Thistle Transfer Targets Gossip, Summer 2014

[ayrshire jag]

County just signed 3 players including Filip Kiss, can't help feel that we are on for a gubbing,their big forwards will pummel our defence.bricking it now, we must get off to a good start. But team doesn't inspire me.

[Mr Bunny]

Just hope few of the team read this forum or they'll be convinced it's not worth their trying this season.

[Ancipital]

not really sure why folk are saying Buaben replaced Osbourne- apart from one game where Bannigan was suspended vs Hibs he generally played further forward, if anything he replaced Forbes and Erskine took Lawless' place in the team.

 

That apart, I think we're 3 signings short of a decent first team, CB and LB obviously and someone to compete with Doolan up front - Stevenson is not the answer there and Duggan may or may not be but is completely untried at this level. I'd still want 2 more- another CB and attacking midfielder - to complete the squad but think we'll have to wait til August 31st for that sort of activity.

 

As it stands we have 17 first team players, one of whom appears to be persona non grata and 2 injured, so 14 available to play County. The only selection decisions we have to make are who plays in goal and whether Elliott or Lawless starts on the right wing. Still, there's 8 days to go so you never know...

[Norgethistle]

As it stands we have 17 first team players, one of whom appears to be persona non grata and 2 injured, so 14 available to play County. The only selection decisions we have to make are who plays in goal and whether Elliott or Lawless starts on the right wing. Still, there's 8 days to go so you never know...

 

and 2 of them are goalkeepers

[Barney Rubble]

Also interesting to read STV preview. Lee Mair (Dumbarton), Caolan McAleer (East Fife), Aaron Taylor-Sinclair (Wigan Athletic), Ryan Scully (Dunfermline, loan) are players outout. Stevenson and Osman are players in.

 

Reading that list, i really don't think we are far away....

 

You forgot Erskine and Taylor.

[Lenziejag]

 

 

You forgot Erskine and Taylor.

 

However, Scully was at Dunfermline last year and McAleer wasn't near the 1st team. There's a lot if spin going on.

[Barney Rubble]

However, Scully was at Dunfermline last year and McAleer wasn't near the 1st team. There's a lot if spin going on.

 

Not sure I get your point.

 

If Scully was on loan, then Erskine and Taylor were equally so.

 

Or am I missing something?

[jlsarmy]

 

 

However, Scully was at Dunfermline last year and McAleer wasn't near the 1st team. There's a lot if spin going on.

There is a lot of spin going on, need to remember that the players brought in last January, Mair, Taylor , Erskine and Bauben were brought in because Archie had made up his mind that some of the players we had either weren't good enough or weren't improving quickly enough at that level, with the exception of Osman and Stevenson we can only hope these players step up this year .

[La Scimmia Rossa]

I didn't forget Taylor or Erskine. Both were loan signings. In January. Something that will be open to the manager in January 2015

[Derby Jag]

The bottom line is we had one of the weakest defences in the league last season, which at present is considerably worse off. We have also lost the guy who would probably have been our starting striker.

 

I'm sure we will get them in but it's very late and is a major risk.

 

Ross County's signing of Kiss is probably the signing of the bottom 6. Looked a class apart in the three games I saw him.

 

Of the other teams St Mirren keeping hold of McLean and McGinn was great bits of business whilst Ball should provide cover for Thompson, Dundee have built a whole new squad which their fans are so far impressed by and Killie have strengthened throughout the team since Boyd's departure. Not saying I would rather be in any of their positions but I bet their fans see their current squads as an improvement on last years.

[Barney Rubble]

Ross County's signing of Kiss is probably the signing of the bottom 6. Looked a class apart in the three games I saw him.

 

You beat me to it - Kiss is a wonderful player at SPL level, one that for me takes RC onto another dimension next season.

 

Let's hope everyone else they've signed are utter diddies.

[Barney Rubble]

I didn't forget Taylor or Erskine. Both were loan signings. In January. Something that will be open to the manager in January 2015

 

Thanks Colin,

 

Still don't get your point though.

 

Are you suggesting that we are OK right now, and that we can strengthen in Jan 2015?

[Derby Jag]

If we get the Summer dealings right then there will be no need for panic temporary signigns in January to save us as happened for ourselves and County last year.

 

Right now our squad is about on par with what we had in Decemeber which would have, in all likelihood, finished in playoffs if not for the loan signings. Our squad should be compared to that which ended the seaon. Unfortunately right now we are unquestionably weaker, both in quality and quantity, when really we need to be stronger if we want to grow as a team. We have just over 3 weeks to make that happen; not impossible but certainly risky and I'm sure Archie will agree not ideal.

[javeajag]

If we get the Summer dealings right then there will be no need for panic temporary signigns in January to save us as happened for ourselves and County last year.

