OrlandoDon

Hoping it’s McGrath and Morris wide with bojan at 10/front 2!

Mcgarry at left mid with Mackenzie at left back. Yeah, poorly written earlier post!!!

Looking forward to tomorrow, although we are a squad work in progress, we have to have 2-3 more impact signings. Expect McGrath at 10 which I think is his best position. Would prefer mcgarry ahead of Mackenzie on the left, but part of me wonders if we see a 4-4-2 with McGrath on the left and both sokler and miovski up top. still think 2-1 is, McGrath and sokler.

The problem we have, I think Rico touched on it, we don’t have enough established first team starters. Who in our first 11 would you start week in week out without question. Anyone??? Every single player we have has been questioned. keeper is new so can’t judge, devlin and Mackenzie have their doubters, Molloy unproven, ruby, Jensen and Macdonald all inconsistent and prone to mistakes, we have no right or left mid, some dont rate McGrath, clarkson had an inconsistent last season, no clue about sivert, some think shinnie is past it, and questions asked of sokler. And that’s our best 11. Many of that should be a bench!

It’s a squad clearly lacking. I don’t think we have a single right/left midfielder that’s good enough (I don’t consider McGrath a wide player). And as I repeatedly say, we can’t rely on two old guys every week in the middle of the park. That’s huge to me. Our midfield was the worst part of the team last year - a good midfield protects the defense and creates in attack - and we have not done nearly well enough, almost nothing, to improve that area. We never replaced Rama, Barron is gone, and all we have in return is an unproven soon to be 33 year old. Sivert could be good but, especially with polvara out, both old guys will get over worked and injuries/suspensions will come. if we add a right mid, left mid, and center mid, I’m happy. But all three have to be of a somewhat decent established level.

I think it’s the sale of miovski that’s holding us back in the market right now. The club doesn’t want to spunk a couple of mill on two winger studs then find out no legit offers for miovski come in. I think we’d ‘love’ to sell miovski, duk, and probably richardson too asap, and turn around and spend some cash. But it’s sell to buy at present. We spent a lot last year for little return, I think cormack would like to sell first.

Meh, maybe aye maybe no. Current injuries aside, we are heavily reliant of two aging players who are fiesty and aggressive. There will be injuries, suspensions, and resting needed. I could also see a midfield three of Campbell sivert and shinnie at times. Jury is certainly out on sivert, and I’m a big Shinnie fan, but if ever there was a time where two play from three, or play all three in this type of league, it’s this. Clarkson should be our 10 when he comes back, but there are games that aren’t for him. We’re also talking polvara and the jury is still out on him too. He’s shown that there’s potential, but still not convinced he can hold a starting spot. perhaps failing in England has humbled Campbell a bit and coming here may help get his career back on track. lastly, we didn’t see it in preseason but as a has been said, if this isn’t the answer let’s really give Milne an opportunity in center mid. I just don’t see him as a right back/wing back at all!

I know it’s only money that matters, but would have been nice to see six 3pm kickoffs to start the league season today. Have everyone play at the same time and make opening day a thing. Only two games on opening day is rather lame.

Been shouting this for over a week, as soon as it was announced he could leave, exactly what we need. Shinnie and sivert are 33 soon and have an affinity for bookings, and with both polvara and clarkson now out, we’re paper thin. We ran shinnie into the ground last year too and having the ability to rotate these three would be wise. Plus he’s Scottish and I value that!

So this leaves shinnie and McGrath as our only central midfielders. We saw Jensen in there for a brief stint recently, anyone else? Jack Milne? assuming we don’t sign anyone by Monday, what we looking at in central mid, arguable they most important area on the field and where we failed last year after excelling when we had Rama???

So compared to last year, the center mid on Monday will have no Barron no clarkson no polvara and no suspended sivert? not a great start to the campaign if so…

3m is certainly a piss take but how do we know that the reported 6.5m is our asking price? No clue how player costs work these days, used to be a formula containing current contract length and salary, but given we hear/see relative unknowns go for a small fortune, I’m in with 6.5 if it includes a 50% sell on for example. Still think 8m plus 20% sell on is fair. any sniff of rumors converting incomings/outgoings besides bojan? Still silence on the duk front, that’s an odd situation.

I think it’s only fair sokler gets his photo on the thread considering he’s our top scorer to date?? Bojan is off ski and gartenmann, that’s so last year…..

