lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Why? Frans was demonstrably better than Seaborne: the stats showed from what I remember that Frans and Lindsay were our least profligate CB pairing in the season in which we conceded the fewest goals. Repeating myself from other posts elsewhere but I feel that defensive record last season was largely down to form of Cerny and Osman. Back that up with how we missed Tomas for much of this season and Abdul (till recently) has been way off the pace. I don't go much on stats anyway but my take on Frans was he was a squad player at best. His distribution was shocking, his timing of headers was poor and he didn't appear to have much in the way of leadership qualities on the pitch. I believe he was offered "squad terms" for this season, which would imo be about right. Frans is still a loss in so much as he was reportedly a real pro off the pitch and would've been OK as a stand in centreback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverandEver Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Best: Cerny O'Donnell Lindsay Mair Booth Lawless Bannigan Osman Barton Erskine Dools Subs: Gallagher Miller Frans Dumbuya Welsh Fraser Taylor Worst: Stuckmann Mcmillan Piccolo Richards-Everton Carroll German Kerr Moncur Wilson McDaid Mukendi Subs: Fox (Aaron) Muirhead Seaborne Nesbitt Osbourne (Robbie) Muirhead Pogba I do hope that McDaid and Wilson (especially from his loan spell) prove me wrong but from what I personally have saw so far have given me little hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebiglemon Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Best: Cerny O'Donnell Lindsay Mair Booth Lawless Bannigan Osman Barton Erskine Dools Subs: Gallagher Miller Frans Dumbuya Welsh Fraser Taylor Worst: Stuckmann Mcmillan Piccolo Richards-Everton Carroll German Kerr Moncur Wilson McDaid Mukendi Subs: Fox (Aaron) Muirhead Seaborne Nesbitt Osbourne (Robbie) Muirhead Pogba I do hope that McDaid and Wilson (especially from his loan spell) prove me wrong but from what I personally have saw so far have given me little hope. Moncur didn't get a chance. Did well when he went to Colchester- saw him score quite a few times on nthe footbll league show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metz Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Strikes me to be for reasons other than football that some have suggested Fox, McMillan, Osbourne, Muirhead and Mair in the worst XI. They have all contributed to establishing us in the top league and certainly were valued when they played for the Jags, and in the context of the topic in my opinion certainly not the worst in their positions. To also include Wilson is very harsh he's a young man just starting off in his career who really hasn't had a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partickthedog Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) With apologies to the OP, in this post I will slightly change the terms of reference.The first team selected is the team I would go for on the basis that every player would play to the best of their form in that given match. That would be some game to watch! The second team selected is the team I would go for if every player were to put in their average performance. Some players who are regularly good and sometimes brilliant get into both teams. An erratic genius such as Kallum Higginbotham is in the Marvellous Marvins but not the Steady Eddies. I will not try to justify every choice, but a few words of explanation may be helpful. With the supercharged team all playing brilliantly and overwhelming the opposition, there is less need for Osman's more destructive qualities and you can accommodate the more creative and energetic Edwards further back, leaving Erskine and company to weave their magic further up. On a more normal day, Osman becomes essential, Edwards' running and covering power is needed to augment the midfield and support the attack, while Erskine becomes less central, but still worth having as even if only 50% of what he tries comes off, that may still be a vital contribution. I always thought that Dumbaya and Amoo had a good understanding which is why I have deployed them as the right side combination in the average team. Even an average Amoo may nick you a goal as well. BEST FORM XI Cerny O'Donnell Barton Lindsay Taylor Sinclair Edwards Bannigan Lawless Erskine Higginbotham Taylor AVERAGE FORM XI Cerny Dumbaya Barton Seabourne Booth Osman Bannigan Erskine Edwards Amoo Doolan Edited January 7, 2017 by partickthedog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 The only difference I'd make to your Best Form XI, partickthedog, is Doolan in for Taylor. I know where you're coming from, and I admit it's a moot point, but I don't think Taylor ever had days when he was a more natural goalscorer than Doolan. In other words it isn't a question of "form". I'd be struggling to come up with players that could come anywhere close to competing with likes of ATS, SOD and Higginbotham when on their game. And that's going back many a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partickthedog Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 The only difference I'd make to your Best Form XI, partickthedog, is Doolan in for Taylor. I know where you're coming from, and I admit it's a moot point, but I don't think Taylor ever had days when he was a more natural goalscorer than Doolan. In other words it isn't a question of "form". I'd be struggling to come up with players that could come anywhere close to competing with likes of ATS, SOD and Higginbotham when on their game. And that's going back many a year. Would not argue with you, but we would need O'Donnell, Higginbotham and Taylor to re-create the epic goal away to Dundee United! ..........mind you, on that argument we would require Scott Fox to roll the ball out to Higgy in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Would not argue with you, but we would need O'Donnell, Higginbotham and Taylor to re-create the epic goal away to Dundee United! ..........mind you, on that argument we would require Scott Fox to roll the ball out to Higgy in the first place. It was Paul Gallagher not Fox! Stephen O'Donnell would be my choice for best right back - Dumbuya has been really good but unfortunate with injuries. McMillan would merit the worst spot not for his footballing abilities but for his lack of professionalism and respect for the club...he was a good defender but his defence to the drug charge was ludicrous. While we have had some decent full backs, I find it difficult to pick an outstanding central defender - Barton looks a class act but he hasn't played that many games - the others all have flaws but our defensive record has