The St. Mirren FC 2023/24 thread

[weebud]

On 21/12/2021 at 10:50, AlbionSaint said:

Alcohol's never the answer. It will only seem worse with a hangover.

 

Talking of alcohol has anyone heard from Zingaliman ??

[Arch Stanton]

 

[Ric]

Lots of chat from other clubs about signing Irish players, nothing coming from us.

Has Goodwin's blarney magic been lost? Are we now too small a fish in the pond? Maybe we are just too skint.

 

Out of interest, and considering Hearts are bleating about their new Aussie player coming in, has anything materialised regarding our "Aussie connection"? I'm not expecting players being put onto planes and flown over here for trials, but it would be nice to know just what that agreement entails.

[sergie's no1 fan]

30 minutes ago, Ric said:

Lots of chat from other clubs about signing Irish players, nothing coming from us.

Has Goodwin's blarney magic been lost? Are we now too small a fish in the pond? Maybe we are just too skint.

 

Out of interest, and considering Hearts are bleating about their new Aussie player coming in, has anything materialised regarding our "Aussie connection"? I'm not expecting players being put onto planes and flown over here for trials, but it would be nice to know just what that agreement entails.

Think we'll need to shift some on before we can bring players in.

Dennis, Erwin, McAllister, id punt Flynn too tbh. Folk will want Main gone but does he not have 18 months left on his contract? Possibly cash in on McGrath if the offer is good enough?

Get Tanser signed up asap. 

[pozbaird]

In regard to us hiring our stadium out to Celtic, and having their branding all over it for the period - I have zero problem with it. Absolutely none. The game they played in it was shown on PPV TV platforms, broadcast obviously to Celtic fans, so they would want it to look like their venue.

My problem was solely with the BoD at St Mirren. As always, their complete lack of consideration and communication came to the fore. For none of them, not one single director, to think for a minute ‘this is going to look bad to our own supporters’, and use the club website and social media platforms to put out a short pre-emptive statement was nothing short of disgraceful. It would have taken them about five minutes flat and cost them nothing. Any of us on this forum could have drafted a message in less than two minutes, informing St Mirren fans that the stadium has been hired to, and will be branded by, Celtic FC, and they wanted to inform supporters that this is happening, and is a good earner for the club. Etc. Piece of piss. Head off the criticism at the pass. Lazy, lazy, inconsiderate.

 

Edited December 24, 2021 by pozbaird

[sergie's no1 fan]

Merry Christmas to every buddie near and far 

[FTOF]

Clydebank v St.Mirren - last ever Xmas day fixture in Scotland in 1976.

7500 attended. I remember my older brother coming home from the match. I wasn't allowed to go.

The last time football was played on Christmas Day in Scotland - BBC Sport

 

[pozbaird]

20 minutes ago, FTOF said:

Clydebank v St.Mirren - last ever Xmas day fixture in Scotland in 1976.

7500 attended. I remember my older brother coming home from the match. I wasn't allowed to go.

The last time football was played on Christmas Day in Scotland - BBC Sport

 

I was there. Got a bit tasty on the terraces, and if memory serves me correctly, there was a Malky McCormack cartoon style poster thing given out?

 

Edit - just watched the video now, memories!

Edited December 25, 2021 by pozbaird

[Coventry Saint]

Time to take a breather, thank f**k.

I want to praise the team for the last two games - a point and only -2 goal difference is significantly better than I expected. We could have been annihilated.

But we were so poor yesterday (I only saw the second half, but I'm assuming I didn't miss much) and this winless streak is grim as f**k. 

Jim has acknowledged the lack of pace; he's said we have targets. But, for the millionth time, it's nigh-on impossible to fit pace into this system in any meaningful way.

I had said previously that Jim could find himself under pressure by the turn of the year. The draw against Celtic and non-thrashing yesterday will have helped him, so he's definitely got until the end of the season.

We have previously shown that we can be quite ruthless in these windows, but that was operating under different economic and social conditions. Plus, I don't believe the squad requires major surgery: we should be doing better with what we have.

Plus, moving players on costs money. In an ideal world, we'd get rid of McAllister, Erwin, Main, Dennis, and maybe find a decent swap deal for McGrath. I'd take three better quality players in exchange for those five.

I wonder if the Fakes would still be interested in Kyle? I'd be happy to let that happen now and they might be looking to roll a dice.

