Yellow & Redneck

It was a golden opportunity to show our stuff and close the gap - something that we should be aspiring to do with our budget. As it stands, despite this run, we are still 10pts off the pace, and in exactly the same position as we were at the end of September following the Hamilton defeat (-10pts off the pace). With the money wasted on a mediocre squad, and our general all round poor play, we simply aren't going to Falkirk, Livi, or even Starks Park to pick up wins and close this gap.

Blew it again. Our horrible away from is exactly why we will barely slip into the play-offs and go out in the First Round. Simply unable to put a run of results together that allow us to catch up to the teams above us.

All level. Megwa on and Turner moved into CM.

Seems strange to keep a natural FB like Megwa on the bench. Hardly utilising Turner in that position. Would much rather see Crawford benched.

Sorry to have offended you Woodstock. I have removed the post now. I hope that I didn't cause you to much hurt and I sincerely apologise for the offensive I may have caused you or any other user. After all, we are a club for all.

Financially, an early exit here could be disastrous. Doolan has already balls'd up our cup runs this season. Really need a decent second half performance.

Early goal and once again we don't push on and concede. Just like the Clyde and Alloa matches.

... Still waiting.

Doolan is such an emasculated moron. The fact he can take any positives from that sums him up as a manager. Lost the dressing room and lost the plot.

Get lost Doolan. Absolutely clueless.

I agree what others have said about Crawford. I can't quite explain it in simple terms, but I actually found Doolan's signing of him almost cowardly. It's so unimaginative in almost every possible way. A player who doesn't add anything different to the squad - but as soon as his contract wound down at Morton, it was almost a foregone conclusion he'd end up here. I can think that doolan thought he'd be a Doherty like personality.

If the board had a set on them, they'd have Kris Foolan out on his arse. All this nonsense about boosting attendances. Will be getting <3000 before long. People don't want to pay to watch that utter crap.

I agree. I mentioned this all summer, but this one just goes to show the absolutely shambolic level of planning and self-awareness from Doolan. I said in the summer, that Graham won't reach double figures this season. I will revise that and say if he scores 8 in the league this season, he's doing well. That's not necessarily his fault. But any decent management team would see that a player who will turn 37 next month might tail-off rather dramatically. Does Doolan plan for this? Does he f--k. He sticks his head in the ground and goes with a Finnish loan striker who has scored 5 league goals in 7 years as a competent back-up. It is also clear that he doesn't fancy Diack. And he needs to take responsibility for this. Why didn't Oakley sign this summer? Why didn't Dowds stick around? Why is our second striker an unknown loan deal? Because players know that Doolan doesn't have a set of balls, and won't drop Graham regardless of how he's playing. That means that any striker is almost guaranteed to play second fiddle. I mean, Ablade comes off after 30-odd mins on Saturday, and on comes Stanway rather than Diack.

I couldn't care less if Roberts didn't have feet. As long as he can save a ball with his hands, that's all that matters. A keeper with good distribution is a luxury at this stage. I'd settle for some midfielders who can show a bit of dig, and a manager who isn't tactically inept and completely uninspiring.

Another loss. League is well and truly gone already despite the size of the squad. Wouldn't have had a better chance of challenging for the league than this season. Doolan's crap, uninspiring signing, and his tactical nonsense have cost us.

If Doolan can't turn this around, he should be out on his arse. The amount of money we have spent being pissed up the wall by someone as tactically inept as him.

I predicted in July that Graham wouldn't score double digits this season. At this rate, I'd be surprised if he gets 5.

The issue is, listening to the post-match reaction, Doolan thinks that playing two strikers is "going for it" and "throwing caution to the wind." Ignore that Ayr Utd have been playing two strikers all season (a former player, and a summer transfer target). For a former striker, Doolan is risk-averse and predictable. I've never coached at a high level, but I've seen enough to know that playing two strikers doesn't necessarily have to leave you fragile in the middle of the park. But for some reason that I cannot comprehend, Doolan seemed to think that throwing on a second striker on Saturday left us too open, and then feigned this pathetic, false-humility when he started greetin' ("Uh take full responsibility fur my part in throwing on another striker. It left us too open in midfield...blah blah blah.") Tactically inept springs to mind unfortunately. A lot like Steve Clarke, Doolan is now reaping the rewards of cronyism and tactical inflexibility. A bit like Scotland, when these strategies were new, teams really struggled to play against us. But as soon as they have us figured out, we become very easy to predict and counter.

Saw this guy scored another double for Ayr United. I'm sure we had him signed a few years ago, but in his infinite wisdom, Doolan had him shipped out.

If we really are targeting another RB, it proves that Doolan and Co are totally off the reservation. A lot of other positions I'd be addressing first.

First I've heard of it too.

I honestly believe his money has been a curse, as well intentioned as it was.

Me too. Issue is, according to Dools interview, 442 is a gung-ho tactic. Has there ever been such a risk averse former striker?

Pathetic from the club and Doolan. That interview should not have been behind the Jagszone paywall. It should have been free to view. Otherwise, it was utter rubbish from someone who doesn't seem to have any fire in his belly. We "asked" them to play better he said. He strikes me as one of those dejected teachers whose class just talk over the top of him. No authority whatsoever. I don't see Scott Brown sulking and mumbling at the break. I'm sure he'd tell them to either sh1t or get off the pot. It's actually a bit sad to see such a legend of the club sounding so emasculated and incoherent. He certainly wouldn't inspire me, or indeed frighten me.

Is this the McCall-Effect? Archibald relied on McCall and McNamara's signing because he didn't have much of an eye for a player himself. And now, Doolan is still relying on guys that McCall brought in the second time around, whilst his own signings have been piss poor. I'm not saying that McCall's signings were all stellar. But he did have an eye for a truly important player that could anchor a team. Doolan doesn't have that ability. He seems to just be at the mercy of agents who offload their rubbish.