Double Winning St Johnstone FC Thread

[mizfit]

19 years old would suggest they’re wanting us to give him a bit of experience and we’ll have him for cover.

[Mr Positive, sometimes.]

2 minutes ago, Widge said:

Signing another right back is surely a bit of a worry? 
 

Or is it the case he is maybe cheap centreback cover in the even we lose on for a period of time?

According to Millwall website

"Muller, adept at centre-back or right-back, captained Millwall's Under 18s side to a memorable FA Youth Cup run in 2019/20, culminating in a Quarter-Final against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

 

The defender has featured on numerous occasions for Gary Rowett's side, including in a Carabao Cup tie against Premier League outfit Burnley in 2020/21"

[RandomGuy.]

2 minutes ago, Widge said:

Signing another right back is surely a bit of a worry? 
 

Or is it the case he is maybe cheap centreback cover in the even we lose on for a period of time?

He's apparently a CB, from what I can find. Rowett saying hes a CB who they played at RB because "he's maybe not physically there yet" to play as a CB.

No idea how you take it. Davidson should know all about him etc., but I kind of hoped signing loan players from Millwall was just a panic thing last Summer due to a lack of time/panic in January when McNamara was recalled. I'm not hugely convinced we should be signing 3/4 loan players every single Summer especially when we won't be getting them after.

[steviemay17]

Football Insider are hit and miss but always go by the theory that we aren't big enough to report general nonsense rumours on so it means it must be true

[Old Pack]

7 hours ago, Radford said:

A town that doesn't even like football and who have a pie as a mascot, and a town only famous for Barry and Paul Chuckle. I've also been to Rotherham, it is a dive.

Don't do it lads.

I worked in Rotherham, an absolute dive with f**k all going for it.

Edited June 29, 2021 by Old Pack

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, steviemay17 said:

Football Insider are hit and miss but always go by the theory that we aren't big enough to report general nonsense rumours on so it means it must be true

Sky Sports now reporting it, so looks like he's done.

So that's Brown on a free, and Muller/Middleton on loan, apparently done.

Squad slowly growing in numbers anyway.

[Kyle]

A young centre back who can cover for the 3 we have is a good thing I think. As long as he’s not being signed to replace one of the back 3 then I think this makes sense, it’ll also allow Denham to go out and get experience on loan. McNamara and Brown have both been decent and you’d think Davidson would know him reasonably well from his time at Millwall. Not an eye catching signing but no complaints from me. 

[Mr Positive, sometimes.]

He's made a few first team appearances. While no means does that prove he's up to the task it at least shows he's there or their abouts for their first team squad at least!

 

 

[RandomGuy.]

Guess if we get a left wing back, the defence is pretty well covered now?

LWB - Booth

LCB - McCart/Booth

CB - Gordon/Kerr/McCart

RCB - Kerr/Muller

RWB - Rooney/Brown

[Kyle]

19 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Guess if we get a left wing back, the defence is pretty well covered now?

LWB - Booth

LCB - McCart/Booth

CB - Gordon/Kerr/McCart

RCB - Kerr/Muller

RWB - Rooney/Brown

You’ve also got Denham, although I suspect this signing will allow him to leave to get experience on loan. 
 

You have to assume Muller, Brown and Middleton are as good as done. Maybe 3 more to come? Left wing back, another attacking midfielder/winger and maybe a striker? 

[RandomGuy.]

4 minutes ago, Kyle said:

You’ve also got Denham, although I suspect this signing will allow him to leave to get experience on loan. 
 

You have to assume Muller, Brown and Middleton are as good as done. Maybe 3 more to come? Left wing back, another attacking midfielder/winger and maybe a striker? 

I don't want to sound harsh, but from what I saw of him on loan at Edinburgh City he's miles away from being useful to us just now. Needs a loan where he'll play 30+ games and a lot more bulk.

A LWB in for sure, then I guess you look at Ballantyne and Hendry and see how they'll be?

If Gilmour and MOH can play bigger parts this season, and Ballantyne/Hendry can show their usefulness, I'm not overly sure where we're weak until/unless somebody leaves?

[Kyle]

2 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

I don't want to sound harsh, but from what I saw of him on loan at Edinburgh City he's miles away from being useful to us just now. Needs a loan where he'll play 30+ games and a lot more bulk.

A LWB in for sure, then I guess you look at Ballantyne and Hendry and see how they'll be?

If Gilmour and MOH can play bigger parts this season, and Ballantyne/Hendry can show their usefulness, I'm not overly sure where we're weak until/unless somebody leaves?

I think it’s more down to numbers. I feel we got quite lucky last season in terms of injuries/covid and we’re only a couple of injuries away from being substantially weakened as a unit. I’d like to see us add a few extra bodies personally. 

