backs. Clearly being allowed to play and finding themselves in great positions. 

Second game in a row where Nelsen has been very good. Never breaks out of a saunter but seems to boss the game.

Not going to be a big money sale unless we offer him a new contract as out of contract at the end of this season mate.

7 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Not going to be a big money sale unless we offer him a new contract as out of contract at the end of this season mate.

Not going to be big money because he's not worth big money. He's a consistent player for us, at our level, but doesn't really have any areas that are easy to improve (pace). Hopefully he'll sign a new deal with us and we get another few years out of him. The fact that he nearly joined Atlanta before his last contract renewal suggests he's willing to go elsewhere, and maybe that's his preference, but I hope he stays. 

16 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Not going to be big money because he's not worth big money. He's a consistent player for us, at our level, but doesn't really have any areas that are easy to improve (pace). Hopefully he'll sign a new deal with us and we get another few years out of him. The fact that he nearly joined Atlanta before his last contract renewal suggests he's willing to go elsewhere, and maybe that's his preference, but I hope he stays. 

The reason he nearly went to Atlanta in my opinion, is because he needed game time, wasn't getting it with us and was at a time when we were rimming those cunts on the other side of the pond.

Against all of that, I agree he isn't worth big money but unlike some, I believe he is perfectly competent at the level we operate at.

Perfectly happy for him to sign on for another two or three years

1 hour ago, redordead said:

A small mention for Mackenzie today. Thought he was excellent and had been pretty consistent this season. Could be the next big money sale of he keeps this up. 

I like the positivity from the full backs. Clearly being allowed to play and finding themselves in great positions. 

Second game in a row where Nelsen has been very good. Never breaks out of a saunter but seems to boss the game.

McKenzie could have had a hat-trick today!  we really should tie him up with a 2/3 year contract. We could and should have won that comfortably, yet they had one huge chance in the first half when Devlin and Milne dithered over a bouncing ball - Devlin really should be taking control of that being the senior player - it's something we've done regularly for the last couple of seasons (see last week's goal for Helen) and needs to be irradicated quickly.  Ambrose and Gueye should be out on loan and we need a centre-forward to be brought in with Solker as back-up.  

Re-MacKenzie: I think he's been our most improved player this season, and along with Shinnie our player of the season.

Ken it's only seven games, but think he's on for a very good season.

12 minutes ago, Panda said:

Re-MacKenzie: I think he's been our most improved player this season, and along with Shinnie our player of the season.

Ken it's only seven games, but think he's on for a very good season.

Agree re Mackenzie, and I think he has developed good chemistry with McGrath. Given McGrath really isn’t a wide player, Mackenzie bombing on is huge for us and McGrath gives him that space. I also think it’s credit to sivert and shinnie too who help allow Mackenzie and devlin to push on.

like the appetite of vinnie the last two games. Seems like someone has finally got through to him to work his bollocks off. He has ability, can he keep up this intensity?

16 hours ago, Slim said:

Keskinen seemed to look more dangerous in the middle than out wide. I don’t think he’ll be the out and out winger we were expecting. Vinny played well I thought other than some brainfart decision making.

There is absolutely no danger we saw enough of him in the 15 minutes he was on the pitch to make a judgement on what his best position is. Not even close.