Barney Rubble

Delighted with the win, and many thanks to the players and the management team for achieving it. But let's face it, we were fortunate to get there. Random thoughts: - Dunfermline in the second half were way more composed in possession, but thankfully had no penetration up front. - We were sound defensively but were directionless in midfield. Marginally improved with the introduction of Ben Stanway and Logan Chalmers (cannot believe I just typed that...) - Fitzpatrick, Graham and Ablade were so starved of decent service it was embarrassing - Why have we suddenly gone long ball this season when playing through the midfield worked so well for the last couple of years?

It's an Ayr thing. Square go if you want to be next to be served at the bar. Especially at the Ayrshire and Galloway hotel. Does the Railway Tavern, opposite the station, still exist?

The dirty horrible Clyde are only 9 points off the top and have allegedly binned Alan Maitland today.

In the context of the season so far - Ayr coming out of the blocks on fire, and Jags spluttering like an old Ford Fiesta in need of its tubes being cleaned out - a draw away from home is a decent outcome today. However, we need to go on a consistent winning run in the coming weeks given the number of upcoming home games. Biggest frustration is seeing Raith Rovers rooted to the bottom with 3 points and 1 solitary goal scored. I'll refrain from underlining the obvious.

The Thistle and Scotland fans that have already been called up for Zagreb may justifiably have a different opinion. Especially season ticket holders. They cannot be in two places at once. Edited to ask: How can a season ticket holder's seat which is not being used for a rearranged fixture (due to circumstances imposed by TV or the league, as in this instance) be transferred to an unemployed/under 16/charity for use rather than have the seat go empty?

Glasgow most certainly does not have either of these things. In the days of the 18, 23 and 29 trams and the 105 trolleybus maybe, but certainly not nowadays. For the benefit of anyone born since the Beatles were a phenomenon, I'm referring to the 60s when the motor car wasn't a necessity, and fish suppers cost the equivalent of 5 pence. Glasgow has to be amongst the worst served major cities inEurope for public transport. Even Edinburgh trashes us in that respect.

Good win today, although I would agree that the score flattered us. Nilsson was fine overall. A little cagey in the first half, but more expressive in the second half. There's more to come from him. Logan Chalmers is a conundrum. Works hard, hassles the opposition to good effect, but not enough end product when he's on the ball. That said, he was involved in Aidan's goal although almost making a horse's ass of his return pass to Harry Milne. Brian Graham looked off it today, although he didn't get much in the way of meaningful service. Aidan looks spent at the moment, he's not producing anything like the number of dangerous runs he did earlier in the year. Taking all of the above into account, that's a bloody good three points we won today.

Jim, there's a time and a place for these discussions. Straight after a very good Jags victory is certainly neither the time or the place for them. You constantly repeating/rehashing your theories ad nauseam across multiple threads doesn't help and is frankly irritating. As is, I regret to say, your poor grammar, punctuation and inappropriate use of capital letters. Please give us a rest.. At least for tonight so we can enjoy today's victory.

How would such a proposal be enforceable?

https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/casper-nilsson-signs-on-loan-from-brighton/ Great news.

I see what you did there. Very well done!!

Cheers - thank you for the detailed response.

0-0, 0-0, and 0-1 (to a penalty) on successive weekends isn't a good look, at least in an attacking sense. Wasn't there today, but did see this result coming even before RR emptied Ian Murray last Saturday night. To those who were able to make it today, was the penalty justified, and what did Robinson get a straight red for?

If Grimshaw signs - and I'm not against the idea - then that would give us: RB - Grimshaw, Williams (who could also cover CB) CB - Ashcroft, McBeth (who could also play CDM), Muirhead (who could also cover RB), O'Reilly LB - Milne (who could play LCB in a three), Sayers So 8 outfield defenders, plus Bannigan and McKenzie for emergencies. Should that not be solid enough as a defensive pool?

Please no. The guy's very presence would destroy team spirit.

Holy moly!! Was that sustained v Motherwell?

NOOOOOOO!!! Really?

