The Queen of the South thread

[QOSQOS]

5 hours ago, SUPERSOUTH said:

Can anybody explain to me what Euan East has done to AJ he played almost every minute of the teams good run and all of a sudden he is dropped and has hardly ever featured and the team struggles coincidence or not this looks like another good young signed Queens player that looked a good prospect hung out to dry by the manager...... Get him back in next Sat... 

And Calvin McCrorie? And Joseph? They played a part in our first good run.

[Slipmat]

6 hours ago, SUPERSOUTH said:

Can anybody explain to me what Euan East has done to AJ he played almost every minute of the teams good run and all of a sudden he is dropped and has hardly ever featured and the team struggles coincidence or not this looks like another good young signed Queens player that looked a good prospect hung out to dry by the manager...... Get him back in next Sat... 

East has his critics on here but is still our leading assister (if there is such a word) for this season.  Based on the last couple of games I'd start him wide, drop Mebude whether or not the latter is suspended and play Shields more centrally.  Chances are though that AJ would pick Fitzpatrick ahead of East.

[19QOS19]

East has his critics on here but is still our leading assister (if there is such a word) for this season.  Based on the last couple of games I'd start him wide, drop Mebude whether or not the latter is suspended and play Shields more centrally.  Chances are though that AJ would pick Fitzpatrick ahead of East.

Is he really? I'm genuinely surprised by this as I can't ever really recall him swinging in crosses or playing through balls. He just seems to be an out ball for us and cover when defending. Never realised he was our leading 'assister'.

[Slipmat]

58 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

1 hour ago, Slipmat said:

East has his critics on here but is still our leading assister (if there is such a word) for this season.  Based on the last couple of games I'd start him wide, drop Mebude whether or not the latter is suspended and play Shields more centrally.  Chances are though that AJ would pick Fitzpatrick ahead of East.

Is he really? I'm genuinely surprised by this as I can't ever really recall him swinging in crosses or playing through balls. He just seems to be an out ball for us and cover when defending. Never realised he was our leading 'assister'.

Apparently so, if the BBC stats are accurate.  They also have him as having a better shot accuracy rate than Shields and Ayo although his goal conversion rate is poor.

[stevie72]

I'm gobsmacked by the club's decision to give AJ a 2 year contract. But that's the decision they have made. How many of these players are going to want to stay and play for him. East & Goss have been bombed out altogether.  East played almost every game. Ayo, Shields, Pybus will get other offers. 4 loan players will go back to their club. Everyone is out of contract this summer I think. Dobbie wants to continue playing so I would expect him to leave as well. I don't want us to start the season again with a whole new squad that don't know each other. I would like to see Gibson get another deal as he has been consistent this year. We have a few guys who have played some football Joseph and McGrory don't seem to be trusted by the manager personally think they have looked good when called upon. McCabe seems to be the managers favourite personally don't think he would be a big miss at all and could be easily replaced. I would love to see Maxwell back at the club he has been good. Fitzpatrick has been really disappointing I was hoping for so much more. Nortey looked good but has missed a lot of football. Big Ayo has been really good for me all year but he will defo move on. Shields has been good in patches but he another that will move. Pybus was flying before his injury and being mentioned for Ross County.

Again a rebuild job on the cards and that is not something I would trust him to do. 

[Rjc-1988]

I'm gobsmacked by the club's decision to give AJ a 2 year contract. But that's the decision they have made. How many of these players are going to want to stay and play for him. East & Goss have been bombed out altogether.  East played almost every game. Ayo, Shields, Pybus will get other offers. 4 loan players will go back to their club. Everyone is out of contract this summer I think. Dobbie wants to continue playing so I would expect him to leave as well. I don't want us to start the season again with a whole new squad that don't know each other. I would like to see Gibson get another deal as he has been consistent this year. We have a few guys who have played some football Joseph and McGrory don't seem to be trusted by the manager personally think they have looked good when called upon. McCabe seems to be the managers favourite personally don't think he would be a big miss at all and could be easily replaced. I would love to see Maxwell back at the club he has been good. Fitzpatrick has been really disappointing I was hoping for so much more. Nortey looked good but has missed a lot of football. Big Ayo has been really good for me all year but he will defo move on. Shields has been good in patches but he another that will move. Pybus was flying before his injury and being mentioned for Ross County.
Again a rebuild job on the cards and that is not something I would trust him to do. 

