St Johnstone - Dons - Sat

[manc_don]

Really still trying to get over the pain of last Sunday, I sure hope the team are doing a better job of it than I am.  A win is absolutely crucial, cannot afford to let the hunnery get much closer.  I've heard some folk say yes it's 9 points we're still going to get 2nd.  We better, but we've turned over that points difference before. It is all down to bottle now.  We have the team to do it, they just need to apply themselves and not fuck about for 5-10 mins like they did last week.  Get back to basics, play to our strengths and we will be fine.

 

Out

Out with the dog

Home, listening online if possible

Sisters flat for dinner

1-1, Consi

[BobbyBiscuit]

Hopefully last Sunday's travesty has re-focussed the team and that DM has been able to get some reaction from them. 

 

St J don't have a great home record this season and my biggest concern for this game is that we play into their hands by playing Stockley from the start and end up lumping the ball up to him at every opportunity - Anderson will relish that and snuff that out rather easily.

 

Taylor out, Considine beside O'Connor, Shinnie at left back and bring in Pawlett.

[donsdaft]

I don't think there's any problem with 2nd.

 

I accept that we could crumble but it has to be remembered that Sevco are absolutely shite and will drop heaps of points.

[RicoS321]

Think we'll go with the same team or three at the back for this one, depending on how they line up. Shinnie isn't going to left back, and nor should he on his current form. Give O'Connor and Taylor the chance to make amends as we'll undoubtedly need them both before the end of the season.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Think we'll go with the same team or three at the back for this one, depending on how they line up. Shinnie isn't going to left back, and nor should he on his current form. Give O'Connor and Taylor the chance to make amends as we'll undoubtedly need them both before the end of the season.

 

He should be if that's what the team needs.

[donsdaft]

To be fair, we all wanted him at left back but he's been outstanding in midfield.

 

So much so that it's now difficult to imagine our midfield without him.

 

If only he had a brother.

[BobbyBiscuit]

To be fair, we all wanted him at left back but he's been outstanding in midfield.

 

So much so that it's now difficult to imagine our midfield without him.

 

If only he had a brother.

 

Totally, I'm not disagreeing about how well he has played in there, but we're going to a difficult place on the back of a 3-0 doing at home where our defence was at fault for each goal.  Get a bit of balance to the backline and make sure our base is solid and build from there.

 

I know DM won't do it so it's neither here nor there I suppose but it's what I would do. Make sure we're as comfortable as possible at the back and the rest of the side will benefit.

[RicoS321]

He should be if that's what the team needs.

 

Absolutely. I don't think it is what the team needs though. The team needs him in midfield. It's about weighing up the risks. Given we've let in half the goals we did last season with Taylor playing most of our games, I think it's far riskier to take Shinnie out of midfield. I think when Reynolds returns, we then make the decision to drop Taylor over O'Connor.

[Madbadteacher]

Oot

Work

Sneaky online maybe

1-0 to St J

[manc_don]

I see Reynolds is back in the frame, would you risk him ahead of Taylor? Would allow AOC to move back into position and keep Consi and Shinnie where they are. 

[BigAl]

Out

Golf

Online or on the Guinness after the golf 

Sleeping it off, before getting second wind and going back out

2-1 (Rooney & McLean)

[Ten Caat]

Taylor hasn't signed new contract. As it looks very likely he is offski I'd be advocating playing O'Connor with Consi in central defence for the next 5 games and playing Hayes as wing back with Christie in midfield. ( If we can get 2nd wrapped up with 2 wins in the games against the fermers Id then bring in a young loon for a wee run.

 

With hopefully the Cup Final a week later, let Taylor and Peepaw have their swansong at Thistle ( both can come on as subs against the Dhims to let them say cheerio to the home support).

 

 

[tlg1903]

I really don't think this is the time to be shifting two of the most settled positions in the team.  I would love to see Shinnie at LB as much as anyone, hell I advocated his signing as a LB for long enough but DM is never going to break up the cm partnership that has served him so well this season.  Ultimately AC and GS made their respective positions their own quite a while ago and I would advocate keeping them there for now.  That said I'm sure AC would still prefer to be playing CB but I think it's pretty clear that Shinnie prefer's CM.  After Sunday I wouldn't be that surprised to see DM make a change to the cb pairing but if Reynolds does come back in it's probably going to be for AOC.  I don't think he will though, I think it will be the same starting line up as Sunday.  Regardless though we better be seeing a reaction after the trauma of Sunday.

