Leaderboard

If he has I'm backing Clement, get rid of the players.

Have they changed your medication?

Got to hand it to the lads. Staved off defeat. Plucky.

It is quite the conundrum. We need to make changes but it is not obvious who would make a difference. If the manager made changes to key players he would be taking a massive risk under these circumstances. I can't see it happening at this stage.

Robbie Fraser is 21 and has not been able to force his way into our first team under Gerrard, Gio, Beale or Clement. His contract is up next month and I think we can assume he'll be leaving the club.

The overriding narrative tonight is that the “old guard” are at fault. It is simplistic nonsense to pin a collapse like this on Tav, Goldson and Lundstram. Fans love a simple answer to a complex problem and that's what they've gone for. The sudden turn in our form since Hearts has been utterly mind boggling and I have no idea what has caused it, but I do know that the simplistic narrative being peddled tonight is not the answer.

I have no idea why people take pressers at face value. No manager tells the absolute truth when facing the press.

Apologies for adding a stat to compound our current state of mind-fuckery. If you compare Clements first 25 league games to Beales, the latter comes out on top with 61 points to Clements 60 points. Considering Beale was up against a Celtic team that didn't drop many points under Ange, it somewhat dispels the idea that Clement has worked "miracles". Don't get me wrong, I like Clement but starting Silva, Lawrence and Goldson tonight baffles me.

There's definitely something not working with certain members of this playing squad. It's been a never ending cycle of let downs with a few of them, 55 excepted. Clement has my full backing.

Every manager since Gerrard has lost the dressing room maybe we have some insidious individuals in that dressing room who turn when shit hits the fan.

There have been bright periods under Clement but those have completely disappeared in recent weeks. Whether it's fatigue or a lack of belief, the quality just isn't there. It's disappointing after clawing our way back into a challenge but, ultimately, we're just not good enough. Barring a miracle, the title has gone so we can only hope the preparation has already begun to revamp our squad for 2024/25. Many new players required and that won't be cheap. But we must build a squad that can meet both the physical and mental demands that this one can't.

Whilst I hope for a great performance and a decent victory, I'd snap your hand off for a 1-0 win right now.

Surname wasn't El-Nakla, was it?

I got a prescription from someone in Dundee

Barca had 2 in the starting line up, one who is 16 and has started nearly 50 games now, with 6 caps for Spain, and one who's 17 and has played over 100 games, with 20 odd caps - We in this country still think that a 21 year old is young. Barasic, please no.

Beale more or less did this last summer. Got shot off players. Problem is the replacements mostly weren’t as good as those he let go. we will no doubt spend another summer looking for Bosmans & poundshop bargain signings hoping they improve us but probably won’t

And even if we win all our remaining league games this season we'll not reach the same total us we managed last season. We were only ever in a title race as Celtic have regressed dramatically. That's what makes our capitulation even worse.

Funny how most people want us to stick with this garbage 4-2-3-1 or laugh at suggestions of utilizing the squad properly ...

That's us another £60M behind that lot. Destined to be 2nd best for a while.

We've been terrible for a few weeks. I don't fancy us on Sunday.

Utter dross. Gutted.

Dire. Has PC "lost the dressing room"?

We might if Dundee took off 3 or 4 players and we gave all our players a ball each.

Dundee is playing rather open, which should suit us. But, aside from Butland, Goldson, Souttar, Sima and Roofe, you have to guess where anyone is playing. What we end up is no cohesion as anyone else is running about (has Tavernier actually been on his wing for more than 5 mins?) and we wait for something coming off somehow. Dundee's players going down like flies and Robertson playing a Robertson blinder ain't helping either. I'm pretty sure we will only change in position ... hoping for the best.

Roofe!

Make sure you pay him. Oh, and stay away from open windows, just in case.

It’s been a grand day weather wise so the pitch should be in perfect condition for our players to show their superb footballing skills and putting Dundee to the sword no excuses I’m looking for a scintillating performance tonight.

It is Dundee, away or not, we should stop being conservative, not least if players chosen do not contribute to the team (like Dowell and Lundstram) in a way you would expect. We're stuck with Goldson and Souttar for tonight, Tavernier is seemingly undroppable, and the left flank will be Borna's again - as we will have a 4-man defence. I'd send Sterling out as DM (and nothing else, unless opportunity arrives. Raskin in front of him, so we have some creative player in a deeper role. One who is forward thinking, and willing to have a shot. Cantwell, Silva and Sima behind Dessers, to complete the typical 4-2-3-1. I'd rather test a more attack-minded line up, with a sort of three-man main defence. Sterling playing the cleaner in front of the centre-halfs, covering either side if necessary. Wright instead of Borna, as a left midfielder with the job to track back (which he does anyway), Tavernier (for lack of options and his status) doing the same on the right. Raskin and Cantwell the creative department (with order to track back if need be), Silva, Dessers and Sima as a front three. Butland Goldson - Souttar Sterling Tavernier - Raskin - Cantwell - Wright Sima - Dessers - Silva

Prefer this picture of the maestro Compo!!!

Just humour Db. I'm impressed you remember Prodan - he was set to be a great signing.

I know what you meant but they certainly play as if their feet are tied together.

Well, there's always next season. Can't see us beating Hearts on Sunday

I don't know if it's that they're knackered, I think it's more to do with being shit.

It certainly looks like it

Team looks knackered you’d think they walk up to Dundee slow slow and stop

I actually thought we'd see a back-three utilised by Clement - at least in some games - because he used a back-three at Club Brugge and even at Monaco he used a situational back-three with the LB staying back and the RB playing further forward. We've clearly not got the wingers he'd like, but perhaps this shows we've also not got the profile of defender he'd like, either. (I correct myself: we did see a situational back-three at one point, with Yfeko drafted in at LB. I can't recall the game, though. In any case it didn't last.)

