Summer comings and goings

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Great news. I actually thought Harry could've been sold this summer to balance the books. Cliche I know, but this is like a new signing. Certainly very significant indeed.  

[sandy]

Top news, he’s a player 

[fenski]

Blair Alston signs

[Gary Peebles Tackle]

2 minutes ago, fenski said:

Blair Alston signs

Excellent signing.

[Dick Dastardly]

That is great news. Always thought he was a decent player and we should have signed him earlier 

[Lambies Lost Doo]

He was "one to watch" at Falkirk but went off my radar after he left.

Fingers crossed.

[jags on tour]

I do believe I recommended us signing him a few weeks ago😉.

[jaggy]

Dools said on radio Scotland he’s hoping for 2 more signings, possibly before Saturday

[exiledjag]

11 hours ago, jags on tour said:

I do believe I recommended us signing him a few weeks ago😉.

Yes, you did recommend Alston. I also think I responded with a more neutral perspective.

I am a bit betwixt and between with this signing. I like Alston and think he is a good player. In saying that I also think he hasn't achieved the level  his early 'Falkirk promise' suggested he might reach. In recent year he seemed to me to have periods in a game where he made little impact  - a bit like Cammy Smith!

I thought signing for St Johnstone was a mistake and that he would have been better signing for a more attacking team like Hibs

He is certainly a quality player and if Doolan can get the best out of him he will prove to be an excellent signing.

Although I have a few doubts about him  I wish him  every success with the Jags.

 

[Garscube Road End 2]

The Alston signing is a mixed one for me. Yes, he is, at this level, a decent signing. But, is he what we need? As referenced by a few others on here, we are looking for a strong defensive midfielder to shore the midfield up. So signing Alston is probably a no for me.

Hopefully Dools has a midfielder and cb lined up that we need. Our midfield is too open at the moment.

[javeajag]

Rumoured to be signing Kerr Mcinroy from killie and a left back ( from Aberdeen ? ) 

[stuart_adam]

McInroy would definitely be a decent signing

Also presume same left back linked a few months ago.

15 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Rumoured to be signing Kerr Mcinroy from killie and a left back ( from Aberdeen ? ) 

 

[JAG1970]

50 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Rumoured to be signing Kerr Mcinroy from killie and a left back ( from Aberdeen ? ) 

Presumably/hopefully the left back can also play centre back which is where we need cover. 

[lady-isobel-barnett]

48 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Rumoured to be signing Kerr Mcinroy from killie and a left back ( from Aberdeen ? ) 

I reckon McInroy would be a very good signing. Think he's good in the tackle and being left footed would add a bit of balance to the side.

If the left back can mirror McMillan defensively and cover centreback, then I see value in such a (loan?) signing. Even so, and I'm not going to be unduly critical of Wasiri as he's not playing on his natural side, but I feel we still need a centreback of reasonable quality rather than mere cover. To that I'd say we require a left sided centreback who can cover as a left back as opposed to the other way round. If that makes sense?

[stuart_adam]

1 hour ago, stuart_adam said:

McInroy would definitely be a decent signing

Also presume same left back linked a few months ago.

 

Just adding presume it is Kieran Ngwenya - we were previous linked but never quite completed the signing. 

[laukat]

I'm surprised by the Alston signing. 

Before signing him we look relatively well covered for attacking midfielders with Robinson, Lyon and  Williamson able to play there. We are desperately short of a defensive midfielder and leader. Personally I wonder if signing Alston is because we now have concerns over Robinson's fitness.

Right now we have 15 first team players signed. If we include Lyon, Mackenzie and Stanway as part of the first team squad that means we have 18 and we normally end up with about 21/22 players. So we have 3 or 4 signings left to make unless some leave or go out on loan.

We need another central defender, a fullback who can play left and right side, a CDM and a winger.  McInroy and Ngwenya seem to be rumoured to be taking 2 of those 4 slots.

Ngwenya's stats show he has only played leftback but he is pretty tall so may be able to convert to a centrehalf in emergencies.

Whilst I think McInroy is a decent player and someone I would like in, I'm not convinced he's the CDM and middle of the park leader we're missing. Its asking a lot of a 22 year old who barely played last season.

[MarciaBlaine]

1 hour ago, laukat said:

I'm surprised by the Alston signing. 

Before signing him we look relatively well covered for attacking midfielders with Robinson, Lyon and  Williamson able to play there. We are desperately short of a defensive midfielder and leader. Personally I wonder if signing Alston is because we now have concerns over Robinson's fitness.

