exiledjag

8 Agree

Hamilton v Inverness 1-1! Another result that you could argue has gone our way. In fact I can't recall a period when you could say the above about the majority of results affecting our opponents and yet we are still 5th. We have had two opportunities to get to Third place and failed to grasp either of them - away draw at ICT and of course the recent loss to Morton. Can we win 2 out of three Raith, Arbroath and ICT. Recent history suggests not. Notwithstanding the games in hand it's starting to look that ourvposition in this league is 5th. One thing is certain IMC will need to focus on signing a couple of strikers, who actually score goals, next season.

Does this mean a 4-4-2 formation? Good to see Foster on the bench, in fact it looks a good quality bench with Murray and McIver, for me, being the only question marks in terms of impact. I would still prefer Turner to Smith!

If we pick up 7 points from our 3 Tuesday night games against Morton (H), Arbroath (A) and Queen of the South (H) won't that indicate we are in fact challenging for the title? if we win the Tuesday night game the script will become - we can't afford to lose the following Friday/ Saturday scheduled game against Raith (A), Inverness (H) & Morton (A)! Pressure eh!

Albeit in League One we did well last season playing catch up to win the league with one or two games to spare. We need to go out tomorrow night and be prepared for a battle. If we match or better Morton in the physical challenge and then just play our football (like we did against the Arabs) then we should become! I just worry about the stop-start season we seem to be having and the improvement in Morton under Imrie. I am sure he has made them difficult to beat!

He didn't turn out to be the safe pair of hands the pundits said he would prove to be when his appointment was announced. When he left St Johnstone he said he was going to take a year out. Given his experience at Killie he might want to revert to plan A.

Naismith (youth coach at Hearts and part of the Scottish International coaching team) to be interviewed by St Mirren. If I were a Saints fan and it was a choice from these these two it would be Naismith for me!

I broadly agree with the above but would like to empasise a couple of points. Firstly the improvement in the bottom 5 is I think an important point and not one that has escaped IMC. He has been making the point for weeks that taking points from the bottom 5 will have a big influence on who wins the league. So in short all of the teams in the top have of the table will probably drop points to teams lower down the league not just The Jags. Last point. I think Kilmarnock's Lafferty could be the difference that secures them automatic promotion. I am also confident that if we can get a bit of momentum from actually playing games and getting a couple of wins then we could push Killie all the way.

BBC Reporter also saying Killie have a game in hand over Arbroath when of course its the other way round. Inept in the extreme.

Thought results went our way today. I normally don't mind games in hand but 4 plus scheduled will put a lot of pressure on the squad. Looks like a similar situation to last season when we had to come from behind and cope with a punishing schedule. I would feel happier if we were relying on 3/4 players gor goals rather than one (Gráham). Come on McIver and Jakubiak- break the habit of a life time and get us some goals! Couldn't resist saying this - Dundee bottom of SPL.........wonderful!

Nice to see we are not the only football club with 'plumbing' problems.

Good now that Dundee are bang in trouble we should all support Aberdeen's interest in Goodwin. If he goes to Aberdeen that should be enough to knock St Mirren off track this season and relegation next season.

Personally, I think this is a fantastic appointment by Dundee. It is astute, shows great awareness of their footballing needs and sets Dundee on a clear path........... straight to the championship! Brilliant!

So the weather stepsvin to save Dunfermline from a good beating!

Looked at the Peterhead penalty claim and like everyone else on this thread cannot believe Munro didn't award a penalty. I read a few years ago that the referee's supervisor said Scottish Referees were VG and punching above their weight. In my time watching football our referees for at least 10 years have been awful and couldn't punch their way out of a wet paper bag. The current bunch are definitely the poorest!

I wonder how long it will be before the SPFL/SFA issue a warning to us about our pitch!

