carlukediamond Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Give the guy a chance, he's not kicked a ball yet. Judge him after a few games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiviLion Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Mensing has always been a big haddy although quite an effective haddy at that TBF. He's obviously not a long term signing at all but as long he can come in, get us organised and help out McIntosh and Gorman then he should be fine to see us through until the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
She who dares gins Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Nothing like giving a guy a chance, eh? Every time I've seen Mensing play against, I've left wishing he played for us. Hard as nails and bags of experience. Admittedly I haven't seen him play for a few years, but why don't we maybe give him a couple of games before crucifying him? I've little or zero faith in our club's ability to sign a half-decent player in a season of Big Bo and Hugo Faria, so forgive us the cynicism. It's a defender - which we need. He sure as hell cant be any worse than what we've got. So absolutely, let's see how he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DestroyedByMadness Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 46 minutes ago, Redandwhitearmy78 said: Your first three words in that post was moronic Thanks for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jarss Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I will give the guy a chance before I make my mind up. We've been shouting out for a new defender to be signed and ideally someone with experience to help the younger lads. Mensing certainly has the experience. He's been playing in the states for the last 2 years so can't comment on his recent form. I always thought that he was one of those players who opposition fans hated but would have taken in their own team. He was a no nonsense player who wasn't afraid of a 50/50 challenge. Let's give him a couple of games before writing him off as another dud. He can't be any worse than Boateng. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Oracle Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 At least we can be confident he'll be capable of heading the ball, which should help us concede less at corners. I'm trying to look for the silver lining here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBuckfastTriangle Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 On 25/01/2017 at 20:25, Diamonds are Forever said: Our recruitment has been terrible, but at the same time I've no issue with most of the players released. I would have kept Bain for another season, he's a decent, experienced League One full-back and would have bought us more time to convert Stewart or McIntosh to right back if that was the plan, or just find a better one for next season. The good runs of form we've had in the second half of the last few seasons were always with Bain at right back (obviously not saying this was down to him, but shows if he's in a decent team he's a more than capable player). I'd also have kept Crighton (or even Lithgow if we couldn't keep Crighton), again an experienced, vocal presence at the back who's won the league before, would have helped the likes of McIntosh and Ferguson hugely. The rest were rightly released - Prunty's finished sadly, Cox was a trier but never good enough for a team looking to challenge, same with O'Neill, Watt would have been fine as a versatile squad player but again not really the level we should be looking for (Conroy, Leitch and Hutton are all far superior). Would have kept Cadden but only within reason, if Livi came in with more then he's not worth pushing the boat out for. The problem was that there was clearly no real plan for recruitment and far too many influences. Was the aim this season to win the league? Or was it a '2 year plan' where this year was about gradually improving the team but keeping a few core young players, and then improving it again the next year for a league challenge? For all that Livi are obviously going to end up in the gutter again, at least they had a clear plan which was that their squad was built to win the league. Brechin, Alloa and a few others would have a clear intent to build their squads with the aim of finishing in the play-offs and maybe sneaking up through them, and built squads appropriate for that. I've no idea what our squad was built to achieve, just seemed a total scatter gun approach. There seemed to be some signings where there appeared to be some evidence they'd been planning ahead like signing Gorman last year or signing the likes of Ryan, but then there was signing Schmidt after a pre-season friendly or Boateng after seeing McIntosh and Gorman and panicking that they weren't good enough. And signing Russell (no issue with the signing, but didn't exactly fit with Under 26 idea). And then some loans which they also implied we wouldn't be getting. In short, it's been a mess. We need to get to the end of the season and hopefully get in the play-offs. But more importantly Wilson needs to be given complete control over signings for next season and we need to be planning from now for who we are going to be keeping for next season and who we are targeting to build a balanced, competitive squad which can challenge. Great post. I preferred O'Neill to Bain, but other than that I'd agree with the lot regarding last season. However, while Wilson should have complete control of who signs and not have players forced on him I would expect others (particularly Dalziel - as at least it would justify his position) to have a huge input and influence on the recruitment side. If we had a recruitment team of the head coach, DoF "consultant", a head scout type figure and the head of the youth/20s then between them they'd be able to see what was coming through from within our setup and, where we had gaps, the positions and attributes we'd want from external signings. The 'Hamilton model' was used as a prototype for what we wanted to do. I don't know if this has changed but I think it's important that they had older heads like Neil and Canning and to an extent our new boy Mensing who guided the young players through and also had a coaching pathway for themselves. It's not just about improving young players, its about improving EVERYONE at the club. For next season I'd expect that as soon as our January business is complete (now?) that we start making plans for next year. We'd have 2 plans - one for League 1 and one for the Championship...though more in hope than expectation at present. We also have players signed for next year so I'd expect us to have a core to build from. We'd also have a plan for if players from that core who we may get a fee for like Ryan and Ferguson leave, rather than looking like we haven't a clue what to do when our preferred choices either move on or choose another club instead of signing for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
