Between Queens and Dunfermline for me. Pars problem is that Campbell can only stay on loan until mid-December so they might be short of goals if Kirk is absent. Queens shouldn't have that problem and look strong from back to front. Hard to imagine guys like Arbuckle playing in the SPL but they do have enough options to go all the way. I just hope they really do have serious plans (and the finance) in place to meet the SPL criteria. It's fine and well building a squad capable of winning the league but I hope they haven't neglected that aspect of things.

Can see us matching last season's finish with Dundee, Thistle and Livi behind. County best of the bottom four and a lot of who goes down will come down to luck with injuries etc... Airdrie look hard to break down whilst Clyde have a goalscorer in Clarke. Morton need a win soon and can't afford to fall too far behind.

We only have Sives until December too and he's been outstanding in central defence since he arrived. We need to replace him in January to have any chance of winning the league.

Temporary seating to make Palmerston up to 6000 seats wont be a problem, logistically or financially.

Pretty much my thinking on things. If we were to have a strikeforce as good as Dunfermline's or QOTS we could have been close, but we don't, so we won't.

I think Queens might be top, with St Johnstone and Dunfermline fighting it out for 2nd. St Johnstone's poor start, and shoddy defence will let them down.

The team with the biggest points tally will go up

Why do you need to quote my post, to make this completely pointless statement, in your abhorrent colour of font?

It really is horrible, isnt it.

But,

What does it matter, for we should not be racist.

Peace.

Because i want to and because i can...........

We are thankfully beginning to show that we have got over that start. The defence is beginning to tighten up but with the injury proneness of our central defenders that could easily change again.

For us only to be only 4 points behind the leaders after what we have gone through reflexts more on the league than Saints. I think its a pretty poor bunch this year and no one is good enough to dominate and breakaway. I suspect we shall see a number of leaders between now and May.

However, I think the worst is behind us and, subject to a stable central defence, we have as much chance of winning the league as any other side. I think we can do it.

It's only natural for a defence to shore up, with Dan Smith out of it. Steven Anderson was awful at right back against us, so I assume Irvine's doing a better job there.

I think your attacking options might make up for your defensive frailties, but Queens have a strong core to their side. Has BMMMH started turning up yet?

Anyone of 7 teams can win this league its been that bad. Q.O.S are favorites for me if their management team dont jump ship in the 10 days which is very likely to happen unfortunetly for them

7 teams?Aye right.

We have put ourselves in a good position and i hope we can put a consistent run of results together to improve on our decent start.

Only Livi have impressed me this season but without Griffiths or Elliot they will struggle.

The team with the best strikeforce will win the league and with us having Kirk and Bayne we won't be far away.

Good point! Poor Ando. Best position is central defence but can fill in right/left back so of course suffers from that. Irvines been getting better but still suffers from the paradox of the modern day fullback...its only his defensive capabilities that let him down!

MMM is also getting better but has been out so long it will take him a while to get back to normal, if you can use that word to describe him! Hope he does but some wonder if he can.

Queens do have a strong core but, like most of the others, theres just something missing that stops them being that one step ahead of the rest, although it all seems to have been in place yesterday admittedly.

the league never lies and with only 8 points between 7 teams, anyone of the 7 teams will feel they can win it

I went for St Johnstone pre-season and I'm going to stick with that. If they can hit a run of form then on paper I can't see too many sides stopping them.
Still 81 points to play for - we can still win it yet.

You think Ross County can win the league?

there form of late suggests they can.

3 wins from 9 games in title winning form?

Why are you discounting Livingston? Dunfermline did not have to do much at all yesterday, but they looked far from league winners.

Yesterdays match was like a training session. Men against boys. Ask St Johnstone fans what we are like when get out of 2nd gear.

...and we can still finish bottom.

Sheffield Utd v Arsenal you mean?!

You didnt need to get out of first gear to stuff us unfortunately!

Oh no we're being tipped to win the league by some people...de ja vu all over again!

I don't think we'll win the league because our squad isn't big enough and it's inevitable that we will get a series of injuries and struggle. However if the board gives McIntyre some money to spend in January and we're still in with a shot of promotion, then i would believe he would strengthen the side well as all his summer buys have been very impressive and we would have a good chance of challenging for the title.

Queen of the South have been progressing well over the last few years and i think they've got a good chance of winning the league. Can't discount Livingston (even though they got pumped yesterday) as they've got the most money and will probably splash the cash in January again. Additionally St Johnstone had a poor start but seem to be bucking up their ideas now, so they're in with a decent shout too.

So to sum up it's between these four teams for me, but it's too difficult to predict who'll win the league right now considering it's so tight.

We have had few away games so far. Our best start to the campaign. I am not superstitious.






So I voted for the Pars!

I voted Dunfermline, but St Johnstone are also well placed. Despite yesterday, Livingston are also obviously in a good position and have been playing well apparently.

Us? Nah.

I'm not sure anyone will look like a league winner though. For me, Livingston have a severe lack of depth. They have two or three of the best players in the league but they are supplemented by youngsters who will prove inconsistent and I expect them to fall away a bit now.

Are you backing Livi?

the games just after the international break a re crucial

if saints beat livi in the next game we are right back up there, and it is a real possibility as Elliot is suspended and Griffiths cant ba match fit, also livi's goals are all coming from two players, where as to win the title you need a midfield to score as well as Hamilton did last season

i would love to think that Queens could stay top of the table but i don't think it's realistic
we are capable of winning the league but so are 3 or 4 other teams in the league.
as Tam said on the last page we haven't played away much yet, i'l hold my judgement till we've played these 3 away fixtures coming up.

