Livingston - all the threads merged

[LIVIFOREVER]

36 minutes ago, thruthenight said:

I believe that we have an option on Parkes, Obileye and Boyes. With Luiyi signed, and Fitz leaving, then Deas would make a 5th CB. Is that a sensible number to have?

Wouldn't be surprised if Parkes or Obileye goes.

Quicker we get rid of Parkes the better, he's just a drain on our wage bill, wouldn't count him in as a CB, he's always injured.

Can't say i'd be that bothered if Obileye goes either, solid for high balls into the box, but there's a lot in the negative column too. Fitz hasn't been as good this season either, think this is the first time since we've been in the Premiership we've not had outstanding CB's you really didn't want to lose. Even when Guthrie's form dipped, he still chipped in with a few goals that made him invaluable.

Deas sounds like a promising young CB, him and Boyes could be really good for us the next couple of seasons, hopefully De Lucas will be solid as well, looked composed on the ball anyway, which is something we need, as we're playing it out from the back more now. 

Edited February 22, 2023 by LIVIFOREVER

[Cptn Hooch]

1 hour ago, Durnford said:

I assume Parkes is out of contract this summer?

Is Jamie Brandon under contract for another year? Then again he's right sided I believe (not that I've ever seen him play).

Brandon is more of a full back/winger. I think I saw him in one of the photos of the reserve game yesterday so hopefully that means he's nearing full fitness

[Cptn Hooch]

2 hours ago, Durnford said:

Thing is Calum Carson said "One from my colleagues at the Record " followed by a thumbs down?

The article Callum posted on Facebook is by him. I've seen the other one too by Fraser Wilson

[LIVIFOREVER]

2 minutes ago, Cptn Hooch said:

Brandon is more of a full back/winger. I think I saw him in one of the photos of the reserve game yesterday so hopefully that means he's nearing full fitness

Yeah he's quick and lively, wouldn't mind seeing him as a winger working overlaps with Devlin, would be a good sub to bring on anyway.

[ATLIS]

6 hours ago, Durnford said:

I know the Record has printed some rubbish before but surely this takes the biscuit?

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/robbie-deas-livingston-transfer-target-29274950

This is a signing I've spoke about for a good few months with him being out of contract. He's exactly the kind of player we'd be looking at.

5 hours ago, Durnford said:

Well firstly as a replacement for Fitzwater; surely that's what De Lucas was signed for; plus, of course, Morgan Boyes has stepped up recently as well.

Also we already have two defenders with long term injuries; do we really need another who hasn't played a competitive game in months and for the last three games has been an unused substitute.

The way things are I'd hope we were looking for a direct backup to Anderson at the moment.

I wouldn't be surprised if we end up binning Ayo. Deas is left footed so not particularly suited to replacing Fitzwater on the right but that's where Luiyi comes in. You'd have two options at both sides of CB, Deas/Boyes on the left and Luiyi/Ayo (if he stays) on the right on their preferred foot. Ayo can't play on the left as he can't kick a ball with his left foot and it's been shown up terribly lately.

5 hours ago, Durnford said:

The main likelihood of this being true would be if De Lucas had proved disappointing in training. TBH wouldn't be the first one who'd impressed in a trial but that had turned out to be the high point.

They play different positions so I can't see it being anything to do with Luiyi. Martindale spoke recently about wanting basically a second full 11, two good players for each position. This gives you that at LCB/RCB

[LIVIFOREVER]

6 minutes ago, ATLIS said:

This is a signing I've spoke about for a good few months with him being out of contract. He's exactly the kind of player we'd be looking at.

I wouldn't be surprised if we end up binning Ayo. Deas is left footed so not particularly suited to replacing Fitzwater on the right but that's where Luiyi comes in. You'd have two options at both sides of CB, Deas/Boyes on the left and Luiyi/Ayo (if he stays) on the right on their preferred foot. Ayo can't play on the left as he can't kick a ball with his left foot and it's been shown up terribly lately.

