Livingston - all the threads merged

[LiviLion]

6 minutes ago, LogieLivi said:

Byrne was shite as well.
Just wandered about the pitch away from the ball.

Put in some cracking tackles though, the pitch being as wet as it was was perfect for his in your face style. 

Shame he's playing alongside shite. 

[Afro]

Byrne was shite as well.
Just wandered about the pitch away from the ball.

In fairness, 4-4-2 doesn’t suit him at all. Can break up play not too badly in a two but doesn’t have the skill to get the ball forward to the front men without someone taking the link from midfield to the attack (Pittman).

Looks like it’ll be a struggle for the Dee this season, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see McPake out on his arse by Christmas. Wonder if Kenny Miller fancies the gig...

[EdinburghLivi]

That's a good point about 4-4-2. I remember thinking he was a carthorse playing in that system during the first half of the 2016/17 season. 

[Cptn Hooch]

In fairness, 4-4-2 doesn’t suit him at all. Can break up play not too badly in a two but doesn’t have the skill to get the ball forward to the front men without someone taking the link from midfield to the attack (Pittman).

Looks like it’ll be a struggle for the Dee this season, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see McPake out on his arse by Christmas. Wonder if Kenny Miller fancies the gig...

As great a servant Byrne was to us, we've definitely upgraded with Bartley

[Jason King]

Holt hospitalised after an incident at training.

 

[LIVIFOREVER]

Injured lifting weights, expected back in to take training on Monday. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49536240

 

Good news it isn't anything too serious. Players need to win this game today for Holty.

[EdinburghLivi]

How can we fail to fill a bench when we have a 27 man squad? 

[LIVIFOREVER]

Feck me, half the team are out injured. First time I can remember Pittman not being in the squad.

[orco]

I'll be happy if Pittman is still with us after Tuesday. It's a nervous time when you're a selling club and the transfer window is still open. 

[LIVIFOREVER]

3 minutes ago, orco said:

I'll be happy if Pittman is still with us after Tuesday. It's a nervous time when you're a selling club and the transfer window is still open. 

He's got 2 or 3 years on his contract, he's going nowhere, nobody outside the Glasgow arse cheeks are going to pay out what it would take to get him and I doubt they'd be after him. Looks pretty settled at Livi too.

[Afro]

Unless it's a ludicrous offer for the club, I can't see Pittman leaving for anyone in this league. He's not quite of the calibre to start at any of the traditional Big 4 + Aberdeen, and I can't see his own personal situation changing too dramatically whereby he'd move to a Dundee or a Dunfermline who could maybe  offer more money, for example. The mooted interest from MLS is a bit of a non-starter, IMO.

5 hours ago, EdinburghLivi said:

How can we fail to fill a bench when we have a 27 man squad? 

I make it 26 if we're assuming Menga is indeed off to Angola. As far as I can tell, Pittman, Jacobs, Lamie, Robinson, Odoffin and Miller are all injured (I'm assuming McMillan will join this list after today). Only players who I'm unsure of are Sibbald and Lawson - assuming there is more than meets the eye with this pair as they're too good to leave out of a match day squad, surely?!

Could definitely do with another striker in as I'm not sure Tiffoney is the correct profile of player to replace someone like Dykes, and it looks like Miller and Robinson won't be available for selection for a whole season.

[Cptn Hooch]

Unless it's a ludicrous offer for the club, I can't see Pittman leaving for anyone in this league. He's not quite of the calibre to start at any of the traditional Big 4 + Aberdeen, and I can't see his own personal situation changing too dramatically whereby he'd move to a Dundee or a Dunfermline who could maybe  offer more money, for example. The mooted interest from MLS is a bit of a non-starter, IMO.
I make it 26 if we're assuming Menga is indeed off to Angola. As far as I can tell, Pittman, Jacobs, Lamie, Robinson, Odoffin and Miller are all injured (I'm assuming McMillan will join this list after today). Only players who I'm unsure of are Sibbald and Lawson - assuming there is more than meets the eye with this pair as they're too good to leave out of a match day squad, surely?!
Could definitely do with another striker in as I'm not sure Tiffoney is the correct profile of player to replace someone like Dykes, and it looks like Miller and Robinson won't be available for selection for a whole season.

Menga played for the Angolan team today so I'd assume it's all done and dusted.

[Dindeleux]

Gary Holt clearly desperate to prove he is the right man for Rugby Park.

[LIVIFOREVER]

45 minutes ago, Afro said:

Unless it's a ludicrous offer for the club, I can't see Pittman leaving for anyone in this league. He's not quite of the calibre to start at any of the traditional Big 4 + Aberdeen, and I can't see his own personal situation changing too dramatically whereby he'd move to a Dundee or a Dunfermline who could maybe  offer more money, for example. The mooted interest from MLS is a bit of a non-starter, IMO.

I make it 26 if we're assuming Menga is indeed off to Angola. As far as I can tell, Pittman, Jacobs, Lamie, Robinson, Odoffin and Miller are all injured (I'm assuming McMillan will join this list after today). Only players who I'm unsure of are Sibbald and Lawson - assuming there is more than meets the eye with this pair as they're too good to leave out of a match day squad, surely?!