 

Right now our squad is about on par with what we had in Decemeber which would have, in all likelihood, finished in playoffs if not for the loan signings. Our squad should be compared to that which ended the seaon. Unfortunately right now we are unquestionably weaker, both in quality and quantity, when really we need to be stronger if we want to grow as a team. We have just over 3 weeks to make that happen; not impossible but certainly risky and I'm sure Archie will agree not ideal.

Possibly but minus ATS I think we would all agree worse

[ChewinGumMacaroonBaaaz]

There is a lot of spin going on, need to remember that the players brought in last January, Mair, Taylor , Erskine and Bauben were brought in because Archie had made up his mind that some of the players we had either weren't good enough or weren't improving quickly enough at that level, with the exception of Osman and Stevenson we can only hope these players step up this year .

 

..or argue that the january window last season was a chance for Archie to correct the mistakes he'd made with his signings the previous summer. Mair in for Piccolo, Taylor in for Baird and Bauben in for Kerr. It's c*nto macnamara who thinks The Bridge ain't good enough yet, rather than Archie thinking he's particularly better than what we've got.

 

Our players did step up at the start of last season. First 5 games unbeaten, 13 points in the first quarter. The first game against Aberdeen (0-3) when Balatoni was out and Piccolo first came in was the first wobble and I can't remember if it was injuries again, but his second inclusion in the second Aberdeen home game (0-4) was the start of the really bad run.

 

Dunno why he let Mair go but Archie needs to find another decent understudy to Muirhead/Balatoni.

[jlsarmy]

 

 

..or argue that the january window last season was a chance for Archie to correct the mistakes he'd made with his signings the previous summer. Mair in for Piccolo, Taylor in for Baird and Bauben in for Kerr. It's c*nto macnamara who thinks The Bridge ain't good enough yet, rather than Archie thinking he's particularly better than what we've got.

 

Our players did step up at the start of last season. First 5 games unbeaten, 13 points in the first quarter. The first game against Aberdeen (0-3) when Balatoni was out and Piccolo first came in was the first wobble and I can't remember if it was injuries again, but his second inclusion in the second Aberdeen home game (0-4) was the start of the really bad run.

 

Dunno why he let Mair go but Archie needs to find another decent understudy to Muirhead/Balatoni.

Not sure if that's correct , how often did Baird , Kerr play and Erskine more or less came in for Lawless.

[Barney Rubble]

..or argue that the january window last season was a chance for Archie to correct the mistakes he'd made with his signings the previous summer. Mair in for Piccolo, Taylor in for Baird and Bauben in for Kerr. It's c*nto macnamara who thinks The Bridge ain't good enough yet, rather than Archie thinking he's particularly better than what we've got.

 

Our players did step up at the start of last season. First 5 games unbeaten, 13 points in the first quarter. The first game against Aberdeen (0-3) when Balatoni was out and Piccolo first came in was the first wobble and I can't remember if it was injuries again, but his second inclusion in the second Aberdeen home game (0-4) was the start of the really bad run.

 

Dunno why he let Mair go but Archie needs to find another decent understudy to Muirhead/Balatoni.

 

A couple of points:

 

The second game v Aberdeen was at Pittodrie, and Muirhead was the man who had the howler that night, not Piccolo.

 

The second home game v Aberdeen was the Scottish cup-tie, and Gabby was the best Jags' player on the park that day.

[ChewinGumMacaroonBaaaz]

Not sure if that's correct , how often did Baird , Kerr play and Erskine more or less came in for Lawless.

 

Yeah they didn't play because Archie made a mistake signing them and they were boosted when the Taylor and Bauben were brought in.

 

Getting Erskine was a bonus i reckon. Lawless was being a bit moody about his contract, his form dipped, I think we got lucky when Chris came back and we could let wee Stevie stew on the bench for a bit. I think he's a good player and we'll maybe see a better version of him this season.

[The Legend Blows]

In my opinion the current Partick Thistle squad will finish bottom of the league this coming season. Feel free to quote me as the season goes on/finishes. The most utterly depressing summer/pre-season in terms of transfer activity at Firhill. Just hope to buggery we get 3 or 4 extra bodies in in the next 3 and a half weeks that ain't token jersey fillers (Baird, Kerr, Mukendi). I fear the worst and hope I'm proved wrong but wish people on here would take their rose tinted Archie specs off. He's clueless when it comes to assembling a squad.

Edited August 5, 2014 by The Legend Blows

[ChewinGumMacaroonBaaaz]

A couple of points:

 

The second game v Aberdeen was at Pittodrie, and Muirhead was the man who had the howler that night, not Piccolo.

