Jump to content

Partick Thistle General Chatter: 2014/15


Recommended Posts

Survival assured, and we can finally start looking forward to next season. I think it will be a much tougher league next year without the kind of cushion we were lucky to have this year, and with the likes of St Mirren and Hibs (if they stay up) likely to strengthen. A total of 40 or more points and survival by means of finishing top 10 should be the goal IMO, pretty much the same as this season only it would be an even bigger achievement.

And that's really all I have to say, to be honest I just wanted this thread for myself really. Or at least to beat Jagfox to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 4k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The difficult second album. A lot more consistency would be the thing. One half of a drunkard trying to play a piano while pushing it down a flight of stairs and a second half like last night - I'm not sure if my heart can take it. ^_^

I really want to shut my ears to close season gossip. It has started already and I'm not sure I like some of it. Still ...

:thumsup2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Survival assured, and we can finally start looking forward to next season. I think it will be a much tougher league next year without the kind of cushion we were lucky to have this year, and with the likes of St Mirren and Hibs (if they stay up) likely to strengthen. A total of 40 or more points and survival by means of finishing top 10 should be the goal IMO, pretty much the same as this season only it would be an even bigger achievement.

And that's really all I have to say, to be honest I just wanted this thread for myself really. Or at least to beat Jagfox to it.

the_tardis_by_disent.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've got the following signed up for next season:

GOALKEEPERS

Scott Fox

Paul Gallacher (well, we have an option for a further deal which we'll surely be taking?)

DEFENDERS

Jordan McMillan

Stephen O'Donnell

Conrad Balatoni

Aaron Muirhead

Gabriel Piccolo

MIDFIELDERS

Stuart Bannigan

Gary Fraser

Sean Welsh

James Craigen

ATTACKERS

Kallum Higginbotham

Kris Doolan

I've no idea about younger players like Duggan, McAleer, McDaid, Keenan, Lindsay, Wilson etc. I'll maybe edit this and include them if I can be arsed, but from this season's first team here's who we have for next season.

So, we'll need to sort out one or two left-backs, one or two centre-halves, two or three midfielders, two or three of wide players/attacking midfielders, another striker. Between 7-11 players, then.

I'd try get Osbourne and Taylor signed up if possible, maybe Buaben too and I'm thinking Mair's situation is probably similar to Dowie in that we tell him thank you and goodbye, but then I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing if he signed on for another season. He's been good. I'd want another centre-half if he was to sign though, just in case he's not up to it. Reckon we can probably do better than Elliott too but if he's re-signed I wouldn't be too annoyed, he's not a bad squad player and played well last night. Taylor-Sinclair's gone I'm afraid. Would love to keep him. Erskine I'm not too fussed about. Moncur will be off. Lawless will be off. Anyone else?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a glaring difference between the top and bottom six in terms of consistency this season, not a single bottom six team was able to pull away from the play-offs easily. Compare that with St Johnstone in 7th who are 15 points ahead of us. So although the main aim should be to avoid the play-offs again, it would be good to get a comfortable mid-table finish.

Would like to sign Taylor. Sheffield have been watching Kane Hemmings I think so they're obviously on the lookout for a new forward, hopefully meaning Taylor isn't in their managers plans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless we sort the defence and the manager finds away for us to see games out I see us being much the same next year. Keeping Osbourne would be a start. Would like to see Taylor and Erskine stay, but don't rate our chances of keeping them.

Another thing I've been disappointed about this year is players like Muirhead, Lawless and O'Donnell (maybe an injury scuppered that..) never really developed like I hoped and thought they could.

Oh and punt Christie Elliott hes rotten.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've got the following signed up for next season:

GOALKEEPERS

Scott Fox

Paul Gallacher (well, we have an option for a further deal which we'll surely be taking?)

DEFENDERS

Jordan McMillan

Stephen O'Donnell

Conrad Balatoni

Aaron Muirhead

Gabriel Piccolo

MIDFIELDERS

Stuart Bannigan

Gary Fraser

Sean Welsh

James Craigen

ATTACKERS

Kallum Higginbotham

Kris Doolan

I didn't realise that's how few players were signed up. Lots of work required in the next couple of months.

