DrewDon

Would it really be wise to have Swinney, a man who is probably even more closely associated with Sturgeon than Yousaf was, as leader in the current climate?

Absolutely buzzing for the unilateral declaration of independence in a couple of minutes.

I definitely wouldn't be against this, especially given the scale of the rebuild Thelin will face. Hoilett is probably not one who can start every week, but he has shown a quality from set-pieces and wide areas that we have been missing virtually all season until his arrival - and most teams in this league simply don't have.

The creeping normalisation of using goal celebrations for a team talk, as exemplified by Arsenal against Spurs today. I think Celtic might have done it at Ibrox a few weeks ago, too. It most commonly seems to be away teams, and it is becoming a particular problem in derbies. Just run about a bit and get it up the home fans, IMO.

Losealot Postehasnaeaclue.

The analysis of the red card from McCann and Miller has convinced me to join the TaxPayers’ Alliance and campaign for the abolition of the licence fee.

I know it's not exactly uncommon for managers to make things up to defend their own players, but Kettlewell's assessment that Mackenzie goes "charging into" Vale is just nonsense. I have seen it back on Sportscene now and it is an even more obvious red card than it looked live.

Really looking forward to every rag Sunday newspaper running with 'Cometh the hour, cometh the Gartenmann' as the headline on our report tomorrow.

The first half had a feeling of a half-arsed, slightly aimless friendly, and this group of players definitely haven't earned the right to coast through significant periods of games like that. The second half was better, particularly after the red card. Our transitions were pretty effective, especially when Duk was involved, although we were sometimes guilty of not quite getting the final pass right. Some standard-issue nonsense in stoppage time from Devlin at one end of the park and then Sokler at the other, but we did deserve to win. I haven't seen the red card back, but it looked very high from the other side of the park. Barron looked a level above everybody else at times. Clarkson at least had the gumption to try things at 0-0, even if they didn't always come off for him. A nicely placed header from Gartenmann for the goal, along with another assist from Hoilett, who I thought benefited from the additional space after the red card.

Motherwell are one of the few teams we have a good record against this season, and the performance last week at least gives us a platform to build from for the remaining fixtures. Aberdeen 0-3 Motherwell.

That Gillian Mackay interview.

There is genuinely a decent chance that Brighton become the first team to finish in the top half of the Premier League despite losing all thirty-eight games.

It seems counterintuitive, but the bottom six fixtures - and the type of forwards he will come up against - will almost be a bigger challenge for Gartenmann than yesterday, despite being up against technically much poorer players. It is similar for Polvara in midfield. He did well enough in the first half yesterday, but fell away after half-time and we begun to get dominated. He will likely get another chance next week against Motherwell with Shinnie suspended, so I want to see him stepping up and influencing games against bottom six teams when we are likely to have a majority of the ball. Also to see how well he copes when he comes up against midfielders more likely to make the game a battle and who will relish the physical side of things.

Clattenburg should stand down tonight, distance himself from the statement and, most importantly of all, give his full focus to Gladiators.

I genuinely despise Manchester United Football Club. An appalling institution.

I genuinely think that penalty from Torp is one of the best I have ever seen.

Great to see him getting involved. I'm sure the blog will be a treat, regardless of who wins.

I think he was trying to pass it across the six-yard box to Hojlund rather than shooting himself.

I think it's harsh, and I don't think it would be given if the referee hadn't awarded it on the pitch, but I'm more than happy for it to stand.

That is probably fair. If you put him up against a Simon Murray or a Kyle Vassell type of centre-forward, you can tell he just isn't comfortable with the amount of physicality: he ends up either not engaging and taking up a deeper starting position, which in itself is a problem, or engaging, getting turned and beaten too often and then having to make up ground. If you have someone like Rubezic to partner him then you can alleviate that to an extent, but you can't escape it entirely as a centre-back in this league. Whilst I don't mind MacDonald and it was nice to see him get some redemption for his misjudgements at Celtic's first two goals, he doesn't quite offer that some degree of physical coverage, which is presumably why Robson seemed to settle on Rubezic and Gartenmann as his preferred pairing when he did eventually move to a back four.

The handball is borderline, I think - it would be given in Scotland, but I have seen enough in England to know that the bar for intervention is higher there (and I personally prefer that approach). The one with Reyna is undoubtedly one that, if it gets given on the pitch, the VAR isn't intervening; again, though, I have seen similar ones this season that have also not been reviewed most likely on the basis that the degree of contact from Young isn't severe enough. The most egregious of the three is the last one, I think.

Gartenmann was excellent yesterday. He kind of epitomises this team: he seems to have his best performances against better teams and in bigger games. When he plays like that, he is the best centre-back at the club by a country mile. I do wonder if he just doesn't like playing against really physical attackers, which is always going to a big problem for him in Scotland if he does sign permanently.

It's good to see Clattenburg earning his wages, at least.

All VAR and referee process chat aside, the challenge from Hoilett on Johnston is one of those that feels like it is given 50% of the time, and let go the other 50% of the time. Celtic fans claiming it is absolutely blatant are at it, but so are some of our fans I have seen claiming that it is 'never' a foul or the most scandalous decision ever. Carter-Vickers on Hoilett is a foul, but it's the sort of foul that seems to be becoming increasingly common, especially inside the penalty box, and I'm not sure I like it. Shades of Phillips/Gordon in the Newcastle v West Ham game a few weeks back, and no doubt numerous other examples.

In fairness, I think he gives it when he first blows the whistle - it looked like he's pointing at the spot rather than the six-yard box, but he is giving the free-kick.