Team for St Johnstone.

[Guest Shaun]

This might be tough after today but, what team/formation would you play at Perth next weekend?

Also a quick note to say that this match is on Alba at about this time next week.

[ICTRoughi]

4-5-1

Brill

Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie

Doran Tansey Draper Christie Watkins

Mckay

[Row S]

Esson

Warren Devine Meekings Tremarco

Doran Tansey Shinnie Christie

Watkins Sekejja

Subs: Brill, Raven, Draper, Ross, Horner, Williams, McKay

[rocky1]

When is captain fantastic due back he is a great leader and would have been influential on Saturday ?

[Sneckboy]

When is captain fantastic due back he is a great leader and would have been influential on Saturday ?

Unfortunately, I think the days of Richie being our talisman are behind us. He's obviously taking a while to regain fitness after what's clearly been a bad knee injury.

These things often take longer to recover from at 34-years-old than at 24-years-old!

But I feel he'll be a peripheral figure when he's fit for selection. Initially he's going to be so far off the pace - he's going to need a few Development League games, one would imagine.

On a different note, has Ibra Sekajja just not been good enough? His contract is up soon and he's hardly featured!

[ICTRoughi]

When is captain fantastic due back he is a great leader and would have been influential on Saturday ?

Unfortunately, I think the days of Richie being our talisman are behind us. He's obviously taking a while to regain fitness after what's clearly been a bad knee injury.

These things often take longer to recover from at 34-years-old than at 24-years-old!

But I feel he'll be a peripheral figure when he's fit for selection. Initially he's going to be so far off the pace - he's going to need a few Development League games, one would imagine.

On a different note, has Ibra Sekajja just not been good enough? His contract is up soon and he's hardly featured!

Apparently Sekajja will be leaving when his deal is up.

[AlexJones]

After a terrible performance is it better to freshen things up straight away or to give your players a chance to redeem themselves? It could go either way, the incomers might give us a shot in the arm, or we could go down the 'backlash / reaction' school of thinking and expect the guys who underperformed yesterday to come out of the blocks like the clappers next time out. 

 

I would be more inclined to choose option A. Doran, Christie, Tremarco and Ross have all bided their time, done well when used from the bench, and are due a chance to win back their place at some point. At least 2 of those 4 should start against Saints. Not sure about Esson, haven't seen him at all this season so can't comment!

Edited December 14, 2014 by AlexJones

[alternative maryhill]

4-5-1

Brill

Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie

Doran Tansey Draper Christie Watkins

Mckay

 

^ This. There's no reason to see bringing Doran and Christie back in after yesterday's performance as a knee-jerk reaction: both have played very significant roles in our excellent start to the season. Having been at the last three Saturdays' games, there has been a bit of a lack of spark in our forward play; by some distance our best spell of play over those three games was the second half against St Mirren, where Christie, after a tentative first half, really pulled the strings. He's a young player and we can expect to see dips in his performance levels in some games, but he definitely offers a vision in his passing and a dynamism in his running that neither Vincent or Williams seem to possess.    

[TopSix]

Doran - and especially Christie - offer a creative spark which was desperately lacking yesterday.

[ICTRoughi]

Wouldn't mind Nick Ross starting aswell but don't think we should make too many changes.

[bdu98196]

                    Brill

Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie

          Tansey Draper

 Doran        Christie    Watkins

                 Mckay
 

I do think Draper had a really bad game on Sat, so was tempted to say put Shinnie in mid alongside Tansey with Tremarco at LB, but think we just add more creativity through Christie and Doran, although seeing Nick get a chance would be nice.

[WYNESS101]

Brill

Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie
 

Tansey Draper
 

Doran Christie Watkins

Mckay
 

 

Doran and Watkins swapping wings from time to time so the saints defence cant settle


 

Edited December 15, 2014 by WYNESS101

[WYNESS101]

Esson

Warren Devine Meekings Tremarco

Doran Tansey Shinnie Christie

Watkins Sekejja

Subs: Brill, Raven, Draper, Ross, Horner, Williams, McKay

 

Esson? Don't think Brill has done much wrong to be dropped. When was the last time Esson had a game? Its the young keeper who helps Brill warm up on match days plays the under-20 games

[ICTRoughi]

Brill

Raven Warren Meekings

Tansey Draper

Doran Christie Watkins

Mckay

Doran and Watkins swapping wings from time to time so the saints defence cant settle

Not sure we should play St Johnstone with 10 players!

[+DoofersDad]

It was interesting what Yogi was saying in one of his post match interviews about players not doing in the match what they have been doing in training.  He was also talking about possibly mixing it up a bit and giving at chance to others who are champing at the bit.  We can only conjecture at who might not be delivering on match days what they practise on the training ground but any change might not be the obvious ones.  Indeed there may not be any changes at all and his words (which will be a lot stronger when he talks to players individually) might be intended as a spur to his preferred starting line up.

 

Hughes also said that he needs to look at himself and reflect on whether a formation which has been successful has become too predictable.

 

Whether there are changes or not, we need a better performance and to get back to winning ways.

[ICTRoughi]

It was interesting what Yogi was saying in one of his post match interviews about players not doing in the match what they have been doing in training. He was also talking about possibly mixing it up a bit and giving at chance to others who are champing at the bit. We can only conjecture at who might not be delivering on match days what they practise on the training ground but any change might not be the obvious ones. Indeed there may not be any changes at all and his words (which will be a lot stronger when he talks to players individually) might be intended as a spur to his preferred starting line up.

Hughes also said that he needs to look at himself and reflect on whether a formation which has been successful has become too predictable.

Whether there are changes or not, we need a better performance and to get back to winning ways.

I think it's a bit obvious that the team is crying out for change. Doran and Christie's introduction at Dens last weekend should have been enough to warrant them a place in the starting line up.

Regarding the tactics (shape of the team) I do think it's still working, if Marley scored the chance that went by the post in the first half then we would have seen a different game and would have dominated the game in my opinion. For the tactic to be affective, it's vital we score the first goal. Granted last weekend we didn't score the first goal but the difference was in the second half of last weekend we ramped up the intensity that was lacking last Saturday. I watched the Manchester United game yesterday and I found it quite inspiring with the style they pass the ball (one touch pass and move) that's a style that we should implement in my opinion - up the tempo and try and dominate the game early.

I would like to see the likes of Daniel Devine, Carl Tremarco, Liam Polworth and Ibra Sekajja to a degree who don't get a fair crack of the whip but if we tamper with the team too much then the hard work that's already been done will become undone.

Edited December 15, 2014 by ICTRoughi

[ICTRoughi]

Just come across an interesting stat:

"Inverness have the most settled team in this season's Premiership - made just 9 changes to their starting line-up across 16 league games."

[RiG]

We've lost one game now so I think it's time to shake things up a bit.

 

Esson

Horner Devine Warren

Raven Draper Vincent Polworth Ross

Sekajja

[Guest]

Same team as Saturday.