If Archie can get a lot of business done then I think it might be beneficial to get pay off Craigen and 1 of the central defenders. Ideally I'd have 2 new central defenders next season yet we already have 3 signed up and I can't see us going with 5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just worked out, I could be a bit off but we've only had three goals from centre midfield all season. Two from Fraser and one from Forbes. Bannigan and Craigen have played loads all season and not scored one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd keep Elliott and Buaben on for another year but if neither were to sign I wouldn't be too upset if they left. Mair, similar to Dowie last year, should be thanked and sent on his way. I'm undecided about Osbourne. If he wasn't injury-prone then it would be a no brainer but he is. Lawless can go - he's not good enough. ATS will be away as we know.

I'd like us to get to get Taylor and, probably less so, Erskine in permanently. Don't know how realistic out chances are to get Taylor but maybe finishing 7th would give us the funds to offer a fee. Although Erskine hasn't been at his best recently he'd still be a good signing. It will depend on Dundee Utd's signing and sales though so if he was to come back I don't think it would be before the season started.

Presuming that none of them were to sign I'd say we need a centre-half (preferably left sided), left-back, centre-mid, attacking-midfielder (*cough* Cairney *cough*), at least one wide player and a striker. That's a minimum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As has been said, Mair should be thanked for his service and moved on. He's done his job this season, and helped strengthen the defence but we really should be looking for someone better for next season. Buaben id keep but won't be overly fussed if he does leave. Same with erskine. Elliott should be offered a new deal IMO, he's clearly a decent squad player and has done everything asked of him this season. Keeping Taylor would be amazing but unfortunately I don't see it happening. Lawless won't, and shouldn't, be kept on. I'd punt Osborne, as good as he can be, we can't afford to keep a guy who will spend half the season out injured.

We need a new centre half, a replacement for ATS, defensive midfielder who won't spend at least half the season injured, at least 1 more winger and a striker assuming Taylor doesn't stay.

Would also like to see a few of the young players come through to make their first steps in the first team next season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't disagree with much above, and I don't think it's too bad a thing that there's a few out of contract guys. The two mistakes we made last summer were being too loyal to the guys who won us promotion- which is understandable- and making panic signings in Baird and Kerr. Archie did at least correct these in January, showing an impressive ruthless streak in getting rid of Murray, McGuigan, Baird, Forbes, and Kerr, and apart from Moncur all the business in January was at least adequate.

Keepers are probably sorted, Gallacher should be good for another year and hopefully Fox can find the form of the first couple of months of this season.

Defence is our main problem, agree with all above that we say cheers to Lee Mair and move him on. Obviously need a left back to replace ATS and a centre half as well. Muirhead could be squeezed out with Balatoni seemingly favoured above him in the plans. There's not much point in punting Muirhead, Craigen etc out on loan as they've already proved they're good enough comfortably for the second tier. Piccolo would maybe be the only one I'd consider that with.

Centre Midfield- don't think it'd be very good PR to try and pay off Welsh when he's a perma-crock so I'd imagine we'll be stuck with him - I think he'd be OK at this level if he can get himself fit. We really need an Osbourne type player but I very much doubt the man himself will be at Firhill next season. I'm still not sure about how to get the best out of Fraser, his long passing and shooting is obviously great but I don't think he's solid enough defensively to play the role he currently does and I don't think he's got the pace or creativity to play as the attacking midfielder in our system. Buaben on a permanent deal would be OK if not great, I suspect it will happen.

Wide midfield- again, time to say thanks to Christie, good guy and 100% effort but just not up to it over the course of a season. Lawless moving on as well. Wouldn't be falling over myself to get Erskine back, particularly if we have to pay money. Unlikely United will pay up 2 years of his contract though. Probably 2 signings needed here. Although I've said all season I think Craigen would be useful out wide, I think I'm in a minority on that one. Trying to get Higgy's contract extended beyond next year should be a priority as well, I think him and Bannigan are the only under contract players we're in any danger of losing this summer. Not sure if I'd take Cairney back though, I know going to Hibs automatically lowers your ability by 25% but he faded badly after a decent start at Easter Rd and seems to have problems with his weight again.

Strikers- Doolan is more than good enough, Taylor was great last night but has been hot and cold. I presume we're only going to go with 2 out and out strikers and maybe young Duggan as backup given the system we play so we have to get this signing right. I suspect we'll be lining up against Taylor next season though, plenty of teams in this league would take him as at least a second choice striker.

Cannae wait to sign a youngster on loan from an EPL team and not play him again tho.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Taylor needs purchased asap.

Erskine would be good too although he has been pretty shit the past few games.

Beyond that I can take or leave the rest of the squad not already tied down to next season.

How does the number of games played by Osbourne this season compare to previous seasons and is he out with the same problems as before? He was an absolute unit until he went down.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...