Thistle - Killie

[The Cup]

Moving quickly on from the Aberdeen game....

 

I think we have a better squad than Kilmarnock, with the exception of Boyd, and should get our first home win here.

From what Archie has said post-Aberdeen game I reckon Balatoni will be back for this game.

 

Lawless seems to have lost a bit of form so I would give Elliott a chance.

 

I would go with-

Fox

SOD

Balatoni

Muirhead

Sinclair

Craigen

Osbourne

Bannigan

Higginbotham

Elliott

Doolan

[Metz]

Do you not think that Forbes deserves his chance ahead of Elliot?

 

Ross has quality with set pieces and if Archie relaxes his defensive duties by playing him just off Doolan then he could add another dimension to our often toothless attack.

[Garscube Road End]

Much as I love the guy I think Craigen should make way for Forbes and Osbourne in for Welsh!

[partick monkey]

Much as I love the guy I think Craigen should make way for Forbes and Osbourne in for Welsh!

 

I agree about Craigen, Forbes swap but disagree about Welsh, Osbourne. Welsh was not fully fit yesterday but I expect him to be sharper against Kille. Forbes has done enough coming off the bench in the last few games to merit a start.

[Alan Murray]

Don’t think we need to make wholesale changes here. We need Balatoni back to centre back after the poor performance of Gabriel. I don’t think Conrad had the best of games against St Mirren but is still a much better option that the Mexican.

 

As I said in my other post Osbourne should start if fit. He wins 50/50 tackles and his strength and experience is a big asset.

 

I am a big Welsh fan but I would leave him out for Saturday. He did not look fit yesterday and feel Bannigan should keep his even though he had a below par game. Him and Osbourne bossed the midfield against St Mirren and am puzzled to why Archie changed that.

 

James Craigen was another who was disappointing but I would keep him in on the basis of his impressive performances previous to yesterday’s game. He covers a lot of ground and is capable of setting goals up for the team. Both Welsh and Forbes are valid options for his position but he deserves a chance to make up for his poor performance yesterday.

 

Doolan must come in for Baird, don’t think Archie has done him any favours picking in our last two games. He is best playing behind a striker. He looks short of confidence and badly needs a goal.

 

 

Fox

O'Donnell Muirhead Balatoni Taylor-Sinclair

Bannigan Osbourne

Craigen

Lawless Higginbotham

Doolan

Edited September 15, 2013 by Alan Murray

[ThickAsThieves]

Fox

O'Donnell - Muirhead - Balatoni - Taylor-Sinclair

Osbourne - Bannigan

Lawless - Forbes - Higginbotham

Doolan

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Heard it and read it too often that Baird needs a goal for his confidence. While that may well be very true it also highlights the difference between Wee Baird and other attackers. The way we've played since the start of last season has resulted in goals from throughout the team. As long as we were winning I rarely heard that Doolan, Lawless, Erskine, Craig whoever needed a goal, Yet they all went seven, eight or nine games without scoring. The important factor was all were contributing in assists and at no time were they dropped for not scoring goals.

Baird is it seems a different animal. He's to be judged on goals alone. I don't mean that to sound sarcastic as if us fans are not prepared to give credit for any assists More to the point I think Baird believes his goal tally is all he'll be judged on. I think that's out of sync with the way we play. Ironically Baird has been fine when he's come off the bench subbing for Doolan. I see no problem with us returning to that and think Baird will do fine coming on as a sub if called on against KIllie.

[thebiglemon]

Just saw the goals from yesterday and I pray Balatoni is back. 1st was excusable the other 2 showed Piccolo to be utterly powder puff.

[twinny]

It's Sunday and people are posting lineups for next weekend?

 

I suppose it's a good sign that after a 3-0 drubbing we're still looking forward to next week. In the past the forum would be dead and we'd be dreading the next game.

[allyo]

Heard it and read it too often that Baird needs a goal for his confidence. While that may well be very true it also highlights the difference between Wee Baird and other attackers. The way we've played since the start of last season has resulted in goals from throughout the team. As long as we were winning I rarely heard that Doolan, Lawless, Erskine, Craig whoever needed a goal, Yet they all went seven, eight or nine games without scoring. The important factor was all were contributing in assists and at no time were they dropped for not scoring goals.

Baird is it seems a different animal. He's to be judged on goals alone. I don't mean that to sound sarcastic as if us fans are not prepared to give credit for any assists More to the point I think Baird believes his goal tally is all he'll be judged on. I think that's out of sync with the way we play. Ironically Baird has been fine when he's come off the bench subbing for Doolan. I see no problem with us returning to that and think Baird will do fine coming on as a sub if called on against KIllie.

 

Agree with this. Maybe too much pressure on him at the moment. We'd all love to have that 15 goal a season striker and on showing so far it doesn't look like Baird's going to be that. This doesn't make him a bad player. First time I saw him was off the bench against Hearts where I thought he looked very good. St Mirren game he missed the odd chance but was busy. Yesterday the whole team offered very little going forward and I don't think he should be singled out. So okay, maybe not the answer to our prayers, but not one to be written off either.

[uberteeb]

Did Gary Fraser get injured? He was absolutely brilliant in the opener.

[read'n'yell]

.............................. Fox .............................

O'Donnel .. Muirhead .. Balatoni .. Sinclair

................ Fraser .... Welsh ....................

.... Lawless ....... Craigen ..... Forbes .......

....................... Higginbotham ...................

 

A close call between Fraser and Osbourne but at home, to a team we want to win against, I think it's better to go more creative. Bannigan needs some time on the bench while Forbes is the only guy to not get a real chance so far, but has impressed when been used. It was a toss up between Bannigan and Craigen to drop but I feel Craigen deserves his place more - he's also looked likely to score. Wouldn't be against swapping Bannigan for Craigen and pushing Forbes central.