Right now we have 15 first team players signed. If we include Lyon, Mackenzie and Stanway as part of the first team squad that means we have 18 and we normally end up with about 21/22 players. So we have 3 or 4 signings left to make unless some leave or go out on loan.

We need another central defender, a fullback who can play left and right side, a CDM and a winger.  McInroy and Ngwenya seem to be rumoured to be taking 2 of those 4 slots.

Ngwenya's stats show he has only played leftback but he is pretty tall so may be able to convert to a centrehalf in emergencies.

Whilst I think McInroy is a decent player and someone I would like in, I'm not convinced he's the CDM and middle of the park leader we're missing. Its asking a lot of a 22 year old who barely played last season.

Broadly agree with all of this.

In terms of remaining recruitment I think we need the ones in bold:

Goalkeeper - we're fine

RB - McMillan obviously first choice. McKenzie seems pretty good as cover (more on this below)

LB - Milne again a stick-on but we don't have cover

CB - Muirhead and Williams but imo we need a left-sided CB at minimum who can cover LB. A fourth CB would be lovely but I'm not convinced budgets will allow.

CM - Bannigan will no doubt play and we now have Williamson, Alston, Stanway and Lyon. None of these are in the Docherty mode - aggressive, breaks up the play, starts off moves with a quick pass. So we need a defensive CM, though Muirhead can also act as cover for this role at a pinch, to central defence's deficit. McInroy seems the type but you're right that he may not be the leader we need. Perhaps with Graham and Muirhead in leadership roles that's slightly less of a concern?

AM/8 - Robinson, Alston, Lyon and Williamson so I'd argue we're ok but I expect Robinson to play as a 10. I think/hope Lyon will cement this position or the 10 as the season progresses.

LW - Fitzpatrick will start and we've used McKenzie as cover to reasonable effect. This actually means we're using McKenzie as cover for 2 positions which I'd argue is risky.

RW - Lawless will be first choice and rightly so but we've no real cover here. So overall I'd say we need someone who can cover RW and RB. These are both backup roles so a young loanee would be ideal and presumably cheap/free. Plus it's the kind of position I'm more relaxed about for a youngster compared to the greater responsibility of, say, CM/CB. And this approach lightens the load on McKenzie.

10 - Robinson, Adeloye, Lyon seem the options here. That's ok imo.

9 - Graham will start and Dowds, Adeloye or Robinson could cover.

I'll also say that we are on the face of it over-stocked in certain positions - too many central midfielders (definitely a theme at times under McCall too) and, given we play with one #10 and one #9, we're maybe a bit top-heavy there as well, but when you consider that the options for both are pretty interchangeable I'm not too concerned. It's 5 players for 2 positions.

And a Hodson type 'jack of all trades' to cover duties towards the rear of the pitch would be a really prudent catch-all option to shore things up.

Of course this all changes if a key player becomes available who doesn't have the flexibility we need to cover multiple roles. Who'd be a manager eh?

[MarciaBlaine]

Just to add, if we get a midfield enforcer then I'm pretty happy with our options for a starting 11. Obviously it's covering injuries and losses of form that's the key in the our other recruitment.

[laukat]

One other point regarding signing Alston.

Last season we were quite an old team. Of our permanent signings we lost Holt (30), Docherty (30), Turner (25), Tiffoney (25), Smith (27), Brownlie (29), Mullen (27)

Only permanent signings we have brought in so far are Williams (23), Robinson (31), Alston (31).

When you add that everyone we retained is another year older our squad could well up being older than last season.

 

[exiledjag]

18 minutes ago, laukat said:

One other point regarding signing Alston.

Last season we were quite an old team. Of our permanent signings we lost Holt (30), Docherty (30), Turner (25), Tiffoney (25), Smith (27), Brownlie (29), Mullen (27)

Only permanent signings we have brought in so far are Williams (23), Robinson (31), Alston (31).

When you add that everyone we retained is another year older our squad could well up being older than last season.

 

I think I recall comments from Doolan that he was aware of the age of the squad and that it was a point he intended to address in the medium with the introduction of more Academy players if they are good enough.

 

There is no doubt in my mind Doolan would like a good balance between youth and experience.  He won't however achieve this in one transfer window. Given our financial position it may take 3 or 4 windows to make real progress with this matter.

