Livingston - all the threads merged

[ol1vercloff]

Anderson overdid it slightly in the warm up against Aberdeen and is a doubt for Saturday 

[mozam76]

There are plenty other names that have played for us that are fancier than Scott Pittman. There are other players who have played for us that are more skillful than Scott Pittman. There are players who have played for us who are more decorated than Scott Pittman.

As much as I love them all, there is none I love more than Scott Pittman. Cup final goal. Local lad making his family proud (and his hard as f**k dad greet). THAT goal at Tannadice. 

It will be a rough day in the Mozam hoose when he leaves us, and I hope it's not for a few years yet.  

[DavideFernandezLoveChild]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61260955

Is this article deliberately trying to stoke up some kind of weird division about Ivan's debut? 

I checked TransferMarkt and I could even find a recording of a single Russian player playing in England this season and can't think of any in Scotland. (I've never used the Advanced Filter so perhaps I did it wrong)

If I am correct this would make Ivan's debut, not only the first Russian appearance across the leagues since the Ukrainian invasion, but the first of the season regardless of the war. 

Its not like there are hordes of English clubs holding back Russian signings from entering the pitch due to the invasion. Yet, it is written as if Livi are taking a step into the unknown and breaking this unspoken rule that all Russian individuals should not be allowed to play unless they publicly announce 'death to Putin, freedom to Ukraine'.

[Guest]

First highlight, Pittman vacates his attacking midfield space allowing Nouble to turn and dribble into it. Pittman in the centre forward area then provides a target for Devlin to cross to and he almost gets onto it. Second highlight, Pittman covering defensively to deflect Henderson’s shot safely over the bar. Fourth highlight, Pittman again covering this time to pressure Newell causing him to shoot off target. Fifth highlight is the goal. Pittman first aids Boyes with the one-two then instantly bursts to make a second contribution to the same attack by providing Shinnie with a passing option and finishing. Seventh highlight, Pittman initially snaps in to block Hibs from playing out of defence. That leads to Hibs being hemmed in and Forrest ending up with a great chance.

It’s a cliché by now but he really is the heartbeat of the team. He sets the tone for the team with his pressing and work rate. He has great tactical awareness and combines so well with teammates. His touch, dribbling and passing are so strong that he rarely ever loses possession. Then his anticipation to get into goalscoring positions and his shooting ability regularly nets crucial goals.

[Troy.1995]

Find it incredible that he's still with us.Unbelievable that a bigger club hasn't come in for him,not that I'm complaining. Not very often these days you have a one man club.Hopefully Pitts continues to be so.If ever a testimonial was deserved its him.Magnificent servant to the club,and dare I say it Legend.Well done Scott..

[EdinburghLivi]

Worth highlighting how brilliant his finish was as well. Totally flummoxed the keeper by going near post rather than the very open far post. 

Martindale says he should be aiming for 8-10 goals a season and I agree with that with the positions he takes up. If he can consistently finish like that, he will get there.

[LIVIFOREVER]

2 hours ago, Troy.1995 said:

Find it incredible that he's still with us.Unbelievable that a bigger club hasn't come in for him,not that I'm complaining. Not very often these days you have a one man club.Hopefully Pitts continues to be so.If ever a testimonial was deserved its him.Magnificent servant to the club,and dare I say it Legend.Well done Scott..

Aberdeen were in for him, he just didn't want to move, couldn't blame him if he went, he'd get a lot more money. He's had a few wage increases right enough, but still nothing compared to what he'd have made at a bigger club. Seems to be settled here and a rare player who isn't all about the dosh, just a local lad that is happy playing at Livi. For what ever reason that is, i delighted he's stayed put.

2 hours ago, EdinburghLivi said:

Worth highlighting how brilliant his finish was as well. Totally flummoxed the keeper by going near post rather than the very open far post. 

Martindale says he should be aiming for 8-10 goals a season and I agree with that with the positions he takes up. If he can consistently finish like that, he will get there.

