I think everyone acknowledges November was going to be a very tough set of fixtures but fielding an unchanged team has brought us little success.

Personally I would like at least a couple of changes for the Hearts game.

Bayne no matter how hard he tries isn't a prolific striker and his winner against Rangers shouldn't grant him any sort of immunity. Denzil must start!!

McBain offers nothing full stop and needs to be dropped.

I think we should bring Black back in and move Rankin out to the left - I don't think this is his best position but he would offer more than Roy can

Just said the same on another thread, Start Wyness and Black.

I think everyone acknowledges November was going to be a very tough set of fixtures but fielding an unchanged team has brought us little success.

Personally I would like at least a couple of changes for the Hearts game.

Bayne no matter how hard he tries isn't a prolific striker and his winner against Rangers shouldn't grant him any sort of immunity. Denzil must start!!

I think we should bring Black

Denzil should have been starting since the falkirk game... however what i have seen of Mcswegan i think he could feature as well. I am just glad other people agree with me about our strike partnership

Correct Kc, and I said as much last week when I mentioned that our game plan was stale and as subtly predictable as Jack the Rippers M.O.,I doubt very much if rivals send coaches to our games anymore knowing as they do what our game is all about.

I would go further than yourself and suggest  a major overhaul, yesterday might have been a good time given that Celtic are on a roll but it was not to be. I was pleased to see Charlie replacing a midfielder with a striker yesterday and thats maybe a start but we could go a lot further as we have decent young players in Soane, Sutherland and Rory, Black is an obvious start and yes lets give McSwegan a run out, he played 87 mins last Tuesday and looked fit. So lets be radical here and shuffle the cards CC.

I know that SPL survival has been touted on here as our main aim but fer goodness sake this is our third season in the SPL not our first and we have the savvy to hold our heads above water but football mediocrity will not see bums on seats, if we are to sit on a cold plastic seat for a couple of hours in freezing conditions then we need to be as entertained as we were last Tues night.

I believe changes will come with time.  I also believe CC is doing things right (on the whole) so far.  He inherited a decent outfit which is performing well enough, to have come in and started making any kind of wholesale changes would have been very risky and stunk of arrogance.  Not only is he taking time to find his feet, he is also taking the time to allow his own confidence to grow.  He has shown that he is capable of making the right substitutions at the right time in games, and the more he continues to do that the more comfortable he will become with making changes, then from that will come changes to the starting line-up.

I don't disagree that we could perhaps do with shaking things up a little, but I don't think it should be something which is forced.  We are doing OK - the league table doesn't lie - but we are certainly not safe enough to start experimenting wholesale.

Slowly, Slowly, Catchy, Monkey and all that

Not so sure about radical overhauls. Hibs beat us 2-0 in between slaughtering Hearts and Motherwell, and we created chances- the game was wide open till the penalty, and Killen was offside anyway if you ask me. That result looks nae too bad with hindsight, Hibs are the form team at the mo.

Never went yesterday, but Celtic are in a league of their own anyway. We're as good a bet for 2nd place as any of the others TBO.

Agree that Roy needs a rest, but McSwegan, apart from his drive at Easter Road 5 secs after coming on, seemed to be wading through treacle, and had a bigger erse than Shug Robertson in his Viccy Park days.

If people think his performance in the reserves was that good, fair enough. Try him in a home game, but not for away games. When all he gets is scraps, Bayne puts in the running, which sadly rules out Denzil too against the good sides away.

I wouldn't be too hasty in dropping Duncan, as he played very well yesterday. Like most though, i think its about time we rested McBain as he hasn't given much to the team at all lately. Maybe move Rankin out wide and bring Black back into the center.

Mark Brown to come straight back into the team?? I was very happy with Fraser's performance, and would quite like him to keep his place.

Rather than starting Denzil, I would quite like to see Dargo and McSwegan start together up front with Wyness coming on after  McSwegan has given his all.

