Chinatoon Bairn

Miller will be starting soon enough I’d imagine, he hasn’t dropped down here to be used as next best option off the bench. He picked up an injury during pre-season so a possibility it’s just a matter of slowly picking up from that.

We were in for him but it was a matter of game time assurances.

Not sure if I'm ready for a 90 minute long Brad McKay RB performance just yet.

He's got something but at the same time I was probably equally surprised at the fact we offered him a new deal and he actually signed it.

Wasn't until I watched United/ViaPlay's footage this morning that I sussed out where Lawal actually was. About 4 steps in the other direction and that's before Lang has even received the ball. Rightly hooked at half time on Tuesday.

Honestly thought we had won a watch watching him during the first couple of months with us. There's that player in there somewhere, just need to find it again. He's giving me the fear more often than not at the moment, in and out of possession. Probably at it's worst when he's throwing himself into challenges after losing the ball, adamant we'll see a leg breaker if he continues with that before the end of the season.

Give it a second and they both come into view, we're a rare laugh at times. Just brings me back to the original point really.

Aye, there was times that the frustration was clear to see as well with Donaldson near enough throwing a fit on a good few occasions at the lack of options in front. We all know that possession of the ball is what McGlynn wants but in terms of ideas on how to keep possession of the ball/escape the press we don't seem to have anything clear on that front.

Can't remember exactly what goal it was and I can't find it in the highlights but the one that springs to mind for me is McGinn steaming (trundling) towards their backline on his own then Airdrie waltzing through the middle of the park. Think it was possibly the second.

United pressed us pretty well at moments. That was one of the noticeable differences between the two sides. Whenever we press it seems to be in an individual basis rather than a cohesive unit.

As I said, pick your moments. Use common sense. Far too many on here and other pages dismiss it immediately.

Problem also comes back to him not wanting to use his left foot, noticed it a few times throughout the match. It's not in the highlights but there was a moment where he plays it into McGinn with the outside of his right/toe before McGinn then plays a long ball in behind to Morrison during the first half. There's a reason left footed centre halves are so sought after. We've actually got one in Liam Henderson but after his stint at centre half last season I'm not so sure moving him back there would be our best option. Lang and himself as a pairing could be interesting though.

There's a reason he's spent the majority of the last few years out a job. Football has largely progressed beyond this/his style of play and is leaning towards control of being the primary method of defending your own box. I'm not saying that it should be blindly followed at all times, common sense should be used when to clear your lines but in the case of Lang on Saturday I think the root of the problem lies further up the park rather than with Lang himself. For me it was a sequence of events. Whether it be by instruction or his own doing McCann found himself near the half way line, he is just returning into the picture as the ball is played across our goal. This caused Oliver to shift over to cover/provide an option removing himself from the midfield and leaving us a bit squishy in the middle. Ideally you pop it to your extra man in midfield here then progress up the pitch but not to be in this case and we play ourselves into a corner in passing into Lang with all options excluding the keeper covered. I wasn't at the game on Saturday but from what I have read this is perhaps a position that Spencer had been picking up and a role he done fairly well in? Basically the whole gist of the post is why bother reducing the game to individual 50/50 battles in every occasion, whether that be on foot or an aerial battle both of which could leave us equally exposed when you could work on basic patterns of play to limit the chance of the above happening and while Lang is not exempt from blame, he is not the sole proprietor like some have suggested

We need to win by two goals or more. Bonus point would take either Spartans or Partick to 8 points and +1 goal difference. We're currently 5 points and 0 goal difference.

Hoping this is something that improves throughout the season as they all get more used to playing with one and other. MacIver was a highlight for me for this reason. Was very much in the meh category when he was announced but looking forward to seeing him develop now. Initial goals have helped.

The thing that most concerns me and has done for some time is that when we are chasing the game we still don't seem to have a coherent plan. It's very much just a case of players trying things individually before then moving it on to the next man for the same sequence to commence. Yes, it worked against Spartans and almost last night but if we are to consistently find ways of breaking sides down who sit deep and absorb pressure then we need to find a pattern of play that works for us in these moments consistently. Some people will moan and groan when it happens but if we increase the speed in which we pass back and cycle possession around the pitch it would go a long way to actually improving our chances of breaking teams town.

Appreciate I'm probably showing my age here but you need something to really get people off their seats at the start of games.. With this in mind my choice would be "Beethoven's Symphone No. 7" in A for a walkout song.

Main reasoning behind it being that it was what we used the last time we were in the Premiership.

Singing section being trialled for the next 3 home games. Local hero being played before the game, select players having goal songs and a drum all starting tomorrow.

Can do much better than him if we were to bring in a new face but given the budget restrictions it's unlikely. He, I think, is the best we've got to offer in filling that role.

Wasn't sold on the signing at the time and still not sold on it. To me his strengths lie in running onto balls played in behind and chasing lost causes, those are the situations where we seen him give McCann the most issues. Given we're going to have the lion share of possession in most if not all of our games we were never going to see the best of him in those aspects which leaves us with his ability on the ball both in carrying and decision making, he may improve in both those aspects as the season progresses but at the moment we're getting both ends of the spectrum.

Was actually pleased to see Long come off his line so eagerly, makes a big difference defending crosses/balls from deep and hope his confidence in doing so hasn't been dented too much with the error. On Mackie I actually think that if we are to compare deliveries in complete isolation he is a better player than McCann and have thought that for a while. Think that's about the only aspect of Mackie's game where he would get the nod over the latter for me though. Agree with you on all other points. Hoping Henderson coming back from injury can somewhat fill the void of the dynamic midfielder like we seen in some games last season but it's been said multiple times that his preference is to be played at CH so just need to wait and see unfortunately.

Dork.

It is