ArabFC Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Nowt to do with squad depth. We have as good options in reserve as anyone. All this boils down to is bad management. Players should have been getting rested (Souttar and Gauld especially) whilst we were winning, one, maybe two at a time. Instead we suffered our worst result of the season, queue wholesale changes, resulting in an even worse defeat, which then was followed by a huge game against Aberdeen where the confidence was gone! Now our players have no confidence, need rested when we need them most, so were screwed. I have no doubt we will eventually rediscover our form, but its a waiting game now. Decisions to change the system, like yesterday, to a 433 just exacerbate the problem. We do not need new centre backs. The reason our defensive record was so good previously was not down specifically to centre backs, but the fact we were dominating games, and that is solved further up the park! Next Game: (Hopefully, imho) Cierzniak - Watson, Dillon, Gunning, Robertson - Gomis, Rankin - GMS, Armstrong, Ciftci - Farid Subs: McCallum, Wilson, Souttar, Paton, Gauld, Erskine, Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Nowt to do with squad depth. We have as good options in reserve as anyone. All this boils down to is bad management. Players should have been getting rested (Souttar and Gauld especially) whilst we were winning, one, maybe two at a time. Instead we suffered our worst result of the season, queue wholesale changes, resulting in an even worse defeat, which then was followed by a huge game against Aberdeen where the confidence was gone! Now our players have no confidence, need rested when we need them most, so were screwed. I have no doubt we will eventually rediscover our form, but its a waiting game now. Decisions to change the system, like yesterday, to a 433 just exacerbate the problem. We do not need new centre backs. The reason our defensive record was so good previously was not down specifically to centre backs, but the fact we were dominating games, and that is solved further up the park! Next Game: (Hopefully, imho) Cierzniak - Watson, Dillon, Gunning, Robertson - Gomis, Rankin - GMS, Armstrong, Ciftci - Farid Subs: McCallum, Wilson, Souttar, Paton, Gauld, Erskine, Graham. Butcher isn't good enough and I'm struggling to think of one decent game Dillon has had in centre defence since the start of the season. Whilst I agree that our defence was under less pressure when we were playing attacking football up the park, we need to make sure they can do their job when they have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumigoo Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 There's a difference between squad depth and squad quality. We have very decent squad depth, and have cover for almost all positions (barring maybe left back). What we might not have is quality. It is all good and well hearing that all the 'reserve' players are 'chomping at the bit to be involved', but I have not been impressed by those that have been given a chance recently due to current form/injuries/resting players. We have some pretty plain and average players beyond our crop of very good SPL players (and if you are wondering who I think they are - Rado, Gunning, Souttar, Robertson, Rankin, GMS, Armstrong, Gauld, Ciftci). Now I know most squads could claim the same issue with having a few really good players then lots of average players but we have suffered more than most recently when our good players have dropped form or needed a rest. The players that we have waiting in the wings are okay, but not much more than that. I have no doubt that we would be sitting 2nd or 3rd if our first eleven were fit and playing well in a good system, but the last 6 weeks or so have been a bit of a mess to be honest. No consistency in teamlines (for a number of reasons), players dipping in form, and some looking pretty jaded. So McNamara and his team now have a big challenge in getting everyone back to the October/November standard and hopefully quickly. I still think our target at the start of the season would have probably been no more than top six and maybe a cup run. This was always going to be a season of learning and adjusting to all the changes and a new (very young) manager. I still think McNamara has been a great appointment for us, and I think he will improve us further, but he does have some hard work ahead of him over the coming weeks to get us out of this rut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Erskine out to Partick on loan, and Ryan Ferguson told tae bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Darkest Timeline Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Erskine out to Partick on loan, and Ryan Ferguson told tae bolt. I'm hoping there's some plans to get people in then, otherwise we're a bit short if GMS, Gauld or Armstrong get injured at any point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm hoping there's some plans to get people in then, otherwise we're a bit short if GMS, Gauld or Armstrong get injured at any point. Isn't Gardyne back at the end of the month? He is twice the player of Erskine anyway. I'm hoping that will free up some money to bring in another defender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Darkest Timeline Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Isn't Gardyne back at the end of the month? He is twice the player of Erskine anyway. I'm hoping that will free up some money to bring in another defender. Pretty sure Gardyne's loan was extended to the end of the season quite recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Pretty sure Gardyne's loan was extended to the end of the season quite recently. Guess Dow will just need to man up. Maybe bring someone in on a cheap loan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Guess Dow will just need to man up. Maybe bring someone in on a cheap loan. I'm in favour of Dow being given a chance but I'm not convinced he's good enough either. As has been said there is a gulf in class between our good players and the others we have and when our talented players are out or not performing then we are struggling to fill the void. I agree that Gardyne is a better option than Erskine and can't understand why his loan spell has been extended. Thomson has done great job of reducing the club's debt and hopefully can continue to do so when we eventually capitalise on some of the young