Leaderboard

This will be my first in-person game for about seven years, and about fifth in total since I first got dragged to a Thistle game by a crazed/far-sighted distant relative in 1975. Since then it's been a mixture of (mostly) spills and (irregular) thrills following Thislte from Australia but I've loved every romantic moment of being a Jags fan. Let's hope I'm a lucky charm.

I think you identify a key issue and one that eventually did for Archibald. By insisting in the same formation being played to ensure common understanding we end up limiting organic development, the ability to respond a situation and tactical awareness. Effectively we become predictable and stale. When I was a kid the standard formations were 4-4-2 or at a push 4-3-3. In my mind other formations were developed and showed value mainly because the traditional ones had become stale. I do however get the principle of having teams play the same way so we have ready made replacements. Perhaps though rather than insisting on playing 1 formation the club should be insisting that all teams bar the first team play more than 1 formation throughout the season. First team manager should always have the skill to vary formation to get a result

Formations don't really matter if a team simply does't move the ball quickly enough. I'm OK with the formation and we've had plenty of joy with it over the last decade or so. The problems for me are not moving the ball quickly enough, not playing higher up the park and continuing to play players when they are not performing well. We also look less fit than most teams we play.

What are you talking about ? you made a post - asking me “ what I wanted” and that I “had an agenda” - I responded so stop complaining about me responding and the Club potentially going bust -is sorta a big deal ?

It's gutting news from a Thistle perspective, but I'm chuffed that Emma is getting a well deserved chance of full-time football. It's a reflection too on the coaching staff at the Club. Brian and Ross have played a huge part in her development. It's not just Emma either. Abbie Ferguson came on leaps and bounds while on loan. Now on a full-time professional contract at Hibs. Ava Easdon showed maturity beyond her years while on loan with us last season. Signed her first full-time contract elsewhere on the back of that. Players come to Thistle and become better players for that. So, yes, it's gutting that Emma is moving on but there should also be pride in the role Partick Thistle WFC have played in her development. There will be even more pride when the inevitable full Scotland caps follow.

Well, it's been a while since I've been on here but I see nothing much has changed! A ten page thread after Alloa match. Must be some interesting opinions!! I'll keep away from the other stuff but regarding match on Saturday, the start to the season, and 2024 in general - it's been nowhere near good enough with the squad of players we have available. I actually feel recruitment has been quite good. Starting with the two January signings, McBeth and O'Reilly, then players like McKay and Ashcroft who have performed well at this level, as well as Chalmers and Crawford - who excelled at their clubs in this division last season. Added to that, the goalkeeper looks better than anything we've had in recent years. My problems are, firstly, the manager is incapable of getting the team to play the way we need to. It's borderline negative football, pedestrian pace, predictable and downright boring to watch. How can the club attract more fans if it's so poor? Secondly, Dools doesn't have the balls to drop a very out of form Brian Graham or the lazy, unfit, overweight, Fitzpatrick. The two of them know every week that they are starting, and it's infuriating to watch. Saturday was a perfect opportunity to try something different but yet again the same players turned in less that average performances. They're not the only ones of course but the ones that remain in starting line up every week. I love Dools and I hope he turns it round, but I simply can't see it. If things don't pick up soon, the only reason I would want him to stay is to avoid the appointment of Brian Graham as manager. That is a disaster waiting to happen.