What Must ____ Be Thinking?

[Beattie 0]

Let's play a game of 'Fill the Gap'. What must the following people be thinking, now more than ever.

 

Tonights lineup got me thinking even before the result, but more so afterwards.

 

There must be almost a whole teams-worth of players wondering what the hell is going on right now. Not least of all Carlos Cuellar and Barry Ferguson wondering how on Earth a team can fall apart so easily without them.

 

This is in almost rant form, so this will be in no order.

 

Alan Gow

 

As we've come to expect, not even in the squad tonight (never is). Clearly Smith sees something there to make him go against giving the lad a chance.. but could he really do any worse than Charlie Adam and the likes?

 

Brahim Hemdani

 

Not a popular choice among everyone especially with his somewhat mediocre form in the latter stages of last season, but again the question is, how much worse can he be than Christian Dailly? He showed in the past that in these kind of games he can get hold of the ball, keep it and distribute it more efficiently than anyone else in our team.

 

Kris Boyd

 

This has gone on forever, but he must still be thinking about what on Earth he has to do to be given a chance. It's almost an embarrassment to Walter Smith's tactical nous that the sole purpose of Boyd is to come on after the 80 minute mark when we're chasing goals. That's Plan B. And that's it.

 

Youngsters

 

I'm sensing a pattern here.. but could the likes of Fleck and Furman really do any worse? Furman is a natural central midfield player with bags of ability if not experience. Lee McCulloch, while experienced, is everything but a central midfielder. As for Fleck, people say he's too young. 2 words. Wayne Rooney. Debuted at 16, became first team regular and look how badly that went..

 

Walter Smith

 

I could go on forever about how Steven Smith must feel fighting back from injury only to be given no sign of a look-in. How Kyle Lafferty must be wondering how the hell he can justify his �£4m pricetag from the bench or even what someone like Thomas Buffel must be thinking looking at our team which is crying out for a creative midfielder after he was told to bugger off even with a year left on his contract.

 

But the daddy of them all is this. What the hell is Walter Smith thinking? One of his long-term defendants, I have scratched my head over his tactics and team selections one too many times.

 

I know I'm not the only one.

[alexscottislegend 2,064]

Totally concur with the above post. Just come in after being away and missed the game. Absolutely dumbfounded. Only consolation is I doubted we could get past Aalborg. Without doubt there will now be a groundswell of opinion against Walter. And - goodbye Carlos. Now we know why Loovens was pursued.

[stewarty 1,876]

It's taken me a while to doubt Walter Smith but tonight, finally, I agree 100% with Beatties post.

 

A sad night for everyone but I'm not sure Walter is the man to take us forward. He's spent all pre-season talking about fitness being the primary focus the games we've played. For me, that's utter pish. I might not be a football man i.e. have played the game professionally, but these days the players go away for their summer break with diet and fitness guidelines and they rarely come back 1/2 a stone overweight any more (John Hartson exepted) so why is fitness such a big issue? Yeah they'll need some intensive sessions and a few games to get their stamina levels back but that should only be a relatively small percentage of the time spent in pre-season - say 40% max. The rest should be about integrating new players, developing skills, team tactics and team spirit, gelling the team to play in whatever style they intend and, utlimately, having a team capable of performing to a reasonable level at the first time of asking.

 

Instead, Walter has bought twelve strikers, ninety-four defenders and ignored the most glaring deficiency in our team which is the lack of creative energy in midfield and for that he must go.

[Gribz 743]

Agree with the comments, Ive been on WS side and said this season is stage 3 but we are already out of europe and I really dont feel confident about the league as he will continue with the likes of Adam and McCulloch who quite frankly couldnt get in the Hibs team at the moment.

 

Only one from above I dont agree with is Boyd - everyone knows I dont rate him for the simple fact that playing in this system would mean he would need to do work and play deep and he cant do that.

[Guest dirtybill]

Agree with the comments, Ive been on WS side and said this season is stage 3 but we are already out of europe and I really dont feel confident about the league as he will continue with the likes of Adam and McCulloch who quite frankly couldnt get in the Hibs team at the moment.

 

Only one from above I dont agree with is Boyd - everyone knows I dont rate him for the simple fact that playing in this system would mean he would need to do work and play deep and he cant do that.

 

I agree also, i was all for smith but enough's enough:brick: i have nothin constructive or clever to say at the moment so im goin to do what my mum told me:sigh:

[Frankie 8,150]

Great post Beattie...! Succinctly summed up as more questions than answers remain about out team despite Walter now being in charge for 18 months.

[alexscottislegend 2,064]

Let's play a game of 'Fill the Gap'. What must the following people be thinking, now more than ever.

 

Tonights lineup got me thinking even before the result, but more so afterwards.

 

There must be almost a whole teams-worth of players wondering what the hell is going on right now. Not least of all Carlos Cuellar and Barry Ferguson wondering how on Earth a team can fall apart so easily without them.

 

This is in almost rant form, so this will be in no order.

 

Alan Gow

 

As we've come to expect, not even in the squad tonight (never is). Clearly Smith sees something there to make him go against giving the lad a chance.. but could he really do any worse than Charlie Adam and the likes?

 

Brahim Hemdani

 

Not a popular choice among everyone especially with his somewhat mediocre form in the latter stages of last season, but again the question is, how much worse can he be than Christian Dailly? He showed in the past that in these kind of games he can get hold of the ball, keep it and distribute it more efficiently than anyone else in our team.

 

Kris Boyd

 

This has gone on forever, but he must still be thinking about what on Earth he has to do to be given a chance. It's almost an embarrassment to Walter Smith's tactical nous that the sole purpose of Boyd is to come on after the 80 minute mark when we're chasing goals. That's Plan B. And that's it.

 

Youngsters

 

I'm sensing a pattern here.. but could the likes of Fleck and Furman really do any worse? Furman is a natural central midfield player with bags of ability if not experience. Lee McCulloch, while experienced, is everything but a central midfielder. As for Fleck, people say he's too young. 2 words. Wayne Rooney. Debuted at 16, became first team regular and look how badly that went..

 

Walter Smith

 

I could go on forever about how Steven Smith must feel fighting back from injury only to be given no sign of a look-in. How Kyle Lafferty must be wondering how the hell he can justify his �£4m pricetag from the bench or even what someone like Thomas Buffel must be thinking looking at our team which is crying out for a creative midfielder after he was told to bugger off even with a year left on his contract.

 

But the daddy of them all is this. What the hell is Walter Smith thinking? One of his long-term defendants, I have scratched my head over his tactics and team selections one too many times.

 

I know I'm not the only one.

Let me add to that - Majid Bougherra! He admitted the propsect of regular CL football was a big attraction. Now he won't even get the EUFA.

[Wija 0]

WS found a formula that worked last year. But that was last year and clearly it was a make do last year. We have bought 3 strikers, and frankly look like we couldn't score in an Amsterdam Whore House.

 

No midfield at all. Last night we were playing 9-0-1. Absolute shite