Yeah it was interesting in Martindale's post match interview, mentioning how Pittman plays for the team to his own personal detriment, and FF's post backs that up, the positions he is in all over the pitch making blocks and putting pressure on opposition players. I always thought it was Martindale's fault Scott wasn't getting himself up in the final 3rd enough to get more goals, as when he does he's a real goal threat. He gets himself in perfect positions for balls across the 6 yard box, and even outside the box , or just inside like the one he just scored against Hibs.

Though at the start of the season he did get played further back covering Devlin bombing forward down the wing, and that really was a waste having him playing there.

Edited May 2, 2022 by LIVIFOREVER

[LIVIFOREVER]

I heard DM saying he was going to try and get Bailey back at Livi next season, even better if this article is right, saying we're trying to sign him up when his contract runs out at Birmingham at the end of this season. Livingston eye permanent deal for winger Odin Bailey | HeraldScotland

It quotes him saying he is going to get him back next season, but don't see a quote about us signing him, or trying to, so don't know how accurate that article is, if they're just joining the dots and jumping to conclusions. Would be great if we managed to sign him or get him back on loan.

[Cptn Hooch]

I heard DM saying he was going to try and get Bailey back at Livi next season, even better if this article is right, saying we're trying to sign him up when his contract runs out at Birmingham at the end of this season. Livingston eye permanent deal for winger Odin Bailey | HeraldScotland
It quotes him saying he is going to get him back next season, but don't see a quote about us signing him, or trying to, so don't know how accurate that article is, if they're just joining the dots and jumping to conclusions. Would be great if we managed to sign him or get him back on loan.

He got a new contract at Birmingham last month so a permanent deal will likely be out of the question as they'll be looking for a few. As for a loan, I believe he's had a fair bit of interest from clubs down south and my understanding is they gave him the new deal to make the most of that interest. I'd be astounded if he was a Livi player next year

[Guest]

Aye, as with any article, ignore headlines and padding, only the quotes are the actual news. A loan again next season is surely the best hope with Bailey. Seeing the return County got on Hungbo this season as well, the English loan market does seem fruitful for wingers. 

[LiviLion]

Clickbait and lazy journalism, that.

It's not even like the quote hints at trying to make it a permanent deal, obviously there's the chance they only triggered the extension so they could get a good fee for him and we are working on that, but absolutely nothing in the article suggests that. There's also the matter that pretty much anyone else who wants him would have a better chance of affording him.

[LIVIFOREVER]

Yeah the only journo we can believe on all things Livi is Callum Carson, most of these other articles are prob copied from the interviews he's done, and they're quoting his quotes, then adding their own interpretations to fill it out.

[EdinburghLivi]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61332811

3 signed on pre-contracts while Martindale wants to add 4 players in forward areas. Suggests there will be quite a bit of turnover unless we want to run with a massive squad.

[Cptn Hooch]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61332811
3 signed on pre-contracts while Martindale wants to add 4 players in forward areas. Suggests there will be quite a bit of turnover unless we want to run with a massive squad.

I'd imagine the 4 forwards will be to replace the loss of Forrest, Bailey plus give us extra competition for Anderson as I think Poplatnik and Reilly will be away

[ATLIS]

34 minutes ago, EdinburghLivi said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61332811

3 signed on pre-contracts while Martindale wants to add 4 players in forward areas. Suggests there will be quite a bit of turnover unless we want to run with a massive squad.

Yeah as CH says above it's likely replacements for Forrest, Bailey, Poplatnik, Reilly, Soto and Chukwuemeka. Could maybe see Montano being let go too as he hasn't played much. 

Could even throw Sibbald into that group too if he doesn't sign up as he played at LW for a bit too. 

We're losing 7 or 8 players up there and only 2 of them showed much good this season. Bailey and Forrest are big losses but the rest aren't much to worry about. Sibbald being a bit of an outlier as we know his quality but he hasn't played. 

It gives Martindale a chance to throw a bit of money at 4 players to replace 8 essentially. 

[Cptn Hooch]

Yeah as CH says above it's likely replacements for Forrest, Bailey, Poplatnik, Reilly, Soto and Chukwuemeka. Could maybe see Montano being let go too as he hasn't played much. 