 

The second home game v Aberdeen was the Scottish cup-tie, and Gabby was the best Jags' player on the park that day.

 

Yup, your right... i ment the pittodrie game 4-0. Which I argued at the time was a flattering scoreline for aberdeen, as I did for the previous 3-0 and that i thought we had the beating of the dons within us.

 

I'm not saying Gabby didn't have some decent games for us. I think he's ok, but when he came into the team it disrupted the Balatoni/Muirhead partnership and that filtered through the team. I think it affected Muirheads confidence and they certainly did not play well together.

 

Balatoni/Muirhead is the settled partneship. Gabby didn't and doesn't have the experience to be as good cover as Mair was. He wants and needs first team football and probably deserves it. If he stays fine, if he goes good luck to him.

Edited August 5, 2014 by ChewinGumMacaroonBaaaz

[potty trained]

 

I'm not saying Gabby didn't have some decent games for us. I think he's ok, but when he came into the team it disrupted the Balatoni/Muirhead partnership and that filtered through the team. I think it affected Muirheads confidence and they certainly did not play well together.

 

Balatoni/Muirhead is the settled partneship. Gabby didn't and doesn't have the experience to be as good cover as Mair was. He wants and needs first team football and probably deserves it. If he stays fine, if he goes good luck to him.

 

Disrupted the Balatoni/Muirhead partnership? Surely that's a positive? The two of them weren't playing well together. If two players aren't playing well together, you need to change it about.

 

Muirhead and Gabby, as far as I'm aware enjoyed playing together, Infact I'm sure Muirhead commented such after a Hibs game.

 

It's down to the manager, he obviously has faith in Muirhead & Balatoni for the season ahead. He must have known very close to the end of the season that he wouldn't be offering Mair a contract. Likewise I can't believe he decided to try and "loan out" Piccolo, based on a couple of days of pre season training.

 

We've had 2(?) centre halfs in on trial and they don't seem to have set the heather on fire. I hope someone becomes available soon, at the very least an average player by the end of August. Otherwise we are threadbare at the back until Jamuary.

[Tom Stronach]

He's clueless when it comes to assembling a squad.

 

How do you know that it isn't the board's fault for not backing him?

[The Legend Blows]

 

 

How do you know that it isn't the board's fault for not backing him?

I don't. Nobody does. I doubt though that Archie will have missed out out on many players after demanding more budget and being told no. I have the feeling he has willingly accepted his budget, is quite happy, but is simply unable to assemble a squad due to the his lack of experience, know-how and contacts. I would have had a list of realistic targets as long as your arm identified at turn of year. If that means working round the clock and your personal life goes out the window then so be it. I have the feeling though that Archie might have been unaware of the commitment involved in the transfer side of being a manager. Fingers should also be pointed at those around him also. They should have known better. As result we now have significantly more players out than in and the new season days away. Marvellous.

[oneteaminglasgow]

In my opinion the current Partick Thistle squad will finish bottom of the league this coming season. Feel free to quote me as the season goes on/finishes. The most utterly depressing summer/pre-season in terms of transfer activity at Firhill. Just hope to buggery we get 3 or 4 extra bodies in in the next 3 and a half weeks that ain't token jersey fillers (Baird, Kerr, Mukendi). I fear the worst and hope I'm proved wrong but wish people on here would take their rose tinted Archie specs off. He's clueless when it comes to assembling a squad.

 

No, we won't. No, he's not. Thanks for your input. You can call this rose tinted Archie specs all you want, and I agree he's made mistakes and this transfer window hasn't gone as we all would have hoped but to say "clueless when it comes to assembling a squad" is clearly nonsense.

[kni]

Disrupted the Balatoni/Muirhead partnership? Surely that's a positive? The two of them weren't playing well together. If two players aren't playing well together, you need to change it about.

 

Muirhead and Gabby, as far as I'm aware enjoyed playing together, Infact I'm sure Muirhead commented such after a Hibs game.

 

It's down to the manager, he obviously has faith in Muirhead & Balatoni for the season ahead. He must have known very close to the end of the season that he wouldn't be offering Mair a contract. Likewise I can't believe he decided to try and "loan out" Piccolo, based on a couple of days of pre season training.

 

We've had 2(?) centre halfs in on trial and they don't seem to have set the heather on fire. I hope someone becomes available soon, at the very least an average player by the end of August. Otherwise we are threadbare at the back until Jamuary.

 

It is very hard to believe and there surely must be another reason. If the plan is to send Piccolo out on loan, why has he not played in the pre-season games? It would have allowed other clubs to assess him. Now he is short of match practice and fitness. It is a bizarre situation for Piccolo to find himself in. Given our inability (so far) to replace Mair, it appears to be an error of judgement by the management.