Let’s not be under illusions being a Manager at this level is an absolutely thankless task- no meaningful financial rewards and an army of keyboard warriors who all apparently have a better knowledge of player abilities and tactics than the incumbent has.

Personally I think AJ and SC have done well this year to get us into a position where we should stay up despite starting with only 3 signed players. I wouldn’t have renewed any contract until we were mathematically safe and at our level a one year renewal is a safer option. I don’t see any big advantage in locking in for two years because if it goes pear shaped compensation can make an exit difficult to contemplate.

You say that you wouldn’t trust the Manager with a rebuild? I would say that his signings and use of the loan market were excellent considering the hand that he was dealt and the budget at his disposal.We can all disagree on his selections and player “favourites” but personally I think the players have let him down in recent weeks :-
- Ayo’s form has shaded considerably last few weeks
- Jones and Mabude have had the odd good game but neither have performed anywhere near their capability
- once teams realise to defend deep against Shields he has really struggled
- Dobbie has sadly been a pale shadow of his former self

[qos1990]

Let’s not be under illusions being a Manager at this level is an absolutely thankless task- no meaningful financial rewards and an army of keyboard warriors who all apparently have a better knowledge of player abilities and tactics than the incumbent has.

Personally I think AJ and SC have done well this year to get us into a position where we should stay up despite starting with only 3 signed players. I wouldn’t have renewed any contract until we were mathematically safe and at our level a one year renewal is a safer option. I don’t see any big advantage in locking in for two years because if it goes pear shaped compensation can make an exit difficult to contemplate.

You say that you wouldn’t trust the Manager with a rebuild? I would say that his signings and use of the loan market were excellent considering the hand that he was dealt and the budget at his disposal.We can all disagree on his selections and player “favourites” but personally I think the players have let him down in recent weeks :-
- Ayo’s form has shaded considerably last few weeks
- Jones and Mabude have had the odd good game but neither have performed anywhere near their capability
- once teams realise to defend deep against Shields he has really struggled
- Dobbie has sadly been a pale shadow of his former self

Probably be a clause built in to cover us. But I’m not to fussed at the two year deal, club needs continuity, it did at the time of naysmiths punting as well. Don’t think we gain a lot from going back to square one. Least this gives us a chance of building something or as much as we can.

On the latter points, the use of Ayo in midfield worked for 2/3 games but its not now, slow and ponderous in possession and largely anonymous. The only thing we gain is another presence to defend set pieces. Dapo is also wasted on wing, if he’s through the middle I think he’s fine and cause issues. Don’t think jones is anywhere near fit tbh. Shields just seems to be happy to be muscled out by defenders recently something he wasn’t before, maybe looking into it too much with him moving on. Actually thought dobbs was looking sharp last few games for spells but him constantly getting niggles and injuries now is very worrying for me.

[Rjc-1988]

Probably be a clause built in to cover us. But I’m not to fussed at the two year deal, club needs continuity, it did at the time of naysmiths punting as well. Don’t think we gain a lot from going back to square one. Least this gives us a chance of building something or as much as we can.

On the latter points, the use of Ayo in midfield worked for 2/3 games but its not now, slow and ponderous in possession and largely anonymous. The only thing we gain is another presence to defend set pieces. Dapo is also wasted on wing, if he’s through the middle I think he’s fine and cause issues. Don’t think jones is anywhere near fit tbh. Shields just seems to be happy to be muscled out by defenders recently something he wasn’t before, maybe looking into it too much with him moving on. Actually thought dobbs was looking sharp last few games for spells but him constantly getting niggles and injuries now is very worrying for me.

