ascender

I thought Naismith might have got the nod as he's young and could put in a real shift while being fast too. Beasley blows hot and cold, but I've been impressed with how he doesn't hide away like a lot of wingers. He keeps plugging away and isn't afraid to get stuck in. He's disappointed me a bit with his ability, but has more than made up for it with his attitude. At least he can also cut inside and have a shot which is more than can be said for some of our recent wingers.

Doubt he'll start given his style of game and the nature of the injury he's got.

I think Hemdani is one of our most technically gifted players. But he really doesn't give us much in an attacking/creating sense. In fact, he does tend to slow the game down more than Thomson, which is I think why he does so well in Europe. But as I've said before, as he is clearly talented, could he be asked to do more in an attacking sense for the team, or is that just the way he plays? I don't think he'd have made much of a difference to the result on Saturday, but being one of our best players, maybe he should be in there on merit ahead of Thomson? For what its worth, I don't think it will solve the problem we had on Saturday.

Naisy and Boyd linked well together in the first half, but I think most of his chances were of his own making. Boyd actually had one of his better games I thought yesterday, worked hard and linked up well, but ironically couldn't finish. Having said that, it is a team game and I don't think its unreasonable to look for someone else alongside him to take some chances. Bringing JCD on isolated him and took SN out of the game really. I thought someone like Novo on the wide right could have made a difference yesterday but with so many of our team not really clicking, I'm not sure if it would have made a difference. Unfortunately, it was the same old story, we really lacked an attacking and creative spark from midfield. Hemdani definitely isn't the answer to that and I can see why WS plays Thomson instead of him in the SPL. Fergie is a strange character, quite an enigma really as I can't work him out. He is almost talismanic and definitely influential whether he makes a telling contribution or not. We're definitely not the same when he doesn't play, but I do think we need to find the answer to our lack of creativity and find it quickly. Problem then is that there's just not the room in the first XI to accomodate someone like Gow or Buffel without dropping Fergie or sacrificing a holding midfielder and getting Fergie to play deeper in more of a holding role. Some might say that will nullify him, but he seems to get dragged very deep when things aren't going our way anyway. We've got a much stronger squad with options all over the park, but I really think WS needs to try some things out in reserve games or home games to try and address a couple of the problems that we've had for a few years now.

I think Boyd has clearly improved over the last while both for us in Scotland, in terms of his workrate and link-up play. He's still got a long way to go, but I find it pretty depressing that the fact he has now shown improvement isn't recognised by many of our fans. He'll never be accepted as being good enough for us no matter what he does.

Novo does offer us more, but only as a sub. Very rarely does he warrant his inclusion over a full game, I'm afraid it just shows up his weaknesses. I think Thomson is one of those players who won't get many plaudits but he does his job very well. Cousin looks like a quality signing but could do with a kick up the arse as he's in danger of making Boyd look like a real worker at times. But he has more skill which I think makes up for/hides his shortcomings in the effort stakes. Whittaker is much more skillful than I thought and I'm sure he'll settle in to become a great player for us, but does seem a bit out of his depth sometimes. As for Sebo, if you compare the stats for him and Cousin at the start of the season, it will blow the "never given a chance theory" out of the water. Although you could argue Sebo was playing in a much weaker all-round team. But let's move on from that particular stuck record I genuinely don't know our strongest team just now. Even in theory. Every game is changing my mind about certain players at the moment and we've not even seen Gow or Burke in the SPL for example. Buffel is obviously talented, but will he ever do enough to convince us he's actually the real deal and not just a lazy, overpaid, injury-prone waster? Charlie Adam has hardly played, but does anyone else in our squad have the ability to strike a ball as sweetly as he does? Then look up front, see who's topping our goal scoring charts again despite not starting much. All very good problems to have and its been a very, very long time since we've had this strong a squad. Something like this maybe? ______________McGregor______________ Hutton_____Weir_______Cuellar____Smith __________Hemdani___Ferguson________ ___Whittaker____________________McCulloch __________Cousin____Darcheville_______ But even then, I'd be tempted to put Naismith in there as he gives us something totally different, maybe play him wide on the right in a free role?