Really don't know what to make of that today, so forgive me if the following rant seems random: in presentation We played better last week against superior opponents. We did not force a save of any consequence from the opposition goalie. Behind a defence that contained Broad Kirkfoot as its main man. Our passing is not as crisp as it was last season, and there's been a sudden introduction of both the long punt and the long diagonal. Our right side is a major weakness going forward. Wasiri and Logan are on different wavelengths, as demonstrated by the number of times moves broke down on that side throughout the game. At the risk of being harsh, Logan Chalmers has done nothing (yet) to convince he is even an inadequate stand-in for Stevie Lawless. That said, he put in a couple of delicious crosses from the LEFT in the last 5-6 minutes. Worth switching him and Aidan for a couple of games?? To get the best out of BBG/Scott Robinson as a partnership, we really need to playing on the ground, whether through the wings or through the middle. The aerial bombardment route from the back does not play to their strengths. Where was Daniel Mackay? And finally - can we please get rid once and for all that atrociously embarrassing 'McTears the Auctioneers' announcement. It was noticeably absent when David Mitchell went off badly injured v Clyde. Consigning it to the annals of a waste bin forever would be a blessed relief. Any Thistle player leaving the field deserves far better than that turgid apology for sponsorship.

Hypothetical situation, but not unrealistic in the circumstances. What would have happened had Mark Ferrie (Motherwell's number 20 on the team lines) who came on after Ricco Diack was denied, had similarly been denied entry as a sub because Ricco had been denied before him on the basis that the officials had messed up for Thistle? .And then BBG (or anyone) had scored for Thistle to win the game. Kettlewell would have been fizzing, and quite rightly so, because two wrongs do not make a right. Does anyone seriously think Motherwell would not be requesting a replay in that scenario??? Our stance is admirable, the authorities lack of willingness to rectify their own clear mess-up not so.

There's just the small - but still very significant - point that we weren't good enough on the night to merit a shoot out v Clyde.

Absolutely this. Why did the officials permit Motherwell to make the exact same substitution (i.e. player 20 on the team-sheet) that was refused their opponents minutes before? Not in any way an indictment on Motherwell; as has been pointed out, they did nothing wrong. However, an administrative ****-up by the match officials should be judged in the same way as an administrative ****-up by team officials. That substitution could have materially affected the final outcome. See Queens Park and Cove Rangers for recent examples of how their administrative ****-ups were deemed to have materially impacted on the outcomes of their fixtures and how these were subsequently judged by the authorities. Thistle should certainly be pursuing a consistency of approach, however our previous experience in seeking sporting integrity from the authorities (Covid 'relegation' and 10,000 seater fiasco) does not give any encouragement of an equitable outcome.

Mason was sound today, as I said elsewhere. Another keeper is/was definitely a priority given that allegedly we had a 15 year-old on the bench today (can anyone confirm or otherwise??). RB we have Wasiri and Aero that can cover that area short term. Not long term though. Striker's a curious one. BBG is our talisman, but he is one bad tackle away from being removed as the focal point of Doolan's system. And for me that is a concern. What is the plan B with no BBG? I trust Dools, but BBG 2 is the biggest area of concern for me. A replacement for 82 goals since January 2020 won't come easy.

Oh, and one other thing.. Luke McBeth should never play anything other than centre-back for Thistle until we sign Virgil van Dijk.

Worthy effort today, so every praise to the players and the management team for that. Unfortunately the horse's ass we made of the Clyde game cam back to bite us from the horse's mouth. Thought we dominated the first half hour, but were honestly lucky to come in level at half time, as Motherwell had at least three golden opportunities in the 30-45+1 minute period.. Mason McCready can be proud of himself - he was absolutely sound, and contributed three great stops. Kyle Turner's dead balls were off today - 3 out of 8 went to the goalkeeper, and while that may be in part due to the goalkeeper's command of his area, Kyle's delivery is normally much more reliable. His presence in the midfield was impressive though. Overall, a very good group performance undone by a horrid brain fart v Clyde.

We right royally made a horse's ass of that during the week, we're lucky to still have the chance to go through on our own merits. We win tomorrow, we go through, so no more excuses. It's up to us. Let's do it Jags.