Early start for a massive game, at least from our point of view.

We have to basically get a better result than Morton, if not by result we need a margin one better, to force a dead heat and two better for safety.

I'd say this means we have to really go for it, pick as tight a defence as we can and a strikeforce which can get goals.

McGregor missing is a big worry, the options are Campbell, Smith, M.McGowan or even Masterton: I'd say the best bet is Masty at centre-half after he played the role well at Palmerston last season; he's capable unlike Campbell and Smith and is in better form than Mikey who seems to have lost it (hopefully temporarily)


My preference of starters:

As I said, I fancy you to stay up. You could argue that since Stirling have nothing to play for they might want to go out in a blaze of glory but I have a feeling they will just be fielding youngsters in preparation for the new season. I can't see Morton winning at Partick (although I hope they do) so you will stay up.

2-0 win to Clyde.

No chance. Stirling will be fair to both sides involved and I'd imagine we'll play as strong a team as is possible. With Clyde nervous I fancy us to win and Morton to stay up

Stirling to win.

Pivotal game obviously.

I for one do not think Stirling will lie down to us. Even if they were to field youngsters, what of it? I refer you to Scotland's penultimate Euro qualifier game Vs. Georgia in Tbilisi. Factoring in pressure, injuries & suspensions I can only conclude that it's going to be a very difficult game for us.

Who knows what will happen.

My side would be;

Hutton (GK); M.McGowan (LB), Higgins (CB), Bestvina (CB), Gibson (RB); Ruari McLennan (CM), Wilson (CM), Albertz' (CM), MacKay (L/RM), Clarke (F-RLC); McSwegan (FC).

Maybe wouldn't start Albertz don't know. Clutching at straws a wee bit.

If we dont win by at least a couple we are absolute shite.

I should have said "players who are contracted for next season" instead of youngsters, sorry. I meant more as a prepartion for next season rather than giving the big players an early holiday

Stirling will do Morton a favour next week, and with us staying up it means Stirling will return to the 1st division as 2nd division Champions the following season.

Right Stirling. I bought £2 worth of raffle tickets to help your team buy a pie oven. The very least you can do in return is get a result against Clyde.

we'll field as strong a team as we can. All out best youngsters are playing for Scotland at Wembley so that wont happen, although i understand the guys who are staying and going will be known by then, so that may involve a few being left out. If im honest i hope we do Morton a favour. Never been a great fan of them, until i met a lot of good guys this season, their fans have annoyed me, but in reality Morton in div 2 would prob be a tougher proposition than Morton with a manger who seems to have half a clue. Be nice to finish the season with a decent showing, playing Saints on Wed may be a better bet for a result, but will leave is knackered for Saturday

We'd struggle to field a team if that was the case.

We were comfortably better than Clyde in our last 2 games against them and we only managed to win one of those games. We're shite at the back and it takes us about 10 chances to score 1 goal. Stirling to be the better team but Clyde will win.

We haven't played well against you, but we should be able to beat you - that 13 point gap didn't come from nowhere.

aye right - a big worry that we might end the game with 11 players not having given away a penalty.

It's really that we have 8 defenders, 1 is injured, 1 is suspended, 1 is in pish form and might be injured anyway and another is Iain Campbell, who isn't really a footballer.

That's why its a worry - especially when playing 451 and possibly only having 3 defenders worth mentioning.

Good to here,the albion might be short of four players,because they've asked to leave,still 2-1 to the albion.

Think this depends how Clyde react to the pressure. We'll probably play okay and try to pass the ball about without posing much of a threat upfront.

If Clyde get in our faces, and aren't too nervous, would expect them to win by a couple.

Would also expect either Clyde or Morton to be good enough to win the playoffs.

Stuff all this 451 rubbish, we need to play 343 and go for it:

Hutton
Bestvina McGowan Higgins
MacKay Wilson Masterton McLennan
Arbuckle McSwegan Clarke

We need guys with pace and energy, hence no Albertz/Billy Gibson. McLennan at left midfield isn't ideal but he's a better option out there than Bradley. Make sure Smith and McCusker are on the bench incase we need to play the long ball and chase goals late in the game.

