Afro

Bizarre after a 4-1 defeat but didn’t think there was much in it today - Dundee took their chances, albeit which we laid on a plate for them, and we spurned ours. Our penalty record must be verging on some form of world record, I can’t recall any run of it’s kind elsewhere but it’s very much the fleck of sweetcorn on top of an enormous cake of shite for us right now. 4-2-3-1 has to be the way to go - looked infinitely more enjoyable to watch in large spells than we have since late summer. Go with that front four and give them a run and we’ll maybe have half a chance - provided something can be done at the back. McCowan the pick of those in Dark Blue for me today, caused us no end of hassle and his daft second yellow the only black mark on the day for him. Sums up the adequately competent type of player Dundee seem to have now throughout their squad which seems quite a departure from previously (disappointingly so for us tbf). Tuesday was enormous beforehand but it’s beyond that now - anything other than a win there and it’s away from us I reckon.

Regardless of Hibs’ current travails, that’s an excellent result. Sangare’s winner was a fucking ripper. Don’t think even the most ardent supporter would’ve had us to pick up more than a point from these opening three games, so be on four (with a relatively decent display at Ibrox chucked in there) is a great start.

Hope you stuck a few quid on this, well called. Pleasing win. Thought the missed chances in the first half would come back to bite us in the arse as per but kept ploughing on in the second half, and subs who came on kept things consistent. Guthrie and Nouble up top once the former is fully fit could be some laugh.

Our record against Hearts is absolutely dismal. The first half of Wednesday was horrific, so some form of reaction to that would be a decent starting point. Not expecting much all considered, so 2-0 to the visitors.

I fucking love Scott Pittman.

Fair to say this is the biggest game at Almondvale since we came back up? Pretty much do or die stuff in the 90 minutes, which is a bit of a novelty for us in the league over the past few years. Tough one to call lineup-wise, for as much as the likes of Forrest's and Omeonga's performance levels have dipped slightly in the last month or so, the alternatives either haven't set the heather alight recently (Bailley) or played at all (McMillan). We've also seen it before that when everyone does turn up and is at it, we've been at our best (Hibs away, Dundee away). Third game this season we've distributed out tickets to the community, and we've drawn 1-1 the previous encounters. Going to go for a Livingston win, but wins for Hibs and Ross County and us to lose out on GD.

County probably due a win against us, the three games to date this season have been probably the tightest we’ve played. Our win up there in October was as jammy as we’ve been, will happily take that again. 2-0 County but wouldn’t be shocked with something outrageous like a 4-4 playing out.

Would imagine McMillan will drop to RB in Devlin’s absence, with Pittman possibly coming into start in the midfield in that instance. Coming away with anything here would be a welcome boost heading into the break, we’ve been nothing short of fire at Fir Park since we came back up so not holding my breath.

Being linked with a loan move for Jamie Walker in the EEN, this morning. Do we need any more wide players? No, for me.

0-2.

Willy by name, willy by nature. Get it up ye.

Goes without saying, but this a massive game for us. First home match of the season against a team which, more than likely, will be in the bottom six along with ourselves, so the vast majority of the excuses wheeled out over the last two matches won’t wash. Expecting a big performance but I’m not so sure we will deliver one. Taking a bit of hope from the game earlier in the season where we should’ve really had the game wrapped up before we gifted St Mirren essentially an open goal to equalise, but wouldn’t say we’ve kicked on since then and the Maureens have come into a bit of form. 0-2.

Winning games like these against mid table sides last season gave us a good springboard to finish relatively comfortably, so hoping for more of the same off the back of this afternoon's result. Never doubt Shinnie as a false nine for a second. Another Martindale masterclass.

Either going to end up 1-0 to us, or 7/8-0 to Celtic. There is no in between.

Think we'll definitely be the happier of the two sides coming out with a point after that. Dundee had some great chances, fair shakes to Stryjek for continuing to look the part this season (Aberdeen howler aside). Save from Anderson in the first half and his claw off the line from the deflected Griffiths shot were both superb. Our style of play really needs to change though - actually felt for Bruce Anderson yesterday, ball constantly shelled up in his general direction for the 60 or so minutes he was on with not much else beyond that. Definitely a good player in there but we're not playing to his strengths, nor indeed those of anyone else in the team. The shift to 4-3-3 this season has our midfielders about 40 yards away from our forwards which is fucking hopeless, and dire to watch. The two aren't compatible and I'm a bit fearful that won't change any time soon. Reckon Dundee will be fine once Griffiths finds his shooting boots, and I imagine they'll comfortably stay up unless McPake continues with batshit tactical ploys like punting Cummings out wide instead of just pairing him up front with Griffiths.

Efe every second week would probably be preferable to the alternative at the mo. Which is saying something.

That’s big Efe signed for St Johnstone. Would’ve took him in a heartbeat.

I don’t have a good feeling about this game at all. Sincerely hoping this is the game it ‘clicks’ for us, but I’m hoping more than expecting that any time soon tbh. Tough run coming up for us, would be a bit of a blow to be going into a semi-decent run of fixtures in October with absolutely nothing on the board.

That Janey Godley video isn't real, surely. Surely? If that isn't part of the Black Mirror-esque alternative reality we're now in then f**k me.

Eh? Draw would’ve been a fair result given the chances we created in the first half and Aberdeen’s general dominance of the ball in the second, bit of a stretch to say we barely deserved to scrape a draw. If Scott Pittman could finish as well as he does mostly everything else on the pitch we’d have been home and hosed by half time. As for the pitch chat: Good grass pitch > good artificial pitch > pish grass pitch > pish artificial pitch. Thank you.

Should be 2 or 3 up, so naturally, Aberdeen will come back here.

If we’re sticking with the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 then there’s a definite argument that Shinnie, Forrest and even Sibbald are all in front of Mullin for the RW spot in Martindale’s book, based on the evidence so far. Given he didn’t make it on the trip to Spain, then caught Covid, he’s essentially had no pre-season, so would’ve been playing catch up anyway. I’m probably as miffed as most he’s away given he can’t conjure chances out of nothing with his delivery from the wing, and I’m sincerely hoping it’s close to the reasons above as opposed to a fall out or similar. We really need a centre half to come in shortly, and a quality one at that. Efe Ambrose was on a fair wage, hence why he left. Not sure he is the answer either tbh.

105 people have, rather incredibly, voted for Jack Fitzwater.

Feared we’d be at the end of a doing after the opening 5 minutes but settled down and were fairly comfortable until the last 15 or so. Thought we had a wee chance at 1-0 but Kabia going off absolutely knackered the minute hopes we had. On to next week, where we can properly judge the team from there.

A touch more optimistic after our win on Saturday (albeit against a side three divisions below us), but fearing a riding at Ibrox next Saturday could really hammer our confidence. Illness has obviously disrupted our pre-season to an extent but performances haven’t been great regardless - lack of options at centre back is really giving me the fear and if we have indeed concluded all our business, it could be a long few months until January. I’ve said the same since we came back up, but finishing 10th place would do me absolutely fine.