Jump to content

Queens v Dunfermline


Recommended Posts

Yet another hard game they all are in the Championship .

Dunfermline have added some very good signing in Jan / Feb so have we hopefully we can get near a full squad for this .

We will need to once again be at our best to get anything 

Edited by Northfield 53
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Queens have had a fantastic run of form recently and we haven’t been at our best,  however still a real emphasis on getting 3 points here.

Wighton showed some real class yesterday and is bound to start, tho I’m not sure 4-4-2 is best for this game,  which means dropping McManus who starts every week.

It will be interesting what we do at right back if comrie expectedly misses this.  MacDonald did well enough coming in,  but given there’s an argument for midfield changes Mayo might drop back and we bring someone else into midfield,  turner would be a popular choice but he’s been frozen out due to off-Field issues,  will Crawford bring him back?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Northfield 53 said:

Yet another hard game they all are in the Championship .

Dunfermline have added some very good signing in Jan so have we hopefully we can get near a full squad for this .

We will need to once again be at our best to get anything 

If we do,  by some miraculous stroke of luck,  have a full squad to pick from  which of the present starters would you drop? Shields is the obvious and only  one I would make room for at the expense of Joseph but that's about it.  Probably hypothetical anyway as I doubt if all our missing players will be available or 100% fit anyway.  I'm kind of dreading having a full squad anyway,  it could confuse Johnston into tinkering too much with what are proving to be reasonably successful tactics and formation.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

If we do,  by some miraculous stroke of luck,  have a full squad to pick from  which of the present starters would you drop? Shields is the obvious and only  one I would make room for at the expense of Joseph but that's about it.  Probably hypothetical anyway as I doubt if all our missing players will be available or 100% fit anyway.  I'm kind of dreading having a full squad anyway,  it could confuse Johnston into tinkering too much with what are proving to be reasonably successful tactics and formation.  

This.  If Shields is fully fit we just have to start him as he's a real handful for defences.  Probably would drop Joseph but that's hard on him as he's turned in a great shift the past two games.  If Shields is available though I suspect he'll be on the bench initially as AJ probably won't want to rush him back too soon.

Has the potential to be a cracker with the Pars sitting pretty in second spot just now.  Don't know too much about their squad but there's a reason they're second and they certainly strolled the Fife derby recently.  If we keep the same shape/players positions and the fantastic recent level of workrate and commitment is maintained, coupled with Gibson's guile then we should be in with a chance here - especially on our plastic carpet.

Also, we can't ease up and think its job done - we're still only 4 points off 9th place and everyone below us (bar Arbroath) has games in hand over us - so we need to keep at it.  We'll probably start the match 5th on Saturday with the Dees playing midweek.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, die hard doonhamer said:

Presuming Shields isn't fit enough to start, I think I'd make one change. McCabe in for Buchanan, with Ayo dropping back in to the defence. Just add that little bit more composure in to the midfield.

I get your thinking process there DHD, but I can't help feeling "if it ain't broke don't fix it" regarding big Ayo in midfield.  He gives the back line far better protection than McCabe I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not that struck on McCabe - he wouldn’t be in my starting line up. To be fair to Buchanan he has been pretty solid recently apart from “running through treacle” when trying to retrieve Cummings’ lob. I thought my PPV had diverted into a slow motion frame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, die hard doonhamer said:

Presuming Shields isn't fit enough to start, I think I'd make one change. McCabe in for Buchanan, with Ayo dropping back in to the defence. Just add that little bit more composure in to the midfield.

I wouldn't be changing the central defence. The combination of Breen and Buchanan has been pretty decent. Obileye does fine as a defensive midfielder and IMHO it's been beneficial in defending set pieces to have all 3 of these guys involved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Distant Doonhamer said:

I wouldn't be changing the central defence. The combination of Breen and Buchanan has been pretty decent. Obileye does fine as a defensive midfielder and IMHO it's been beneficial in defending set pieces to have all 3 of these guys involved.

This probably. I'd like to see the 1st Dundee goal again (I probably wouldn't) but it looked to me like Buchanan almost had too much time to clear it and was trying to sort himself out rather than just clear it anywhere. It's a bad error but otherwise he's been pretty faultless for 3 games back. We didn't drop Breen for giving away a daft penalty against Hearts and I doubt we'll drop Buchanan for that. Personally I'd continue to play Ayo in front of the back line. I agree set pieces have looked much better since we had three centre backs on the park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

This probably. I'd like to see the 1st Dundee goal again (I probably wouldn't) but it looked to me like Buchanan almost had too much time to clear it and was trying to sort himself out rather than just clear it anywhere. It's a bad error but otherwise he's been pretty faultless for 3 games back. We didn't drop Breen for giving away a daft penalty against Hearts and I doubt we'll drop Buchanan for that. Personally I'd continue to play Ayo in front of the back line. I agree set pieces have looked much better since we had three centre backs on the park.

Yep still individual errors as you describe but we have looked like a better defensive unit latterly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, die hard doonhamer said:

Presuming Shields isn't fit enough to start, I think I'd make one change. McCabe in for Buchanan, with Ayo dropping back in to the defence. Just add that little bit more composure in to the midfield.

I'd also bring McCabe in for the same reason. However, I'd swap him with McGrory and push Nortey forward into the "Pybus" role.

We started this good run with McCabe in the side, so I dont really get this idea that we suddenly look better with Obileye and/or Nortey in midfield. There is an argument, though, that the midfield needs to be stronger defensively without Pybus in it, so I wouldnt change too much until he is back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Shields is fit enough to start I'd agree with Mr X and go with

Ferguson

Gibson / Buchanan / Breen / Maxwell

McCabe / Ayo

Nortey

East / Shields / Izzy

It would be really harsh to drop McGrory and Joseph but they would be good options from the bench, and if Shields doesn't make it I'd definitely put Joseph in at CF ahead of Dobbie.  I think East has done enough in recent games to keep his place ahead of Fitzpatrick.  With Shields I'd be looking for the win, without, I'll be happy with a draw.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...