Got to win this one and should do if you look at our positions.  Don't change a winning side is my mantra, so after the Dons result, time to get back to our best 11 (bar injury).

 

Brill

 

Raven   Meekings   Warren   Tremarco

 

Ross   Draper   Shinnie

 

Watkins (or Doran)

 

Agdestein   Mackay

 

Could even be a 4-4-2 as that would be a pretty fluid line-up.  Polworth would be an obvious choice to replace Foran but both Tremarco and Shinnie should be in the team, Ross is a more natural right-midfield than Liam and Draper has to play.  Just no room for Polworth for me.

 

Playing Watkins and Doran (or Greenhalgh if Watkins isn't available) might be a nice 4-3-3 but I'd like to see what a two up front can do.

Hearing Drapes suspended? Anyone know if this is right?

Right, assuming Draper and Foran are out and Vincent still not fit, we're struggling in the heart of midfield. Our options are limited:

. Brill

Raven Meekings Warren Tremarco

. Pepper Shinnie

Watkins. Ross Doran

. Mckay

subs: Esson,Toby, Polworth, Christie, Devine, Greenhalgh....?

Edited December 21, 201312 yr by PerfICT

Brill

Raven Meekings Warren Tremarco

Draper (Polworth if Draper suspended) Ross

Williams/Greenhalgh Shinnie

Doran

Billy

Brill

 

Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco

 

Ross

 

Doran-----------------------Shinnie

 

Watkins*

 

Agdestein Mckay

 

Subs - Esson, Devine, Greenhalgh, Polworth, Pepper, Williams, Cooper

 

* Should Watkins be out again, go with Ross behind the front two, and Polworth in-front of the defence, with Christie coming onto the bench.

Hey, I like the mention of Christie  showing up on the front lines but maybe as a sub first, eh, Renegade?

 

Find his feet, like. But not from the word go. Let's wait until the other team is tiring and, hopefully we are ahead. Then Christie can relax a bit more, work on his flair and his confidence...

 

Just a thought.

Hearing Drapes suspended? Anyone know if this is right?

 

That's him with 5 bookings now but I think it's 6 before incurring a suspension. I know he's also got 2 cup bookings but I assume these only count towards those competitions.

So, I will tentatively say that I think Draper will be okay for the Partick game! 

Brill

Raven Meekings Warren Shinnie

Williams Tremarco

Doran Ross Watkins/Greenhalgh

Mckay

I can't believe there's people who would keep Williams in, after his "performance" yesterday.  He was horrendous!

I can't believe there's people who would keep Williams in, after his "performance" yesterday.  He was horrendous!

 

I think 'horrendous' is maybe a bit strong, but he certainly looked like he could be knocked off the ball far too easily: Watkins certainly has a great deal more presence. Williams has looked OK coming on as a sub in a few games when play is getting more stretched, and maybe that needs to be his role for now.

 

The player who has disappointed me most so far is Agdestein. Maybe I'm being unfair, as he hasn't had much more game time than Williams, but he never seems to be able use the ball to any effect when it gets to him. Again, this isn't helped when he's thrown on as a new option and the defenders simply begin slinging high balls at him - as happened under Butcher and happened again yesterday - but if this what is going to happen to our play when he's in the team, then I'd rather he wasn't starting games.

 

If both Draper and Foran turn out to be missing on Boxing Day, and if Raven comes back into the team as I think he should, then at least one player is probably going to end up playing in an unaccustomed position. I can see the logic in Tremarco playing as a deep midfielder, as he would provide the steel that we will lose with Foran, but against Partick, who aren't a particularly physically imposing side, I'd like to see a bit more craft in that area, so with that in mind, I'd quite like to see a line-up something like:

 

Brill

 

Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco

 

Polworth Ross

 

Doran Watkins Shinnie

 

McKay

 

It certainly wouldn't be the most powerful team and would almost force us to play a game based on ball to feet, but I think Partick are as good a team as any to try this approach against. Anyway, one of the strengths John Hughes has shown so far is that he's not afraid to change things, so if this isn't working, he can opt for the more physical approach and bring in the likes of Devine and Agdestein. If Draper is not suspended, then I'd have him in the above line-up in place of Polworth but would leave Ross, Shinnie and Watkins in those slightly unorthodox positions.

 

Looking forward to this as it's just a 25-minute stroll down Maryhill Road for me, but I'm guessing it's going to be a pretty small ICT contingent.     

Edited December 22, 201312 yr by alternative maryhill

Brill

 

Raven Warren  Meekings Tremarco

 

Doran Ross Williams G.Shinnie

 

Toby Mckay

                   Brill

 

Raven Warren  Meekings Tremarco

 

Doran Ross Devine G.Shinnie

 

              Watkins

 

               Mckay

Edited December 24, 201312 yr by bdu98196

Is Draper out then?

Brill

Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco

Draper (Polworth) Shinnie

Any three from Doran Watkins Ross or Williams

McKay

Edited December 26, 201312 yr by RiG