Where are we at?

[union 0]

We are in a rut with no signs of freeing ourselves from it, due mainly to a board with no money or any signs of investment.

 

There is also the looming CoS case with King in the dock so to speak,until that is settled we are hamstrung for corporate movement,share/rights issues etc, a gloomy picture indeed.

[T-1000 174]

Where are we at?

 

Let's break it down into component parts.

 

I'll begin with recruitment. Whether you accept Brendan's figure of £8 million spent in the summer, or BBC Scotland's preferred £11 million. Comparatively, in our league, it was serious money.

 

You are right that it is serious money for our league but in terms of comparison with Celtic who we wish to challenge it is a relatively small amount given the number of players we have brought in. Taking as an example, we spent most of the total on Pena - 2/3 million. Compared to the amounts that are being touted for Tierney or Dembele it is relatively small. As things stand I cannot see us outspending Celtic to catch up. This makes it difficult for us to challenge for first spot in the league. The way forward for Pedro must be to buy young cheaper players with potential, bring though some from our youth system (like McCrorie) and try to improve the players we have at our disposal. I thought yesterday, Celtic players were better at finding space, had better movement and had more pace in their attacks. As we have seen this season at times we are too ponderous in attack but this is something that might improve as the players gel, the overseas players adapt to the pace and physicality of the Scottish game and we have a settled team.

[Gribz 743]

Since you know that, care to hand me the lottery numbers too?

 

 

 

"Weaker sides" park the bus against the Yahoos, which they have done against us too. The Yahoos have the better players and usually come away with a point or more still. We, much like them, are succeptible to those bus-parkers' counter attacks. Yesterday we tried to play football with them, which not too many teams did this season. Once we start giving them problems in their own half, they will probably not play as dominant as they did in the second half.

 

But didnt you say on another thread to Craig you would have moved Morelos to the left wing? Thats like moving tavenier to centre half.

[der Berliner 3,250]

But didnt you say on another thread to Craig you would have moved Morelos to the left wing? Thats like moving tavenier to centre half.

 

As you have seen yesterday too, once Herrera was on the park, Morelos easily moved to either wing and still posed a threat. As I said before, a game is no static thing where "winger" means that you stay on either flank. IMHO, Herrera looks good at holding the ball up or laying long balls from the back off to the likes of Morelos or Pena, or as we saw on Tuesday to Candeias. Likewise, Morelos carries a physical threat plus his pace, so he can threaten areas which we did not threaten as much as possible on Saturday, as well as drifting inside.

 

Tavernier nigh always played as RB to us, but, again on Saturday, is (ussually) better going forward than defending. Hence, had it been an option, I'd rather have had Hodson as the real RB and Tavernier as a right sided defensive MF, who also has the option to move up front. Against teams which carry as potent a threat as Sinclair. Thus, Tav could have taken out Sinclair as well as having the pace and build to challenge someone in midfield. As the game wore on, the drain took its toll on both Jack and Dorrans, while Tav time and again let Sinclair slip through. Tav has played CH before, but since I have seen both Bates and McCrorie, I know that I wouldn't play him there.

[MacK1950 2,231]

As many have given their thoughts on our players I will throw mine into the mix.

Goalkeeper Fod definitely first choice with a more than able deputy in Alnyck.

Full backs Tav obviously first choice although I see him like many others do as a right sided mid fielder.Wallace more than capable of holding his place in team.Hodson a journeyman IMO but capable of holding a right back place.John on loan but has impressed in his two cameos and worth a punt if he keeps up his showing.

Centre backs the problem area,Alves came with glorious praises but seems to have an elitist attitude.Cardoso performs better without Alves on park,similar to Kiernan last season when Tav was out .

Midfield Jack has settled in nicely and is,again IMO,an outstanding player.Dorrans again came with big reputation but has still to shine.Windas has blown hot & cold.Pena might still be a lot to come,but how long do you wait.Krancjar best years are behind him but still class although injury prone now.Candeias has proved to be reliable with good pace and control.

Forwards Morelos,the find of the transfer window,exciting to watch and knows way to goal.Herrera same situ as Pena.Miller deserved his year's extension but is starting to struggle.

Reserves and "bubbling" under.Wilson,should never have come back.Bates time will tell.Hardie,when will he get a chance?.Barjonas a good prospect.Dalcio - who the hell.are you?.Nemane on loan so will obviously get games.Holt more than capable of helping team.

Probably haven't covered everything/everybody but have not forgotten McCrorie,outstanding in his two games and definitely a future prospect with hopefully more like him coming from the developement squad.

[ranger_syntax 3,776]

Alves came with glorious praises but seems to have an elitist attitude.

 

What makes you say that?

Edited September 24, 2017 by ranger_syntax
I actually bothered to fix a broken quote

[MacK1950 2,231]

He looks as if he wants to stroll through games,which is not a bad thing,but IMO is playing to the crowd,and is not a team player,again I will will re-reiterate it is my opinion in answer to your question.I have no doubt that he is a good player but has come to the wrong league.

Also a player with a high reputation can unsettle others who may look up to him.In this instance it has been noticed that Cardoso has performed better when Alves was off the pitch.

Edited September 24, 2017 by MacK1950
Additional content

[RANGERRAB 3,263]

He looks as if he wants to stroll through games,which is not a bad thing,but IMO is playing to the crowd,and is not a team player,again I will will re-reiterate it is my opinion in answer to your question.I have no doubt that he is a good player but has come to the wrong league.

Also a player with a high reputation can unsettle others who may look up to him.In this instance it has been noticed that Cardoso has performed better when Alves was off the pitch.

 

We are still conceding too many goals. In that respect his signing hasn't been successful

[Gonzo79 13,666]

I had hoped Alvez would get the team buy the scruff of the neck and instill a more siege-like mentality but that hasn't happened. I could say the same about Dorrans.

[der Berliner 3,250]

We are still conceding too many goals. In that respect his signing hasn't been successful

 

Any team Alvez has played or has conceded goals, including Portugal. It's not like he can do the job of 3 chaps alone and has the Iron Curtain in his back-pocket. Most goals we conceeded, if I remember correctly, were not exactly his fault alone. Which some of the comments seem to suggest. If any of our defenders should be in for criticism it is Tavernier, who has an alarming amount of off-moments when it comes to his defensive duties, not counting all the forward runs which leaves his actual slot open to counter attacks.

 

IMHO, quite a few people want to see negative things and as they look hard enough, they spot what they are looking for, or, indeed, react to normal stuff in a football game like it was the next worse thing to the cardinal sin. All these guys in our colours are human beings blessed with a certain talent. And no matter who it will be, they will make mistakes -much like all players we had did as well. By now you would assume that people have learned to deal with that.

 

On a sidenote, and I am not wanting to lay much emphasis on it, but there is a mild bout of xenophobia out there it seems, with first PC and Pena, and now Alvez being targets. And the mhedia is in no small measure heating it.

Edited September 24, 2017 by der Berliner