I would also go for a 343, although IMO Billy Gibson would be much comfier at centre-back than Mikey McGowan would. My team would be,



Subs: Cherrie, Campbell , Wilson, Bradley, Arbuckle.

2-0 Clyde.

Hutton
Bestvina Smith Higgins
McKay Wilson Albertz MacLennan
Arbuckle McSwegan Clarke

subs: B Gibson, McCusker, D McGowan, Bradley, Cherrie

Could also change to a 352 with Arbuckle dropping back to the left

3-0 Clyde

Mon the Stirling...

...........................Hutton
...........Gibson........Masty......Higgy
Mikey...................Albertz....................Taz
.........MacLennan...............McKay
.........Arbuckle...............................
...........................................Clarke

(Bold means players can switch positions with each other)

Subs

Cherrie
Smith
Wilson
Div McGowan
McSwegan


OR

..................................Hutton
.............B.Gibson.........Masty.....Higgy
........Taz.......MacLennan.....Marvyn....Div McKay
...............................McSwegan
........................Arbuckle........Clarke

(Bold means players can switch positions with eachother)

Subs

Cherrie
Bestvina
Albertz
Mikey
McCusker

I don't think you're 1st one is balabced enough Squiggle,wed get caught out in the middle of the park.
Most people here are saying a 4-5-1/4-3-3. Either way you've only got one man through the middle which isn't enough and 2 wingers who might get isolated. We need 2 right up the park and one at either side who can cause damage

Thus I would play a 4-4-2

Hutton

M.McGowan
Bestvina
Masterton
Higgins

MacLennan
Wilson
Albertz
McKay

Arbuckle
Clarke

Subs
Cherrie
J.Gibson
McSwegan
D.McGowan
B.Gibson

That's the one thing I'll miss about Div One...the Clyde fans unique obsession with line ups and formations...great stuff

Ach, Stirling could alway drag them down with them.

I reckon Stirling could nick a point here. 1-1.

Whether that keeps Clyde up or not is a very difficult question - I'm not too sure at all how the game at Firhill will go.

I thought Partick hated Clyde therefore I'd expect the Thistle players not to try a leg and the home fans to be cheering on Morton

We've not got the luxury of having a squad which near enough picks itself (Starting XI), such has been the way of things this season. Believe you me selection & formation is a big headache every week. Empathy for Brown in that respect, his job certainly isn't an easy one.

I see people calling for 3-4-3? The only qualm I would have with that is the midfield, we're talking about presumably two men in the middle of the park. Any which way you look at it, Stirling are going to be able to waltz through us there. Very much in the same way they did at Broadwood not too long ago. (Midfield imbalance, there's another scourge of our season!)

Don't get me wrong I think it could work but I think we would really have to get an early goal, or possibly two in order to really start doing further damage. No doubt a 343 would see us score, but how many would we concede?

I personally wouldn't deviate all that much from the system we've been playing with in recent weeks. It was good enough to put three by Livingston sure. Albeit they scored 2, one particularly fortuitous though! It's not a 451 either, before someone retorts, without the ball we form a 451 but in possession there are ordinarily two or three men fronting our attacks. It's a dynamic arrangement, I'll say that, but it has shown more promise that any other arrangement we've opted for in recent times. Livingston & Dunfermline (contentious penalty) had a lot of positives I feel.

Given the comfortable nature of their win at Broadwood this season, I'd say it would be a cert that Stirling would play a 451 again. If so, I wouldn't fancy our chances if we match up with our own 451 (or 433) against that.

We need to go 3-4-3. No doubt about

Hutton
McGowan Betvina Gibson
McGowan Albertz McLennan McKay
Arbuckle McSwegan Clarke


We do need fast players on the pitch, but we really need experience and someone to control the midfield, hence why I have Albertz in there. Plus we all know what he's like from Set Pieces!

The 343 is a good suggestion, risky, but it could save us in the end, (personally I'd have a front two with someone playing just behind them, dropping back into a midfield 5 if need be, avoiding the situation SP was talking about), while I wouldn't be uncomfortable with either line up I'd rather keep Arbuckle and McCusker away, turning into this.



edited as I realised that having a non-English speaker in the middle of the back 3 may not be the best idea.