She who dares gins Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 How much of the dross that we signed under King the Clown are on two-year contracts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DestroyedByMadness Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 8 minutes ago, She who dares gins said: How much of the dross that we signed under King the Clown are on two-year contracts? Tbh, I thought most of them were. BoDiddy, Leitch and Mensing are till end of season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Oracle Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I'm preying this allows us to play the following team:Think this would cover our defensive frailties while ensuring our best attacking players are on the park.Unfortunately I can't fit Brown into this (think Stewart's a better player anyway) however he'd be a very useful impact sub to run at tired defences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waysider Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Don't know what formation we'll play but I think Russell will be preferred to McKay. I also think that Brown will start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeDiamond90 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 7 minutes ago, Diamond Oracle said: I'm preying this allows us to play the following team: Think this would cover our defensive frailties while ensuring our best attacking players are on the park. Unfortunately I can't fit Brown into this (think Stewart's a better player anyway) however he'd be a very useful impact sub to run at tired defences. Would work most weeks however MacDonald is suspended this week I think, also relies heavily on Stewart and MacDonald running the length of the pitch for the entire game which will eventually lead to more injuries without any ready made replacements for them. Totally agree that a formation like this is required though to shore up our defence and give us a good base to work off of. Worked for Bollan in the end, make us hard to beat and the rest will follow eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBuckfastTriangle Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I wouldn't do it personally, but Conroy has played LB in the past. Either that or Stewart to LB (given his versatility) with Leitch a bit deeper and Brown in #10 role. Cairns or Gorman at LB the only other options. Would start Russell up top in place of McKay. Brown does hee haw for 89 minutes but generally creates a couple of super chances in a match, so I'd start him. Main issue is we have a pool of about 14 actual 1st team players and when we're short you either move players out of their best positions or promote the kids and throw them in hoping for the best. Stewart and Brown also only on 1 year deals I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DestroyedByMadness Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 30 minutes ago, WeeDiamond90 said: Would work most weeks however MacDonald is suspended this week I think, also relies heavily on Stewart and MacDonald running the length of the pitch for the entire game which will eventually lead to more injuries without any ready made replacements for them. Totally agree that a formation like this is required though to shore up our defence and give us a good base to work off of. Worked for Bollan in the end, make us hard to beat and the rest will follow eventually. Boyle and Sandy were our most reliable players for a decade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redandwhitearmy78 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I do apologise for slating the guy I will give him his chance but don't hold out for too much from him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 58 minutes ago, Diamond Oracle said: I'm preying this allows us to play the following team: Think this would cover our defensive frailties while ensuring our best attacking players are on the park. Unfortunately I can't fit Brown into this (think Stewart's a better player anyway) however he'd be a very useful impact sub to run at tired defences. I'd play this but swap McKay for Russell. Ryan and Russell have been an effective partnership when they've been played upfront together. Russell is useless out on the wing. I wouldn't start Brown either. Harsh? Maybe. But for me he's not consistent enough, doesn't have a proper position and isn't as good a #10 as Leitch. He could be a very good impact sub though with his pace and finishing ability. Hopefully we'll start to see the best of McKay too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waysider Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 I know we're picking our personal preferences here but we have to think what the manager will do. I would not drop Brown and I know I'm in the minority. More importantly he has (I think?) started every game this season and I can only remember him being substituted once. Can't see the manager changing this now particularly at a time when he has been playing well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFC1878 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Bo will be in the starting line-up tomorrrow, wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redandwhitearmy78 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Would work most weeks however MacDonald is suspended this week I think, also relies heavily on Stewart and MacDonald running the length of the pitch for the entire game which will eventually lead to more injuries without any ready made replacements for them. Totally agree that a formation like this is required though to shore up our defence and give us a good base to work off of. Worked for Bollan in the end, make us hard to beat and the rest will follow eventually. That's the way i think the team will be unless Wilson plays 4 at the back and Scott in midfield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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