LA-Don

I'd start GMS, he looked lively for a half last week and with a week of training he'll be fine - he did a preseason with Celtic so is fit. I'd also start Stewart who also looked good so those two would be my width. I'd love to see Christie in the central role - looked great last week and giving him the freedom to roam would be a good thing. Tansey and Shinnie in the deeper midfield positions with McLean on the bench. I'd argue all have a greater attacking/scoring threat than McLean and we need at least one goal, plus Christie, Tansey, and Shinnie have greater bite and that's needed. Won't happen though.

I said this yesterday, exposed big time in the spaces ahead of the fullbacks. Think this is a big fitness issue as well as understanding their role - Stewart and Wright aren't fit, I'll give GMS the benefit of the doubt having never practiced with us (plus he's not fully match fit). Christie had a very good game but I don't recall him defending. Hayes and McGinn knew their roles and were very fit. Rethinking my line up for next week. I'd be really tempted to put Shinnie at left mid - he'll get back and has the engine to push forward - and have a central 3 of Tansey, Christie, and McLean. As much as Kenny didn't play particularly well yesterday I'm a realist and he's not getting dropped.

Lots of third round talk but next week will be a real struggle. They looked so much sharper than us, fitter, much better passing and connecting, and missed chances in a game they arguably should have won. Thought they were the better team away from home and we go to their place, travel, and play in an oven. Ugggg. Can we do enough in training in a week to fix this??

Can you explain what makes you say Rooney and Maynard are totally different? And how do you know Maynard is great, but not alone?

I'd agree with almost all of this. Hopefully we get Moult - first impression is that Maynard is another Rooney, so why?? Didn't think McLean was particularly good, weakest of our midfielders today, plus Tansey can pass a ball which is pretty much the majority of compliments KM gets so not overly sure what he gives us to merit a start. My central 3 next week would be Tansey and Shinnie with Christie ahead of them, and width coming from GMS and Wright/Stewart. Don't see Maynard starting for fitness reasons.

I thought they looked good but that could be down to the fact that they are further into preseason than us. Having played the first qualifying round they've already had two competitive games. We definitely looked disjointed at times plus gave them too much time and space on the ball. Thought Christie looked good although I see him more in the #10 role than a winger. Tansey looks to be playing Jack's role and I thought he played quite well, pretty simple and confident with the ball but with a bit more forward drive than Jack. GMS looked lively, as did Stewart, but I expect us to play better over time with improved fitness and chemistry. We've not had that issue over the last 3 years with the same players each year so advancing from this stage will be tough. We did look vulnerable from wide areas and that's where most of their attacking play/chances and goal came from. We got exposed in the space ahead of our fullbacks where the wide mids need to track back and both Hayes and McGinn learned to do that over time, Christie, GMS need to do the same if we're playing with the same tactics. Hate to say it but I didn't see much from Rooney. Maynard didn't look any different to Rooney in terms of movement and what he has to offer.

Read somewhere the fee was 150k but that sounds low. Plus DM said the Hayes money helped with new deals for Shay and Joe. So, I think you can say it was Hayes for GMS, Christie, better deals for Lewis and Logan, plus extra money in the bank. I'm good with this! Hopefully we use the remaining funds for a quality defender.

Much like Greg Stewart, GMS has talent. I do think McInnes and Docherty get the best out of players and I see both doing well, pretty pleasing couple of days with the Shay announcement too. As I said on Facebook, based on the bullshit rumors, jay spearing and Michael hector would complete our summer business nicely! Not happening I know, the welsh defender sounds intriguing. As for a 2 year deal, pretty sure that's what Shay (after the loan) and Joe started on. Have some faith!

Mackay-Steven! Welcome aboard, see this going the way McGinn did. Left Celtic and success here!

I'd agree with this, and I think our priority should be the defensive midfield position. We've lost Robson, Flood, then Jack, and I don't think Storie is considered the solution. We don't really have any heavy lifters in the middle of the park - don't see O'Connor good enough in there, don't see Tansey as a holding mid, McLean is awful in this role, and Shinnie is not a holding mid......plus I think we need Shinnie's attacking play and left peg given the players we've lost! Jay Spearing rumors were floating around and I think he'd be a good fit but I don't see us affording him, but this to me is a huge position we need to fill. A strong player here protects the back 4 and helps the central defenders - we've been weak in there too over the last year or so and that, to me, is in part due to a weak holding mid. And yes, I'd take O'Halloran in a heart beat. Fell out of favor at Rangers (like McGinn did at Celtic to an extent) so would come with a point to prove. We saw at St J that he can play. For width we're relying on getting an aging 34 year old who is not fit and can't pass a medical, Scott Wright who has played one good game, Miles Storey who has been linked with a move away, and Greg Stewart who I honestly don't know what his best position is. I'd say we could afford O'Halloran and would like to think he'd take a cut in wages to get playing and get his career back on track.....plus European football!