After Sunday, it's easy to expect several changes to tonight's team but injury/illness means the same defence and the addition of Sterling to the midfield is probably necessary. Refreshing the front-line certainly overdue as well. Player attitude the biggest change required! There is the argument that we play better as the team chasing rather than the leader so perhaps that may induce improvement. However, that's a huge weakness if you want to have consistent success and win league titles. Six league games will now define the future for much of this squad. Starting Barisic again makes me feel very uncomfortable but with no Yilmaz and the likes of Fraser and Yfeko unproven then it's perhaps a necessary evil. I don't think Ben Davies would work there and I can't see a change of formation either. Sterling doesn't offer balance.

......post-Independence Record breakers? Arkadag FC and the winning streak still under scrutiny Turkmenistan’s champions lay claim to a world record but some suspect details lie behind their dazzling winning run John Duerden Tue 16 Apr 2024 08.00 BST Record breakers? Arkadag FC and the winning streak still under scrutiny | Football | The Guardian It’s not often that a football world record goes from Wales to Saudi Arabia only for Turkmenistan to also have a claim. In March, Al-Hilal surpassed the achievement of 27 consecutive top-tier wins set by The New Saints of Wales in 2016. The 18-time Saudi champions have now extended that streak to 34 and look unstoppable at home and abroad. The same can be said in central Asia where Arkadag FC have won every competitive game in their history. The 2023 league title was lifted in December with 72 points from 24 matches. Throw in seven cup victories and six from six so far this season and it comes to 37 and counting. Yet the world record resides in Riyadh, over a thousand miles to the west. What gives? “There’s relatively little detail available for the Turkmenistan league, less than we want for the kind of due diligence we carry out in our research for this and similar records,” a spokesperson for Guinness World Records told the Guardian. “This may also be indicative of a level of governance and competition under what we’d ordinarily look for as well. All this being considered, we have confirmed Al-Hilal as the record holder.” A lack of detail may be down to the fact that Turkmenistan, home to 6.5 million people, is one of the most isolated and secretive countries in the world and, even given the growing importance of the wider region in geopolitical affairs, rarely gets a mention in the western media. In terms of governance and competition, the way Arkadag were formed may also be an issue. It all started with Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the president of Turkmenistan from 2006 to 2022. Berdymukhamedov revelled in his nickname of “Arkadag”, which means “hero protector”. One of his pet projects before he handed the reins of power to his son, Serdar (nominally, at least, as many observers believe father is still pulling the strings), was the foundation of a new city in the south of the country, a smart city that cost upwards of $5bn. A city that, unsurprisingly, is called Arkadag. Home to more than 70,000 people it needed a football team so, ahead of the 2023 season, the best players in the country joined the newly formed club. National team stalwarts like Arslanmyrat Amanow and Altymyrat Annadurdyyew were soon wearing the shirts designed by Berdymukhamedov which, unsurprisingly given his obsession with the animal, sported a logo of a horse. The league’s transfer window was extended to facilitate this influx. The rise of Arkadag FC is almost pleasingly nostalgic for anyone who remember the former army and secret police outfits that dominated eastern bloc leagues in the cold war era. Fans of rival clubs may not agree, however, especially as they suspect favourable officiating – such as in a November clash with Sagadam when, with the score at 2-2 going into the final seconds, the new boys were given a controversial penalty and subsequently won. Indeed that game was a rare close affair, with the champions ending the season with a +66 goal difference. So far this season, that margin is +30 after six games. There are few public complaints as Turkmenistan is not really the place to criticise projects close to the heart of the former president. Guinness World Records misgivings are unlikely to be well received. Berdymukhamedov is known to be keen to get his new city into the storied book in some manner and club officials believe once the team starts competing in Asian competitions, which is scheduled for the summer, then their case for inclusion will be there in black and white for Guinness to see. Al-Hilal also have state backing, largely owned as they are by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is chaired by the country’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. There are also plenty of fans in the country who believe the Blues get the rub of the green when it comes to refereeing decisions. To be fair to the Riyadh giants, they were the most successful club in Saudi Arabia and Asia in terms of titles – 18 and four respectively – before PIF took charge of them in 2023. This season, however, has been something else – the 34 successive wins has them on course for an unprecedented quadruple. Last week saw the head coach, Jorge Jesus, and stars such as Rúben Neves and Kalidou Koulibaly (Neymar and Aleksandar Mitrovic are injured) get their hands on trophy No 1 with a 4-1 victory over Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup final. Riyadh rivals Al-Nassr were beaten in the semi-final, a game that saw Cristiano Ronaldo sent off for elbowing the Al-Hilal defender Ali al-Bulaihi. Al-Hilal are 12 points clear of second-placed Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League with seven games to go. League title 19 is incoming. Then there are two semi-finals in April: the King’s Cup, Saudi Arabia’s domestic knockout competition, against Al-Ittihad, and the Asian Champions League clash against Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates. Al-Hilal are favourites to win both and a fifth Asian title would put them two clear of the next two most successful clubs: Pohang Steelers of South Korea and Japan’s Urawa Reds. Asia is also the next stage for Arkadag. Can they translate their domestic dominance into overseas success? The ambition is certainly there and sooner or later they may well find themselves on the same pitch as Al-Hilal in a game that these two teams won’t be able to both definitely win.

Underwood’s 1968 performance against Australia at the Oval. Came home early from work to see that. Seems like yesterday. Count the short-legs and silly points.

Drysdale looks every inch a SNP cooncillor. Wee boys’ haircuts don’t look good in middle age.