Velvet Donkey

Skilled, but lightweight and ultimately not ready for the Championship.

Raith obviously struggling at the moment, but that was impressive by Airdrie. Suffocating press and really organised and up for it.

I'd like to see him starting and getting more of a run. Not really many minutes to make a judgement, but my concern was the amount of time he needed to be considered playable. Clearly has talent but seems not up to full speed.

It's certainly a brutal injury list. You can't mitigate or plan for that very easily.

The argument seems fairly compelling to me. Are you dismissing the element of luck during the successful season?

The daytime air temperature in the current forecast is what I'm looking at. It hardly matters that it dips below zero in the night unless the pitch has been waterlogged and frozen for several days. The windchill is irrelevant (to a pitch). Saturday is high of 8 DegC and nightime low of 5 DegC. From Thursday on it looks fine, and plenty of sun. Things can change.

8 DegC, not a great deal of rain and doesn't get below zero all week, but yes you're right. most likely called off.

A lot of positives. Not least the potential of Cammy Bruce.

I think he meant he hopes it's the case that there is some control over the spend rather left to his own devices. I'm pretty happy with this appointment. There isn't really a manager in the Scottish game at this level that would come without some measure of failure and messages of impending doom from supporters of previous clubs, but to me it's as good as it's going to get. I see the contract (for what it means) runs to June 2026.

'Two poor teams', commented by a supporter of the losing side (despite the fact that it's normally true).

I always assume most of this stuff is speculation by the press. The same paper that had our new manager as Scott Brown is now announcing Callum Davidson. Gary Bowyer was also reported, but I'll wait before getting too excited. Would be happy with Davidson or Bowyer though. The Dom Thomas rumours wouldn't surprise me however, and if I were him I'd be thinking it's time to move on. I know he has always had an interest in youth development and coaching, and I can imagine that he was very impressed with what was said about the plans when he signed. Since then he has been given the captaincy and had to become the senior leader at the age of 27. here he is five years ago, albeit talking about youth development, but it wouldn't surprise me if he is disillusioned: “I have my own thoughts about why we’re not producing enough quality young players. “Coaching is the problem. We’re coaching kids too much and taking the enjoyment out of it. “We’re knocking the ability out of young players. It’s as if they’re coaching from a book. You have to do this and that. “There is no right or wrong in football for kids. You should 
just encourage them to express themselves. “If I get a kid in with natural ability, I just let them play. I tell them to go out on the pitch and do what they feel is right.

There's a lot of football still to be played. No team is cut adrift, and none of the bottom six are free from a relegation dogfight (if that's not obvious at this point in the season). However QP with a goal difference of -13 are easily the most unlikely to spontaneously find a seam of form. So yes, the next six weeks will reveal if there is any responsible stewardship at our club. I'm beginning to think that League 1 is maybe a target for the season. 2023 start to end feels very much like season 20123/14, but with less hope.

We have a winner of the Design a Milkshake competition.

I agree with your post, but the management team have assembled the toolbox. The quality and experience of the Raith bench compared to ours is quite important.

I couldn't be bothered saying anything, but this is a good post.

Good to see some challenging views here. It's true that it doesn't take much for emotions to change week to week, and we've seen that this team has natural talent. A few little signs of things being fixed and I think most here would get back on board with Veldman. For me it just seems too uncompromising though, and asking a lot of young developing players with no experienced heads around them, and a thin squad. 'Tactical ineptitude' brought us to within 90 minutes of winning the Championship last season. This season If we avoid a relegation dogfight somehow, we can hopefully make a dent next season with the aggressive, exciting, possession-based football we were promised, and with the next wave of YoungQP ready to come through. Having said that I did think last night was more positive, and I'm sure we will improve.

'Exactly where we want to be'

Certainly looks a very good signing, but a deal to the end of the season is kind of similar to a loan deal in terms of how it fits in with the longer term plan. Looks like a very good addition to the team while others develop, unless we can make him a good offer in June.

No, I don't think so. The quality of player for their stage of development is very good, and they already play slick football. I think the concern is more about whether the approach is too extreme to make it work. The reliance on a smallish squad with not much experience, and a very uncompromising game plan will result in rapid improvement, but we might not win many games until about February (if we don't pick up any injuries). So indirectly you could say it's underestimating of the league, but really is it more a lack of balance?

'Do you have any concerns about the depth of the squad?' 'No concerns at all'.

Yes, let's hope it somehow gets better, but I'm utterly unconvinced.

Away tie

Fair enough points. I did think it was necessary to get fresh legs on the park with ten men, and to counter the strong Raith subs, and it's always going to be a gamble. I don't really get the thinking behind Liam McLeish on, and the choice of Robson and Thomas off. Rather than it all being about the substitutions, I'm a bit more worried at the uncompromising lack of balance or alternatives in the approach: not seeing that a really high line wasn't working with the Raith attack, perhaps over-playing in attack and taking too many risks in the six yard box etc. But most of all a subs bench of promising youngsters at the expense of at least one or two experience players and game-changers. Having said that it looks likely we will achieve our objectives and get an important year of development in the Championship without getting relegated.

I don't disagree with this, but I think there's enough promise in Turner's game for development, and do think there is a place for Longridge. A harder one to resolve for me is Ben McPherson. He offers a lot in attack, but not really convinced he is the answer defensively. A bit disappointed in no activity before the deadline, but now I'm worried that Veldman believes the squad is complete.

Possibly by only a week?