Agree about Mcbain but dont know why all the demands for Wyness. I seen him start twice this season and both times he was dire. he just seemed to refuse to move around the park. Wouldn't get into space and expected the ball to be put at his feet. As I say i only seen him in two starts so perhaps he has improved. But I think it would be very wrong to drop Bayne. He's a workhorse and second top scorer this season.

Agree about Mcbain but dont know why all the demands for Wyness. I seen him start twice this season and both times he was dire. he just seemed to refuse to move around the park. Wouldn't get into space and expected the ball to be put at his feet. As I say i only seen him in two starts so perhaps he has improved. But I think it would be very wrong to drop Bayne. He's a workhorse and second top scorer this season.

:025: :025:

I just wonder why Dargo seems to be free from criticism on this board

Surely Richie Hart deserves a game! Leaving his phenomenal work rate and ball winning aside, it can't just be coincidence that we always seem to go up a gear or two after he comes on. I'd say he's easily our most creative attacking midfielder. Blackie, on the other hand, has been mince this season, he's living on past form. As Cloughie once said "you're only as good as your last  game". On that basis, Richie Hart is the obvious choice.

As for Rankin, what has he actually done to merit an automatic first team slot week in week out? Very little from what I've seen of him. If anyone deserves a chance out on the left, its. According to the Courier he's been somewhat of a superstar in the reserves in recent weeks, and when he's been given a run out in the first team; against Falkirk last season and the Pars this season, he was one of the best players on the park.

Finally, I'd love to see us being bold and signing Brewster to partner Dargo to the end of the season. They have a terrific partnership. Brewster would be a man on a mission, to redeem his reputation and salvage his pride following his Tannadice nightmare. Plus, free from the distractions of managment he'd be able to concentrate fully on his game. He would do a job for us, especially when you consider how lightweight we've been in the goalscoring department this season. Think of all the sitters we've missed in recent weeks alone. I'd go as far as to say that with Brew in the starting 11 we'd have probably got something off Hibs last week, and maybe even Celtic yesterday.

I think the superb goalscoring exploits of Dargo and Wyness around about the turn of the year

has a lot of fans yearning for the partnership to be reinstated, and I can understand that.

For me,however, Graham Bayne is the most underrated player at the club, he gives us something

that the other two can't.

Call me old fashioned but I think, especially in the SPL, you need an ariel threat, a centre forward

who is targetted from crosses etc. I firmly believe Bayne to be one of the best centre forwards in the game. I recall reading an article by Jim McLean stating that if you analyse goals you'll find the vast majority come from crosses coming into the box, personally I'd stick with Dargo and Bayne for just now, Denzil, McSwegan and Rory will get a

chance through injuries or suspensions before long.

Regarding the general idea of changes, I agree with much of what "The Mantis" says, we've come through a particular tough spell of games, Easter Rd and Parkhead are the hardest places to go at the moment.I wouldn't be bothering with much alterations. Having said that I don't think we can afford to leave Blackie out.

Not a witchunt after a few defeats , but changes have been long overdue . We really need to try and get the ball wide instead of trying to play through the middle all the time , which leads us onto the disappearance  of Alan Morgan.

Cant believe he is so far out the picture ,that we would consider loaning him out to Peterhead.

Give the guy a run out and lets see what he can do ,because unfortunately Charlie your faith in Roy Mcbain as a wide player is not paying off.

Agree with you Kencar, McBain couldn't even cut it for Ross County in the first division as a left winger. He only came into his own when Pele insightfully played him in a central role behind Richie Hart in a midfield diamond formation. He doesn't have the pace to be a winger, his strengths are his close control in tight situations, his ability to hold the ball under pressure and pick out a pass, and to read the game and manouvre into intelligent positions in both an attacking and defensive sense. All these qualities are suited to the centre of the park.

Having been saying it fer weeks. Need to rest the Bayne and McBain connection. Black has just got to be brought back but I would like to have a look at McSwegan in combination with Dargo.

i agree with the point of putting rankin on the left and dropping mcbain but although bayne doesnt score many he wins alot of balls in the air and his work rate his brilliant.

Good thread fellas.