actually been reasonably good. Gary Fraser scored my favourite ever Thistle goal at Tynecastle and his performance in the 4-0 victory against Ross County - a goal and three superb passes for the other goals - was the outstanding midfield performance. His display against County later that season when he wandered about as if in a daze was the worst...it rather sums up his career. I have to admire the posters who have seen qualities in Gabriel & Pogba...I thought they were both hopeless! I would add Ryan Stevenson to the worst list...again not entirely because of his ability but as Thistle's only ever "marquee signing", he fell a long way short. Higgy during his purple patch was by a distance our most exciting and influential player - a genuine game-changer & match-winner - his goal at Fir Park was sensational and his goals & assists were crucial in keeping us up. He was undoubtedly a daftie but I find it hard to believe that any Thistle fan would rate Ryan Edwards, who has had quite a few poor games, in front of Higgy in a best selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Gekantawa Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Why? Frans was demonstrably better than Seaborne: the stats showed from what I remember that Frans and Lindsay were our least profligate CB pairing in the season in which we conceded the fewest goals. Liam only made one appearance in the season we conceded the fewest goals. Last season we conceded 50 goals (at 1.32 goals a game). The season before (2014/2015) we conceded only 44 goals (at 1.16 goals per game). By comparison, this season we've conceded 29 at 1.38 goals per game. This begs the question- why doesn't Conrad make even the bench on anyone's best side? He was close(ish) to ever-present in that 2014/15 season (played 32 of the 38 according to Wikipedia)- more than any of the other centre backs that season- in (statistically at least) our best defence since promotion (including this season's to date). On top of this, he was useful in the other box, and was much better suited to our style of play- tending to bring or pass the ball out of defence rather than hoof it (like Frans or, most notably, Seabourne). For the record- I'd have him in my best side. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverandEver Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Moncur didn't get a chance. Did well when he went to Colchester- saw him score quite a few times on nthe footbll league show Never got a chance i agree but when you make so little appearances its a wasted signing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashman Posted January 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 This begs the question- why doesn't Conrad make even the bench on anyone's best side? He was close(ish) to ever-present in that 2014/15 season (played 32 of the 38 according to Wikipedia)- more than any of the other centre backs that season- in (statistically at least) our best defence since promotion (including this season's to date). On top of this, he was useful in the other box, and was much better suited to our style of play- tending to bring or pass the ball out of defence rather than hoof it (like Frans or, most notably, Seabourne). For the record- I'd have him in my best side. Statistically you are correct and I liked Conrad, but despite his undoubted improvement with us, he seemed to slip on his backside very regularly. Perhaps with better choice of studs he could have made the bench for my best xi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerjag Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 No mention of Nathan Eccleston in the worst XIs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 No mention of Nathan Eccleston in the worst XIs. Eccleston couldn't lace Henoc Mukendi's drinks. For what it's worth I thought German looked slightly better than Eccleston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodstock Jag Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Liam only made one appearance in the season we conceded the fewest goals. Last season we conceded 50 goals (at 1.32 goals a game). The season before (2014/2015) we conceded only 44 goals (at 1.16 goals per game). By comparison, this season we've conceded 29 at 1.38 goals per game. This begs the question- why doesn't Conrad make even the bench on anyone's best side? He was close(ish) to ever-present in that 2014/15 season (played 32 of the 38 according to Wikipedia)- more than any of the other centre backs that season- in (statistically at least) our best defence since promotion (including this season's to date). On top of this, he was useful in the other box, and was much better suited to our style of play- tending to bring or pass the ball out of defence rather than hoof it (like Frans or, most notably, Seabourne). For the record- I'd have him in my best side. I forgot we chucked it at the end of last season. Am I right in saying our goals conceded level was a lot better until the final 7 or 8 games? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Gekantawa Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I forgot we chucked it at the end of last season. Am I right in saying our goals conceded level was a lot better until the final 7 or 8 games? I think that may be the case- the injury to Cerny and Scully's initial form didn't help. Still takes nothing away from the previous season's defensive record Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Arch Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Gary Fraser scored my favourite ever Thistle goal at Tynecastle and his performance in the 4-0 victory against Ross County - a goal and three superb passes for the other goals - was the outstanding midfield performance. His display against County later that season when he wandered about as if in a daze was the worst...it rather sums up his career. I'd say Fraser's two performances against County at Firhill that season were the best - and worst - I've seen of any of our players since we got promoted. Really is an incredible talent on his day but a complete liability when he's not in the mood, and he was absolutely hopeless in that 3-1 game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Gekantawa Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 I'd say Fraser's two performances against County at Firhill that season were the best - and worst - I've seen of any of our players since we got promoted. Really is an incredible talent on his day but a complete liability when he's not in the mood, and he was absolutely hopeless in that 3-1 game. From what I remember, everyone to a man was absolutely hopeless in that 3-1 game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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