Could even throw Sibbald into that group too if he doesn't sign up as he played at LW for a bit too. 

We're losing 7 or 8 players up there and only 2 of them showed much good this season. Bailey and Forrest are big losses but the rest aren't much to worry about. Sibbald being a bit of an outlier as we know his quality but he hasn't played. 

It gives Martindale a chance to throw a bit of money at 4 players to replace 8 essentially. 

I'd forgot about Soto and chukwuemeka (probably shows the impact they've had). Davie has gone on record saying he wants Sibbald here next season so I'd like to see that happen. I don't see Montano as a forward player. He looks a great utility player and he's another one I'd like to see us keep for next season now that he's had a season to get used to the demand of Scottish football

[ATLIS]

41 minutes ago, Cptn Hooch said:

1 hour ago, ATLIS said:

Yeah as CH says above it's likely replacements for Forrest, Bailey, Poplatnik, Reilly, Soto and Chukwuemeka. Could maybe see Montano being let go too as he hasn't played much. 

Could even throw Sibbald into that group too if he doesn't sign up as he played at LW for a bit too. 

We're losing 7 or 8 players up there and only 2 of them showed much good this season. Bailey and Forrest are big losses but the rest aren't much to worry about. Sibbald being a bit of an outlier as we know his quality but he hasn't played. 

It gives Martindale a chance to throw a bit of money at 4 players to replace 8 essentially. 

I'd forgot about Soto and chukwuemeka (probably shows the impact they've had). Davie has gone on record saying he wants Sibbald here next season so I'd like to see that happen. I don't see Montano as a forward player. He looks a great utility player and he's another one I'd like to see us keep for next season now that he's had a season to get used to the demand of Scottish football

Personally I'd like to see Montano stay too, it just depends on what his expectations on playing time would be. We've seen it happen with Josh Mullin (who's back next season as an option too?) where without guaranteed game time they'd rather go elsewhere.

In saying that we've got Schwake, Hamilton, Mullin, Clark and Kabia back from their loans next season. Will be interesting to see if any stick around for first team opportunities. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by ATLIS

[Cptn Hooch]

Personally I'd like to see Montano stay too, it just depends on what his expectations on playing time would be. We've seen it happen with Josh Mullin (who's back next season as an option too?) where without guaranteed game time they'd rather go elsewhere.

In saying that we've got Schwake, Hamilton, Mullin, Clark and Kabia back from their loans next season. Will be interesting to see if any stick around for first team opportunities. 

Mullin is done as far as Livi go I reckon. He doesn't fit our style at all. Jaze is an option and Jack needs to impress next year. Shwake and Clark will likely be out on loan again

[The Wrong Car]

Yeah with Soto, Chuckwuemenka, Forrest, and Bailey away I'd say we need more options

I'd like Sibbald and McMillan to stay, however can't blame either if they'd prefer regular game time. Shinnie and Kelly seemed to have replaced both.  I'd also like Montano to stay as I think he's a good rotation option for Nouble as a wide target man and he can play LWB in games where we go 3-5-2

In terms of loan returns, I can't see Mullin being part of the front three as he's not mobile enough and I don't think Kabia's spell at Falkirk has improved his flaws that much to justify a return to a Premiership team. He still looks like a (talented) player who is tactically indiscipline and focused on winning fouls. Poplatnik may be a good sub for Anderson, however I can't blame either side if they want a clean slate, and Reilly isn't Premiership standard. I'd imagine only Hamilton will get a run of games, with Schwake being loaned to a League 1/Championship side - possibly Edinburgh City again if they win the playoffs. Clark will probably go on loan to League One

[ATLIS]

"Martindale, meanwhile, has confirmed that Australian defender Phillip Cancar is one of three players he has tied down on pre-contracts for next season.

The 20-year-old centre half has made 12 A-League appearances for Western Sydney Wanderers this season but has recently been frozen out of the team after his employers discovered that he planned to move to Scotland.

Martindale said: “Phillip is one of those pre-contract players but we need GBE (Governing Body Endorsement) for that."

So Phillip Cancar is the first of our pre contract signings. Australian but has played in Croatia previously.