BlackSocksRedTops

Magic. Forgot Sadiq was ditched ?

Is that possible? How many loans do we have at the moment?

IMO Eaves looks like a bargain bucket Andy Carrol. It also suggests that we will become more direct which does no appeal to me tbh. I would rather try and get a mobile, ball playing striker to get the best out of Alfie and bring our midfielders into the game. Meh...

My dad and I have said the same thing all season. When Tav is on it, all his best work is when we are attacking. Try Flanagan at RB and either play Tav wide right with Candeias just inside or vice versa.

Totally agree on the tactics or rather, the lack of them. Over 30 odd competitive games this season and I still don't know what we are trying to do.

This. I can see the value of the loan system if the player is an improvement on what you have but if the player coming in is substandard and ultimately prevents one of your own players growth, I really don't see the point.

Have been away all day on a tech free day out with my family so I've just found out the score. As much as I'm bitterly disappointed, I'm not surprised in the slightest. In December we've gained 12 pts from a possible 21 so far. That type of form will never win any league. I also see calls for January recruitments. As much as we need quality all over the park, I wonder how much of a difference it would make? The biggest issue for me is our distinct lack of playing identity. I see a team stumbling from one game to another with an unclear game plan and that is a worry for me. We have a team that could possibly rise to the occasion and beat Celtic but then draw or lose our next away game. It's very frustrating indeed.

Good to see Michael Stewart and co being so vitriolic in their condemnation of the injustice against Rangers...Oh wait...

Think he got hooked because the game got stretched and was getting done for pace?

Completely agree. On another night we could have had 3 or 4. Morelos was amazing last night. Just left his scoring touch on the bus

Agreed. He looks like is playing with low confidence and is happy just to do the simple things. I hope he can come of out of his shell take it up a few notches

To be fair to Worrel, we looked less vulnerable when he came on. McCauley is an old head but he very slow on the ground. Worrel is also less inclined to go long which I like.

I would refer to Gaffer's excellent post earlier in the week about corners. We need to be smarter than simply supplying the same cross in all the time. When we get a corner I never think anything will happen

Agreed. Candies offered very little IMO. I would say the same about Coulibaly but at least he improved as the game wore on

Very frustrating indeed. Alfie's all round play was truly excellent tonight but I couldn't help think if a Kenny Miller or a Kris Boyd had been on the end of all those chances we would have won that game by 4. We played well enough but it just cements my opinion that our team is full of decent but very average players. We seriously lack genuine quality all over the park (especially in the front 6) PS. How was that not a penalty? He obviously moved his arm towards the ball

Especially Ambrose. He is an accident waiting to happen.

60% possession to Hibs? Eh? Must have watched a different game

1st half thoughts. Pretty much controlled the match and we should be 2 up. We need to press higher as a team and put pressure on their defence (especially Ambrose). We also need to stop relinquishing cheap possession. For example, McGregor is too keen to lump it high when we could roll it out to Jack. When we pass it we look half decent. Oh And we need two top class midfielders (no shit Sherlock...)

The front 3 need to press higher and put pressure on their defenders. We are far too deep

Shame about McCrorie but either way that is the least amount of changes we have made in a long time. Thank God. Still think we will get a lot goals tonight for some reason. Must be something in my waters....

God knows why but for some reason I have a good feeling about tonight. Recent away form suggests otherwise but the fact that Hibs will be the most open team we have played since beating Hearts, gives me more hope than fear.

Brilliant post Gaffer. With regards to your point about crossing forward and back, look at Man City. The majority of their goals are from cut backs from someone getting in behind and hitting the by line. They rarely score goals corners or speculative shooting.

With regards to the Fran Sol rumour, I'm not sure tbh. We would be looking at £2million plus but what does it do to actually address our problems? Our main problem is not scoring goals IMO, our problem is actually creating goal clear cut scoring chances. It would be a different story if we were peppering the opponents goal and our striker couldn't hit the target but that's not the case. In the last handful of games, we have simply struggled to create any chances at all. When I mean chances, I mean 100% chances (too quote wee Dick Adcocaat). If we create chances Morelos will score. If we do have money to spend, I'd rather spend £400k on Shankland as a back up and then look to get creativity in the team. Not another midfielder that will pass sideways but someone who can see a forward pass and play with their head up. I don't think we need any more wingers as Barasic/Middleton/Grezda and Tav/Candias/Kent can more than play provide width.

Agree. For example, despite a few decent showings at the start of the season Coulibaly has offered very little and it makes you wonder what McCrorie could have done during that period.

If we don't get him, someone else will. If he doesn't cut it 400k is not the biggest gamble. On the other hand, if he scores goals in the SPL for Rangers then you have an asset on your hands.