Mr.Reeee

I think he's OK as cover at ch in a back 4 but he'd be very much at left back in my ideal back 4 and Millen would be on the bench or at another club. Dick has been poor for 4 or 5 games, Millen has never been able to defend and always relied on centre half cover and and Connollys work rate to paper the cracks.

I disagree with that kind sir. For me Dick playing reasonably still defends better than Millen on most days and his issue seems to be confidence currently and given that he is more competent at centre half (today excluded) I'd prefer him in the squad. All in all I would start with changing Millen ASAP and then also change Dick at the end of the season if possible.

Millen as a centre half today was possibly the most perplexing tactical decision I've seen in a number of years, his game at full back is standing folk up and showing them wide and refusing to put in a tackle but you simply can't play that way in a 3 at the back system. Millen has been my bug bear all season, he seemed to do OK defensively last season but has always been better on the overlap than at actual defending. We desperately need to shore up the defence and for me he'd be the first one out.

Would prefer to see someone who is comfortable right back/centre back come in than any other position. Millen has gone back wards in terms of his actual defending this season and its costing us consistently.

Why do you guys pronounce Queens so weird when your singing come on you Queens? Sounds like coooooowwweeeeeeeeens

We lost the lead because we can't defend set peices. They played out from the back after he missed, meaning the whole team failed to stop them, not one player. If he had lobbed the keeper or if Gullan had made the same decision would it still be widely derided and openly criticised by the manager, I genuinely think not. For me the issue of not seeing out games goes way beyond what John did, how many leads have we pished away this season based on clumsy fouls, shite defending at set peices and generally poor concentration from re-start (genuinely interested in the stats if anyone has them) it frustrating.

So you totally dismiss external factors in players decision making? As much as it would be great for the opposite to be true everyone's decisions are affected consciously or sub consciously by more than just the obvious best outcome. I personally don't believe Gullan or John are the best, Gullan for me is not a great finisher and John is what he is a massive lump of a man, however confidence can play a part and after a good (not great) mid week I believe he should have been given a chance against one of the leagues poorer teams.

Strikers who don't score should play behind the striker as a forward. IMO strikers should get you goals but that's possibly because I'm old fashioned. The shot was on, I was looking right at the man when he hit it and if he scored it this conversation would, obviously, be very different. I should also point out that all I do not believe Fredrickson is the answer to our woes, but I do believe he was worth a shot against a struggling Cove side. My original post supported IM using it as an opportunity for malicious compliance more than as an opportunity to make John a hero.

I think the difference in league position in this league is down to consistency and a bit of luck as the quality of player across the board is not massively different. Most squads have 3 to 4 players of decent quality and others around them of fair quality (in the context of the level the play at) who on a good day can step up a bit. Arbroath last season where the epitome of this in my eyes, punched well above there weight with players producing more than would usually be expected of them and building momentum. The reason I give such a range of expectation is exactly as above, we will never attract or build a squad which will ne better than 3rd to 7th but we may exceed expectations occasionally due to good form or fortune. We are a championship club due to our infrastructure. I would agree there are players in other squads around us who I'd like to see in our squad but swapping entirely I believe wouldn't actually achieve all that much.

Vaughan played as a 10 behind Gullan who was the striker, so John was dropped as a result shuffle I would have been quiet happy with Vaughn to start and Gullan lose his place to John. Are you saying as a player it wouldn't factor into your decision making that you are miles away from your family on a pish wage? Surely a big difference between being along the road from your family and being a bit part player and being in another country overseas and being a bit part player? I know if that was me I would take every opportunity to try and get as much game time as possible to justify the sacrifice, even taking a risk like he did in the dying moment to a) extend the teams lead and win the game and b) force myself into the managers thinking for the next game. I'd also argue the shot was definitely on, the keeper was off his line and it bounced kindly for him but his execution was poor.

