The Queen of the South thread

[Swarley]

Couple of ideas for the Online shop on the OS (@Mr X, this still your area?)

Please add a size chart, especially for the Macron stuff. Saves having to go to the Macron website and find something similar to get the guide.

Unsure how much work would be needed for this one but, if an item is "out of stock" we add a "do you want us to email you when it is back in stock?" option. I'm an infrequent visitor to the OS and this thread so if a new batch of shirts come in I'd likely miss that news.

Yes yes I know this is all run by volunteers and they do a wonderful job but the customer is always right so get it done!

[Homer Thompson]

8 hours ago, Swarley said:

Couple of ideas for the Online shop on the OS (@Mr X, this still your area?)

Please add a size chart, especially for the Macron stuff. Saves having to go to the Macron website and find something similar to get the guide.

Unsure how much work would be needed for this one but, if an item is "out of stock" we add a "do you want us to email you when it is back in stock?" option. I'm an infrequent visitor to the OS and this thread so if a new batch of shirts come in I'd likely miss that news.

Yes yes I know this is all run by volunteers and they do a wonderful job but the customer is always right so get it done!

There was a size chart before but, going by the number of questions about sizes, no-one looked at it. It was an old one and there wasnt an up to date one available when the tops went on sale. If theres a new one I'll get it added.

No chance on the second request, Im afraid. The e-commerce platform we use doesnt do that for products with multiple sizes

[BluePen]

On ‎05‎/‎09‎/‎2018 at 15:23, Bluenortherner said:

If I had known about this I would have ordered one, still will if I get the opportunity.

An update on the Centenary Book hardback edition. It was originally going to be only 100 - for obvious reasons as mentioned previously, but due to demand it has been decided to simply do as many hardback copies as are required. So, anyone now wishing to reserve a copy email museum@qosfc.com   There will be a cut off point as the book is almost ready to go to print.

[JessieField]

32 goals scored in 11 matches  so far means nobody can complain (like last season!) about the style of football we're playing now. Very entertaining!

[Steeplechat]

Where are the usual moaning suspects these days ?

[Dumfries Boy(new acc)]

One thing is Frizzels comments about the "attacking on the deck", it seems Naysmith has realised we are better on the deck and actually encourages this now, also brought in players who suit this style. Dykes has improved massively also so when we do go long it's not always coming back to us. Is it bad that I don't want either of our Starting CBs to get back into this team, no suprised we are defending better now without them.

[Hawk]

35 minutes ago, Dumfries Boy(new acc) said:

One thing is Frizzels comments about the "attacking on the deck", it seems Naysmith has realised we are better on the deck and actually encourages this now, also brought in players who suit this style. Dykes has improved massively also so when we do go long it's not always coming back to us. Is it bad that I don't want either of our Starting CBs to get back into this team, no suprised we are defending better now without them.

Yet we conceded 3 yesterday!  Aye well as long as we score 4.

[Mustafa_sheet]

One thing is Frizzels comments about the "attacking on the deck", it seems Naysmith has realised we are better on the deck and actually encourages this now, also brought in players who suit this style. Dykes has improved massively also so when we do go long it's not always coming back to us. Is it bad that I don't want either of our Starting CBs to get back into this team, no suprised we are defending better now without them.

Apart from yesterday’s 2nd half we’ve look pretty solid at the back in recent weeks.
In Doyle it’s great to have a vocal player to organise the defence and it’s probably more than a coincidence that we’ve tightened up at the rear since he’s moved into CB.
I like Fordyce and perhaps he could play right back once he’s fit?

[SueSue]

22 minutes ago, Dumfries Boy(new acc) said:

One thing is Frizzels comments about the "attacking on the deck", it seems Naysmith has realised we are better on the deck and actually encourages this now, also brought in players who suit this style. Dykes has improved massively also so when we do go long it's not always coming back to us. Is it bad that I don't want either of our Starting CBs to get back into this team, no suprised we are defending better now without them.

