WattersIsGod

i think you'd have been in the mix with Annan, ourselves and QOS. it certainly might have made for an interesting race. there wasn't a great deal between the teams in the early meeting but i don't think either side had the look of 'comfortable survivors'. i'm still holding out hope of avoiding the drop. it's still in our hands to avoid a play off. even if we do end up there, we get yet another chance. if we end up going down, especially considering what's happened to EC this season then there really is nobody to blame but ourselves. a lot hinges on tomorrow though. i do feel if they can't get it done tomorrow, it becomes harder for them and the supporters to still believe they can. the flip side of that is a good result will see us go into our final day showdown with confidence.

reading back through this is like the way i think about this game. i'm torn between confidence, hope and despair. on one hand, EC are the only team we have managed to beat consistently........on the other hand, we are woeful right now. I'm making the journey with trepidation but some hope.

hopefully this information might be irrelevant by the time it comes around. CINCH LEAGUE 1 PLAY-OFFS Tuesday May 7 cinch League 1 play-off semi-finals, 1st leg 4th in League 2 v 9th in League 1 3rd in League 2 v 2nd in League 2 Saturday May 11 cinch League 1 play-off semi-finals, 2nd leg 9th in League 1 v 4th in League 2 2nd in League 2 v 3rd in League 2 Tuesday May 14 cinch League 1 play-off final, 1st leg Lowest-ranked team at home in 1st leg Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 7.30pm Friday May 17 cinch League 1 play-off final, 2nd leg Highest-ranked team at home in 2nd leg Live on BBC ALBA, kick-off 7.30pm

i don't want to see RM starting. not his fault but i don't think he's been a useful signing for the battle we are in. he's obviously talented but still a bit raw and lightweight. i'm happier with Offord wide right and Spence and Carrick up front. I think Offord is better than Hilson either up front or wide right. i think we have to approach this one on the front foot. i've been critical of an overly open approach to a lot of the away games but this is one where it is entirely appropriate. We should be better than our opponent so pick a team to attempt to dominate the game. for me that means back to the risky centre midfield containing Jack Leitch and hope that Calum Crane can do his best Ross Davidson impression. if ever there was a game to try and recreate the magic of last season, it's this one.

i think he changed it because it wasn't working. Once Ross Davidson was out, the midfield didn't work properly particularly out of possession. the Thommo/Carrick partnership wasn't getting the same joy out of better defenders. our slow back four were getting overrun and not getting protection from a midfield designed to be better with the ball than without. I worried about some of this stuff before the season started. I really wanted us to sign another central midfielder who was more of a do it all type. we've got far too many players who are poor defensively but also aren't contributing enough in an attacking sense to make up for it this season. Hilson and Milne were supposed to improve our attacking options but it's hard to argue that either have added very much at all. McPake has added an attacking threat but again, he's terrible defensively. People have a lot to say about Cammy Clark but you try playing all season with the likes of Milne and McPake in front of you leaving you constantly exposed.

well here we are....... i wouldn't have considered travelling for this one if there wasn't so much on the line. Going to make the trip to Meadowbank for the first time in many years. quite simply a must win for us. win and it means that our placing remains in our hands on the last day. the season hasn't been great and really just want to get a league one place assured for next year and try and work out what can be learned from the season. Lose and we deserve to go down never mind be in the playoffs. after a clean sheet last week, i see the goalie and back four being the same. if fit enough, i think Jack Leitch will be back starting, probably at the expense of Banner to partner Crane in the middle with McPake and Offord out wide. i really think DY will basically go back to last season's blueprint. an attacking 4-4-2. it might just work.......the games against EC have been the closest we've generally come to last season's form. we don't have the personnel to play it cagey so we might as well try and stick to what we were once good at. We need the win for confidence going into the last day just as much as we need the points. i still believe we can do it.

maybe if they get relegated. he might be an effective player at Championship level for a team dominating most games. i don't know him well enough and can only go on what i've seen but he could just be trying too hard to do it all himself to earn a contract somewhere. if he doesn't get a full time gig next season, the chances of him ever doing so again go down substantially. Maybe having a pre season with a team and being involved from the start might help, maybe he'll pass more if he's playing with better players but i think most managers prefer signing players with fewer questions attached. i can't see him at Premier league level no. Even at Championship level, he's still got a way to go to be a consistently effective player based on his performances for us. Would he get in Dundee Utd's first team or even Raith's? Questionable. for me, he's got more of that mark of a talented but flawed player who'll ultimately end up being a decent part timer. Even that will depend on his attitude.

i thought Paterson was excellent the week before as well. really impressed me.

On McPake. after the first half of his debut, i was asked how he'd been. i said 'he can beat a man but he seems to always want to beat three' My opinion hasn't really changed. like others have said, he needs more variety in his game. play it earlier and use his teammates sometimes. go outside rather than inside occasionally and keep defenders guessing. His defensive work is nothing to write home about so when he's ineffective in an attacking sense he's really not adding anything. I can't help but compare him to Kai Fotheringham who we had on loan last season. I don't think there's much between them in terms of ability but in terms of a football brain, Kai is light years ahead of him. I'm not sure there is a lack of effort in this squad or that they've given up. i simply think they aren't good enough. when i looked at the squad before the season, it looked lacking in quality and depth. that's pretty much what has played out. some less exciting signings like defenders and defensive midfielders might well have helped.

Have you forgotten what your love can do. Is this the end?

I will laugh all night at giraffe on a skateboard. We are not good. I was just having a bit of a laugh with some mazzy star lyricss

Superstar in your own bad movie..... I wanted just a minor part.. I'm no fool. I know your cool. I never really wanted your heart

I've wondered what josh cooper has done as well. Looked at DYs wife funny or something? He needs to have a word with Cammy Clark to find out how you get out of Darren's doghouse.

I'm taking taking nothing for granted. Players still need to turn up and put in a performance. Im hopeful that they can but I'm certainly not looking at it as 3 points in the bag.

don't think there's any official confirmation yet but that's the pattern the last few seasons and can't see it changing. i'd been kind of hoping i didn't need to be interested but it doesn't appear to be working out that way.