The St. Mirren FC 2023/24 thread

[Ralstonite]

3 hours ago, pozbaird said:

It was three excellent causes. Women’s team kit, SMTV equipment, or a sign for Jak Alnwick’s locker.

 

To be fair, I don't think he had much choice but to come out of his box, really.

[pozbaird]

1 minute ago, Ralstonite said:

To be fair, I don't think he had much choice but to come out of his box, really.

Agree. I don’t have a problem with him coming out of his box. It’s what he did once he got out that bugs me.

[Lex]

We’ve now got ourselves into position where I would be disappointed if we didn’t finish top six. There’s a sentence I haven’t ever typed before.
I think 40 points after 33 games will get us top six. Dundee Utd in 7th have 31 points after 28 games - I don’t think they will get more than nine points from their next five games and we have a better GD. So I think we need eight points from our next eight games. We got nine points from our last four. It’s... ours to throw away.
St Johnstone beat Livi today and I couldn’t work out if that was a good result for us or not. It’s good for our top five hopes and possible European football (5th gets Europe if someone from the top 4 wins Scottish cup or it is cancelled) but not so good for our top six hopes given the Saintees are just one behind United.
The squad is in fantastic shape aswell, it has a depth I’ve never seen before. Today we bring on Connolly and Flynn despite missing several players to injury and suspension.
Do we drop Obika for Wednesday if Quaner, Brophy and Dennis are all back available given Jon has scored two goals in two games? I have no idea, but it’s a good problem to have.

[jm1]

Ethan Erhahon is still only 19.

What a defensive performance from him today.

In other news, pay the Jakeball whatever he wants. He makes it look easy in the midfield (maybe takes it too easy sometimes like the Hibs game though), absolutely strolled it today.

[Lex]

Hibs are now the only top flight team we haven’t beaten this season. Hopefully get a shot at them and the full house post split.

[geo87]

Yeah, JDH, Ethan and McGrath are all quality and would arguably be first choice in any of the other 9 clubs in the league. Hopefully we can get some of regulars tied down to longer deals over next few weeks

[IrishBhoy]

28 minutes ago, jm1 said:

Ethan Erhahon is still only 19.

What a defensive performance from him today.

In other news, pay the Jakeball whatever he wants. He makes it look easy in the midfield (maybe takes it too easy sometimes like the Hibs game though), absolutely strolled it today.

I would sleep a little easier at night if I knew JDH would be here for next season. We’ve got the makings of a proper good team here if we can tie a few of them down. McCarthy, McAllister, Doyle-Hayes and McPherson all only 22 years old, Erhahon only 19, McGrath 24 and Connolly 25. That’s a group of players who could grow over the next couple of years together. 
 

Even our ‘older’ players aren’t that old, Tait is only 31, which I can’t believe. He’s younger than me and I think I could pass for his son.
the rest of the squad; Durmus, Fraser, Dennis, Shaugnessy are all mid to late twenties. We aren’t carrying any journeymen. I have faith in Goodwin to get all those players on board with his vision for the club, the only hurdle I can see in the road is Goodwin himself being sought after by bigger clubs. 

[Ralstonite]

1 hour ago, Lex said:

We’ve now got ourselves into position where I would be disappointed if we didn’t finish top six. There’s a sentence I haven’t ever typed before.
I think 40 points after 33 games will get us top six. Dundee Utd in 7th have 31 points after 28 games - I don’t think they will get more than nine points from their next five games and we have a better GD. So I think we need eight points from our next eight games. We got nine points from our last four. It’s... ours to throw away.
St Johnstone beat Livi today and I couldn’t work out if that was a good result for us or not. It’s good for our top five hopes and possible European football (5th gets Europe if someone from the top 4 wins Scottish cup or it is cancelled) but not so good for our top six hopes given the Saintees are just one behind United.
The squad is in fantastic shape aswell, it has a depth I’ve never seen before. Today we bring on Connolly and Flynn despite missing several players to injury and suspension.
Do we drop Obika for Wednesday if Quaner, Brophy and Dennis are all back available given Jon has scored two goals in two games? I have no idea, but it’s a good problem to have.

I know this might seem like a stupid question, but if we were to finish seventh rather than sixth, what material benefit would that provide? I think it would slightly increase our prize money, which is great, but anything else? Ordinarily it would mean we'd benefit from an extra home game against one of the Old Firm, which brings in a decent amount of cash, but obviously that doesn't apply this year.