Football is a tough industry. If players get an opportunity like Doyle and Semple have, and take it, then it is how football works. Although when Semple goes back in January his position will be vacant. Unless he stays of course.

Doyle has the energy of the pair and Semple is as solid as a rock. They work very well together and it looks to really matter to them to keep clean sheets.

The attacking on the floor is a joy to watch and not many teams will be able to deal with that threat. Our attacking football is as good as we have seen for many seasons .

also, when we do play long  from the back it is now done with purpose and into Dykes to battle for it, we then pick up the loose ball and have a right go at the oppositions defence. Whereas maybe in the past we have been seen to just lump it anywhere.

I am loving the last three games 3 0, 5 0 and 4 3.

much rather that than three 1 0 wins.

 

[19QOS19]

I think Dykes is being utilised better this season. There were lots of games last season where he was the furthest forward and Dobbs was playing just behind him. Dykes isn't the kind of player to bring the ball out the air and hold it up and whenever he won his headers, more often than not he was flicking it on to nobody. This season the long balls have continued but it's being played for Dykes to chase rather than hold. He's much more effective getting in behind the defence. And the times where he's going up for headers Dobbie is now the furthest man ahead so there is someone there to get on the end of his flick-ons. Dykes has been excellent this season so far and playing a system that suits him better has been a big factor.

[palmy_cammy]

I can’t say I was overly impressed by Doyle at CB yesterday. He’s a talker, and is much faster than the standard CBs we’ve become accustomed to. He isn’t very commanding on the ground or in the air though. We gave Crusaders far too many chances in the game, even in the first half when we were largely on top it took a great double-save and the woodwork to keep them out. If that had been a league game against a better standard of opposition I think we would have lost. Of course it wasn’t helped by Jacobs, who normally protects the defence so well, having a stinker.

When Fordyce is fit he starts for me, at the expense of Mercer and with Doyle returning to his natural position.

[Dumfries Boy(new acc)]

For me Fordyce when fit starts on the bench, last season I saw Fordyce as very dependable but the first couple of games of this season he was having stinkers and would go long everytime he got the ball. I have been very impressed with Doyle at CB and he covers mercer excellently. Imo even though yesterday wasn't this best game Mercer has looked pretty solid and must have a couple of assists already and would find himself very unlucky to be dropped. 

[Dumfries Boy(new acc)]

Wouldn't think we would be discussing who should play and who dropped two weeks ago when we had about 11 Senior players! Hats off to Naysmith and Dougie as almost every player can play a number of positions which is already proving to be very useful.

[Guest Flash]

Not sure if the defence has improved all that much tbh. If we ignore games against League 1 and 2 sides, we have conceded 13 goals in 7 games, albeit 2 were against Premiership teams and 1 AET. Keeping a clean sheet v Falkirk isn’t exactly noteworthy given that they have hardly scored any goals this season. So, the improvement is really only based on one game v Ayr. The terrible defence last season managed the odd clean sheet, so it is too soon to draw any conclusions imo. 

 

 

[Rjc-1988]

I certainly wouldn't restore Fordyce to CB or RB for that matter. Naturally it would be good to get him back fit as another option but notwithstanding the defensive performance yesterday the back 4 has generally done well.

Fordyce's form dipped considerably in second half of last season and he didn't start this season well either.

Certainly not writing him off but he needs to win his place back on merit.

[SueSue]

46 minutes ago, Flash said:

Not sure if the defence has improved all that much tbh. If we ignore games against League 1 and 2 sides, we have conceded 13 goals in 7 games, albeit 2 were against Premiership teams and 1 AET. Keeping a clean sheet v Falkirk isn’t exactly noteworthy given that they have hardly scored any goals this season. So, the improvement is really only based on one game v Ayr. The terrible defence last season managed the odd clean sheet, so it is too soon to draw any conclusions imo. 

 

 

Sorry but you cant just choose to ignore any clean sheets against league one or two sides or a below par Falkirk side. Clean sheet is a clean sheet against any team.