talent, but I wonder if it may be prudent to spend a bit of money strengthing the team in terms of quality. That way we can still perform on the park whilst not playing those who need a rest or are off form. The old cliche of 'speculate to accumulate' may apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm in favour of Dow being given a chance but I'm not convinced he's good enough either. As has been said there is a gulf in class between our good players and the others we have and when our talented players are out or not performing then we are struggling to fill the void. I agree that Gardyne is a better option than Erskine and can't understand why his loan spell has been extended. Thomson has done great job of reducing the club's debt and hopefully can continue to do so when we eventually capitalise on some of the young talent, but I wonder if it may be prudent to spend a bit of money strengthing the team in terms of quality. That way we can still perform on the park whilst not playing those who need a rest or are off form. The old cliche of 'speculate to accumulate' may apply. Dow has to be a better option than Erskine and I've been disappointed he has been over looked recently. I think we should be looking to bring in some experience at the back. I'm not overly worried anyway GD, like myself you weren't expecting much this season and we would have both took top 6 at the start of the season. Now we have crashed back to reality and everyone realises this team is miles off competing with Celtic, maybe we could appreciate the work Thompson and McNamara done this summer in cutting back and still managing to improve performances on the pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Dow has to be a better option than Erskine and I've been disappointed he has been over looked recently. I think we should be looking to bring in some experience at the back. I'm not overly worried anyway GD, like myself you weren't expecting much this season and we would have both took top 6 at the start of the season. Now we have crashed back to reality and everyone realises this team is miles off competing with Celtic, maybe we could appreciate the work Thompson and McNamara done this summer in cutting back and still managing to improve performances on the pitch. Yeah, I'm not overly worried now peeeel. I Hope I'm as equally untroubled by the middle of February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Yeah, I'm not overly worried now peeeel. I Hope I'm as equally untroubled by the middle of February. Yeah, come back in a further six games and ask again, if we haven't won by then I'll sure have changed my tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banana Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I've been disappointed that Dow hasn't seen more game time since he became a victim of our October/Novemberish form. He hasn't done much wrong any time I've seen him and was more needing a run in the team. Erskine getting games reeks of MacNamara desperately trying to force a really uncomfortable signing fit... on the other hand it's worked out as we now know he's clearly not up to the task at United. Kudos is fit again and Connolly also perhaps ready to stake a claim. No panic stations quite yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 If anyone has been in need of a loan deal, it's Ryan Dow! He's been on the fringes of the first team squad for years now, and has never had a chance to prove himself either good enough or not. Always hear good things about him in training, but he's never managed to forge himself a first team spot. Erskine away on loan? I'm just baffled by this one. Not my favourite player, but he is an option at least and has been getting more game time recently! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 If anyone has been in need of a loan deal, it's Ryan Dow! He's been on the fringes of the first team squad for years now, and has never had a chance to prove himself either good enough or not. Always hear good things about him in training, but he's never managed to forge himself a first team spot. Erskine away on loan? I'm just baffled by this one. Not my favourite player, but he is an option at least and has been getting more game time recently! Dow's better than Erskine IMO, has more experience at this level. Although I do agree, a loan would have been a good thing for him. This Erskine loan is just opening the door for him to leave in the summer without costing the club any more money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Danger Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Dow's better than Erskine IMO, has more experience at this level. Although I do agree, a loan would have been a good thing for him. This Erskine loan is just opening the door for him to leave in the summer without costing the club any more money. On what I've seen of Erskine I think Dow is better but that's hardly a glowing endorsement. I may be repeating myself but there's a big gulf between these two and the likes of GMS, Armstrong, Gauld and Ciftci. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeel Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 On what I've seen of Erskine I think Dow is better but that's hardly a glowing endorsement. I may be repeating myself but there's a big gulf between these two and the likes of GMS, Armstrong, Gauld and Ciftci. Oh yeah I'm sure we are all aware of this fact now GD. There's a huge gulf between our best 11 and all the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyarabnuts Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 this was on the bbc sport football gossip site; Former Dundee United defender Garry Kenneth, released by Bristol Rovers last month, is poised to seal a return to Tannadice. (Sun) Please please please just be one more of the Sun's most ridiculous stories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabianKnight Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Tbh I'm not overly dissapointed if Kenneth does return, hopefully having to scratch around trying to find a full time club that would take him has maybe sorted his big time Charlie attitude out a bit. What's giving me the fear is if him and Gunning suddenly decide to waltz up the pitch in tandem attempting some silky skills.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Nomad Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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