Figured I’d start the thread a week early, is that illegal? Preseason has been hard to tell given the lower level of opposition, I suppose much like the early European rounds, tough to tell our true level based on somewhat unknown opponents we play. jury still out on molloy and sivert, two of our new signing ‘starters,’ not sure if they are up to the pace and physicality of our league, plus we haven’t resolved our width issue, if anything we’re worse with not having duk or hoillet. Think we’ve upgraded the keeper though, although he’s had very little to do so far. starting 11 is predictable, although I think sivert is suspended? Immediately highlights the squad imbalance, we don’t have a legit replacement. Would like us to actually try jack Milne in holding mid but the last few games would have been the games to experiment with him in there. I’d say we’ll see mcgrath in center mid and possible Vinny on the left simply because we don’t really have anyone else? Saying that, I’d take mcgarry at left mid over Vinny but I don’t think JT sees him that way. saying all of this, my ideal is we sign another holding mid this week who starts and McGrath is on the left, plus a right mid is signed benching Morris. anyway, still optimistic, 2-1 us with sokler and McGrath getting the goals.

I don’t agree with the repeatedly beat their men, plus were are talking dumbarton, keep that in mind. Neither have the pace to beat their man on the outside, both cut in a lot. I want a wide midfielder who can go either way, that’s the unpredictability we need. Both mcgarry and morris have that pace and can go inside or out. in an ideal world we’re relying on none of these guys, but I think Morris and mcgarry offer more than Vinny or Duncan. I said before, I see Vinny as a free roaming number 10, as for Duncan, no clue what he really offers. Saying this, Duncan is only 20, morris 22, young lads.

Something else I’ll add, thought all subs worked their bollocks off today. I assume all are giving their best to stay in JTs plans.. still hoping for a new center mid and right mid by the st Johnstone game.

It’s all relative. They weren’t bad but they didn’t do anything we didn’t already know, and it was dumbarton. Of the subs I’d say Mcgarry had the biggest impact, and both he and Morris offer more than Duncan and Vinny. I value pace and Duncan and Vinny struggle to beat their man. None of them are starting 11 and we have a bloated squad, to add a players or two we have to get rid of as well. I look at Ambrose (jury still out) and think about how cosgrove started with us. Ambrose off the bench could give us something, speed strength size, and he’ll gain match sharpness. I’d say gueye is weakish but 10 is the place to play him. He’s no winger. Again, different look to clarkson or McGrath at 10, decent sub to have. where is Richardson?? Not that he’s missed, just curious, we haven’t seen him at all this season to date. If he can’t play now, no chance we see him in league games.

A 6-0 win but it’s all relative to the opponent. Could have easily been double figures but for our limited ability and wasteful play. mackenzie is a good player and good for sokler getting two more but nobody else really stood out. Although I will say sivert and shinnie give us good balance in the middle (again, relative to the opponent.) clarkson was poor and out of position. Second half was better because in part we had a central attacking mid, the missing piece in the first half. Morris did little, his end product is poor, Duncan, Vinny, unimpressive against a poor side despite assists. Big gueye has the potential to be the new duk, doesn’t know when to dribble or pass but his unpredictable style could provide a spark off the bench. No clue what to think of Ambrose but his goal will certainly help his confidence. another good preseason game but, as I’ve said before, I feel these games show what we are lacking. None of the guys who came in showed anything to suggest they are a starting 11 player.

To be fair to JT he’s subbed early to give guys a run. front 4 of Vinny gueye Ambrose and Duncan, who called that pregame??

Who needs Andy Robertson when you have jack mackenzie. sokler hat trick?

I’d say sub clarkson and morris . Put McGrath at 10, gueye wide right and mcgarry left mid……why not??

Well that was crap. No clue what clarkson is doing today. Out wide, deep, but in the 10 is where he is effective. morris is piss but he’s shown he’s more effective than Duncan or Vinny, plus Mcgarry at left wing doesn’t solve right mid…..or are you saying throw McGrath to the right? would like to see gueye given 45 mins. No clue if he’s capable of anything.

What other option do we have?? I think we all share the same feelings re morris but what’s the alternative? Sokler wide, Boyd? developing another player to play out of position? Duncan who has pretty much done nothing when given plenty of chances? I’d like to see gueye wide to see what he can do, but I have little expectation or hope that there is quality there. right mid has to be the #1 signing priority.

Gueye on the bench. Wouldn’t mind seeing him given 45 mins to see what he can do.

Not surprised. Our best 11 at present assuming miovski is off ski. Got to build chemistry, and games like this can only help morris, sokler etc with confidence….although it’s on the assumption they play well.