fenski

Keeping or getting them on the back foot as early as possible on Friday is obviously key. Didn't see the first half tonight but be definitely thinking hard about starting some of the subs on Friday. What Banzo does isn't pretty but tends to give those around him an easy pass and that makes a difference in terms of keeping possession and getting the ball up the park.

Bannigan in for Neilson for me too. I'd start with McBeth and Muirhead at the back, but be ready to bring on O'Reilly and push McBeth in to midfield depending how things are going. Last season we appeared to catch Ayr cold at this stage. Could that happen again? Rovers haven't had recent playoff experience.

Yep. Really impressed by the way Airdrie players moved off the ball to get in to space. It made it look like they had more players on the pitch.

The flare was stupid because lads that age are stupid - it sorta goes with the territory. They also support the team tremendously well and are the future for PTFC, so I'm willing to cut them some slack. It's unlikely to happen but I'd like to see us play players in their best positions against Rovers. Move McBeth into midfield and play O'Reilly from the start. We can't keep conceding midfield to the extent we did against Airdrie and expect to keep winning.

I think I go along with the opinion that the play-offs are not the time to be changing the defence - Luke McBeth dropping back and David Mitchell coming in to goal has been a significant turning point. However, I would like to see McBeth back in midfield alongside Stanway from our current squad - I have yet to see Neilson look anything other than completely out of place in midfield. Maybe we'll get to see McBeth and Stanway or another player together anchoring the midfield next season.

The work ethic thing. I'd like to see how the stats compare across the team. Compare Fitzpatrick to Neilson for example? I sometimes think Fitzpatrick gets undue criticism because we know what he's capable of.

For all the criticism of Fitzpatrick, I do sometimes wonder if it is in part what's going on around him. He really didn't have much to work with this evening.

Definitely seemed to play low risk percentage football for a lot of second half. Despite them having a lot of the ball, they didn't really cut us open.

Neilson really is a waste of jersey when he plays in midfield.

I was watching highlights from the Queens Park and Ayr United play-off games at lunch time - what a glorious run of games that was! Having Fitzpatrick, Tiffoney, Lawless, Turner and McMillan all in top form, and everyone else chipping in, including supporters - one of those few and far between times. Not going to happen this time... Alway live in hope though!

I think it's a bit of a juggling act and you can't leave all recruitment until the outcome of the playoffs is known. Maybe there's some conditional contract terms - additional payments if we end up in top division sort of thing. I think it makes good sense to get a few players in early, especially players like Crawford who are obvious targets for clubs in top half of the championship. Yes it's a gamble, but on balance of probability, a gamble that's more likely to pay off than not.

I think this a significant drawback of getting in to the playoffs. Once again we'll be playing player recruitment catch-up. Not just because of the uncertainty but also because the management team will rightly be focused on other things. As for Tomi - he's a great option to have around. I'd be happy see him sign.

Suspect quite a few players scored their first league goal in a defeat. Sure he'll remember it regardless of the scoreline.

It was a shadow team with a game plan design to minimise energy expended. And it worked.

Was Aero injured? Well other than the injury he's been carrying all season. I took that it was a substitution to give O'Reilly minutes and Aero a rest.

Very end of season dead rubber feel to that. Midfield had no control and gave them lots of free yards. I've yet to see Neilson play well there - his distribution was better when he played at centre-half. The stats don't lie though - the current defensive arrangement is working very well.

Very much depends on our attitude. Hope the players have a bit more self belief. We all saw what happened in the play-offs last year - time for everyone, supporters included, to go up a gear.

All 4 goals at the city end. I wonder which end we score more goals at? And same question for individual players? I'm guessing we score more at city end because we nearly always are shooting that way in the 2nd half, and in games where we score a few, there's likely to be more goals after the interval.

Oops. Misread that...

And no Xander... So McInroy wide right probably.

Sorry for Stevie - tough injury to come back from. Reckon he's a pretty resilient character though. Is Xander not an option?

Happy with a point although the sooner we secure a play-off place, the better, so we can regroup and potentially rest players. Get the feeling we're now running on fumes and Stevie went off injured today apparently. Oh and why did it take so long for Mitchell to get back in the team? He has his faults but I concluded yonks ago that we are more solid defensively when plays. Added to fact his distribution is tons better.

Fitzpatrick didn't have his best game, however he nearly scored and made a couple of chances, unlike some other attacking players. He is very obviously a confidence player. You can see him berating himself when things don't come off. I think that's the attitude problem - not backing himself and letting his head go down. Needs to learn to stay positive regardless how he's playing.

Just about worth the win because we had the more clearcut chances. But a disjointed performance and thought we would pay for one of the many free kicks we gave them. McBeth great in defence but don't think Neilson in midfield works. Game seemed to pass him by. Oh and wish the bloke who sits somewhere behind a moans about Doolan never being a manager would give it a rest.

Okay. Downvote rescinded now you've explained what you meant. Your initial comment came across as just being a very negative write off of a young player. Hope James continues to progress - he comes across as likeable with a good attitude.