They play different positions so I can't see it being anything to do with Luiyi. Martindale spoke recently about wanting basically a second full 11, two good players for each position. This gives you that at LCB/RCB

I know we shouldn't count our chickens, but we'll perhaps need that sort of quality in our squad for next season, if we manage to get a European spot. We saw how Motherwell and Utd suffered in the league having to play European games too, Martindale will be making sure he has the quality in our squad to rotate players, without dropping our performance levels in the league.

[Durnford]

4 minutes ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

I know we shouldn't count our chickens, but we'll perhaps need that sort of quality in our squad for next season, if we manage to get a European spot. We saw how Motherwell and Utd suffered in the league having to play European games too, Martindale will be making sure he has the quality in our squad to rotate players, without dropping our performance levels in the league.

I may be wrong but wasn't there some rule about players having to have played for a club for a certain number of months before being eligible for European games?

Also those qualifying for Europe didn't have the play in the league cup group stage. 

Actually the league cup group stage has served us well in previous years in working out what works and what doesn't. Our pre season friendly have not been exactly challenging (even though we managed to lose the Morton at home).

[LIVIFOREVER]

12 minutes ago, Durnford said:

I may be wrong but wasn't there some rule about players having to have played for a club for a certain number of months before being eligible for European games?

Also those qualifying for Europe didn't have the play in the league cup group stage. 

Actually the league cup group stage has served us well in previous years in working out what works and what doesn't. Our pre season friendly have not been exactly challenging (even though we managed to lose the Morton at home).

Higher quality opposition will take more out of the players, plus having to travel to another Country. Never heard of that rule, sounds silly for teams at our level, what if you lose your 2 main defenders, keeper and striker at the end of the season, are you expected to play with just the players you have left from the previous season and stick players in out of position?

 

Yeah the League cup group stages have been like a competitive pre season for the league starting, unfortunately you don't get that luxury playing in Europe, higher quality opposition means we'd have to prepare much sooner for European games starting, and be up to speed right from the off.

Edited February 22, 2023 by LIVIFOREVER

[The Wrong Car]

Deas is exactly the type of player that Martindale would go for - at a good age while playing well at Championship level, without catching any headlines. 

5 CBs seems ok, as long as there's some flexibility. Am I right in thinking Deas can also play LB, which could help cover if Longridge goes. Obileye, Boyes, De Lucas and Deas seems a decent mix - 2 left footed, 2 right footed. 

Unless we get money for Ayo, I doubt he'll leave. He joined as a CDM, and Martindale has turned him into a decent lower half Premiership CB. With us having a year option, I don't see the point in cutting him from the squad. 

Pretty sure Brandon has played RW with us when holding a lead, I can't see him replacing Devlin at RB any time soon

[RandomGuy.]

Deas is at his best in a back 3, for me, and seems to play as the LB in a 4, if thats of any interest. 

He probably could, and can, play LCB in a 4 quite well but i dont think he'd be as good as in a 3.

[Cptn Hooch]

4 hours ago, Durnford said:

I may be wrong but wasn't there some rule about players having to have played for a club for a certain number of months before being eligible for European games?

If that were the case then Haaland wouldn't be playing for Man City tonight

[Durnford]

2 hours ago, Cptn Hooch said:

If that were the case then Haaland wouldn't be playing for Man City tonight

Think I was thinking of the following which seems to be only relevant for those clubs with really large squads:

Quote

UEFA Competitions
From 2008/09 season, a team in the group stage of UEFA Champions League (UCL) or Europa League (UEL) can register

List A:

Maximum of 25 players, 2 of whom must be goalkeepers, in which
Maximum of 21 non-club-trained players, in which
Maximum of 17 non-association-trained players, and
List B:

Unlimited U21 club players.
Players are ‘club-trained’ if and only if they were registered with the clubs at least 3 years between 15 and 21, continuous or not, regardless of their nationality or age.