Could definitely do with another striker in as I'm not sure Tiffoney is the correct profile of player to replace someone like Dykes, and it looks like Miller and Robinson won't be available for selection for a whole season.

Aberdeen tried to get him last season, and were still interested in him pre season before he signed a two year extension. Agree he wouldn't be the calibre Sevco or Celtic would want, but he'd get into any other Premiership team, Hibs and Hearts are pretty poor looking, surprised they've let Bartley go tbh, the state of them this season.

[Menga Bus]

Pretty sure sibbald is injured too, was at the game today sat with the rest of the injured players. Lawson doesn’t seem to be about though so unsure of what’s going on there. International break has come at the right time, hopefully get a lot of the injured players back to fitness. A very tough run of games after the break so the good start we’ve had is massive.

[orco]

It's they grass pitches that seem to be where we get these injuries. Should get them banned. 

[LIVIFOREVER]

Aymen Souda.

At first I was quite excited to see how he progressed as the season went on and got to see just how good he would be for us, he's got great skill on the ball and causes defences a lot of problems, good at taking corners too. However there has been a development the last few games which raises the question, does he fit in with how we play?

There is obv a concern about him with Holt & Martindale dropping him as an unused sub for a couple of games, and he only got a start against St Mirren because Robbo was injured. Defensively he is posted missing, which lets in opposition attacks down our flank, Mullin had the same problem, but excelled at County being played as a winger, Lawless was a bit better playing that role but it restricted him in attack, and he's looking far better for us this season playing more in an attacking role, but still has to do defensive duties when called upon.

It's a real shame because he's an exciting player in attack, but it isn't looking like he is going to be good enough defensively to fit in with how we want him to play.

[Cptn Hooch]

Aymen Souda.

At first I was quite excited to see how he progressed as the season went on and got to see just how good he would be for us, he's got great skill on the ball and causes defences a lot of problems, good at taking corners too. However there has been a development the last few games which raises the question, does he fit in with how we play?

There is obv a concern about him with Holt & Martindale dropping him as an unused sub for a couple of games, and he only got a start against St Mirren because Robbo was injured. Defensively he is posted missing, which lets in opposition attacks down our flank, Mullin had the same problem, but excelled at County being played as a winger, Lawless was a bit better playing that role but it restricted him in attack, and he's looking far better for us this season playing more in an attacking role, but still has to do defensive duties when called upon.

It's a real shame because he's an exciting player in attack, but it isn't looking like he is going to be good enough defensively to fit in with how we want him to play.

In the grand scheme of things he's still new to the team and the league. I'm sure Holt and Martindale have identified his weakness in defending and are working on it. We are never going to be signing complete players with our budget so we will need to make concessions and address their weaknesses. Craig Halkett and Scott Pittman weren't the same players when they first joined us and look at where the club has got them. Also with Souda, he looks better at tackling than Menga ever did but maybe lacks the positional sense which can be addressed over time

 

[hoobahabba]

Aymen Souda.
At first I was quite excited to see how he progressed as the season went on and got to see just how good he would be for us, he's got great skill on the ball and causes defences a lot of problems, good at taking corners too. However there has been a development the last few games which raises the question, does he fit in with how we play?

There is obv a concern about him with Holt & Martindale dropping him as an unused sub for a couple of games, and he only got a start against St Mirren because Robbo was injured. Defensively he is posted missing, which lets in opposition attacks down our flank, Mullin had the same problem, but excelled at County being played as a winger, Lawless was a bit better playing that role but it restricted him in attack, and he's looking far better for us this season playing more in an attacking role, but still has to do defensive duties when called upon.

It's a real shame because he's an exciting player in attack, but it isn't looking like he is going to be good enough defensively to fit in with how we want him to play.

Agree. He was great in the first half but useless when we were up against it. He is by far our most creative player, so will suit games where we need to attack, but he's not got as much fight as the rest of the team and is not suited to a scrap. He is basically the antithesis of Scot Robinson.

[LIVIFOREVER]

1 hour ago, hoobahabba said:

2 hours ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

Aymen Souda.
At first I was quite excited to see how he progressed as the season went on and got to see just how good he would be for us, he's got great skill on the ball and causes defences a lot of problems, good at taking corners too. However there has been a development the last few games which raises the question, does he fit in with how we play?

There is obv a concern about him with Holt & Martindale dropping him as an unused sub for a couple of games, and he only got a start against St Mirren because Robbo was injured. Defensively he is posted missing, which lets in opposition attacks down our flank, Mullin had the same problem, but excelled at County being played as a winger, Lawless was a bit better playing that role but it restricted him in attack, and he's looking far better for us this season playing more in an attacking role, but still has to do defensive duties when called upon.

It's a real shame because he's an exciting player in attack, but it isn't looking like he is going to be good enough defensively to fit in with how we want him to play.

Agree. He was great in the first half but useless when we were up against it. He is by far our most creative player, so will suit games where we need to attack, but he's not got as much fight as the rest of the team and is not suited to a scrap. He is basically the antithesis of Scot Robinson.

Was made worse by not having Keaghan and Pittman in the team right enough, our midfield was weaker than it usually is and Souda's positional play/leaving a gap behind him, wasn't helped with two of our grittiest midfielders out, not there to cover for him.