Can't believe that IM is using poor game management to scapegoat a striker who wasn't included after a goal and a good performance mid week. He clearly came on to help with defensive headers more than add a threat up top however as someone who I presume made the move 1000s of miles from his home to, presumably, play the game he loves for modest renumeration can you blame him for taking on a feasible shot with the keeper of the line. His thought process was probably something like "fuk me I pan my c**t in and score on weds and I'm still not in contention, I'm having a go here cos if I score maybe I force the managers hand". Gullan, for me anyway, offered more as a wide forward in midweek than he does as a striker. He certainly worked a lot harder. Personally I would have dropped Gullan and started with John with the logic 2 fold if he does score he wins by giving the fans what they want and by possibly the team winning, if he doesn't score then he justified to hook him as early as half time and say to all those clamouring for his inclusion "see, this is why I dinnae play him" possibly following up by blowing a childish raspberry. I also however would have introduced Mitchell as my first sub hooking Gullan and not Easton (unless it wad enforced by a knock as suggested elsewhere in the thread) to go up top and stretch play with his pace. I genuinely don't think our young players are all that bad and I think the squad we have is comfortably where a Rovers squad should be which is somewhere between 3rd and 7th in the championship.

Surely its like any other question though where the club is aware that people may say no. If the club demanded money or robbed it from you and choice was eliminated then you'd expect a poor reaction. Plus is it not better to have a spread of the values which can be donated if some do the centenary at 20 and some do streams at 12-14 why not also let people who feel they can only give 5 help out?

I actually thought you meant he looked ancient rather than referring to Mcglynns quote. I thought it had been an attempt at a the boys had a hard paper round style joke so must admit although I got the reference it still whooshed me

I think your seeing something we aren't seeing as your biblical reference went begging...

Great to hear Dave McKay getting a new contract, watched him in reserves and first team action and I believe he has a bright future if he's allowed to play in the centre, potential to be a brilliant defender. Either that or this comment will age like milk.

I'm quite pleased at McGlynns approach this summer he has looked outside of the frankly tepid Scottish transfer pool to try and improve the squad. For me scottish football from the bottom third of SPL downwards can feel a bit like player merry go round where people float around the divisions without much distinction and frequently representing clubs more than once, so a little bit of imagination to tap into a different talent pool is more than welcome. JMG always seems to air on the side of caution to me as well so likely he's only taken recommendations from trusted sources and has seen something in them which will be useful.

It's also been done to death on here in the past. Best just to leave it and send him our best wishes for whatever the reasons Agreed just sparked my interest as I clearly missed what was said on here previously. Wish the bloke luck whatever went on.

Just as I settled in to watch this realised Lewis Allen was in team, does anyone know what happened to him? Remember some rumours he was taking time off due to a mental health issue but no official club statement since January.

Some of the donations are pure class

The goal from Falkirk is a hard one and while its tempting to blame the goalie the boy who whips in the ball and then the striker do everything right. There is a reason people say to put the ball right on top of the keeper and that is because it catches him in two minds 1. do i come and commit to grabbing the ball at the front post with the danger of not getting there (either because he misjudges it or because another player gets in the way) which then leaves the whole goal begging or 2.do you stay on your line and deal with the header or shot as it comes. As Munro is a youngish lad and not that imposing we should be set up so he can do the second and make use of his pretty decent reactions as hes never going to muscle folk out the way to pluck crosses out the air in a packed box imo. That said the game from a Rovers point of view was decent enough but the way we couldn't settle and the ball spent so much time in the air for 10 or so minutes after us having decent possession and limiting chances in the first half was a bit dissapointing.

Wonder if Mendy will go back out then or if they will be super cautious seeing as it may still be 6-7 weeks away. Also hope this a sweetner with a view to signing him on a free for next season.

Your argument is constructed very poorly but i also think there has been to many lines typed about this already. Some mistakes have been made true mark of any person/people is learning from them now lets get back to talking about fitba'. I'm predicting another mad one against Clyde defo with both tams to score possibly a 4-2 kind of match.

According to mcglynns raith TV interview he will miss next 2 weeks due to holidays

Munro McKay Nando Bene MacDonald Matthews Spencer Anderson Hendry Victoria Bowie Although Ive put Bowie up top (where he played for reserves) reckon its more likely to be Allan as a starter and for me although pretty happy either way as both have had a good pre season.

McDonald hasn't convinced me going forward to be honest. The way the team has been set out throughout the friendlies looks like we are expecting the full backs to push on and the lad only made a 20 min appearance about seemed quicker and more willing to overlap and deliver crosses. Don't get me wrong I actually prefer McDonald to Crane as he was suspect going forward and at the back where as McDonald at least looks to be positionally aware and able to tackle.