 

 

[BobbyBiscuit]

 

 

With hopefully the Cup Final a week later, let Taylor and Peepaw have their swansong at Thistle ( both can come on as subs against the Dhims to let them say cheerio to the home support).

 

No offence Ten Caat but it's Ash Taylor for ffs sake, not Stuart Kennedy.  He's more likely to get rotten fruit chucked at him rather than applause.  He'd obviously mis-control the fruit and kick it over the main stand roof while pulling the shirt of the opposition striker....

 

I really don't think this is the time to be shifting two of the most settled positions in the team.  I would love to see Shinnie at LB as much as anyone, hell I advocated his signing as a LB for long enough but DM is never going to break up the cm partnership that has served him so well this season.  Ultimately AC and GS made their respective positions their own quite a while ago and I would advocate keeping them there for now.  That said I'm sure AC would still prefer to be playing CB but I think it's pretty clear that Shinnie prefer's CM.  After Sunday I wouldn't be that surprised to see DM make a change to the cb pairing but if Reynolds does come back in it's probably going to be for AOC.  I don't think he will though, I think it will be the same starting line up as Sunday.  Regardless though we better be seeing a reaction after the trauma of Sunday.

 

 

 

I think you're right about the fact that DM will go with the same team, but where Shinnie prefers is largely irrelevant in this at this point in the season.

Shinnie shows great hunger in midfield, he's really busy and we'd clearly miss that if he wasn't there. But, I actually think he offers more in an attacking sense from left back.  His attacking from there, the support of (generally) Jonny Hayes, the overlapping runs, taking defenders with him etc we just don't get with Consi there as much as he tries.

[Nips_and_Tatties]

I think O'Connor is a great player for us.

 

We dwell on the bad stuff of course and he has made a few errors (his awful pass from Taylor should've been blasted up the park) but other than that...

 

He's got a cool head, a great long ball passer as seen last Sunday and he generally reads the game well.

 

 

 

[manc_don]

He's got a cool head, a great long ball passer as seen last Sunday and he generally reads the game well.

 

I like O'Connor but I wouldn't say he's got a cool head in the big situations, you could see on a number of occasions in the final and on Sunday where he shat it. He didn't look calm at all, very nervy.

[Nips_and_Tatties]

I like O'Connor but I wouldn't say he's got a cool head in the big situations, you could see on a number of occasions in the final and on Sunday where he shat it. He didn't look calm at all, very nervy.

 

I hear ya Manc but I remember thinking on loads of occasions how well he played out of situations with a cool head.

 

If I could only make a 20 minute compilation on you tube to prove my point 

[Jute]

Need to win this to get confidence back up for semi final and keep a decent gap between the Tribute Act and ourselves. As much as I would like to see Taylor dropped suspect we will be unchanged again.

 

In

Train then straight to ground as taking Bairn to game

North Stand

Train back to Capital

0-0

 

Got a spare ticket to shift if anyone is thinking of going. - Sold.

 

[RicoS321]

One change. McGinn replaced by Christie. Interesting to see the formation. Think Christie has shown he isn't a wide player.

[manc_don]

One change. McGinn replaced by Christie. Interesting to see the formation. Think Christie has shown he isn't a wide player.

 

Agreed, intrigued to see how this works out. Strong enough team, need to get an early goal or two.

[Nips_and_Tatties]

3 niller for us.

 

Glad Christie in team.

 

Let's secure 2nd spot and get Wright and Ross in the team for remaining games.

 

Remember that one -two they played on the right wing weeks ago...fucking sublime.

 

It's time big Deeko.

 

Let's get these lads in the team before it's the end of the world.

 

 

 

[Ten Caat]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas Christie

 

Donsdaft wont be happy

 

[manc_don]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas Christie

 

Donsdaft wont be happy

 

 

Yassss

 

I thought that when I read he'd scored too 

[TheDeeDon]

Is McGinn injured? Seems weird he isn't in the squad.

 

Good to see us get the lead though and 79% possession. we are a good team,  but decent and we will nail second place. The guy Dodo fae the scum should have done Deeks team talk for him.

[Ten Caat]

yaaassssss 2-0 og