The St. Mirren FC 2023/24 thread

[medals]

1 hour ago, djchapsticks said:

Fraser is one of those ones where I wouldn't have been too despondent if he wasn't being kept on but he's definitely a good hand to have. He's never majorly let us down and goes about his business pretty quietly at the right side of the central three.

Won't pull up any trees but he's definitely a solid enough mid-table of top flight defender.

Don't disagree. In his favour though is he does the RCB role pretty well. He knows his limits and mostly doesn't try daft stuff. He's also a grafter, decent in the tackle and mostly plays simple passes.

He doesn't often get sent off either. 

He used to get the occasional goal when playing RB.

This tells us SR rates him and sees him as a good one to keep.

I think he's a decent defender for a mid table team like us.

[Div]

I think it's been a decent days business all in all.

Shipped out two strikers who were contributing next to nothing on a matchday, reduced the wage bill significantly in the process, brought back a young striker who will be a lively addition from the bench, and we've extended the contract of a player who very rarely lets us down, is very rarely injured, and who is pretty versatile covering RCB, RB and RWB.

A winning day for team Robbo.

[medals]

Haven't checked but read Brophy scored 8 times in 56 appearances for us... think Main, Greive and Ayunga will likely better that.

How about a wee left sided addition? 

 

[smellthepaw]

3 hours ago, AW saint said:

With Olusanya and Brophy out the door will there be more leaving before the window shuts?

Our squad is light so would be good to see 1 or 2 come in. 

I'd imagine with the talk surrounding Dylan Reid, he may also be away. Never say never with Ethan, as he has already sparked interest this window, with Forest Green now opting for alternative player since he knocked them back.

Always talk of Baccus interest, though current form I would be surprised if that interest has cooled off unless something miraculous happens over the next few days.

Even though I think it was the best thing to happen, get your money on Brophy to score on Saturday. 

[smellthepaw]

2 hours ago, NorthBank said:

On the right we have Strain, with Flynn and Tait for cover. On the left we have Tanser and no-one for cover. Personally I would be chasing a left wing back. Preferably Australian if Strain is anything to go by..

This

[GAD]

1 hour ago, RandomGuy. said:

You only appreciate players like Fraser once theyve gone.

Not great but a trusty, reliable, back up player is important.

Yeah, I really like him. How does he do on the Randomgraphs?

[RandomGuy.]

7 minutes ago, GAD said:

Yeah, I really like him. How does he do on the Randomgraphs?

Spoiler

Not updated it since December but shouldnt be too different?

~ Lower half CB defensively, weak in the air for a CB?

Doesn't do a huge amount possession wise but above club average so probably a team style thing.

Creative figures huge but guess thats because he plays wing back sometimes?

As a full back looks more like one in a back four than a wing back, and that would arguably be his best position?

 

 

[Coventry Saint]

21 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

  Hide contents

Not updated it since December but shouldnt be too different?

~ Lower half CB defensively, weak in the air for a CB?

Doesn't do a huge amount possession wise but above club average so probably a team style thing.

Creative figures huge but guess thats because he plays wing back sometimes?

As a full back looks more like one in a back four than a wing back, and that would arguably be his best position?

 

 

When we were toiling in a poorly set-up 3-5-2 under Goodwin, Fraser at RCB was one of few bright spots. We are so unlikely to go to a back four that we can almost disregard FB from the equation.

[RandomGuy.]

3 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

We are so unlikely to go to a back four that we can almost disregard FB from the equation.

Then be afraid.

Every team at this level that overly relies on a back 3/5 set up usually ends up in a situation where they cant score goals and it fucks them. Hearts the only club in recent memory who've managed to beat that but they have the likes of Boyce, Shankland and McKay up top.

[houston_bud]

11 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Then be afraid.

Every team at this level that overly relies on a back 3/5 set up usually ends up in a situation where they cant score goals and it fucks them. Hearts the only club in recent memory who've managed to beat that but they have the likes of Boyce, Shankland and McKay up top.

To be fair that's happened to us playing 442 as well.

[FTOF]

1 hour ago, Div said:

I think it's been a decent days business all in all.

Shipped out two strikers who were contributing next to nothing on a matchday, reduced the wage bill significantly in the process, brought back a young striker who will be a lively addition from the bench, and we've extended the contract of a player who very rarely lets us down, is very rarely injured, and who is pretty versatile covering RCB, RB and RWB.

A winning day for team Robbo.

I think the big question is whether or not we're going to sign a striker that might get us the goals to get into the top six.

