Walking Down The Halbeath Road

[Stellaboz]

Pick a scapegoat and stick with him!

Fine. Jamie Dolan.

[Poet of the Macabre]

Time for Higgy to go tbh.

[D.A.F.C]

5 hours ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Big moment in Ryan Williamson's career.  He's 23 now and he's not progressing at the rate people expected or hoped. I think his injuries have really hit his confidence quite badly and he looks so hesitant to make his trademark runs down the right. Yet, even on Friday, we looked so much more dangerous when he tried to get past his man and take on the full back.

I'd keep him but I feel he should have been on the verge of a big move by this point and he's gone backwards. I have faith that with a run of games and a bit of confidence, he can return to the player we all know he can be. I know he's not the greatest defender in the world but I don't think he should need to be if we have a strong core at the back and in midfield.

Will definitely be some big changes in the summer and some big names in the squad could and possibly should be moving on.

Part of the reason I get so frustrated at him is that he doesn’t seem to be able to learn the basics of defending. Injuries possibly have played a part and he just doesn’t have the aggression needed to defend. When the ball comes into his area as a defender he should attack it and make the attacking player think about what he’s doing. Ryan actually runs away and let’s the centre half run out. Is it so hard to get him to stand on the outside so the only option for the attacker is to cut inside? Then with his pace he can match up? Really after five years of full time training this is the best we can get out of him?

Going forward I have to say his crosses have improved but last season Higgy and Callum Morris were basically coaching him through games. He doesn’t have that luxury now. Higgy and others, especially Ashcroft, look a shell of the player they were last season. I think we should try and get another top quality defender back beside Ashcroft. Lewis Martin shouldn’t be offered a deal, not his fault but we can’t afford injury prone players.

Another tough season next year with a total rebuild needed again.

[Stellaboz]

I can't argue about Williamson, or any of that. He's just not improved how we'd hoped and he's been at fault a good number of times this season alone, including Friday night.

[Poet of the Macabre]

7 hours ago, Stellaboz said:

I can't argue about Williamson, or any of that. He's just not improved how we'd hoped and he's been at fault a good number of times this season alone, including Friday night.

He got rinsed a few times on Friday, although Scully has also had a nightmare with the goal once the ball is fired across.

I think Williamson and Martin could both use a fresh start somewhere else but I know they can be really decent players for us at their best. I'd certainly be frustrated if they left and had success elsewhere.

[D.A.F.C]

Martin is excellent and capable of playing left and right back and also centre half in a crisis.

[DA Baracus]

Excellent is overdoing it by quite a bit.

[Kelheart]

On 01/04/2019 at 17:43, Poet of the Macabre said:

Think if results take a poor turn early next season and Crawford leaves then McNamara would take caretaker charge, much in the same way Crawford did.

Perhaps I'm just being cynical.

He done a grand job at York !! Would you really want him managing the pars ??

[DA Baracus]

That he's used the word 'cynical' suggests not.

[D.A.F.C]

3 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Excellent is overdoing it by quite a bit.

When he’s not injured.

[Poet of the Macabre]

4 hours ago, D.A.F.C said:

Martin is excellent and capable of playing left and right back and also centre half in a crisis.

Nah, he's not. He can play several positions which is undoubtedly useful but I'd say League One is probably his level as a regular stater.

He'd be a superb signing for the wee team if they stay full time and can keep him fit.

3 hours ago, Kelheart said:

He done a grand job at York !! Would you really want him managing the pars ??

Not at all but he does have more experience than Crawford as a first team manager.

My preferred choice would probably still be Jim Goodwin or maybe Callum Davidson. I think a lot of St Johnstone fans felt he was the long-term successor for Tommy Wright after being assistant there for a long time.

[Poet of the Macabre]

Decent result for us tonight with Caley losing. Playing up at Inverness on the final day means we only need to get within a couple of points before then to stay in with a chance.

Still very much a long shot at this stage to get into the top four but hopefully we can at least put up a decent fight. I can't even imagine things being worse than Friday.

 

[parsforlife]

Decent result for us tonight with Caley losing. Playing up at Inverness on the final day means we only need to get within a couple of points before then to stay in with a chance.

Still very much a long shot at this stage to get into the top four but hopefully we can at least put up a decent fight. I can't even imagine things being worse than Friday.

 

 

It is a long shot but I think there is a

Ok chance we can put ourselves in a position that a win on final day will put us in the playoffs.

 

Ayr va caley at the weekend. Need a win to gain points on them.

 

Away to county which will be pretty tough but abit of a free hit.

 

Caley then off from league business the following weekend, strong chance to put pressure on them before they go into a Tuesday night game right after the semifinal.

 

Hopefully the cup will distract them enough.and we can get the wins needed

[Stellaboz]

It's a huge long shot with the squad we have. We're barely scoring any goals and the last two games have been really poor efforts. It's almost as if they've been on holiday for two weeks not working on anything.

I'm desperate for Craw to succeed but he's got a huge job on his hands until the end of the season, to get something more out of these players.

[HoBNob]

14 hours ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Nah, he's not. He can play several positions which is undoubtedly useful but I'd say League One is probably his level as a regular stater.