Agree with most of that. I totally understand everyone’s frustration on the back of the recent disappointing results. Queens have an annoying habit of raising the fans’ expectations and just when you are on the verge of “wanting to believe” it all comes crashing down. Hope for the best but fear the worst tends to be the order of the day.Whatever anyone thinks of AJ’s managerial acumen or otherwise the task here or at say Ayr, Morton,Inverness, Raith is enormous. No chance of holding your best players, no budget to sign other teams’ best players, too costly to run a meaningful youth academy. Recruitment is therefore reliant on trying to pick up lower league talent basically “unknowns” before the vultures circle, a few journeymen and the loan market which is now the most crucial part of the equation. I couldn’t imagine how poor we would have been without this season’s loanees. Any manager who doesn’t have good entry points in the loan market is putting his club at a huge disadvantage and sadly this process means it is almost a complete re-build every season. This is not a good model for tier 2 football for either supporters or players but it’s not likely to change any time soon.

[19QOS19]

Let’s not be under illusions being a Manager at this level is an absolutely thankless task- no meaningful financial rewards and an army of keyboard warriors who all apparently have a better knowledge of player abilities and tactics than the incumbent has.

Are we supposed to pity manager's at this level? They know that's what the job entails at this level. If they don't like those conditions, don't sign a contract. It's really simple. No one forces them into management.

As for keyboard warriors. I know football is a tough gig but I'm always uncomfortable when folk spew absolute venom at footballers and managers. I'm not sure what good it does doing that at a game towards your own side. I rarely shout at the football due to where I sit but when I do it's 99% encouragement. The negative stuff is usually after a poor award by the officials. I do my moaning online where players don't have to read it. They can't really avoid it at their place of work though. I think that's the whole point of football forums tbh and if I was a footballer I'd steer clear of them.

[qos1990]

Agree with most of that. I totally understand everyone’s frustration on the back of the recent disappointing results. Queens have an annoying habit of raising the fans’ expectations and just when you are on the verge of “wanting to believe” it all comes crashing down. Hope for the best but fear the worst tends to be the order of the day.Whatever anyone thinks of AJ’s managerial acumen or otherwise the task here or at say Ayr, Morton,Inverness, Raith is enormous. No chance of holding your best players, no budget to sign other teams’ best players, too costly to run a meaningful youth academy. Recruitment is therefore reliant on trying to pick up lower league talent basically “unknowns” before the vultures circle, a few journeymen and the loan market which is now the most crucial part of the equation. I couldn’t imagine how poor we would have been without this season’s loanees. Any manager who doesn’t have good entry points in the loan market is putting his club at a huge disadvantage and sadly this process means it is almost a complete re-build every season. This is not a good model for tier 2 football for either supporters or players but it’s not likely to change any time soon.

My thinking after yesterday, is that we all wanted to survive this season and a result on Saturday would guarantee that and hopefully a respectable mid table finish. Next year I’d hope to progress again if we can keep a good few of the current squad.

[Northfield 53]

5 hours ago, qos1990 said:

My thinking after yesterday, is that we all wanted to survive this season and a result on Saturday would guarantee that and hopefully a respectable mid table finish. Next year I’d hope to progress again if we can keep a good few of the current squad.

Ayr will come out all guns blazing next week Muirhead will get them up for playing Queens .

We are going through the motions not up for a fight I just can't see us get another point this season .

My worry is our awful good difference  I can see all the teams finish on 31 points end up us in the playoffs then we lose to Partick that is the nightmare I am having just now 

[die hard doonhamer]

I know there's a dedicated keep/punt/undecided thread, but let's do this here. Squad list taken from SD's latest update in the squads thread.

Goalkeepers

Rohan Ferguson (23) - Punt if expected to be number 1, but would keep as backup.

Jack Leighfield (22) - Punt

 

Defenders

Rhys Breen (21) - on loan from Rangers - keep, would be happy to see him back.

Gregor Buchanan (30) - punt

James Maxwell (19) - on loan from Rangers - keep. Has been good if a little inconsistent, but he's improving.

Nortei Nortey (26) - punt. Far too many injuries.

Ayo Obileye (26) - keep

Diste Sylla (19) - undecided. Has he played?

Wullie Gibson (36) - keep

 

Midfielders

Aidan Fitzpatrick (19) - on loan from Norwich City - punt. Huge disappointment.

Isaiah Jones (21) - on loan from Middlesbrough - keep. Not a chance we'll see him back, though. Far too good for this level.

