OrlandoDon

Don’t want to underestimate Spartans but I’d be inclined to rest sivert and start shinnie with palaversa, give them the opportunity to gel a little, assuming shinnie is fully recovered from whatever the issue was last week. If shinnie hasn’t fully recovered then it’s same as last week. I also think palaversa will be clearly needed thru the course of the season that let’s get him match sharp for October and tougher games. I also think with two 33 yr olds, if palaversa is a player, we want him happy and extended to the 3 years (are years 2 and 3 purely our call??) clarkson needs to get match sharp too but impossible to bench gueye. I think gueye will fade but let’s milk it while we can (although I’d love to be proved wrong!) Our team pics itself with sivert on the bench with McDonald, clarkson, sokler, Vinny, morris, mcgarry, and Ambrose. 4-0 us. Nisbet, gueye, McGrath, and Keskinen.

Mitov looks legit. Very good signing, back up is fine. devlin backed up by Milne, Mackenzie backed up by mcgarry, ruby and Molloy have Macdonald to cover, with Milne an option in the middle too. not a great back 4, I wouldn’t call any really strong, but decent. Ruby, molloy, and Mackenzie are all young so should improve. Priority moving forward is a new contract for Mackenzie. Pleasing to say, on first impressions, shinnie, sivert, and palaversa have our midfield 2 covered. With the ages of the first two, hoping we can keep palaversa happy with plenty of playing time as he can be long term, although someone will pay if he’s good. Clarkson and gueye can compete for the 10, with polvara to come in once fit, not sure where he’s best. McGrath can play any role in there if we’re stuck too. Again, priority here is McGrath new contract. Keskinen and McGrath left and right, backed up by Morris and Vinny who have both contributed this season already. up top certainly hope Nesbit comes good. I’d say sokler has been one of our few disappointments season to date, and Ambrose has shown nothing to say he deserves minutes. once clarkson is fully fit I’m assuming gueye could play 9 if needed. A new 9 must be a priority if nisbet is not long term.

Considering it’s early season work in progress, over the moon. Still feel we’re finding our feet, integrating players, and will become more ruthless. From today palaversa, nisbet, and clarkson aren’t match sharp. I understand fresh legs too but against the toughest teams I doubt we’ll sub so much, all lessons for JT to learn as he navigates teams in Scotland. good to hear palaversa seems solid, nice to be able to still enforce in midfield without shinnie. Think we’ll be solid in there all season provided two play, and McGrath and clarkson are given the freedom to be creative…..maybe adding gueye here too. while our start is impressive, equally impressed with hearts. And their next league game isn’t easy, love it. Hoping Huns and utd draw tomorrow.

First impressions of palaversa?

Yeah, we’ve tried to start him, he’s had chances, but confidence has certainly improved. coming off the bench when opponents are tired may be helping him.

Loving this new signing pape gueye!!!

Haven’t seen much but good ball movement at times, little sloppy too though. Lovely goal, palaversa looks decent, more sivert than shinnie by the looks of things. Topi reminds me a little of mcginn, confident on the ball and wants it, but certainly more pace.

Devlin captain. Any info on shinnie??

Be back in Britain later this month to visit my soon to be 88 year old dad. I believe I cannot watch our games on red tv international while I’m home? Want to watch the Dundee game on the 28th from sunny Manchester, what’s the best way to see the game live on tv/streaming??

The thing with palaversa is that he plays at the expense of sivert or shinnie, and those two have been so good it’s hard to take them off during meaningful minutes. At the same time, think we were all pretty surprised to see Topi yanked with 25 mins to go versus Ross county, and Morris came on and did a job. Keen to see what he can do, perhaps extended minutes if there’s an injury this weekend, or against Spartans? would like to see Vinny wide and McGrath at 10, not quite time for clarkson to start yet.. 2-0 this weekend, Nesbit and molloy.

Remember that kid bojan who used to play for us, scored on international duty tonight. give topi a couple of months and it will be bojan who?

