RicoS321

Just back. We were decent tonight. Far better than them. Dominated them in midfield. Ferguson was excellent and Hedges movement was very good bit his final ball wasn't there (although they were very narrow, and nobody was really making the runs). From where I was, I wasn't convinced that the Hedges one was a pen, I thought he stuck his leg into the Hun, would like to see it again. Beyond that, Ramsay gets dragged way out of position, Kent puts in a good cross and defence and keeper are ball watching - really poor. Ramsay was poor in general and after he got booked, went missing. Ojo was honking and should have been hooked earlier. The game was crying out for McGinn rather than McLennan (or Jenks). We needed someone who can do something with the ball, and I don't believe he's lost that incisiveness. If we're not going to use him, then shift him on to Killie. Hayes was really good tonight, between him and Ferguson for motm. Good game, disappointing not to win. We're not going to be tanking teams this season, can see us winning by one on Saturday.

It's like a child who hasn't done their homework. I'm assuming Dave will be handing back the shares he gained from this monumental fuck up.

Signed by Atlanta? We've got sell ons apparently. That'll amount to a lot.

I mean, he's not really any worse than McLennan. Had a spell of 4-5 games at right wing back where he was okay. He really struggled under McInnes, like a lot of wide players did. He kept switching them about every ten minutes not giving them a chance to settle into one role. If Glass keeps his instructions simple, he could do alright. He's quite a fit lad, like Hayes in many respects, just needs to be less of a fanny.

Fuck knows what will happen with this one. I'm still not sure how good a team we are in comparison with everyone else in the league (nor the huns for that matter). It's been a strange season. I couldn't even tell you our best side. With Watkins missing, not sure who naturally slots in there (Jet too much of a liability against a decent team?). Is Considine back? Maybe a back three if so, which might afford us a Jet in the forward area. Fuck knows. I was really looking forward to fitba over the Christmas period, but since it was cancelled I don't have the same appetite for this particular fixture (I'll still go like!) at this time. Anyway, 3-0 the dons, Ferguson, McGinn and Considine.

Would you prefer your sugar daddy bankrolled us? What level of debt do you think we should run up? Can you define "ambition", and how you think signing a player - McGrath - who wouldn't get into Hun or Tim sides would fit into that? Thanks.

It was noticeable that he scored without having to move more than five yards.

Not sure the point in Devlin to be honest. Even at his best he was poor with the ball at his feet. Very much like Reynolds in that regard. I'd have thought Glass would have spotted that.

Taylor was always a bit of a liability on the plastic pitch though. Always seemed to misjudge the bounce more than most. Maybe playing on it every week will help.

McInnes rekindles a relationship....

Scott Burns reporting that Gurr might be on his way. No mention of the sizeable fee involved.

I'd have agreed last season when there were no fans in the ground. Hedges is the type of player that can easily go a whole game without producing anything of note (like all players in his role), and I wouldn't be surprised if the fans got on his back and accused him of not trying etc. I could well imagine a situation where he's more of a hindrance than a benefit. If we get the right offer then I'd deal and try and get McGrath in early (if we're even going to sign the lad). Big Dante will fill the hole left by Ferguson, Hedges and Ramsay.

The key is to get a pre-contract with the player. That'll force their hand a little. It'll likely be a very late in the window thing for any move in January.

It's fair enough. They forced him on us, they can clean it up.

Quite right. Would definitely have been between Christmas and New year, but like to think it'd be close. Especially after all the big signings.

Think it's Ryan Broom

Hopefully we'll manage to efficiently re-use a Matt Kennedy thread as he heads in the opposite direction (or in the sea, whatever).

Jesus, Dave getting drawn in by bloke on twitter. Mental. I don't mind Jenks, but I wouldn't care if he left either. He's one of these players that isn't good enough to consistently play in our first team and by the time he's up to speed we'll be sending him back with little to show for it.

I wasn't moaning about McInnes not looking beyond the British isles, and I suspect many quietly stopped after the Hernandez incident! I still think England will be our busiest market, but hopefully the new recruitment guy will have a bit more about him. I think this guy is the right type of signing though, rather than Gallagher or Gurr types. A punt, perhaps, but one with potential.

Too soon to start the McGrath thread?

We're safe to go now he's confirmed. Quite a risk to take with starting a new thread, but has worked out nicely. So a college league player? What would this be the equivalent of, signing-wise? Taking a punt on a second division youngster up here, or taking a youth teamer akin to Ferguson when he signed? Could he be the next mark Gallagher?

I refuse to acknowledge this separate thread until I see him with the red and white scarf aloft.

He was pish. Another in the list of dud loanees. Hopefully we have the scouting in place now to properly replace him. Otherwise, just do without a Samuels replacement until summer.

Well, nobody could accuse you of being Glass half empty.

Have to admit, I don't get the "comfortable with the ball at his feet" thing. Lewis is way better than Craig Gordon in that regard for example. He's absolutely fine at taking in and finding a player or just dealing with it under pressure. Like all keepers in our league, he struggles when given the ball in a tight situation with nobody to pass to. Like all keepers in this league, there's a period between November and March where the playing and pitch conditions make being "comfortable on the ball" completely irrelevant, as you're last man and doing the safe thing is far more important than any defence to attack super-play (#glassball). Lewis was absolutely fine with the ball at his feet throughout McInnes' tenure and it only really became a problem when Robson and Sheerin started the obvious tactic of playing out from the back without mixing it up, continued temporarily by Glass too. Attackers work it out pretty quickly. I don't think there's a better keeper in the league at one v ones as Lewis and after a spell of poor performances and subsequent dropping (good move by Glass it has to be said) has recaptured is all round play, coming solidly for crosses etc once again. I think those fundamentals of goalkeeping are the absolute priority (as shown by hearts/Gordon) in Scottish football. We'll lose far more goals by sacrificing all round goalie skills than we'll gain from a footballing keeper. Not to mention the number we'll lose by dicking about with it at the back. It's not like we've got amazing ball players all across the back line who are being let down by a goalie. As soon as Clarke gives it out to McRorie in a tight spot and he takes three touches and loses it we'll have to revert to just having an average keeper. Even Celtic and Rangers don't have ball playing goalies. McGregor is worse than Lewis in that regard, and Hart is fairly honking too. We can see the mess Rogers made of it trying to implement at the Tims whilst trying to replace Gordon. I could be wrong about Clarke's general ability, but I think he's more Langfield than Ward.