Very fair post there...in saying that i hate it when people back us...it reminds me of last season

QoS have probably been the best we've played.

Lavvy weren't great against us and Dunfermline were shite.

Only Dunfermline fans were backing you last season

There's only 1 team gonna win the league this season, and that team is

Perth St.Johnstone........

Thats not bluster, thats just how I feel and what I believe..
After a truly shocking start we have got a bit of momentum going and team selection continuitty.
After the international break we might have Morris back( if he can get a game) and that will be
like a brand new player who's just signed.I am very confident.....

If McPake stays fit, I fancy us to win the title. Yes, I'm going to be the first one to say it. Yesterday was a severe demonstration of what happens with McPake out as MacDonald just isn't good enough to cover.

So yes, I'm going to be an optomist and say that McPake will stay fit for the season. Err.. I mean we will win the title. (St Johnstone to finish 2nd)

I had QotS pre-season and right now I'll stick with that. Dunfermline I think look strong, despite beating us I don't see Livi winning it, and St. Johnstone have had too much damage done early on IMO. Ourselves and Dundee are definitely not going to win it without investment in a couple of key areas. Morton are going to need to come up with the goods big time just to avoid the bottom spot. I really don't think Airdrie and Clyde are terrible teams either, so their work is definitely cut out.

Damage??????we're only 4 points of the top of the bloody league.Thats with our shit start.Watch and marvel my friend, watch and marvel

The question is though are you going to constantly have form like your current run? If you played this for the 4 quarters of the season 12 defeats would get you 2nd place at absolute best.

Whoever voted for Dundee is mad, mad I tell you.

I cant see anyone getting near the 76 points Hamilton got last year, If anyone matches Dundee's 69 points then I think they'll win it.

Four votes for us so far - some real wind up merchants on here.

Not me - I voted QoS. Must be some side to hold out for a point at Cappielow with only 10 men.

having seen most of the teams in the league (i missed the Partick, Livi and Morton games), i can only say it's wide open at this stage, no real front runner in my eyes. what i would say is that i'm happy with our progress and we've been very consistant. when not playing well, we've rolled our sleeves up and got stuck in managing to grind out what could be some really good results come the finish.

as has been hinted at, we will need some luck with injuries, we will suffer if come January, we fail to bring in a centre half as cover. our strikers have obviously been a big threat for us so far but we showed early on that we can play well with one up top so that's not a huge issue although obviously, more striking options would be handy.

Anybody who goes on a run can win this league. Only 9 points seperate 1st and 9th . 2 wins and you can move from 9th to 2nd. Hope it continues as this makes it even more exciting, rather than the predictable SPL 2 horse race.

Well iv chopped and changed since the season kicked off,originally i thought Dundee,then after a couple of games,Partick.Now although i hope Queens im worried about St Johnstone

My thoughts seem broadly in line with the poll so far.
I think the winners will come from Queens,Dunfermline or St Johnstone.I don't think Thistle,Dundee or Livingston have enough 'quality' squad depth.
Looking at attendances I doubt whether there will be a lot of changes to current squads in the window and the league will pretty well be fought with the existing squads.If there are significant squad changes these are more likely to be at the bottom end of the table on the basis that winning the league is desirable but relegation is a disaster.

Still quite open, despite QoS gubbing us they've still the same amount of points, which leads me to believe they'll drop points to other teams even if we can't beat them. St J's have moved back up but if we beat them they'll go 7 points behind us, it's as i said quite open, a couple of wins or loses either way can move teams all over the place, nobody is running away with it and Queens beating us has bunched everyone back up.

I picked QoS on my predicter pre season, i'll stick with that.

With Thistle, the issue isn't squad depth; it's strikeforce.

Dundee.fc to win the league. If not them then st.johnstone.

Rumour has it Ross Campbell is close to signing an extension to his loan deal at the Pars

We've still one or two players (Ross and Holmes) to come back and McIntyre is ok for 30 mins if required.

We'll be there or thereabouts at the end as we aren't losing a lot of goals in games

Also, what happened to Antone-Currier(spelling??) getting 20 goals for dundee this season

You really do look like the Pars of last season

Dunfermline I believe are in with a very good shout, they should their capabilities when they destroyed us at McD only a few weeks ago.

QOS, I just don't think they have the strength in depth to maintain there present form all season.

Livingston, once again, no strength in depth

Dundee, shambles, Rae will be sacked sooner than later. Mid table

Partick, I don't think they have the required quality to win the big games over the course of the season.

St Johnstone, If they will all 3 of theiir next games Livi (A), Partick (H) and Pars (A) then we are back in with a shout ! But the inconsistincies of previous seasons still nags at the back of my mind

So.....Dunfermline

Yep, 7 points behind with 26 games to go would defo rule us out



We are not at the stage where we need to win all these games, 1 win & 2 draws could actually be better than 2 wins and a defeat depending on who, if anyone, beats us.

How many seasons on the trot have you been saying that now?

Given that Queens lost and drew with us, they are clearly shite.

Best team is still Dundee, they are only 6 behind and will catch Queens by Xmas.

But I voted for Morton, as it's a really pointless poll.