eljaggo

Many happy returns.

Is Friday's game at Meadowbank all ticket?

Met him once in hospitality and was very impressed. A true gentleman. Very sad news.

Pareto

Unless he has a groin strain.

I think we will finish 4th. Ross County will get the usual injection of dosh at Xmas from their sugar daddy, and St Johnstone will grind out wins and draws. Raith Rovers and Thistle will compete for 3rd/4th. I am basing our 4th place on Wilson's apparent greater willingness to change things around both during and between games. It is also based on us having a more attacking and attack minded midfield. If we persist with the midfield sideways shuffle, gates will fall and we will finish a skint 8th.

Thanks Admin for all your sterling work, and my very best wishes to you and your family.

Post edited. Ta.

Judging by his excellent interview, Mark Wilson is going to enjoy a lot of goodwill from Thistle fans. He's articulate, answers questions directly and already shows an awareness of the bigger issues in balancing youth development and the senior squad with a very limited budget. I think too he will be much more active in making changes than Chris Doolan was. I think Brian Graham has done us a big favour.

I think that the combination of Baraclough and Wilson will work well, and that the departure of Graham is in fact a blessing that will enable a radical change in tactics. If we can re-jig the midfield and find a speedy striker the prospects look good. Hope to meet all you doughty posters on the replacement forum.

Good luck to Mark Wilson.

A lack of perfect information has never stopped anyone expressing opinions. That's how it works on forums like this one and that is how it should work. It's all a bit of fun Fenski.

What very little are you referring to?

What concerns me about Graham is that he is a low risk option because we know what to expect - more of the same. That will not be enough to get promoted, especially given a reduced playing budget because of too many managers. A complete change is needed, coupled with a clear out of our army of risk averse midfielders, and a chance for Baraclough to earn his keep in identifying new signings. As others have said, a failure to get promoted next season will drain the coffers and put enormous pressure on the Club's finances. Graham fits the bill in terms of the Club's ethos - content to settle for second best.

I suspect a cunning plot in announcing the new manaager. By keeping us waiting for so long that our interest wanes, when some underwhelming manager is named they think we will be grateful for the announcement and therefore less likely to criticise. It's working with me.

What is the justification for these rewards for failure?

Well that's a coupon buster! Still, there's always the Rangers' gig.

Having a sporting director plus two co-managers seems to me would be a bit overcrowded. There appears to be an assumption on here that Graham and Wilson are inextricably linked; that neither can survive at Thistle without the other. The Board can appoint whoever they wish.

Time to move on.

What about the players out on loan? Is there scope to recall them?

Without knowing what managers are in the frame, it is difficult to know whether our current team is the best option. The devil you know might be an argument, but I'm not sure about Baraclough and how effective he would be with Graham and Wilson- he didn't impress me last night on the tele, sounded like a discard. I would prefer a real break from the usual Scottish suspects.

Livingston played a canny game after their second goal. They pushed the ball around making us chase the game quickly tiring us. I don't think that we can improve much on Friday, but the squad deserve huge kudos for their application and performance over the last few weeks. Had Graham's back heeler gone in, the game would have quite different, and so an early goal for us on Friday could change things.

If we can recover sufficiently from Friday to let us play at the same pace, then I think the quick, harassing play will be very effective. If we revert to the slow build-up we will struggle. Put our fastest players on from the off.

Who would have thunked it. What a performance, and that must give them encouragement for Tuesday.

You should see the effect in Greenock!