If you want to twist stats in your favour then we have the third best defence in the league.

centre backs form partnerships and without doubt Doyle and Semple seem to compliment each other’s game.

[palmy_cammy]

1 hour ago, Flash said:

Not sure if the defence has improved all that much tbh. If we ignore games against League 1 and 2 sides, we have conceded 13 goals in 7 games, albeit 2 were against Premiership teams and 1 AET. Keeping a clean sheet v Falkirk isn’t exactly noteworthy given that they have hardly scored any goals this season. So, the improvement is really only based on one game v Ayr. The terrible defence last season managed the odd clean sheet, so it is too soon to draw any conclusions imo. 

 

 

Doyle looks like an upgrade on Rooney, for his versatility if nothing else.  The jury is out as to whether Semple is better than Brownlie.  He's only here for 6 months even if he is, then we'll be back to having last season's defence plus Doyle.

The emphasis in the transfer window was on attacking players, even with Fordyce's injury he has brought in two midfielders.  As an ex-defender I can't imagine he was happy with the number of goals we conceded last season, yet he has stuck largely with the same personnel.  I can only assume he either thinks they are the best we can get with our budget, or he thinks he is a good enough coach to improve their ability.  That or he doesn't think he's a good enough coach and has written them off as a lost cause and built a team that will hopefully score more than they concede!

It's probably a bit of all of those reasons, but I'm leaning towards the latter and to be honest I'm happy enough with that.  I'm sure their fans aren't complaining as they live it up in the Premiership, but I'd much rather go through a season watching the type of football we are producing, than that which Livingston played last season.

[kleinfaethetoon]

For only playing together a few games the centre back pairing looks pretty good, yeah they are not perfect but compliment each other well and will improve. I thought Mercer had a decent first half, didn’t shirk a 50/50, good in the air but did notice he was caught out positionally a few times, Marshall has improved on last season. Reasonably happy with the defence also like the way Jacobs just slots in there when the full backs go past him and Doyle organises well. The keeper well he does worry me. Big strong lad like him needs to be commanding his box and coming for the ball to take some pressure of the defence.

[Guest Flash]

31 minutes ago, SueSue said:

Sorry but you cant just choose to ignore any clean sheets against league one or two sides or a below par Falkirk side. Clean sheet is a clean sheet against any team.

If you want to twist stats in your favour then we have the third best defence in the league.

centre backs form partnerships and without doubt Doyle and Semple seem to compliment each other’s game.

Clean sheets against League 1 and 2 sides are not relevant when trying to establish whether the defence has improved or not. We kept clean sheets against East Kilbride, Airdire and Berwick last season and it meant nothing in terms of games in the Championship. And the relative goals against in the league after 4 games isn’t all that meaningful, especially as one of our 4 games was against Falkirk. If we still have the 3rd best defence in the league after 9 games, that will be a better indicator.

[SueSue]

26 minutes ago, palmy_cammy said:

Doyle looks like an upgrade on Rooney, for his versatility if nothing else.  The jury is out as to whether Semple is better than Brownlie.  He's only here for 6 months even if he is, then we'll be back to having last season's defence plus Doyle.

The emphasis in the transfer window was on attacking players, even with Fordyce's injury he has brought in two midfielders.  As an ex-defender I can't imagine he was happy with the number of goals we conceded last season, yet he has stuck largely with the same personnel.  I can only assume he either thinks they are the best we can get with our budget, or he thinks he is a good enough coach to improve their ability.  That or he doesn't think he's a good enough coach and has written them off as a lost cause and built a team that will hopefully score more than they concede!

It's probably a bit of all of those reasons, but I'm leaning towards the latter and to be honest I'm happy enough with that.  I'm sure their fans aren't complaining as they live it up in the Premiership, but I'd much rather go through a season watching the type of football we are producing, than that which Livingston played last season.

Through the last 4 or 5 games the defence personnel has changed significantly from last season.

Doyle/ Semple playing instead of Fordyce/ Brownlee.