Panda

Yep, we didn't win a cup on penalties. We thumped Falkirk 5-0, beat Motherwell with 10 men at Fir Park, and thrashed St Johnstone in the semi-final. Did we not win the cup without conceding a goal? And I also agree on the strength of the division now versus then. McInnes' Aberdeen may not get above either of the current Old Firm, but they would be comfortably third and due to the current coefficient would be lording it in the group stages every year.

Of course it's come from an account with no profile picture, who now appears to have deleted their account. It's always the cowards.

Re-pressure in Goodwin. Think the four critical games in January will shape Cormack's feelings towards Goodwin more than this week. Rangers at Hampden Hearts at Tynecastle Darvel Scottish Cup Hibs at Easter Road Best case scenario: We're in a cup final, next round of Scottish Cup, and hit two rivals for third hard. That would probably buy Goodwin until summer. But, although I think we'll beat Darvel regardless, if we lose the other three then the fans anger will be fierce. I don't think Cormack would sack him, but shoogly peg and all that. Back to now: Hearts have St Johnstone away & Hibs next, tough games. Six points from six for us against Killie & Ross County and we could establish a lead in third again.

I work with a ridiculous amount of Kilmarnock fans. There's both my boss and my immediate line manager who are Killie fans. Plus another five of them just itching to win this on Wednesday. So, for the good of my career, let's smash them. If there's one thing the Killie fans love, especially my boss, it's me being a smug bastard. With Stewart out let's abandon the three at the back. Let's play Mackenzie at LCB and develop him. Scales can play LB and Coulson pushed further forward if Hayes is injured. I'd start Duncan too. Play him off Ramirez if Duk is injured. And I'd start Lewis over Roos. Out (working, with two of the seven Killie fans), Prediction: 1-2 the Dons. Taylor for them, two Taylor own goals for us.

The Scottish Cup & League Cup double winners 22-23.

After 18 games last season, St Mirren were ninth, four points from the drop, and hadn't won in nine games. They then played the Old Firm back to back either side of Christmas. Goodwin getting his dream 0-0 draw with Celtic, but losing 2-0 at Ibrox. But then, something special happened. Goodwin abandoned his three-man defence, went four at the back, and the Saints went marching on. They won four out of five in the league, six out of seven in all competitions - including beating Aberdeen - and were just a point off fourth place and into the Scottish Cup quarter-final when the Dons came calling for Goodwin. So aye, don't panic. Goodwin will sort this, go on a wee run, and then someone will be along to pay us a load of compo to take him.

You're saying the tactics were fine before the red card. From what I saw, Aberdeen were struggling to get the ball to the front two, and when St Mirren stopped sitting off and came at us they caused problems. Aberdeen getting "joy" for large spells of that second half were St Mirren again deciding to sit back and let Aberdeen have the space. And what I want to see is major changes for Wednesday. At least Stewart can't play, but Roos & Miovski have to be dropped.

- Started with essentially the same line-up and formation as usual. - Kept playing an injured Duk until half-time. - His half-time have done nothing. He doesn't have a clue how to turn this around. He's hoping for some individual brilliance or a set-piece to bail him out.

Aye they fixed it before the penalty, unfortunately (although, still don't agree it's a pen). Jack Mackenzie on for Duk. Ryan Duncan on for Leighton Clarkson.

IMG_3057.MOV IMG_3058.MOV

Apparently VAR might not actually be working properly (problem at the main hub), so the ref couldn't check it, which may explain why he gave a penalty, changed to a free-kick, then went back to a penalty. Let's look on the bright side guys, it's Christmas. We won't see Anthony Stewart for the rest of 2022.

By the way, no Besuijen in the squad. Believe he's not actually in the country at the moment.

After advertising St Mirren TV (I actually know the Saints commentator so currently enjoying the pain in his voice), my laptop decided to be a dick so I missed the first 11 minutes and the goal.

If plan A doesn't work - stick with plan A and hope it does work. edit: St Mirren showing the game on PPV for anyone that doesn't know - wasn't promoted very well. £14.99 a bit steep mind you. https://ppv.stmirren.com

Currently a vacancy to manage the women 's team...

