exiledjag

I know this is a stupid question but how many points do we have after today's game? I thought we started today 5th in the table with 29 pts. I see that after today's awesome victory the BBC table shows us 4th with 29 pts. Is this correct? All the other clubs seem to have their results updated!

I would go with this but have Graham in for Smith. Really like where you have Turner as I have suggested this for sometime now. If we really go for this today , that is, front foot and right attitude we can win.

This is what I am hoping for - a great second half to the season! I don't think we are too far away from having a decent squad. A couple of astute signings in January adding some 'bite and physical presence' to the midfield would be positive. Also giving Turner a run of games in a central midfield role and if this proves to be successful it could at the least get us into the play-offs!

1 - No (but everyone else does) 2 - No (signings are funny - Hawkins on a two year deal) 3 - No (team selection and tactics would suggest he doesnt) 4 - Definitely a No (have consulted Chesterfield & Wigan FCs) Great signing for Hibs though if they go for Mahoney and Caldwell!

Best of luck to Hibs they are going to need it. Pity Arbroath don't need a manager Caldwell would be great for them and it would virtually assure us of a play-off place!

I agree with all of this. I have been saying for some time that our midfield is a problem area but more from the perspective that it rarely dominates a game. This may be due to both the lack of physical presence in and creativity! Assuming we address both these problems in the January window by signing at least one heavyweight midfield player the question then becomes who do we drop from the current midfield? There will be conflicting views about this but IMO that would be Bannigan. Sorting out our midfield goes beyond simply adding some physical presence we also have to reorganise and for me that means playing Turner in a more central role.

I am really not surprised by todays defeat for two reasons. Firstly in all the games I have seen against Arbroath since they were promoted fron League One they have been bigger and stronger, out-played us, clearly the better team and we have been poor. Secondly the timing of this game coming in a period where we have been getting results but not playing well suggested to me that our unbeaten run was probably going to end. In summary I saw nothing to suggest our dismal form against them would change. I am also feeling there will be more of the same next week against Raith - another team I can't recall us beating. We will need a Hamilton type performance to win this game. As far as January signings are concerned two big strong players required with at least one in midfield.

Your probably right re the above especially about not playing particularly well. However as I said in another thread if the team actually turns up tomorrow and has the right attitude (an AuldJag phrase) there is no reason why we can't win despite the bogy nature of Arbroath on the Jags. From a footballing sense we need two things to happen. The defence/midfield must get a grip of McKenna and the referee must keep an eye on the two Arbroath central defenders. IMO they kick everything that moves, Graham in particular, and get away with it!

Arbroath beat us 3-1 the last time I saw them play us at Firhill. We were totally out-played. It felt like I was sitting in the Halls of Moria.

Referring to final sentence - "so say we all"

Although I think this is the best squad we have had for sometime I am struggling to think of any player, not including loanees (Mayo & Akinola), who could play in the SPL. Bannigan, Graham, Foster and Holt have SPL experience but I doubt a current SPL club would try to sign any of them in the January window. With the possibly exception of Tiffoney, I think the rest of our squad in work in progress. In terms of who we might sign Connolly (QotS) and McKenna (Arbroath) look good but doubt if either will be available during the window.

Thanks gor this.

What wascthe weather like and did it impact on the game.

In which case they didn't hit the target!

See Graham is on the bench. Has he been injured/rested or is this a tactical decision. Suspect we will need him at some point and possibly McIver barring injuries or red cards.

I agree with the above and especially the final sentence. I would also like to see us dictate play and the way to do this is to dominate the midfield. The quality of players we have there should enable us to dictate the play but we rarely do so. I am not sure how we can change this. I agree with comments made through the season that we are missing a physical presence in midfield but I also think , and have stated before, that we need to find a way to play Turner in a more central position. He was outstanding for Airdrie as a central midfielder so would like to see us try him there for a run of games and if it doesn't work out then at least we tried. The team has often been critised for lacking pace and now that we have some pace It's possible we rely too much on it at the expense of playing through midfield. In a sense there might be a balance issue - marrying play through midfield with pace out wide. This might be a factor in our not dictating play. Suspect I may well be clutching at straws here.

With Arbroath at home to Raith tomorrow and ICT beating Kilmarnock in the Fridsy night game a win would almost guarantee second place a single point adrift of ICT. However I recall a game at Firhill in 1963(?) v QotS where we lost 0-1 which not only ended our unbeaten run but was a severe dent to out title challenge. Is history going to repeat tomorrow? We have a very tough December in terms of fixtures and the QotS match falls, IMO, into the should win category which historically is when we fall down I am going for a Jags win. A tight score 2-1 or 3-2. Yes I think we may lose a goal in this game. Any other thoughts?

I have only seen Morrison once in a full 90 minute game so any views I have will be limited to a single performance. The game was of course the 5-0 hammering of Falkirk at Firhill in one of our later League 1 fixtures. I am afraid I can't say I was impressed. He was clearly one of Falkirk's better players and was perhaps unlucky not to score with a header. He was however fast asleep at Tiffoney's goal being very slow to react and completely unaware of what was happening around him! Also as the game progressed he gradually became anonymous and was eventually taken pff! At Firhill we need players who will keep going and keep fighting for the Jersey, the Club and the fans. We have this in abundance in the current squad. I didn't see any of these or similar attributes in Morrisòn. I think we should be cautious about signing this player!

A semi-final meeting with either of the above would be good.

Home tie v Airdrie. Not a money spinner but a good draw for the Jags.

That might confuse referees into giving us decisions they wouldn't otherwise give, for example, penalties, goals where the ball actually hits the netting and waving play-on when we are clearly offside! On second thoughts, let's give it a try!!

Good post. Like the final comment about the strip. Fantastic strip! My only reservation about making this outfit our main colours is that there are already far too many teams in Scotland playing in blue and white!

I think that if money were no object the Ian McCall would probably sign a defender just in case. However he has a budget to work within and with which to build a balanced squad! So far I think he has done well. For example, Holt left back (also central defence); Foster right back (also left back) McKenna, right back and central defence; not to mention Akinola, Mayo, Bell and when he is fit Brownlie. There is also Niang. I would say we are OK in defence as long as we don't have a catastrophic run of injuries. I also think we have the numbers for midfield (counting Tiffoney as a wide midfielder) Perhaps we need a wide right midfielder with Tiffoney's pace and another goal scoring striker. Murray and McIver need a little bit more devopement before they reach first team level. Otherwise with Smith there as well we seem well off for cover. We do though need more creativity in midfield but I think Turner could provide that if played more in a central position. My big point though is who would we leave out from midfield or the striking positions if we sign players for these areas?

I watched the highlight of this game and it was clear that Rangers were superior in every respect and deserved the win. However our girls showed great spirit and determination and really played for the Jersey. A special word of praise for our keeper. She really played a blinder!! Well done ladies. Now if we could just find another Colin Weir!!

I agree with all of the above and would like to see Turner get a run in a central midfield position. I think that might go a long way to increasing our creativity and coping better with teams that come to Firhill and sit in. Unfortunately this means changing to a 3-5-2 system as I don't see our manager dropping Bannigan or Docherty. Such a change in formation would also have implications for what is turning out to be a very good defensive unit. I also considered we could play Turner in front of Bannigan and Docherty (just behind Graham and Rudden). Again though implications for the playing system and especially the organisation of our defence. So I think for the time being Turner will have to stay wide.