The comments about being beaten by the OF could apply to just about any team in Scotland. Granted some teams have a little purple patch against the OF, eg Kilmarnock perhaps one ot two others but its hardly sustainable. I agree we do seem to have a problem with Dundee Utd but they are another club that have been living way beyond their means - Shankland was an example of that - while we live within our means (not helped by the SPFL). Didn't we just knock Dunfermline out of the cup! I get what you are saying but I believe with a decent manager who has an eye for a player there isn't a team in Scotland we can't beat on our day with the possible exception of the OF who are light years ahead of us. We do though need to get back to the stage where they know they have been in a game when they play us. We will know that when the referees award 10 minutes additional time, red card one of out players, give clearly offside goals or penalties for dubious hand balls and not do the same for the above at the other end of the park. Come on be a bit more positive. I know we are still work in progress but we are much better than we were in the (later) Archibald or Caldwell days. God that was suffering!

St Rugby Park now 1 - 1 Lafferty gor Killie. Come on Stevie another one please

Yeah was just going to post that. Interesting game he is having.

Lawless missed a penalty for Dunfermline v Killie. Pity!

Just checked. The hapless striker *** England CH was Dave Watson! Sunderland were in the old English second division at the time. Watson's move to CH coincided with Sunderland winning the FA Cup beating Leed 1-0 (Ian Porterfield scoring the goal).

Agree with this. Turner could well be the best player we will ever sign and who can't get a game. He is head and shoulders a better player than Smith. But Managers see the game differently! I recall many years ago when Sunderland were going through a bad patch yet according to their fans they had a decent team. The problem losing too many goals, the cause a poor centre half. They also had a really hapless centre forward. To the fans the solution was obvious drop the CH and move the CF to this position. The club sacked the manager, brought back Bob Stokoe and the first thing he did was the above. The club survived in the old English First Division and the hapless CF now a CH went on to play for England .... as a CH! Sometimes the fans know!!

I have the same attachment to Maryhill/Firhill as other Jags and I agree we are a Glasgow Club and should stay in Glasgow. So that kills East Kilbride as an option. Having said all that I have always thought it strange that a Club with the name Partick Thistle has its home in Maryhill. Would a move back to Partick be viable. Is there a fan base in Partick (and the surrounding areas) that we could tap in to? If we did move to Partick the communication links to the City Centre are good and should be just as easy to get to as Firhill for fans travelling via the City Centre.

You have, i think inadvertently, 'loaded question (b) by including the word 'lovely'. Frankly I am not too bothered. The Jags have had many 'homes' in the club's life so another would make no difference. The advantage of moving would possible include: a) a new stadium, b) an area that gives us a bigger fan base (than Maryhill) but is also convenient for existing supporters to travel too ; rules out Springburn but perhaps not a return to Partick, c) a 'lovely" grass pitch. I have to admit that sometimes when I go to Firhill I find the place depressing. The derelict bing and the main stand which looks neglected remind me of former glories and seeing them now is soul destroying.. However if there is a plan to regenerate the canal area the authorities will not want a crumbling old football ground sitting in the middle of a modern communications network, or a designated eco and nature reserve area. As we don't have the money to modernise the stadium we may have to sell and move. What we must avoid is becoming like Clyde a nomadic club finally settling at Broadwood!

Apologies for quoting myself. So results failed to turn out as I thought they might. Arbroath won, ICT and Raith failed to win and we failed to play! Results though generally went our way. How about the following league table: 1. Arbroath - 1.91 ppg 2. Kilmarnock -1.74 ppg 3. Jags - 1.71 ppg 4. ICT - 1.58 ppg 5. Raith Rovers - 1.52 ppg I think we should call the leagues right now and go straight into the play-off stage. Tough on Raith though!! Our catch-up games are now Morton (H) ICT (A) Arbroath (A) Queen of the South (H) Morton under Imrie are still getting the new manager bounce but perhaps by the time we play them it hey will be getting back to normal! I still think 7 points is attainable though worry about the stop-start nature of playing for our momentum, rustiness and confidence and generally about frustration setting in!