[Munoz]

5 minutes ago, Ralstonite said:

I know this might seem like a stupid question, but if we were to finish seventh rather than sixth, what material benefit would that provide? I think it would slightly increase our prize money, which is great, but anything else? Ordinarily it would mean we'd benefit from an extra home game against one of the Old Firm, which brings in a decent amount of cash, but obviously that doesn't apply this year.

I think its about 50k difference between 6th and 7th.

[sergie's no1 fan]

So does that count as a proper strikers performance today? [emoji23].

I know we will have Brophy and Dennis contracted for next season, if we can get Obika signed up we will have a decent striker pool to choose from and that includes Erwin, who I believe can contribute as well.

We have needed healthy competition for the striker position since we were promoted and we finally have that now.

Also Durmus is a joy to watch when he is on form. Kyle contributing a goal this week instead of an assist.

JDH back to his old self, Erhahon breaking up the play beautifully on so many occasions, the dirty side of the game that goes unnoticed. McGrath putting in a power of work as usual.

Solid display by Lyness, another clean sheet for our mean defence.

Really good day at the office. Looks like we won't be sweating over a relegation battle this season.

[Lex]

I know this might seem like a stupid question, but if we were to finish seventh rather than sixth, what material benefit would that provide? I think it would slightly increase our prize money, which is great, but anything else? Ordinarily it would mean we'd benefit from an extra home game against one of the Old Firm, which brings in a decent amount of cash, but obviously that doesn't apply this year.

There is the extra prize money but the two main benefits are:
Securing our highest league finish since the 1985. For a club like us it is fairly ridiculous that we haven’t finished in the top half of the top flight for so long. Would be good to finally get that monkey off our back.
And a shot at European football for the first time since the 80’s. If we get there and hit a run of form post split then Livi could be catchable.
There won’t be an open top bus or anything but it’s certainly worth doing.

[houston_bud]

1 hour ago, sergie's no1 fan said:

Solid display by Lyness, another clean sheet for our mean defence.

I just said the same thing on the match thread. In the handful of games Lyness has played for us he's never let us down. 

It's a strange phenomenon the second choice keeper. Lyness is 29, I'm not sure of all the clubs he's been at but I'd reckon Erhahon probably has as many appearances in league football as. Lyness. How do you keep motivated? Probably says quite a lot about him as a person as well as Langfield and the rest of the coaching staff. 

[Arch Stanton]

10 minutes ago, houston_bud said:

I just said the same thing on the match thread. In the handful of games Lyness has played for us he's never let us down. 

It's a strange phenomenon the second choice keeper. Lyness is 29, I'm not sure of all the clubs he's been at but I'd reckon Erhahon probably has as many appearances in league football as. Lyness. How do you keep motivated? Probably says quite a lot about him as a person as well as Langfield and the rest of the coaching staff. 

Here are his career stats. 74 starts in 12 seasons.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Arch Stanton

[flyingscot]

9 minutes ago, houston_bud said:

I just said the same thing on the match thread. In the handful of games Lyness has played for us he's never let us down. 

It's a strange phenomenon the second choice keeper. Lyness is 29, I'm not sure of all the clubs he's been at but I'd reckon Erhahon probably has as many appearances in league football as. Lyness. How do you keep motivated? Probably says quite a lot about him as a person as well as Langfield and the rest of the coaching staff. 

I think Langers can spot a keeper. We’ve not really struggled in that department at all since he retired from playing. 

[djchapsticks]

Dennis out for rest of the season. 

Massive blow for the guy. He's had no luck with injuries at all. 

[Coventry Saint]

2 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

Dennis out for rest of the season. 

Massive blow for the guy. He's had no luck with injuries at all. 

f**k, really?! FFS. That's gutting.

[djchapsticks]

 

 

[Buttocks Brown]

I think it's pretty clear now that we've got a really good St Mirren side on our hands. Would love going to see them in the run in but streaming will have to do. The good thing is most of the team are under contract for next season.

Agree with Lex that 6th is ours to throw away now and, if we succeed, it will be our best league season since 84/85 when McAvennie et al took us to 5th. Enjoy it!

[FTOF]

Just now, djchapsticks said:

When the camera panned on to Brophy today and they made a few comments regarding him, I noticed a leg (but not who it was attached to) encased in one of these big plastic boots for injuries just along from him. I hoped it wasn't Dennis. 

He's not having much luck.

[Buttocks Brown]

3 minutes ago, djchapsticks said:

 

 

That's a real shame. Strange one as well as the assumption was he was sacrificed for Lyness during the week. I guess he must have picked up the injury just prior to the red card happening.