the_bully_wee

Let's not be silly now

Thomson will (rightly) take a lot of heat after today's result, but Ian McCall's job performance shouldn't be beyond criticism any longer. There were two players in that batshit starting line-up he picked that he hasn't been working with for months, one of whom had already played three games before today. We all knew from the outset that Dunachie was an awkward stop-gap at right back and yet, eight games on, here we remain, despite clear solutions having presented themselves. Perhaps Ray Grant needed a rest given his exertions since returning from such a lengthy layoff, but his omission for this, such a critical game, was bizarre in any case. Last week, the vast majority of our play consisted of trying to pelt the ball to Jordan Allan in behind as quickly as we possibly could and going by what some have said, that seemed to persist today. Nowhere near good enough given the sums invested in he, his staff and the root and stem surgery conducted on the squad. The fat lady is definitely crooning her way through the first few verses now.

Oh, we know. Every team in this division is capable of winning any game - apart from our losers.

Haha. Absolute garbage.

That's certainly a line-up!

If the pitch ain't looking too hot then I'd fire Scullion in for Leitch so we've got a bit more of a physical presence in the middle, but I agree that there's no way that Ballantyne shouldn't be starting for us.

Sounds like one that could go either way, but he looks a big lad which gives him an immediate headstart on Leighfield. The two fatal flaws in Parry's makeup are his distribution and athleticism, so you'd imagine a keeper with Kinnear's grounding to be much better in those respects.

There was a rather spurious rumour from a Morton fan a few days ago that MacDonald had left them just before the window ended, but it'd be pretty bizarre if that was true and they hadn't announced it by now. Parry did do quite well on Saturday but it is obviously still imperative that we upgrade in that position; he won't magically have improved from last season at his ripe old age. Still makes me laugh thinking about the fact he was released only to sign on again a couple of weeks later.

That's great news. While it won't exactly be the silver bullet, it was utter insanity from The Duffman to arrange it for Mondays and Wednesdays. Vintage dino antics.

Picture of Ballantyne with a scarf in training gear at Airdrie's stadium - so have we managed to change our training arrangements back to something more conventional than Mondays and Wednesdays at Stenny? If so, that's like a new signing in and of itself.

Ask and you shall receive. Cuddihy to right back now pls

Show me Jamie MacDonald (a rather wild hunch)

Since the first five league games - from which Stranraer took eleven points, and Clyde just two - we have outscored them by a point, albeit they have three wins to our two (having recently beaten Peterhead at home, in addition to Elgin and Bonnyrigg like ourselves). It really is do or die next week, and our horrible away form combined with Stranraer's passable home form obviously factors heavily against us, but if they continue along the path they're on then they're firmly in the shit here too. No doubt they've had it tough this season with injuries which seem to have eased up of late, but if we can perform how we did today - and crucially take our chances - then a win next week isn't completely beyond us, and that could make things very interesting. Hopefully plenty of fans can get down for it - was looking at trains myself earlier on but the ongoing situation with Ayr station makes that method of travel a bit of a farce.

Beat Stranraer twice (yes, I know!) and that's two points we need to make up over the course of the other dozen games. I think that is eminently doable, but of course it does require us to win next week which is a particularly fanciful idea at this moment in time. Aside from that, you're looking for a complete collapse from someone but unfortunately there's no team for which that looks remotely on the cards.

Peterhead corner swung in, came to around the edge of the box where there was a mess of bodies and someone took a tumble, ref pointed to the spot. Would have to see it again to get a proper look but it was a fairly innocuous situation, so if someone's clogged someone then it is absolutely unforgivable. Live scenes in the stands as the ref extended his arm out -

A word for Lee Hamilton today in amongst all the thirst for bleach. He's been absolutely terrific since arriving and was the very same again today. Almost dragged us to a clean sheet despite being flanked by varying degrees of dodginess.

20 (twenty) points dropped from winning positions now. Absolutely sickening!

No words. Only ourselves to blame. Game over unless we win next week I reckon.

Leighfield, Lyon, Leitch all dropped. I agree with one of those, anyway...

Sounds like after Tuesday's "heroics" we tried to scramble around and find a keeper to sign before the window shut, only to fail miserably. If only we had identified that Leighfield was garbage oh, I don't know, 6 months ago! Hopefully the loan window can throw something up.

Can he play in goals?

We've been at our best under McCall when we've played with two strikers so I'd like to see us return to that, not least because it brings out the best in Allan. It does throw up other issues like Kabia vs Scullion and where to play Leitch though. I'd probably give Scullion another wee run at right back and, if Cuddihy is injured, try Leitch alongside Grant.

Any public apology should be coming solely from Leighfield. That is an utterly indefensible blunder. The first goal, well-taken as it was, is clearly on Dunachie for an absolutely abysmal header (the second goal he's helped sell in three days) and Young doesn't defend his zone well enough for the initial header, but that's as regulation a catch as you'll ever get when you're a goalkeeper. The guy is absolute clown shoes.

Oh. My. God.