If we had played well for 90 minutes and just let it slip in time added on, I'd agree with you, but that wasn't the case. People forget we could, and probably should, have been 2-0 down after 15 minutes. We've basically sucker punched them with goals either side of half-time. Our only two shots on target the whole game. We gave them the ball after that and invited them to attack us for the last half an hour, a carbon copy of our tactics v Celtic. Connor Goldson, countless times, was allowed the stroll from his own half into the final third unchallenged. We had just over 30% possession in a home game, not much more than the 19% against Celtic. The players aren't blameless, but Goodwin absolutely did not "get his tactics spot on".

Can't be any worse than Stewart

Let's be honest, we're in a two-way fight with Hearts for third place. Should be treating it like a title fight considering the potential to get guaranteed group stage European football. Lose to St Mirren and we could be two points behind Hearts having also played a game more. That would be the early season advantage when they had injuries & European games thrown away. Lewis McCrorie Milne Mackenzie Coulson Barron Ramadani Clarkson Besuijen Hayes Duk Cat among the pigeons.

If you're going to criticise the players' bottle, then you criticise Goodwin as well. He basically drilled into them on Saturday that we had no chance of winning the game. We were time wasting in the first half in that one, made no effort to try and win it. Three days later the players aren't suddenly going to shift and believe they are good enough to beat one of the Old Firm. We were more progressive last night - they had to be - but the players going into their shell and retreating to their own box is the mentality in the team just now. The distinct lack of leaders in the team is down to Goodwin too. He got rid of Brown, rid of Considine, his treatment of Ramirez is unwarranted. He's created a young team who won't answer back to him. So you think Goodwin got his tactics correct last night?

I take that personally.

I've had a few beers. Will probably reply to myself in an hour and accuse myself of talking shite. I said to my mates at half-time "if we take Stewart & Richardson off and replace them with actual footballers we might win this". Of course they were liable for all three goals. Ramadani, Barron, Clarkson. For every good thing they'll do, they'll repay it with something poor. All three have great potential though, I tend to think a good manager/coaches would take them up a level. I don't think we have either of those at the club. Duk & Coulson kept us in the game tonight. McCrorie was the only defender who could actually defend. But again he's wasted back there. I'll defend Watkins though, who is getting a lot of stick I see on Twitter. Thought he looked rusty, but got himself involved far more than Miovski did, won free-kicks, and I'd start him at St Mirren. But we were so deep he was essentially deployed as a central midfielder. Goodwin. I'm fast losing faith in him.

Have a ticket but dunno if I can be bothered going up after Saturday's no-show. Will see how I feel tomorrow. Roos McCrorie Stewart Scales McKenzie Coulson Barron Ramadani Clarkson Hayes Duk That's how I'd line up.

Granted, he improved defensively in the second half, but in the first he was a real weak point and Jota had his number, and should have scored at least twice. Going forward he was terrible. But then McCrorie essentially plays as a DM, which we've tried numerous times before and he has little impact on the game. He's a good player going forward. Right wing back suits him as he can get forward, but also push into midfield when needed and he can generally match wingers for pace defensively. He's too good a player to be spending the game sitting deep.

Think the midfield three of Clarkson-Ramadani-Barron is fine. All three have their deficiencies but if they didn't they wouldn't be at Aberdeen. Considering they were asked to play deep v Celtic, I'd say defensively they - for the most part - did their jobs. If we're going to play 3-5-2 then the back three and the two wing backs are key. A CB is a must. Stewart needs replaced (and Hayes should be made captain like he should have been in summer). McCrorie for me should be given a chance at RWB. I don't think McCrorie enjoys it in defence. I think he wants to take the ball and go forward, that's his game. Three different Aberdeen managers now have played him either as a defender or a defensive midfielder, and he spends the afternoon making clearances. What a waste of a talented player.

Goodwin, not for the first time, showing that he doesn't know how to change a game plan that isn't working. Every Roos goal kick went to a Celtic player, which allowed them to keep coming forward. To have 19% possession at home is shocking. In the first half we at least looked through Coulson and Duk we could get at them. But on the other wing Kennedy and Miovski were poor. But we didn't change anything until Miovski got injured. -- For Tuesday, I'd keep McKenzie at LCB. How about moving Scales to the centre where he's more commanding than Stewart, and move Stewart to RCB so that McCrorie can replace Kennedy at RWB? Drop Miovski, play Hayes off Duk. And let's not launch every goal kick at the opposition defence this time.