Mantis, watched Hugh today playing old fashioned LB, still got a bit of pace but punted almost as soon as he got the ball, twice he made good forward runs and that paid off, still has a bit of the game about him but as you say he's carrying a heavy doup.

I think we're all agreed that more than a bit of tweaking needs doing, firstly at this stage of the campaign we are lucky that have no major injuries in the squad and we have the luxury to make some suggestions, as I have said earlier Hart is not every fans choice, and I remember the Scottish cup semi with Dunde when Robertson dropped him surprisingly, but in my opinion he is a busy wee ******* and you never know what he is going to do next, he gets ripped in and doesn't pick up much cards or cautions, would I have him start, feckin right I would.

Black? drop the question mark, the lads a walk on, end of!

Rankin? time for some benchwarming.

Dennis? a legend!! but lately it looks like he'd be happier at home papering the living room.

McSwegan, deep end him with Dargo and it will pay off, Dargo is a clever wee box man but he needs the strength of a savvy striker.

Bayne does well but he would serve better behind two strikers.

McBain and Duncan have been great ICT stalwarts and we probably not have been where we are now without them so I will never ever make any comment.

Tokely?

The midfield has not impressed me this season, apart from the 1st half display against Aberdeen in the last home game.  I think Hart can do a good job and has looked hungry when he's come off the bench.  I also think it might be worth a try at playing Wyness in a midfield role just behind the strikers.  Dennis is at his best when he receives the ball facing the defence - he's then got the option of feeding the strikers or taking on the defender.

We must freshen up the midfield and swap Denzil for Bayne.  Dargo has missed him this season.  I'd also slot Morgan into the left wing spot for McBain and Black in the middle for Rankin.  To be honest, despite his 2 goals against Falkirk, Rankin has not impressed me at all this season.  When it isn't going our way it has surprised me why Charlie hasn't tried pushing Rankin up just behind the strikers or hooked him for young Zander more often.

We've lost away games to two of the best teams in the country, as said before Hibs have been handing out scuddings to other sides but we did quite well against them and Celtic have now won their last 11 games.  Hardly a crisis.

Graham Bayne gives us options up front - he is strong, holds the ball up, challanges well in the air, makes strong runs into channels.  He is playing very well this season and should be retained in the side at the moment.

i agree with the point of putting rankin on the left and dropping mcbain but although bayne doesnt score many he wins alot of balls in the air and his work rate his brilliant.

Bayne is second top scorer with 4 in 13 starts this season. One less than Dargo whos started 15 times and 3 more than Dennis whos had 6 starts so how can you say he doesnt score much. Personally I'd wager that he be our top scorer by the seasons end.

Assuming Hearts continue playing the same formation they have been doing in last few weeks with 3 BIG centre backs I can't see our policy of lumping it up to Bayne bringing much success at the weekend

Assuming Hearts continue playing the same formation they have been doing in last few weeks with 3 BIG centre backs I can't see our policy of lumping it up to Bayne bringing much success at the weekend

I see the logic in your statement kencar, but although Hearts may well play with

3 centre-backs, it would be highly unlikely that they would put anymore than one man

on Bayne.

Should be remembered as well that the big fellow played particulary well at

Tynecastle earlier in the season, scoring into the bargain :003:

I don't think that Dennis is in the right frame of mind for Saturday, when he left here he was the dogs bollox and now isn't guaranteed a start. Mind you, if he has a point to prove HOM would be the team to do it to!

There wont be many fans who dont think Bayne is a grafter, he gets his goals not by skill, but by graft ie chases everything and he never gives up, but there is a problem.

Bayne will never be much of a skillfull/hold the ball/lay it off type player (unlike Brew) who is suffering most - Dargo.

The Bayne / Dargo partnership is simply not working, when do you ever see these two playing neat one-twos? very rarely!

My team would be  - at home

                            Brown

      Tokeley    Dods      Munro        ********

        Wilson      Black      Hart        Rankin

                  Dargo      Wyness

My team would be  - at home

A lot of feckin use they would be if you left them at home!!!!!