[RandomGuy.]

5 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

I wonder if the Fakes would still be interested in Kyle? I'd be happy to let that happen now and they might be looking to roll a dice.

No.

[Coventry Saint]

5 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

No.

We're the rumours true in the summer? I mean, it made no sense then and it doesn't now - he'd fit your system as well as he fits ours (Narrator's voice: he doesn't) - but he's the sort of player you can imagine managers might fancy their chances of getting the best out of.

 

[RandomGuy.]

22 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

We're the rumours true in the summer? I mean, it made no sense then and it doesn't now.

Our manager actively identifed, then signed, Ali Crawford and Cammy MacPherson in the Summer.

[Ric]

47 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

We have previously shown that we can be quite ruthless in these windows, but that was operating under different economic and social conditions.

Most notable for me is that Goodwin has been pretty tight lipped about possible signings. Every other window, we'd already been told what he was looking for and even the players he'll be targetting. Perhaps the club feels that approach was "too public" and keeping things under wraps for now, we'll just have to wait and see.

Ultimately though, while some may disagree, I believe we have the squad to make a decent fist of the second half, but we don't have a system to suit those players. It does seem to be a point of principle, the 3 at the back, interestingly from an outside view it looks to be the same problem affecting Davidson at St Johnstone, as they persist with a 3 at the back, yet are nowhere near good enough on the park.

[houston_bud]

I'd keep McAllister for the simple reason that he has something a bit different to the rest of the squad. He's hot and cold (definitely more cold recently) but I can't think of another player we have that, on his day, can beat players and carve open chances. 

Erwin, Dennis, Main (although, as said, he's on a 2 year deal) can all leave. I'd bring back Jamieson from Inverness to replace them if we can't get anyone else in. McGrath could well go if the money is right. 

 

[Shuggie_Murray7]

I see absolutely no reason why we should hang on to McAllister. It was fucking stupid at the time when we brought him back. I never saw the hype when he went to Derby and was pretty disappointed when we made a big song and dance when we re-signed him.

I've never saw him have a good game.

[Bastian Pigclimber]

It looked to me that we switched to a back four during the second half yesterday. I hope that’s a sign of things to come.

[AW saint]

Main won't be leaving as he is on a 2 year deal and who would want him?. Dennis, Erwin, Flynn, McAllister and McGrath for other reasons should be shown the door. We need pace and quality. I do believe we are on a serious slide if we do not address this mess before we resume after the break. Goodwin has only so much good will left

[NorthBank]

The back 3 isn't the problem it's the tactics and personnel that are the problem. Last season we played out from the back. This season we just hoof it up to Tanser. That being said only once this season has Jim changed the formation and that was last Wed against Sellic. He does need a Plan B to change the formation when required but appears bloody minded to stick to something that ain't working.

And McAllister has played TWICE for 90 Mins in 2.5 years (and those times were when we were desperately short of bodies) - is that value for money?

[GAD]

1 hour ago, Ric said:

Most notable for me is that Goodwin has been pretty tight lipped about possible signings. Every other window, we'd already been told what he was looking for and even the players he'll be targetting. Perhaps the club feels that approach was "too public" and keeping things under wraps for now, we'll just have to wait and see.

Ultimately though, while some may disagree, I believe we have the squad to make a decent fist of the second half, but we don't have a system to suit those players. It does seem to be a point of principle, the 3 at the back, interestingly from an outside view it looks to be the same problem affecting Davidson at St Johnstone, as they persist with a 3 at the back, yet are nowhere near good enough on the park.

Agree with a lot of this. On your first point, I think you might be right about the first part, not just with signings, but contract extensions as well. I know JDH got a bit of stick for it, but there may have been something in what he said in the fact Goodwin over-egged the pudding a wee bit in how likely he was to sign a new contract, and perhaps some of that is better kept behind closed doors.

In terms of the system, again, agreed. I think the 3 at the back has its time and place. Against Celtic, and in some other games it works when the fullbacks are expected to be deeper. The problem for me is that often it is just a 3 a the back. The fullbacks are practically wingers and it gives the whole attack no depth at all. It's almost too attacking and when we get the ball it seems to go to a 3-2-5, or even a 3-1-6, depending on if Erhahon is playing or not. There is no way to build through the midfeild, or carry the ball out of defence, because half your team are lined up up in a straight line 40 yards up the pitch, so it ends up being a hoof, and when you lose the first or second ball you are immediately under pressure with the ball coming straight back onto an exposed back three, two of whom are always being pulled wide.

