lzreid

Bit disappointing to lose today and we should have had it won by the hour mark. The difference in quality, fitness and depth shone through though. An incredibly positive pre-season so far I reckon, draws with Champion's League(ish) opposition and the team that won our league by 400 points last season, a narrow defeat to another top six team today. The only disappointment was Hearts and since we did the comedy testimonial subs routine with neither team putting in a proper challenge, I'm not really fussed by that. Obviously, Tuesday against Alloa will destroy any confidence I have about the upcoming season but so far I'm looking forward to a quiet, comfortable season for the first time in about a decade.

I'm playing internet tonight from my bedroom in Dundee; No. 6 works hard but we really need a creative type in there. Anderson looks like the best player we've had in years, not as good as Messi obviously but that kind of player who can make things happen.

f**k knows but he's clearly no good enough. We need a passer in there! BOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Your self-portrait belies the handsome line.

I fear that this thread is getting off-topic so I'll say that I'm looking forward to playing the Rangers Newco in competitive football, they'll be a breath of fresh air I'm sure. In a couple of years that is of course, once they've worked their way back up to our level.

I've always rated Davidson - and been deeply irritated by him - so I'm disappointed he's away as I'd have liked him to stay another year or two. But, these things happen and I certainly wish him well. Though I'll be honest, if I think a wee bit of stick from the crowd will herald a red card he'll be getting it. As for the team, I'm not convinced it'll be a huge blow if he's adequately replaced. The team are clearly in need of shaking up and a bit of fresh blood in the middle of the park won't hurt.

Oh well. That's my evening ruined.

Faintly concerned that McGlynn's off on his holidays, Davidson is just back from his holidays and still no news.

Right, this seems like the right place to ask; Is the 'stay for a massively reduced wage and we'll let you leave for 25% of your market value in the summer; pish true? If it is, those footballers desperately need some better advisers.

Cheers man. You Pars boys are good c***s. A real shame it'll be Dundee in the SPL next year.

C'mon now, emails!!

Indeed. Scottish football has become a disgrace and an embarrassment to the world game. Clubs are engaging in multiple debt write offs by entering administration at will and refusing to accept even mild sanctions for their behaviour = and this is before you begin to even think about fans' long term problems with sectarianism. Throw in an incompetent governing body incapable of even applying it's own rules and you couldn't hold a grudge if they banned us from world football for a few years.

So, the SFA have left themselves looking like incompetent arseholes - again - and have left themselves with no option but to either expel or let them off. Well, I think we all know how that'll go.

Next season is shaping up well so far, the dead wood has been cut and the players who played such a huge part in keeping us up have mostly been retained. We do need a central midfielder (hopefully Davidson), a wide man, a striker and some loanees to pad it out but I'm optimistic.

Another good quality signing, with the right service Clarke will score goals and the quality of the other signings so far mean I'm not expecting last years rather tense finale. So far, I make it[ McGurn Thomson ----- Murray ------ Hill ----- Malone NO ONE Clarke---Graham Desperately in need of hardworking midfielders and a bit more pace. Both Walkers and Davidson would see to much of the weaknesses we have but I have no real faith in any of them being with us next year.

A fabulous bit of business and hugely encouraged by his - even if he is ginger. Lets be honest, it's no coincidence that his arrival preceded a massive turn around in our fortunes in the season past. McGlynn's teams play better with attacking full backs and they have done so Marco Pelosi / Craig Wilson in his first year and the dearth of that cost us seriously last year. Plus y'know I have a fondness for an attacking full back, so I'm sorted

Of course a huge part of my post was based on conjecture regarding the budget but I'm pretty confident in my analysis. My reckoning is that our centre halves for the season will be 2 from Hill, Ellis and Murray with no funds to bring in anyone else in that position. I'd rather have released one of them and attempted to bring in someone better in the air.

Ok, I'll go ahead and be the negative one; I'm not convinced by re-signing both Hill and Ellis. Last season we lacked a commanding centre half who could attack the ball at set pieces, That one flaw alone massively contributed to us fighting relegation until the last gasp of the season. We'd have been better signing one of them and using the funds from the other to try and get someone else in.

This is what I've been saying since it was announced. Given the restrictions in place, he's a good signing. I also rate him higher than I did Dyer so win/win.

I get bored easily

I'm feeling quite positive about next season. Which, given that we have no players, might be quite odd. It has been quite clear for the past 12 months that the team have stagnated. Good luck to all those looking or new clubs but a clear out was needed. Malone is a decent signing, never really lived up to his earlier promise of course but a capable 1st Division defender and frankly I see him as an improvement on Dyer. The three youths signed today have all shown that they can play at this level fleetingly and if we can get a few hours of decent play out of them, I'll be delighted.

No, he hasn't.

He does have a blind spot regarding certain players as all managers do and it has led him into making some bizarre choices. Davidson on Saturday being the most recent example of many. That said, the players he's been accused of having a blind spot for - Davidson, Walker and Simmons in particular - are players I tend to agree should play if fit. As such I tend not to think it's as big an issue as the Tadé / Wilson bit. Edit - prime example actually; people have been questioning why Walker hasn't been dropped or rested recently. both here and at the games. Much like the manager, I'm satisfied with the performances from Walker. He is a little out of form certainly but not massively so in my opinion.

I don't think anyone is just shrugging their shoulders and you have a few decent thoughts in there. My own persoal preference would be that we stop playing unfit players, Davo was unfit on Saturday and there's no escaping that. His selection was clearly a poor choice as soon as he got booked and there's no reason Thomson shouldn't play. I'd also play Baird a little deeper - he's been playing off the shoulder the last few matches actually and he's been offside so often it's a primary reason why our attacks have been breaking down. Less so on Saturday but against Partick it was chronic.

It is a rigid 4-4-2 undoubtedly and with none of the wide players being particularly quick it is also quite limiting. That said, what do we move to? Do we take a man out of the midfield and go back to a 4-3-3 when our 4 man midfield is already struggling? 4-5-1 would require sacrificing a striker when we're not exactly famous for socring loads with two up top. We need pace. Even shite, Derek Carcaryesque talent would help if he had pace. It ain't coming though.