 

[sandy]

I have faith in Doolan to re-build and re-balance the side over 2-3 transfer windows 

[Garscube Road End 2]

1 hour ago, sandy said:

I have faith in Doolan to re-build and re-balance the side over 2-3 transfer windows 

I am in the camp of thinking that this season is consolidation for us. A rebuild and to go next season for the title. I can see that with the extended contracts we have given out. Of course, play offs would be a bonus.

[Lenziejag]

3 hours ago, laukat said:

One other point regarding signing Alston.

Last season we were quite an old team. Of our permanent signings we lost Holt (30), Docherty (30), Turner (25), Tiffoney (25), Smith (27), Brownlie (29), Mullen (27)

Only permanent signings we have brought in so far are Williams (23), Robinson (31), Alston (31).

When you add that everyone we retained is another year older our squad could well up being older than last season.

 

Is it right to leave out Lyon and Stanway from the additions which would probably bring the age down.

[laukat]

4 minutes ago, Lenziejag said:

Is it right to leave out Lyon and Stanway from the additions which would probably bring the age down.

Depends on if you see Lyon and Stanway taking the place of Docherty, Turner, McKinnon or Smith. Replacing Smith and McKinnon's contribution won't take much but only Smith is older than Stanway or Lyon so not much of an age reduction on the overall squad and virtually nothing on our regular starting eleven.

Below is who I think is replacing who in last years squad (? means I think we don't have a replacement yet)

Squad role            Last season        This season

Starting GK             Mitchell                  Mitchell

Backup GK              Sneddon               Sneddon

Starting LB               Milne                       Milne

Starting RB              McMillan                 McMillan

Starting CH              Muirhead                Muirhead

Starting CH              Holt                          Williams

Backup CH               Brownlie                      ?

Backup CH               Akinola/McAvoy        ?

Utility defender        Hodson                       ?

CDM                           Docherty                     ?

AM                              Turner                   Williamson

CDM                           Bannigan              Bannigan

Backup AM               McKinnon              Alston

Utility Midfielder      Smith                      Robinson   

LW                              Tiffoney                  Fitzpatrick

RW                              Lawless                  Lawless

Backup LW               Fitzpatrick              ?

Backup RW              MacKenzie             MacKenzie

Starting CF               Graham                 Graham

Backup CF                Dowds                    Dowds

Backup CF                Mullen                    Adeloye 

I don't see any obvious role for Stanway or Lyon now that Alston has signed unless Robinson's injury is worse than we are told.

I personally think both Stanway and Lyon need a loan out to a league 1 club to get regular first team football in the hope they come back the following season more physically developed and able to compete for a starting spot. Their performances in the league cup will not have done them any harm in that respect.

 

[Lenziejag]

12 minutes ago, laukat said:

Depends on if you see Lyon and Stanway taking the place of Docherty, Turner, McKinnon or Smith. Replacing Smith and McKinnon's contribution won't take much but only Smith is older than Stanway or Lyon so not much of an age reduction on the overall squad and virtually nothing on our regular starting eleven.

Below is who I think is replacing who in last years squad (? means I think we don't have a replacement yet)

Squad role            Last season        This season

Starting GK             Mitchell                  Mitchell

Backup GK              Sneddon               Sneddon

Starting LB               Milne                       Milne

Starting RB              McMillan                 McMillan

Starting CH              Muirhead                Muirhead

Starting CH              Holt                          Williams

Backup CH               Brownlie                      ?

Backup CH               Akinola/McAvoy        ?

Utility defender        Hodson                       ?

CDM                           Docherty                     ?

AM                              Turner                   Williamson

CDM                           Bannigan              Bannigan

Backup AM               McKinnon              Alston

Utility Midfielder      Smith                      Robinson   

LW                              Tiffoney                  Fitzpatrick

RW                              Lawless                  Lawless

Backup LW               Fitzpatrick              ?

Backup RW              MacKenzie             MacKenzie

Starting CF               Graham                 Graham

Backup CF                Dowds                    Dowds

Backup CF                Mullen                    Adeloye 

I don't see any obvious role for Stanway or Lyon now that Alston has signed unless Robinson's injury is worse than we are told.

I personally think both Stanway and Lyon need a loan out to a league 1 club to get regular first team football in the hope they come back the following season more physically developed and able to compete for a starting spot. Their performances in the league cup will not have done them any harm in that respect.

 

From what I have seen in the last 2 weeks, I would agree that Stanway needs another spell on loan but Lyon looks better than Williamson as a Turner replacement.