Players are ‘association-trained’ if and only if they satisfy the same criteria but with clubs in the same FA [5]. That means club-trained players are association-trained, but the reverse is not necessarily true.

U21 club players are players under-21 and have been eligible to play for the club for any continuous period of 2 years since turning 15. That means players aged 16 can be registered if they have been registered with the club for the previous 2 years.

As of the round of 32, a team can register

3 new players, and
respect the above mentioned quota
If the registration of new players causes failure in complying with List A quota, the club must remove a necessary number of currently registered players such that the quota is respected.

 

[The Wrong Car]

8 hours ago, Durnford said:

Think I was thinking of the following which seems to be only relevant for those clubs with really large squads

 

I think that's in reference to who is classed as the 21 non-club trained players/ 4 club trained, rather than any new signings. 

It's the reason that some big clubs keep the likes of Scott Carson and Tom Heaton as third choice keeper

[Guest]

Just a wee point on Cristian Montaño as I was listening to his match preview just now. He said he only started 4 matches last season and although injuries contributed, that was mostly due to simple non-selection. To go from that to being possibly our best performer so far this season is an amazing turnaround. Fantastic psychological resilience from him. It reminds me a bit of Regan Charles-Cook's transformation at County between his 20-21 and 21-22 seasons. Going from bit part player to star player at a team is rarely achieved in football, certainly for older players. Hopefully Montaño can pick up where he left off now he's recovered from his concussion. 

Edited February 24, 2023 by FreedomFarter

[RandomGuy.]

9 minutes ago, FreedomFarter said:

Just a wee point on Cristian Montaño as I was listening to his match preview just now. He said he only started 4 matches last season and although injuries contributed, that was mostly due to simple non-selection. To go from that to being possibly our best performer so far this season is an amazing turnaround. Fantastic psychological resilience from him. It reminds me a bit of Regan Charles-Cook's transformation at County between his 20-21 and 21-22 seasons. Going from bit part player to star player at a team is rarely achieved in football, certainly for older players. Hopefully Montaño can pick up where he left off now he's recovered from his concussion. 

FWIW hes very, very, close to being classed as one of the best full backs in the division by this system. Based on this season alone he is one of the best.

[ATLIS]

3 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

FWIW hes very, very, close to being classed as one of the best full backs in the division by this system. Based on this season alone he is one of the best.

How does he match up with Penrice? I'm at the point where I don't mind which one starts as both seem to be very good in that position for this level of competition. I can't really see much of a drop off between both, Penrice maybe more solid defensively while Montano has the attacking side in his benefit

[RandomGuy.]

5 hours ago, ATLIS said:

How does he match up with Penrice? I'm at the point where I don't mind which one starts as both seem to be very good in that position for this level of competition. I can't really see much of a drop off between both, Penrice maybe more solid defensively while Montano has the attacking side in his benefit

Ill double check tonight, at some point, but itll probably be like half 8 before i can

I dont remember seeing Penrice on any top 5 list so im fairly sure he'll be worse this season, but couldnt say about others. Hes played CM sometimes too? His figures might be a bit off due to that tbh, its something i dont know how to get around.

[Cptn Hooch]

5 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Ill double check tonight, at some point, but itll probably be like half 8 before i can

I dont remember seeing Penrice on any top 5 list so im fairly sure he'll be worse this season, but couldnt say about others. Hes played CM sometimes too? His figures might be a bit off due to that tbh, its something i dont know how to get around.

Both Penrice and Montano have played in multiple positions. Penrice has played LB, CM, LW, RW this season and Montano has played LB, LW and RB I'm sure

[RandomGuy.]

19 hours ago, ATLIS said:

How does he match up with Penrice? I'm at the point where I don't mind which one starts as both seem to be very good in that position for this level of competition. I can't really see much of a drop off between both, Penrice maybe more solid defensively while Montano has the attacking side in his benefit

[ATLIS]

19 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Sounds about right to be fair, Montano really benefitting from starting more games this season though