I actually think / hope that Terry and Mo have learned from todays game. To be fair to them and the team we dont have a SPL standard squad and the injury loss of McCann and Gillet was evidently a major factor - and I suspect that they chucked in Innes before he was really ready - but I feel that they still got a few things wrong today.

You simply cant beat SPL teams with two makeshift full backs and a half fit central defender. So in many ways we were in a no win situation today but lets put it behind us, learn from the proceedings and march on to Paisley.

It is OK to be an armchair manager but I would have played Tokely at right back with Nick Ross in front of him. Innes had to be risked but I would have played McBain at left back.

To be fair the rest of the team picked itself.

But why are we obsessed with hitting Hayes all the time and why do we stick Nick Ross out on the left all the time. I would prefer Nick on the right predominantly and Hayes on the left - interchanging regularly.

I am unsure whether Sutherland and Rooney can play together but it is worth a punt at home.

The defending for the Hearts first goal was schoolboy stuff with a line 8 feckin yards from our goal - the decision to swop Rosscoe and Munro was ill timed and really shouldnt have happened. I reckon that rosscoe would have been skinned but Grant would have had more nouse to cover centrally.

Sutherland should have come on fer Eric at least 10 minutes earlier.

But at the end of the day we have a team capable of staying up and going forward we are as good as most. The return of Foran is a massive plus.

Today was a bad day with a depleted team and dodgy tactical decisions. But we will learn.

Certainly a conundrum with With Nick Ross and Hayes. I think they both prefer to play on the right, but Ross is definitely better on the left, than Hayes is.

If Eric had stayed on we might have at least grabbed a consolation goal. I didn't think Sutherland added anything much to the overall performance.

Edited September 18, 201015 yr by Johnboy

His biggest error of judgement for me has been the dropping of Russell Duncan. We had Duncan & Cox forming a great double act and now Russell has been binned for now.

I would have started with Rossco at centre back with Grantie, and Golly at left back with Proctor told to tackle if he wants a game at right back.

Certainly a conundrum with With Nick Ross and Hayes. I think they both prefer to play on the right, but Ross is definitely better on the left, than Hayes is.

If Eric had stayed on we might have at least grabbed a consolation goal. I didn't think Sutherland added anything much to the overall performance.

Sutherland had ten minutes and Eric would have ended up with more skid marks on the pitch than you have in yer unerpants thinking about him undressing in the dressing room

His biggest error of judgement for me has been the dropping of Russell Duncan. We had Duncan & Cox forming a great double act and now Russell has been binned for now.

I would have started with Rossco at centre back with Grantie, and Golly at left back with Proctor told to tackle if he wants a game at right back.

What did ya fink of Duff - he was my MOM plus Proctor is NOT a right back.

Proc stood off his man, and then backed away as he ran at him. Not good enough in that position.

Duff did well, squandered some passing opportunities and not sharp enough in the box when the ball fell to him. Otherwise decent game. Ross was our best bet to open them up, with Hayes a close second. We had the beating of them on either wing.

His biggest error of judgement for me has been the dropping of Russell Duncan. We had Duncan & Cox forming a great double act and now Russell has been binned for now.

I would have started with Rossco at centre back with Grantie, and Golly at left back with Proctor told to tackle if he wants a game at right back.

As you would expect i totally agree, this happened in the SFL1 cox and stratford started quite a few games then pedz was starting and we picked up. IMHO i think duff and duncan would be brilliant together as duncan is more defensive minded and works hard, while duff seems to attack quite often.

the 4-2-3-1 formation should be given another chance against St. J as the games we have played at home are always going to be the some of the most difficult games we will have (at home).

His biggest error of judgement for me has been the dropping of Russell Duncan. We had Duncan & Cox forming a great double act and now Russell has been binned for now.

I would have started with Rossco at centre back with Grantie, and Golly at left back with Proctor told to tackle if he wants a game at right back.

As you would expect i totally agree, this happened in the SFL1 cox and stratford started quite a few games then pedz was starting and we picked up. IMHO i think duff and duncan would be brilliant together as duncan is more defensive minded and works hard, while duff seems to attack quite often.

This the way forward as far as I am concerned!

I would have started with Rossco at centre back with Grantie, and Golly at left back with Proctor told to tackle if he wants a game at right back.

I would agree with that before the match but with hindsight, a sweeper system might have been better, with (actually might as well show rather than explain):

Esson

Proctor

Duff - Tokely - Munro - Shinnie

Hayes - Cox - Duncan - Ross

Rooney

Seems a bit negative but needn't be with Duff and Shinnie bombing forward. I wouldn't blame Butcher for not going with that for this game but maybe this is the formation until we get a bit more form back.

I'd agree with most that we miss Duncan. Cox hasn't been at his best and pairing Duncan with Duff could be a decent shout.

Our defence is going to be makeshift for the next few weeks at least and the best we can muster would be Proctor/Munro/Tokely/Golabek or Tokely/Munro/Innes/Golabek depending on injuries. Mcbain is not a left back any more than Tokely is so best not make things even more makeshift than we have to because at this level we likely wont get away with it.

