warning for smith

[gisabeer 409]

so yet again our manager opts to leave boyd rotting on the bench and plays Mcculloch who has been occupying the outside left position for most of the season in the lone striker role. Then he brings on darcheville who is plainly not match fit. And with a last throw of the dice Boyd is finally brought on as the match runs away from us.

 

I said in an earlier post that Smith should sort out his problem with boyd, whatever it is. But the tea lady in the murray park canteen will get a place in the starting 11 before boyd these days, that is very plain for all to see. It almost cost us today and if our manager continues with his trend of not playing boyd it will cost us the league, of that i have no doubt.

 

Its called cutting off your nose to spite your face walter. Sort out the situation with boyd pronto or you will end up in second place.

[stewarty 1,877]

I'm getting annoyed with Walter's stubbornness too. It's like he's been taking notes from Mcleish at playing players out of position. Just look at the impact Chris Burke has had since returning to the team and ask yourself why he didn't get a shot earlier?

 

I guarantee that Boyd will score a bucket full at some point in the near future and WS will trot out the usual pish about "We know what Boydy can do, he's a natural finisher, he comes alive in the box" etc etc.

 

Just give him some f'n starts!!!!

[ascender 352]

Lol. That's the exact same thing I was thinking Stewarty. I was wondering why managers can't see the bloody obvious when its starting them in the face. Or is that why they get paid so much money and we're just supporters? Do they know something we don't?

 

Its exactly like watching Eck make some of the most bizarre tactical decisions and personnel changes which seemed to make no sense at all.

 

In the last couple of games, McCulloch and Adam have both brought nothing to the team. Yet they've both kept their places and the tactics have been the same.

 

I still think we need a settled front-line, regardless of whether that includes Boyd or not. And if JCD is fit, why didn't he start today instead of Naismith or McCulloch? If he wasn't fit, why was he brought on before Boyd?

 

Why were we playing a long ball game which hasn't worked for us all season? We have the personnel to play a game with the ball on the deck, but with LM in the side that doesn't seem to be the game plan.

 

And since Burke came back and looks on form, we need someone in the box for him to hit. That's either someone who can really attack the ball in the air (McCulloch??) or someone who will be hanging around the 6 yard box (Boyd??). I've lost count of the times over the last 4 games or so where Burke has put a ball in to the box and there's no-one even attempting to get on the end of it.

 

At the back, Davie Weir badly needs a rest, but again, can any of us see him being dropped this season?

 

As for the midfield, could we not at least try something different? We're (still) lacking creativity in the middle and a solid left-sided midfielder. Surely WS has to give one of the other guys (Gow, Buffel or Davis when fit) a chance now?

[craig 5,199]

Re Weir, it was painfula s to how much he was exposed at the back today. There were a number of occasions when Hibs got the ball in behind him down the middle of the park and, if not for some good sweeping by McGregor, we could have lost 2 or 3 goals from them (and, in fact, it also cost McGregor his red card, although I think that one was down to both Weir and Cuellar).

 

Weir most definitely needs a rest, the sooner that Webster is fit the better - although there could be a shout for playing Dailly in there to give Weir a break - though personally I would play Papac beside Cuellar and bring Whittaker over to LB allowing Broadfoot to play RB (unless Stevie Smith gets fit in a hurry with some reserve games under his belt then I would play Smith LB, Papac, Cuellar and Whittaker).

 

There are plenty of options available to WS yet it is the same old - don't drop players who aren't performing whilst others (Boyd in particular - but also the likes of Buffel & Gow) can't get a sniff at the first team !

[stewarty 1,877]

The temptation with McCulloch playing is to play lots of high balls. Against Hibs that just plays to their strength as this is meat and drink to Rob Jones. I would have preferred a front line of JCD and Novo/Naismith as the smaller pacier players would have caused more problems. I would have played McCulloch wide left because he is undoubtedly a threat with his power but it's more because he can be very clever at timing his runs so that they are at the most inconvenient times for the defending team and thus his power shines through.

 

I agree re Davie Weir needing a rest but I would be reluctant to split him and Cuellar up right now as they play well together.

[PrideAndPassion 0]

Thought exactly the same thing today ... why the HELL can't Boyd get a game for us at the mo!!

[Gribz 743]

I think there are 2 things thats obvious as to why Boyd isnt playing - 1) WS doesnt like him for reasons beyond to us and 2) we are still playing 4-5-1 and Boyd cant play the role upfront.

 

If we were going 4-4-2 then there would be a shout for him but he is in the same boat as Gow, Buffel and even Novo! IMO Nacho earned a chance to start on the right before Burke came back. Id hae Novo in the team at the moment whether it be RM or upfront.