[RandomGuy.]

25 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I think it’s more down to numbers. I feel we got quite lucky last season in terms of injuries/covid and we’re only a couple of injuries away from being substantially weakened as a unit. I’d like to see us add a few extra bodies personally. 

I have to write these things down to see them tbh  if the 3 we all expect to sign are done, then I get...

Goalkeepers - Clark, Parish, Sinclair

Defenders - Brown, Rooney, Kerr, Muller, Gordon, McCart, Booth

Midfielders - Craig, McCann, Wotherspoon, Bryson, Davidson, Gilmour, Ballantyne

Forwards - Chris Kane, Stevie May, Callum Hendry, Glenn Middleton, Michael O'Halloran

Squad of 22. Add in a LWB and thats up to 23.

 Ballantyne probably an obvious one to drop out, but theres not really any stragglers in there. Think its important to have a large strong squad, but there seems to be a middle ground between having a small tight knit squad, and one thats too big with too many players thinking they should be in every matchday squad.

[Kyle]

I don’t disagree but I think we’re still short of at the very least another number 10/winger given the gaffer’s on record as wanting to play the 5-2-3. Wotherspoon, MOH, Middleton is very decent - all 3 can play either side or in the middle - but I do think we need to find another. Wonder if there’s a younger but still experienced version of Conway that we can bring in as without Spoony we would look rather short of guile. 

[RandomGuy.]

7 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I don’t disagree but I think we’re still short of at the very least another number 10/winger given the gaffer’s on record as wanting to play the 5-2-3. Wotherspoon, MOH, Middleton is very decent - all 3 can play either side or in the middle - but I do think we need to find another. Wonder if there’s a younger but still experienced version of Conway that we can bring in as without Spoony we would look rather short of guile. 

I think Ballantyne would need to be played as a 10/winger, hes too weak/slow in the tackle, to play top flight football in the middle just yet, IMO. 

Theres experienced winger type folk out there like James Henry, but might be a hard sell to get one up to be 4th/5th choice. Europe might be a swinging point for that type though.

[THE FAT MAN]

43 minutes ago, Kyle said:

I don’t disagree but I think we’re still short of at the very least another number 10/winger given the gaffer’s on record as wanting to play the 5-2-3. Wotherspoon, MOH, Middleton is very decent - all 3 can play either side or in the middle - but I do think we need to find another. Wonder if there’s a younger but still experienced version of Conway that we can bring in as without Spoony we would look rather short of guile. 

Probably George Boyd but he's 35 and would he come up here 

[RandomGuy.]

Be bold and chuck 6 figures at Notts County for Ruben Rodrigues, IMO.

f**k this spending money on 35yo diddies when theres electric, off the cuff, attackers playing at levels below us.

Spoiler

This post may not be serious.

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by RandomGuy.

[glenrothes 1884 saint]

47 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

I think Ballantyne would need to be played as a 10/winger, hes too weak/slow in the tackle, to play top flight football in the middle just yet, IMO. 

Theres experienced winger type folk out there like James Henry, but might be a hard sell to get one up to be 4th/5th choice. Europe might be a swinging point for that type though.

Stewart Petrie quoted that Ballantyne has an unbelievable  engine up and down the park all game,can’t be that slow or weak,reckons he’s set for the very top,played asa holding mid too,so he trusted his tacking

Edited June 29, 2021 by glenrothes 1884 saint

[RandomGuy.]

12 minutes ago, glenrothes 1884 saint said:

Stewart Petrie quoted that Ballantyne has an unbelievable  engine up and down the park all game,can’t be that slow or weak,reckons he’s set for the very top 

Yeah, and he'll know far, far, more about Ballantyne and football than me.

Was just an opinion from the bits I've seen of him over the past 2 seasons. Ball comes to him with his back to an opponents and he'll try and flick it round them rather than hold it up. 50/50 and he tries to nick it past them with a toe rather than clatter into them. Seemed common for him to be slow to react when players burst past him, then a half hearted effort to block their run. Not a major fault, just feels like all his instincts just now are attacking ones so hes not completely tuned in to defensive situations.

Don't think hes suited to the top flight midfield warzone just yet. Let him float around behind the striker/out on a flank and he might be up to it.

A season in the Championship to continue toughening him up the best for everyone, IMO. Whole point of loans is surely to allow players to improve themselves at levels they're suited at, shoving players in too early can set them back years and end their careers at the club before its really began. Comrie and Duffy come to mind as two who were sort of fed to the wolves before they were ready, and are having to rebuild in the lower tiers.

Edited June 29, 2021 by RandomGuy.

[steviemay17]

I did hope we might try and get in at least one "wow" type signing, pref a striker who can score and look after the ball