I think the back three itself would be happier playing slightly differently as well. Fraser is so uncomfortable on his left foot and it's making things difficult for him. He can't kick the ball down the line half the time, he's always having to cut back inside. It also completely nullifies him as an option when we are attacking. I know why he's doing it, but whilst McCarthy is injured, just play Dunne left and Shaughnessy middle. If McCarthy doesn't fit when he comes back then tough, play the way that suits the guys you have out there now. 

I terms of going forward, there needs to be someone in midfeild/ attack that can offer a bit more in the wide channels to support Tanser/Miller or Tait. Maybe play a bit more of a 5-4-1/5-2-3. Issue with that of course is there is less need for McGrath/Ronan/Kiltie in there, and we probably don't have the players with the discipline and the threat to fill those two wider spots.

Anyway, long rambling post, but that's where I see the issues. I'm not as doom and gloom as some. I think we have decent enough players, but I think some of the decisions in the system have made things difficult. At the end of the day, yes, we've had far too many draws, but if nothing else it shows we are no pushovers. The players have shown a lot of character at times to come back from some pretty bad positions (also thrown away a lot if points as well, no point denying it) but we are capable of scoring goals and keeping clean sheets. We just need to stop playing in fits and starts, there has not been a single game apart from maybe the Celtic game, where we've put in a proper, 90 minute performance, with no stupid 10 minute spells. For me out season can go either way from here. These draws either start turning into wins and we start pushing up the table, or they turn into defeats and it's going to be a long second half. Fingers crossed for the former.

 

[elvis]

1 hour ago, GAD said:

Agree with a lot of this. On your first point, I think you might be right about the first part, not just with signings, but contract extensions as well. I know JDH got a bit of stick for it, but there may have been something in what he said in the fact Goodwin over-egged the pudding a wee bit in how likely he was to sign a new contract, and perhaps some of that is better kept behind closed doors.

In terms of the system, again, agreed. I think the 3 at the back has its time and place. Against Celtic, and in some other games it works when the fullbacks are expected to be deeper. The problem for me is that often it is just a 3 a the back. The fullbacks are practically wingers and it gives the whole attack no depth at all. It's almost too attacking and when we get the ball it seems to go to a 3-2-5, or even a 3-1-6, depending on if Erhahon is playing or not. There is no way to build through the midfeild, or carry the ball out of defence, because half your team are lined up up in a straight line 40 yards up the pitch, so it ends up being a hoof, and when you lose the first or second ball you are immediately under pressure with the ball coming straight back onto an exposed back three, two of whom are always being pulled wide.

I think the back three itself would be happier playing slightly differently as well. Fraser is so uncomfortable on his left foot and it's making things difficult for him. He can't kick the ball down the line half the time, he's always having to cut back inside. It also completely nullifies him as an option when we are attacking. I know why he's doing it, but whilst McCarthy is injured, just play Dunne left and Shaughnessy middle. If McCarthy doesn't fit when he comes back then tough, play the way that suits the guys you have out there now. 

I terms of going forward, there needs to be someone in midfeild/ attack that can offer a bit more in the wide channels to support Tanser/Miller or Tait. Maybe play a bit more of a 5-4-1/5-2-3. Issue with that of course is there is less need for McGrath/Ronan/Kiltie in there, and we probably don't have the players with the discipline and the threat to fill those two wider spots.

Anyway, long rambling post, but that's where I see the issues. I'm not as doom and gloom as some. I think we have decent enough players, but I think some of the decisions in the system have made things difficult. At the end of the day, yes, we've had far too many draws, but if nothing else it shows we are no pushovers. The players have shown a lot of character at times to come back from some pretty bad positions (also thrown away a lot if points as well, no point denying it) but we are capable of scoring goals and keeping clean sheets. We just need to stop playing in fits and starts, there has not been a single game apart from maybe the Celtic game, where we've put in a proper, 90 minute performance, with no stupid 10 minute spells. For me out season can go either way from here. These draws either start turning into wins and we start pushing up the table, or they turn into defeats and it's going to be a long second half. Fingers crossed for the former.

 

You should apply for the managers job when it comes up in the very near future you seem to have it all worked out.