I'd say Maynard is at best our third choice striker behind Rooney and Stockley, assuming Stewart and Storey (if he says) will be deployed wide. We needed depth in place for the euro deadline and we have him for a year or less until we sign a better option, like a May or Moult. I'd also say the offer for Moult is kinda like the Tansey offer from a year or so ago, stating we clearly want him and maybe in 6 months he signs a pre-contract? Maynard is out of contract now and it's a 1 year deal, have to assume he's cheap. If he ends up better than expected then bonus. Didn't want us to spend a lot on another main striker. Rooney has his flaws but he scores goals and I like Stockley as an alternative option. I'd rather we spent our money on more pressing issues, a winger, a central holding mid, and a central defender.

I'd say the good news is that it's July 7 and we still haven't signed free agent Josh Meekings! We're in a tough spot - if we target better players they're in more demand and can make more money elsewhere so it will take time. Or we go down the Ash Taylor, Wes Burns route of unknown English lower league players. I really want Stevie May, got a hunch he'll turn out well in the right situation, but we still need Preston to accept a bid and let him go regardless of what we or May want. No harm in waiting for him when Rooney and Stockley will still do an acceptable job. Likewise with Maloney, we still have Christie, Wright, and Stewart who are solid players there. Even in central defense we've got Reynolds and O'Connor so while I want multiple quality signings made yesterday we've got time, have a decent 11, and unfortunately have to be patient. The farce is European football at this time which doesn't suit the transfer window. The flip side is we blow our wad on endless foreign unknowns who'll jump at the chance of joining us and have no immediate team chemistry and get pumped in Europe!

I think the situation at Rangers is fascinating. Pedro has shown nothing to prove he's the right guy for the job. They fell away last season and he's signed a bunch of foreign unknowns. Look what happened when Hearts did that in January. I think it's a major risk with the type of foreigners he's signed - how will they like away to Ross County on a cold winters Tuesday night? Will they have the bottle for the SPL, it's a fighters league where strength of character is needed, especially at Rangers. Any if and when Pedro gets punted he's created quite a mess of a squad. Time will tell but I foresee a great season or drama and disappointment for the huns. Truly wonderful!

Team finished 4th in the Luxembourg league, had only scored one goal ever in Europe. But then again, this was the first time sevco were ever in Europe and they've only scored one too. Fucking brilliant!

Arnason would be a waste of money just like McNaughton. We have plenty of experienced players, and we have plenty of defensive back up. We need a commanding central defender and if Arnason was that he'd be with a team already. We also need an athletic powerful holding mid and that's not him either. Past it like Kev and not what we need at all.

I read somewhere that he got 5 goals and 3 assists in 51 games last season, could be wrong. If we are playing one forward (usually Rooney) then we have to get more production from the attacking mid, I'd say double figures in both. I'd be inclined to play Christie or Maloney (assuming he signs) in the attacking mid spot, but where does that leave McLean. He played his worst for us in the defensive midfield position since he's powder puff and it wasn't until we moved him back to the more advanced role when we left Shinnie permanently in midfield that KM found any sort of form. Totally agree with you though, I'm not concerned about losing Kenny, more concerned about who we sign to replace him/Jack. DM hasn't been stunning in the transfer market by any means.

McLean is no star man in my eyes and I'd even argue Tansey is more of a replacement for him than Jack. He's an attacking creative midfield players who doesn't score or get assists! That's two major flaws right there! I'd take money now than nothing in 12 months.

I'd assume good start to the preseason given St J are further ahead with their preseason. Keen to hear a match report and feedback on Tansey, Stewart, and the german boy.

Absolutely no reason to sign McNaughton, total waste of money. Harvie covers at left back as can Shinnie, we have Considine, O'Connor, and Reynolds in the middle plus a new signing who is better than Kev, and at right back I know we have a young boy, just cannot remember who, plus I think Storie played right back once. I'm a big fan of Kev from 10 years ago but he serves no purpose to the current squad.

Well, if we get Maloney and May I'll be very happy. However, I'm certainly hoping we address the major problems from last year. We definitely need at least one central defender (right sided) and a tough tackling holding mid. See Maloney, Stewart, and Scott Wright replacing McGinn and Hayes, but who replaces Taylor and Jack. DM said Tansey was not a replacement for Jack and I certainly hope we don't revert to McLean trying to sit deep. Good job with transfers so far, fingers crossed. Does anyone else care that we're linked with and signing Scottish players? I like that, much more preferred than lower league English unknowns or the Rangers route (and hearts in January) of foreign diddies. Think Sevco are taking a huge gamble there.

That's one think DM does quite well, he's a smart media guy who tends to say the right thing. Regardless of what TW thinks I wouldn't be saying that publically about my players.

Korea, China, MLS, there's money out there for McGinn if he wants it. All depends on career ambition and family. Money isn't the be all and end all or McGinn would have already signed somewhere.

I'd accept no less than 1.3m for McLean. While not quite the key player Hayes was he's younger with a greater upside.

750k for a kid?? Sure it's not 75k?

Here's one given the timing of the blue away top! Would you consider Michael O'Halleron or Andy Halliday given they've just been left out of Rangers euro squad and reportedly are being asked to train with the u20? Both creative wide players which we now badly need. Let the abuse begin!