Not unlike Aberdeen against the old firm, particularly Celtic, and a factor in mcinnes being canned. Nobody wants to watch that, we got nothing from the game and got what we deserved. Scotland had moved away from these types of performances but they are definitely back, and our results over the last couple of years prove their effectiveness. when did mcginn last have an influential game for Scotland? It’s been a while. Not sure of the position he plays for villa but he’s ineffective for us. Glad we’ve moved away from a back three to accommodate Robertson and tierney, time to rethink midfield as mcginn offers little at present.

Who would he replace? Most likely mcginn or Christie? Hard to argue dropping mcginn, and Christie is a EPL regular.

Not really sure what else to do away at Portugal. In an ideal world we have a fit hickey at right back, tierney in the middle (although will he really ever be fit?) and Ferguson for McLean. Hopefully doak comes good and becomes a starter, but we’re crying out for a decent central defender and forward. Maybe nisbet finds form?

Correct. I always questioned his attitude and ‘teamness.’ JT appears to have us on the right path and we have momentum, duk doesn’t seem to be aligned to his approach.

Sorry, don’t really give a shit about his career. like all players, I do wish him well, but had he been professional there’s a good chance we sold him over the summer for maybe 500k plus. Now most likely he walks for free next summer or maybe a small fee in January. He fucked us.

Not sure how I feel about this. It’s been JT for over 3 months now, with a clear emphasis on togetherness, team, unselfishness, ‘family’ etc. duk plays like and has acted the opposite way. Not sure he fits in. At same time he’s a young kid who can make mistakes, and who knows who has been advising him. Plus we don’t know what has been going on with duk. would you rather see sokler, gueye, morris, or duk come off the bench when we need a goal??

I was taking it to another extreme in a sense. I don’t think he’s way because of the number of managers, much like I don’t think he signs because we are a greatly better option than st mirren or united. I’m assuming he’s getting to know the new management team, seeing the signings we bring in, and weighing up his options. I think we are appealing but money also talks. Good season and he’ll get a pay raise in England. Certainly hope he stays, but I feel he’s a number 10 and does he want to be a left midfielder? Or does clarkson have a killer season and we accept 5m from lazio for him, and McGrath becomes our main 10? We shall see…

Doubt it. Could argue that with the impact JT is having and that we are not st. mirren or Dundee utd who aren’t regular top 6/europe, he’s got a good gig here so is eager to sign.

I think Motherwell is too soon to start clarkson, he’ll be back in training next week from what I read, not quite ready to begin a game. i would really like to see McGrath at 10 behind nisbet. Think we will see sokler moved to the bench. I think Vinny deserves the start on the left and Morris has proven that he’s an impact sub. Topi on the right. Give Morris the last 20-30 mins and tell him to go at tired defenders. Gueye has proven that he’s a squad player, someone we can bring on when we need a goal and carries a threat. All of this moves Ambrose further away from minutes and that’s not a bad thing right now. I really think a loan to the championship , somewhere like a raith maybe, would have helped get him up to speed with Scottish football.

Didn’t see the game but saw all of the euros. Curious for the groups ‘unbiased’ take, ralston clearly better than devlin??

Apparently healthy, no concussion, and will be fit for Motherwell.

I don’t think anyone is saying rangers are great, indeed, I was commenting earlier how shite they appear to be. But Scotland is for the most part rangers and celtic to most people in world football. Fergie impacted that for a short period, but nobody can argue Scotland being rangers and Celtic, and the rest. Great that we are 2nd on GD but it’s long term that matters, trophies too, and I will be stunned if rangers go to total shit where this year and we can realistically finish second. Many will argue the system is rigged and things will go for rangers to prevent them going to total shit again. I’d love it if it happened though.

You are arguing my point. Second in Glasgow is second in Scotland unfortunately. Will take an awful lot for us or anyone to change that.

He’s not wrong. Second in Scotland at the end of the season means something, and until someone else finishes second it will be rangers or Celtic. great momentum behind us at present but things get tougher. Only two league games in September but it’s two top six teams. And Dundee haven’t lost yet. So far all teams we’ve beaten are bottom six. Then October gets even tougher. we were bottom six last year so certainly progress has been made. If we’re first or second at the beginning of November that’s a statement. Early days.