Sorry @swaddon min, have too much to rant tonight to wait for the match thread to appear.

Just how significant is the Falkirk game now?

If we lose to Falkirk, they will leapfrog us and we'll fall to eighth. Since we'll be in January, that's sackable territory.

A reminder of Dave Cormack's statement on 31 January 2024 when he sacked Barry Robson: 

"There is a talented squad of players at the Club which makes our current league position unacceptable." We were eighth, after three wins in 11. Robson's final game was a draw.

Jim Goodwin was sacked on 28 January 2023 with the club in seventh, with two wins in 11.

Stephen Glass made it all the way to 13 February, with the club in ninth, with four wins from 11 (two from nine).

Unlike two of the above, Thelin is still in the Scottish Cup, and unlike all three has won a trophy within the last eight months. The sporting director's recent arrival also buys him time as he unlikely doesn't want a sacking on his record too soon. And, Thelin also hasn't had the January transfer window.

So all these things to me would suggest even defeat at Falkirk wouldn't mean Thelin is in any immediate danger.

However, fail to win on Saturday, and that would be three wins in his last 11 (four in 14). And a double header with Rangers is after that. Lose the cup game to Raith Rovers and you know what, that might be when the club did need to act to stave off angry fans.

 

Jimmy, I don't want to read in two years about your first league title at some Scandinavian club where everyone is raving about your 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 hybrid. For the love of fuck, FOUR AT THE BACK ON SATURDAY!

 

As said previously, there is obviously a wealth of individual talent in our squad .... I don't agree that 'fight' and 'desire' are lacking, but strangely, it seems there's a lack of fitness and 'team awareness'. That comes down to coaching, training, tactics, player management.

No way way should be looking at a Falkirk side half a yard quicker all over the park and half a brain smarter when stringing forward passes together. in the first half, it looked like they were on pro-plus and we were on xmas pud! 

With such a big squad ... we have more than enough in terms of 'tools' ... but somehow our  screwdrivers are attempting to bang in nails, and our hammers are are for taking tops off paint tins!

From a Falkirk fan…

 

 

Not a bad deal, we pay £10 and they pay the other £19,990.