He was one of our best players by the end of last season, he's more than capable at championship level. 

 

Outwith this season he's never really had a problem with injuries, no idea what's happened to him. 

[DA Baracus]

Num	Player	Position	Date Joined
1	Sean Murdoch	Goalkeeper	17-07-2015
2	Ryan Williamson	Defender
3	Jackson Longridge	Defender	01-06-2018
4	Lewis Martin	Defender
5	Mark Durnan	Defender	06-06-2018
6	Lee Ashcroft	Defender	25-05-2016
7	Kallum Higginbotham	Midfielder	17-07-2016
8	Tom Beadling	Midfielder	30-01-2018
9	Andy Ryan	Striker	14-08-2017
10	Louis Longridge	Forward	01-06-2018
11	Aidan Connolly	Midfielder	20-06-2018
12	Bruce Anderson	Forward	31-01-2019
14	Danny Devine	Defender	06-06-2018
15	Myles Hippolyte	Striker	13-07-2018
16	Lee Robinson	Goalkeeper	01-01-2018
17	Joe Thomson	Midfielder	15-06-2018
18	Faissal El Bakhtaoui	Striker	12-07-2018
19	James Vincent	Midfielder	29-01-2018
20	Cammy Gill	Goalkeeper
23	Callum Smith	Striker	20-05-2016
28	James Craigen	Midfielder	19-01-2018
35	Ryan Blair	Midfielder	31-01-2019
36	Robbie Muirhead	Forward	31-08-2018
40	Ryan Scully	Goalkeeper	24-01-2019

 

The above is the first team squad from the official site. 

If it were possible for everyone, who would you punt and who would you keep?

 

Keep:

Murdoch (only if he is fit and can play next season)

Williamson (just; I'd give him one more season to prove himself)

J Longridge

Ashcroft (just; he needs to prove that this season has been a blip)

Beadling

Ryan (just; think we haven't seen the best of him)

L Longridge (just; again, I think we haven't seen the best of him)

Anderson

Thomson

Blair

Scully

 

Punt:

Martin (sorry, the time has come)

Devine

Durnan

Higginbotham (again, it's time)

Connolly

Hippolyte

Robinson

El Bak (he's lost it; sad to see)

Vincent (slightly harsh perhaps, but not good enough if we want to kick on)

Craigen (as above)

Muirhead

Smith (not good enough; his early promise has never been replicated, even at other clubs)

Gill

 

We definitely have too much dead wood in the squad, and it's far too unbalanced with glaring flaws.

Edited April 3, 2019 by DA Baracus

[Stellaboz]

Muirhead [emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1] what a fucking signing this guy has been. Should easily cut it in anyones given worst eleven, or around the match day squad.

[Have some faith in Magic]

Doubt Muirhead is one of the smaller earners at the club. 

Back on topic:

Keep:

J Longridge, Ashcroft, Scully, Devine, Thomson, Beadling, L Longridge, Craigen.

Missing out Anderson as there is no way he is staying. 

It's a short list from me but we need pace at the back, creativity in midfield, a presence up front and a goalscorer or two. 

[Poet of the Macabre]

4 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Num	Player	Position	Date Joined
1	Sean Murdoch	Goalkeeper	17-07-2015
2	Ryan Williamson	Defender
3	Jackson Longridge	Defender	01-06-2018
4	Lewis Martin	Defender
5	Mark Durnan	Defender	06-06-2018
6	Lee Ashcroft	Defender	25-05-2016
7	Kallum Higginbotham	Midfielder	17-07-2016
8	Tom Beadling	Midfielder	30-01-2018
9	Andy Ryan	Striker	14-08-2017
10	Louis Longridge	Forward	01-06-2018
11	Aidan Connolly	Midfielder	20-06-2018
12	Bruce Anderson	Forward	31-01-2019
14	Danny Devine	Defender	06-06-2018
15	Myles Hippolyte	Striker	13-07-2018
16	Lee Robinson	Goalkeeper	01-01-2018
17	Joe Thomson	Midfielder	15-06-2018
18	Faissal El Bakhtaoui	Striker	12-07-2018
19	James Vincent	Midfielder	29-01-2018
20	Cammy Gill	Goalkeeper
23	Callum Smith	Striker	20-05-2016
28	James Craigen	Midfielder	19-01-2018
35	Ryan Blair	Midfielder	31-01-2019
36	Robbie Muirhead	Forward	31-08-2018
40	Ryan Scully	Goalkeeper	24-01-2019

Have put those I'd keep in bold. It's a very short list.

Others who would be on the 'maybe' list include Murdoch, Martin, Devine, L Longridge and Blair. The first two would be keeps for sure if it wasn't for fitness issues, while the other three would be on the bubble for me.

[D.A.F.C]

Already mentioned who I would keep but thought I would count the signings who have done ok or well under AJ/Crawford.

I make it around 10.

The first season was successful in terms of good signings then it was downhill from there. 

Best AJ eleven?

Murdoch

Reid Ashcroft McAusland Longridge

Higginbotham Thomson Craigen Aird

Clark Faissal

subs

Robinson

Talbot

Fordyce

BRE

Beadling

McCabe

McManus

All pretty successful signings.