Most of the rest of the team picks itself with Eric, Rooney and hayes among the first names on the teamsheet and offcourse Foran when he's ready.

I'd agree with most that we miss Duncan. Cox hasn't been at his best and pairing Duncan with Duff could be a decent shout.

Our defence is going to be makeshift for the next few weeks at least and the best we can muster would be Proctor/Munro/Tokely/Golabek or Tokely/Munro/Innes/Golabek depending on injuries. Mcbain is not a left back any more than Tokely is so best not make things even more makeshift than we have to because at this level we likely wont get away with it.

Most of the rest of the team picks itself with Eric, Rooney and hayes among the first names on the teamsheet and offcourse Foran when he's ready.

Eric

just listened to TB online. Chris Innes is now injured and out for 2 weeks plus Gillet and Mccann not near ready to come back by the sounds of it. He joked that Richie could play centre half!oh dear things could get worse before they get better.

The thing that irks me about the Russelldinho situation. He scored a spectacular goal against United, we thumped them 0-4 and he gets dropped........

work that one out.

Maybe Butcher wants one of the midfeld two to offer something going forward and sees Duff as a better option going forward than Duncan? That's the only thing I can think of.

One thing that frustrated me was the lack of support offered to the wide men. Any time Hayes or Ross had the ball the support from the midfield and forwards was non existent. The wide men were left totally isolated on the touchline meaning they had to beat, quite often, two players to get the ball in or stop and turn back to the full backs on the half way line. There was quite often a lot of space on the edge of the area that one of the midfielders could go in to if a pass was slipped in but no one seemed to offer this.

The thing that irks me about the Russelldinho situation. He scored a spectacular goal against United, we thumped them 0-4 and he gets dropped........

work that one out.

It is hard to work that one out.

We were about halfway through last season, before Duncan was recalled to the side after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Oddly enough his return seemed to coincide with that long unbeaten run in we enjoyed in the second half our season in Div1.

I'd like to see him and Duff in a central midfield pairing. Cox has not been very convincing at SPL level.

Am I the only one who would drop eric for shane?

Am I the only one who would drop eric for shane?

Probably just you and IHE....

Edited September 18, 201015 yr by Johnboy

Am I the only one who would drop eric for shane?

i would, shane would hold the ball up much better which lets be honest isnt very hard

Am I the only one who would drop eric for shane?

i would, shane would hold the ball up much better which lets be honest isnt very hard

I'm not so sure actually. Don't think Eric has done much wrong to merit being dropped, however Rooney needs more support when we're playing at home. Don't know if Shane will have much of a look in now that Richie's coming back though, (touch wood).

Although I think Eric is the better player, Sutherland is more of a bustling forward who could partner Rooney well up top to start, with Eric injecting a bit of pace up against tired legs midway through the 2nd half.

eric super sub

shane might just be what we need to get on the end of all these crosses that seem to miss everyone

I don't care what people say but i am totally AGAINST using 4-2-3-1 at home.

I said in the Hearts team thread that 4-2-3-1 isn't working and got slated for pointing this out, but today again shows, IT AIN'T FECKING WORKING!!

I think it is pointless playing one upfront because it looks like we are playing defensive as does the 2 in front of the back 4 but maybe that is just me. I would prefer a more attacking 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 at home and the 4-2-3-1 away from home. For Christ sake if our players played on the deck rather than lump, lump, lump, we may get somewhere especially with a more attacking line up, LUMPINGTHE BALL IMHO, IS ONLY FER CUP GAMES NEAR THE END WHEN YOU ARE NEEDING A GOAL, NOT THE MIDDLE OF A GAME.

Rant over and tough if you don't agree but then i would ken how people on here feel lol.

Edited September 18, 201015 yr by Mahonio

To be honest I don't think it's the formation. Could be tinkered a little. Why not play Cox Duff and Duncan in the midfield and encourage Duff and Cox to support as much as and when possible.

But for any formation to work, simple errors have to be cut out. You get away with it in the 1st division but teams such as Hearts will punish mistakes.

Sounds like the defence is weak or rocky and there are not enough attacking players aup front. Surely Rooney can't do it alone against the better opposition of the SPL.?

Am I the only one who would drop eric for shane?

IMO eric has been our best player so far, yes he may have a horror touch every now and then but he opens up the oppositions defence so much and can create chances from no where.

If he was to be dropped it would be like pedz, he has done nothing wrong (if anything he has done well) and has been dropped.

Also Shane is not an 'in the hole' player his agility and vision is not at the same level as eric but i do think shane is a similar player to rooney who can hold up the ball and make darting runs.

I don't think Erik should be starting for us. Bring him on as a sub in the second half when defences are tiring and he has had a good 45 minutes plus to assess the state of the pitch and work out which studs to wear.

Eric is a Jekyll and Hyde performer and I am simply a bit worried that he is too much of a "luxury" to wait for those performances every 2-3 games, especially at home. His pace will get him and us quite a few goals - he is a bit like marius but swop the pace for the touch. I would prefer to have him coming off the bench. I have always doubted whether Shane and Rooney could play together but it is worth a go.