We might still experience it in Division Two next season

Free entry to under 12's with an adult for this game.

id agree with ur team, maybe swap masty for albertz and the bit about McLennan, i dont however think we should go completely gung ho but just be really attacking and take ours chances (dont let the head go down and fight till the end)- dont think we should include smith again ever , resulting in high balls just wastes possesion, we have no one to run onto the headers- keep the ball on the deck and get as much shots on goal as possible.

just praying clyde win

agreed, that looks our best team attacking team, lets just go for it!

Two Michael McGowans!

Change the centre-back McGowan with Higgins and I think that's the team that will fit the bill.

That would be better than what he's suggesting

Obviously a mistake, at least i hope it is a mistake, i hope you are not suggesting we play Div McGowan. Swap one of your Michael McGowan with Chris Higgins and that is about as good as we have got if we are trying to go for goals, lets just hope the players have the right attitude going into the game and realise how important this game.
On the bench, i would have McCusker as another possible striker to bring on

would it even be worth starking McCusker starting at the weekend just to give the guy a chance, maybe starting over arbuckle or mcswegan, ( the two have hardly been on fire recently have they?)

I would have McCusker over Arbuckle personally. I wouldn't drop McSwegan however, I think that would be a pretty ill-informed decision, all things considered.

His performances Vs. Livingston & Stirling are evidence enough for me - must start. Links & holds the play up superbly well, allows us to stretch teams out & overload. Offers a lot. Objectively speaking, two assists in four starts is pretty convincing also. We need goals, he makes them.

Should we opt for the 343; Clarke, McCusker & McSwegan up top would be my preference.

Well John Brown if ur listening thats ur team for saturday m8

I sincerely hope Arbuckle does not start.

The guy has been stealing a wage for the past 3 seasons and this vital game is no place for a player with an attitude such as his.

Give Div McKay a start, hes lightning quick and has something to prove.

Albertz has to play if hes fit as we need his steadying influence and experience. He also wants to win, he didnt come out of retirement to get relegated and hopefully he can pass that on to the other players.

I hope we get a decent turnout for this match, someone mentioned under 12s get in free with an adult. Is this being advertised anywhere in Cumbernauld?

firstly thats a tad harsh about arbuckle, the guy does try hard, the service he has this season has been nothing short of crap
secondly div mckay has done very little to merit a first team place, he has good pace yes, but hasent shown enough for me

there was an advert in the cumbernauld news about the under 12's

Agree about Arbuckle, he doesn't come across as hard working does he? Particularly last week Vs. Accies'

I presume the club will have contacted the Cumbernauld news about this offer (U12's), ordinarily they do.

I feel it in my bones that Stirling will do us a favour in this one, coincedentally with ex-Ton man Chris Aitken scoring the vital goal.

2-1 to Stiring.

Steve

Service to Gary may have been poor, but I don't think his general demeanour on the pitch endears himself to the supporters does it? My only gripe with him is lack of urgency when it comes to getting back onside. He doesn't exert a terrific amount of energy chasing defenders either sometimes - frustrating. Last week I'll give him that even the most committed & energetic of centre forwards would have become slightly wound up with chasing the ball, taking into account the way Accies' moved the ball around. I don't dislike Gary as such, I just wouldn't start him on Saturday. (Any which way you look at it by the way, five goals for a guy ordinarily leading the line isn't fantastic is it?)

MacKay's another one that I think has to start. On the contrary, Bully-Wee, I think he's done more than enough to deserve a jersey. Two good assists Vs. Livingston (McLennan) & Vs. Dunfermline (Clarke). He's got real pace and I think that's a quality you can't have enough of when you're looking to create & score goals surely?

How about ex Clyde man Chris Aitken controversially missing a last minute penalty that saves Clyde from the play-offs.

A conspiracy for eveyone haha!

At least there's no meaningless games. Hope you go down, but regardless of the results this Saturday its been quite exciting!

Steve

Don't talk pish you

Why would you want McCusker on from the start when he's very inexperienced and has only had about 5 minutes of action since he joined? He should be kept on the bench and only brought on if we need to start firing long balls up the park near the end.

Which we probably will.

Early start?

In other words not 3pm?

I have started a thread on that already saying thistle will lie down to morton