Gow and Buffel are apparently going to play some part against East Fife. Hemdani? I have no idea what's going on with him.

The Scotland squad is reminding me of the Gers just now. In both cases we have options in every area of the pitch which is letting us play different formations and systems according to who we're up against. Its been years since either side was able to do this and I think its making a huge difference. Of course, we have better players now, more confidence and a real team spirit as well which helps a wee bit.

Yip, I'm happy to chip-in whenever.

Fook me that's a bit pricey!

Yip, he'll be allowed to leave in the summer for a nominal fee. i.e. fuck all.

And what's with the England fans booing of players? Do they just think they have to boo at least one player every game?

So what are we hoping to achieve by singing this song? Cammy makes some excellent points and that's the problem with this song which seems to be missed by many people. I don't think we should be singing it, but you can't argue that many of Cammy's points aren't factually correct whether you agree with them or not.

Stuck at work watching this and Boyd has just opened the scoring. He and Hutton are both looking good.

Its strange though because I've been disappointed by his performance as winger in the classic sense of being pacy and being able to beat a man. But he's really impressed me with how he's not afraid to get stuck in, is quite tenacious and likes to get in to the box. He doesn't seem to give up as easily as previous players we've had in this position and I think that's shown to be an asset already.

I think the separate forum works, but I can see your point Frankie. I'd be for a merger until this place maybe attracts more members? But I think I'm in the minority! Its certainly what I've done in the past with my forums, had one general discussion place and then separated them off in to different forums once they start to get more popular. Not sure why it works, but it just does.

Hearts have been bloody awful this season, I'd b really disappointed if we came away with anything other than 3 points. I agree with Gribz, the only worry I really have about our squad now is the lack of a truly creative centre midfielder. A very promising start to the season though and that can only be good for our confidence, which will also help carry us through the long season ahead.

Title should have been Ian Wright "Played" For Celtic. All he did was pick up a nice little retirement bonus for contributing the sum of fuck all to them.

I think its being used for petty point-scoring and makes us look bad. Its only a matter of time before we get painted as the bad ones here by the media who will turn it around and say that we're making light of child abuse etc. I for one don't know all the facts and the whole BJK campaign seems to be based on a couple of quotes which confirm that he knew something about it and booted the guy out. That's hardly the whole story and given the nature of the story itself, I don't think its right we're dragging it up now. The poll is interesting though, because if you posted the same question on certain other forums, you'd get a very different result. Even the Jambos are singing this song now, so I'm sure the media will pick up on it sooner or later and we'll have shot ourselves in the foot yet again. But as usual it won't be our fault.

Yip, I was just going on who's available at the moment and who knows when Smith will be back. As for Buffel, the same applies. Who knows when he'll be fit and available. Besides, he's still got to prove himself here and I'm not sure where he'd fit in to our current plans and where he is in the pecking order now.

A mate was saying today that Hearts wanted Alan Gow on loan for the season and that it had been agreed if we got someone else in. With the Naismith signing happening near-on midnight there was no time left. Anyone else heard this?

Doesn't sound like we played too well, but its another win and yet another clean sheet. Nice to see us scoring a couple of headers too and I'm pleased for Webster.

I have to say that David Murray has surpassed all expectations I had for what he would do to turn the club around on the pitch. While I think there's a lot wrong with the club just now that he has to answer for, I think he deserves a lot of credit for backing Walter in his rebuilding operation.

Team lineup: McGregor Hutton Cuellar Webster Papac Whittaker Ferguson Thomson Beasley Boyd Cousin Subs: Carroll, Novo, Naismith, Darcheville, McCulloch, Shinne, Fleck

Well, he's match fit and under 21, so I think he's a definite to be on the bench if eligible.