 

I've went with six players that can all score, with a lot of creativity. Welsh and Fraser would need to be extremely disciplined for this to work. I think Higginbotham could do well up front coming in from deep and could actually beat his defender - something Doolan and Baird can't really do. He might not be your workman Kenny Miller type but watching the other Premiership strikers, none of them really do this harassing of defences anymore.

 

Bannigan Baird Osbourne Elliot and Doolan on the bench provide good plan B's.

[John Blutarsky]

Johnston will set his side out to stifle our style of play, much like he did in the Ramsden's final and probably not a million miles away from how MacInnes had his (well) organised side on Saturday. Won't be easy.

[p12tfc]

That being said should we try something completely different?? 442?

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Johnston will set his side out to stifle our style of play, much like he did in the Ramsden's final and probably not a million miles away from how MacInnes had his (well) organised side on Saturday. Won't be easy.

 

True. Further, teams like Killie will have players used to so called six pointers. More teams than not in this division are set up to grind out results. For more years than I care to remember folk have been going on about the negativity in the SPL. Johnston as a manager may be new to the top division but he played there often enough to know that flair comes a long way behind getting a result at all costs.

I expect it will be a close run match unless we get off to a real flyer.

[potty trained]

Sitting at lunch with a killie fan.

 

Apparently they are rotten, no tactics apart from pumping long balls at Boyd all day. That's it.

[John Blutarsky]

That being said should we try something completely different?? 442?

 

The stats on BBC suggest that completely different is not needed. Possession was evenly split which is perhaps an indication that we didn't succeed at our favoured style of play. Obviously, their ability to punish defensive errors and our inferior shots on target separated the sides. There's also a suggestion that we didn't make the best out of the number of free kicks Aberdeen conceded which strengthens the argument that Forbes should've started.

 

I wonder as well just how many free kicks would have been awarded by a ref who would have been more inclined to punish tackles from behind and with 'studs-up.' It wasn't just us that MacInnes did his homework on.

[Alan Murray]

Johnston will set his side out to stifle our style of play, much like he did in the Ramsden's final and probably not a million miles away from how MacInnes had his (well) organised side on Saturday. Won't be easy.

 

Killie will look to do the same as Aberdeen but they don’t have the pace or strength the Dons have. Add in Boyd at centre forward – not famous for his work rate during games. Means our defenders may have a little more time on the ball than on Saturday.

 

Kilmarnock don’t look to clever at the back, need SOD back to his best and get his delivery right. Put them under pressure and they will crack.

[Mr Bunny]

That being said should we try something completely different?? 442?

 

We shouldn't chnage our system or we may as well give up on all our current plans for the future including our youth policy. The club has committed itself to attacking football to hopefully attract more fans down the line. We should try to stick to this as long as possible.

 

Besides, our system is capable of enough variation within itself without resorting to wholesale changes which may be more damaging. People forget our system is designed to give a strong defensive base - 2 defensive midfield players. The problems we are finding (and we've won 2 games and drawn 2 so why panic?) are down to:

 

1 We have the smallest budget of this division so our squad is thinner (we saw that v Aberdeen with Baird and Gabriel not up to it on the day). Aberdeen had injuries but the guys who came in for them didn't weaken the their team: at least it didn't show against us.

 

2 Our system does require supreme fitness and really hard work. If we fall below that and the opposition work really hard we struggle.

[peagreenboy]

Very important to try to get a good result next week, as the three league games after that could be rough, and this place will get pretty gloomy ...

[The Cup]

We shouldn't chnage our system or we may as well give up on all our current plans for the future including our youth policy. The club has committed itself to attacking football to hopefully attract more fans down the line. We should try to stick to this as long as possible.

 

Besides, our system is capable of enough variation within itself without resorting to wholesale changes which may be more damaging. People forget our system is designed to give a strong defensive base - 2 defensive midfield players. The problems we are finding (and we've won 2 games and drawn 2 so why panic?) are down to:

 

1 We have the smallest budget of this division so our squad is thinner (we saw that v Aberdeen with Baird and Gabriel not up to it on the day). Aberdeen had injuries but the guys who came in for them didn't weaken the their team: at least it didn't show against us.

 

2 Our system does require supreme fitness and really hard work. If we fall below that and the opposition work really hard we struggle.

 

I thought we started well enough against Aberdeen but woeful defending meant the game was over after 20 minutes. IMO the game would have been much closer had Balatoni been fit.

We shouldn't change our system just because of 1 defeat. I don't want to see us playing like Aberdeen. Destroying the game in the middle of the park and hoofing it up to a 6 foot 9 striker.

 

Novo was offered a contact by Killie but turned it down. Think he'll be back at Firhill?

[allyo]

Very important to try to get a good result next week, as the three league games after that could be rough, and this place will get pretty gloomy ...

 

Very important to try to get a good result next week, as it would put us in the top half with a substantial gap over the bottom clubs, and facing the games ahead with justified confidence.

[Willjag]

 

Novo was offered a contact by Killie but turned it down. Think he'll be back at Firhill?

Back at Firhill? Never even knew he was here!

[The Cup]

Back at Firhill? Never even knew he was here!

 

I thought he was on trial here. Maybe I'm wrong.

[peagreenboy]

Very important to try to get a good result next week, as it would put us in the top half with a substantial gap over the bottom clubs, and facing the games ahead with justified confidence.

 

My apologies. I was getting utterly confused as to which games were actually next - I was looking at October, when we've got Inverness, Celtic and then Aberdeen again. Killie, St Johnstone and Hibs is much more palatable.