Given that we're saving money to compensate for our financial losses, there's a distinct possibility IMO that Offord and Jamieson will be replacements for Brophy and Oluysana.

The former two didn't exactly excel at a lower level, so I'm not convinced that they're the answer to our goal scoring problems.

Even if we are looking to bring someone in, it's very difficult to sign a quality striker who is ready to start matches in this window. It's hard enough for a club like us to sign a goal scoring striker in the summer, never mind now.

 

 

[RandomGuy.]

Jamieson deserves a chance at top flight football, despite his struggle for game time at ICT, IMO. Hes fairly similar to Brophy in style too so it would be a "confidence sapped striker who's unhappy hes not playing" swapped for a "young confident striker happy to try and make an impression hes earned" with the added bonus of saving money and not losing anything stylistically. 

Not a clue about Offord.

Edited January 25, 2023 by RandomGuy.

[medals]

Aberdeen giving JG a last chance stay of execution against Hibs who are expected to have lost Nisbet and Porteous

Edited January 25, 2023 by medals

[Div]

1 hour ago, FTOF said:

I think the big question is whether or not we're going to sign a striker that might get us the goals to get into the top six.

Given that we're saving money to compensate for our financial losses, there's a distinct possibility IMO that Offord and Jamieson will be replacements for Brophy and Oluysana.

The former two didn't exactly excel at a lower level, so I'm not convinced that they're the answer to our goal scoring problems.

Even if we are looking to bring someone in, it's very difficult to sign a quality striker who is ready to start matches in this window. It's hard enough for a club like us to sign a goal scoring striker in the summer, never mind now.

 

 

There is absolutely no chance we are bringing anyone else in this window, unless we cash in a Reid or an Erhahon and even then I'd rate it very unlikely.

[GAD]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Then be afraid.

Every team at this level that overly relies on a back 3/5 set up usually ends up in a situation where they cant score goals and it fucks them. Hearts the only club in recent memory who've managed to beat that but they have the likes of Boyce, Shankland and McKay up top.

Yeah, we obviously don't score enough goals so I'm a bit afraid. Fraser does tend to be the CB that "steps out" and pushes up a lot more so that might explain some of it.

Edited January 25, 2023 by GAD

[Hendo]

6 hours ago, NorthBank said:

On the right we have Strain, with Flynn and Tait for cover. On the left we have Tanser and no-one for cover. Personally I would be chasing a left wing back. Preferably Australian if Strain is anything to go by..

I'd be looking at getting the Morton left back in on a pre contract.

[glenburn bud]

1 hour ago, Hendo said:

I'd be looking at getting the Morton left back in on a pre contract.

If I’m not mistaken the lad you refer to has signed a PCA with a club in Europe. 

[Hendo]

6 hours ago, glenburn bud said:

If I’m not mistaken the lad you refer to has signed a PCA with a club in Europe. 

Ah, didn't realise that. 

[Coventry Saint]

I did wonder if Robinson has his eye on a bit more flexibility in the forward areas. Maybe looking at a 3-4-3 as an option later on in some games. Grieve can play that wider role, and Offord could. Tbf, Ayunga probably could as well.

The 3-5-2 we've been going with will clearly remain our starting formation, but I'd like to see us try Ayunga or Main + one other instead of being the default partnership.

[Ric]

45 minutes ago, Coventry Saint said:

I did wonder if Robinson has his eye on a bit more flexibility in the forward areas. Maybe looking at a 3-4-3 as an option later on in some games. Grieve can play that wider role, and Offord could. Tbf, Ayunga probably could as well.

The 3-5-2 we've been going with will clearly remain our starting formation, but I'd like to see us try Ayunga or Main + one other instead of being the default partnership.

I think it's less about how we initially set out, but the flexibility during the game. Compare him to Goodwin, who notoriously had difficulty in changing a game, and that was writ large with his Darvel disaster. Robinson, for me, seems to be able to react, and do so fairly effectively where Goodwin either stuck to a formation until it was too late or would make the same subs every week. So in that sense I don't think Robinson is specifically wedded to this 5-3-2 but he certainly knows how to get the best out of it, again compare and contrast to Goodwin.

That said, if Robinson genuinely wanted to play a 3 up front, for me, we've shipped out the players that would suit that formation. If you consider the three as a striker and two wide players, then the two most suitable wide players have been sent on loan, Henderson and Brophy. Could Greive play there? Possible, hard to tell as he's not had a consistent run of games, nor has he had to play a wide support role (at least not that I'm aware of) for us. Ayunga and/or Main wider would seem to trade off their positives for a formation.