Rhys McCabe (28) - undecided. Played a lot but never been anything other than 'meh'. 

Calvin McGrory (21) - keep. Not been brilliant, but he's young enough, and shown enough signs of promise, that I'd be happy to see him stick around.

Kieran McKechnie (19) - undecided. Another without enough playing time to really comment.

Joe McKee (28) - punt. Not played enough. Has a nice touch, but doesn't offer much else.

Dom McMahon (19) - undecided. As per others.

Dan Pybus (23) - punt. Cannot understand the hype that surrounds him. A midfield Stewart Kean/Graham Weir.

Ciaran Dickson (18) - on loan from Rangers. Undecided. Not been here long, we've been pretty pish while he has been, so hard to tell.

 

Forwards

Stephen Dobbie (38) - keep. If anyone else had been as ineffective as him this year I'd say punt, but I don't ever want him to leave.

Euan East (20) - keep. Good amount of minutes this season. Much like McGrory he's young enough and shown enough that I'd keep him around.

Tommy Goss (22) - undecided. Hardly seen him.

Niyah Joseph (19) - keep. Same as McGrory/East.

Dapo Mebude (19) - on loan from Rangers. Keep. Looks a good player, would happily have him back.

Connor Shields (23) - keep. No explanation needed.

 

So 11 players that I'd keep, 4 aren't even ours on the first place, and at least 2 of the others are likely already tied up elsewhere. Another huge rebuild ahead, and likely another season of struggling.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

What's has happened to Tommy Goss,  is he injured or just out of the picture?  I've actually little doubt that if the EoS and SoS Leagues had still been playing he would have been loaned out again. 

As for Stephen Dobbie, I'm afraid if he's just going to be used as a bit-part player under Johnston I'd rather he moved on and we remembered him as the great player he was for us.  I'll obviously  be glad if he stayed if he himself felt he could still contribute in a big way. 

[qos1990]

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/6989273/hearts-set-transfer-move-forfar-roberto-nditi/

Not that I hold much hope with the competition, but getting linked to the above.

[Rjc-1988]

Nditi was outstanding for Forfar in the recent cup tie v Dundee United. Thought United would be first in the queue having witnessed first hand what he can do. Always dangerous to judge players on one match but he was everywhere and comfortable on the ball. It’s the type of player from League 1 that we should be going after but when they play well in a live TV game we will no doubt be at the back of a long queue.

[Dougie Mills]

I’ve a bad feeling that Ayr, Morton and Arbroath are going to win on Saturday and drop us in some serious shit!

[19QOS19]

I’ve a bad feeling that Ayr, Morton and Arbroath are going to win on Saturday and drop us in some serious shit!

Could have done with a Dundee win tonight but Caley not winning is a good thing and I assume two players short on Saturday. If Caley have something to play for on the last day I think they'll steamroll Ayr tbh.

[Guest Flash]

 

25 minutes ago, 19QOS19 said:

29 minutes ago, Dougie Mills said:

I’ve a bad feeling that Ayr, Morton and Arbroath are going to win on Saturday and drop us in some serious shit!

Could have done with a Dundee win tonight but Caley not winning is a good thing and I assume two players short on Saturday. If Caley have something to play for on the last day I think they'll steamroll Ayr tbh.

If the above results happen and ICT beat Hearts, ICT will only need a point v Ayr to finish above Dunfermline. So, they could have something to play for but not need a win.
Eta on a positive note, if Dunfermline lose their last 2 games and ICT either lose 2, or lose one and draw one, we can still finish 4th by winning both of ours. 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Flash

[19QOS19]

 
If the above results happen and ICT beat Hearts, ICT will only need a point v Ayr to finish above Dunfermline. So, they could have something to play for but not need a win.
Eta on a positive note, if Dunfermline lose their last 2 games and ICT either lose 2, or lose one and draw one, we can still finish 4th by winning both of ours. [emoji38]

I can't see Caley sitting in for a point against a side who will likely be needing 3 points. I just think if we mess it up on Saturday then Caley will do the job properly.

[Monkey Tennis]

We can't lose on Saturday.

If we do, we've as much chance of 9th as any of the other contenders, in fact probably more than some.