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That was an absolute nightmare. 1-0 at half-time flattered us completely - Dundee Utd had all the possession and we just sat back and hung on. When the second goal went in I thought it might be our day...but what a pitiful collapse. Each of the three goals was a defensive catastrophe. With the exception maybe of Hayes and Davis (at least up to his sending off), it was an abysmal performance. Utd's 4-5-1, with an extra man in central midfield, allowed them to dominate, and even when they went to 4-4-2 it seemed like we didn't know what to do. The management deserve plenty of blame - TB's decision to bring on Nick Ross, who touched the ball all of five times and gave the ball away every time, and to leave Tade on the bench for so long, beggars belief. We were desperately crying out for a holding midfield player like Gavin Morrison on the pitch. And I can't help feeling Butcher should have been concentrating on the game for the last 10 minutes, instead of spending the time shouting back at critical spectators. The defence did all right in the first half, but imploded in the second - not helped by an appalling lack of protection from Cox and in particular Tansey who repeatedly gave the ball away and lost every single 50-50 challenge he attempted. Typical Golobart - rock-solid for the majority of the time, then slices a harmless cross-shot into his own net under no pressure. As for Foran, well, our captain plumbs new depths in the quality of his performances every time I see him. Like Tansey, he was a liability today. He's too slow, he can't win headers (he keeps trying to pretend he's being pushed but the ref today wasn't falling for it) and he offers his full-back no protection. With Hayes double-teamed most of the time, McKay is left with only scraps to feed on. We've had some rotten performances this season - Aberdeen away, Dunfermline at home - but this one was as bad as any. And without Hogg, I'm not sure we're going to improve our defending any time soon.

Consider the bigger picture here. We're working on arguably the smallest budget in the SPL, with crowds of around 3k at each home game. Time for local businesses who do well financially from us being in the SPL to help out and keep us there.

The irritating thing for me, is it seems these days, some of the decisions seem more for the benefit of Butcher's ego than for the team. How Foran gets a game, never mind stay on the pitch is beyond me. He was appalling today. The tactics weren't just wrong either - they were just plain stupid. Long ball after long ball towards a man of 5"7 - it beggars belief that Butcher even thought of that in the first place. Why was Tade on so late? In fact, why didn't he start? Baffling. Also, what was the deal with those substitutions? Davis into right back was a waste - why not put Cox straight in there? And where was Piermayr? Also, Dundee United score and everyone in the ground knows that this is the time to put Tade on. What does Butcher do? Bring on none other than another of his favourites, "wonderboy" Nick Ross, who contributed a grand total of zero to the game. Foran should have gone off - he's way off form and his antics don't exactly look like captain material to me. Sadly though, Butcher's ego won't allow for that. That played a big part in getting relegated in 2009 (the whole Fraser/Esson saga being the main example), and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that it will relegate this team again.

Yeh TB at his usual, everyone's fault but his. Fact is he made a massive error today in putting Davies at full back and he knows it. After Hogg wnet off, massive bad luck for us again, we lost the midfield battle big time. We got really lucky getting the second goal when we did even although it was a great goal and then we capitulated. Butcher guilty, despite what he said he had plenty options and he picked the worst.

Tell you what was disgraceful ... putting on Nick Ross for Shinnie! feckin stupid that was, Foran was PYSH. he should have had the early shower. Rossco was out of sorts, he got dragged out of position and gave the ball away for their third goal, also our midfield could not cope with their pacy players. best team won but to lose after being 2-0 up hurts.

Madsooz, you are annoying me. Golobart was excellent today, nothing got past the guy apart from the own goal. When you see the highlights and decide that, in fact Hayes and tokes were at fault for the goal and the guy had to go for it, get back to me.

I'm still trying to understand that one. How we were not three up by half time is beyond me. We weren't that good, and yet United still had no answer to us. McKay and Shinnie (from the Hayes free kick) could have both added to the score before McKay did and we would have been cruising. However, as soon as United got one back we struggled, although it was the second that killed us. Even then, it could have been different had Golobart netted his header just after. Contrary to what others are saying, I thought Roman Golobart had a great game today. He held the defence together when Hogg went off and he had no choice but to go for the ball when he got the OG. Russell was waiting behind him, and he had been lost by Tokely. The cross from Armstrong should never have got there, but Hayes gave up the chase on that one. I'd agree that there have to be changes - Ryan Esson needs a rest, he's not half the commanding prescence he was last year - and a back line of Piermayer, Meekings, Golobart and Gilet might be on the cards here, despite an utter lack of experience. Tokes was ripped to pieces in the second half to a degree where it was quite painful to watch. The midfield were the most culpable, in that Tansey lost the ball far too often and Cox fitted in just like a man who had been out for a good while. Foran simply needs rested in the same way as Esson does. Nick Ross coming on was baffling. United had shown how to react to this type of game, willo flood being as effective as stevie wonder against a powerful ICT unit. The game changed utterly when Russell came on to match that, and what did we do? bring on our own version of flood. There is something worrying in this team in that there seems to be an inability to deal with any kind of adversity on the pitch. When it goes wrong, the heads go down and TBH you could see us losing as soon as they scored. we really are that fragile. Time to go for broke next week Mr. Butcher, after all we are expected to get nothing out of the game. We need something before we face Aberdeen on Christmas Eve in a game that now becomes massive, and which I have no great confidence that we can win.

I know its not ICT and he's an Arab but he's the son of a work colleague of mine and I thought maybe he could cheer up all you sad fans for a few minutes. Paul Reid

Foran must be dropped He hase beem poor all season one goal so far is a dreadful return Butcher must take responsibility for some very poor decisions on subs Time for a change of management?

Given his time at County ... would that make it a Gudgie Cough !!!

Extremely foggy down here, doesnt surprise me tbh. Johnny Hayes is on fire with the goal scoring! Keep it going! WHHOOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Depends what team they play for!

What a shower of bottlers. When the second goal goes in everyone sits in the stands and waits to see the collapse. This is little to do with the defense and much to do with the midfield. 1st goal - Our two central midfielders decide to run into each other and leave the defense exposed 2nd goal - Johny Hayes decides to play at being right back and tells Davis to stay forward and then can't be bothered to actually do the job of the right back - man of the match..........really!! 3rd goal - defnse left exposed once more. We can pretend that we are going to click at some point and move away from danger, however on this display this is unlikely. Reminds me of the season when we got relegated. we effectively get ourselves safe with a single point needed from the last few games and then bottle it Yes, this is immediately after the game and I am raw but the facts speak for themselves at the moment!

The post was from a Partick Thistle fan

Changes in the 1st team selection needed. I'd bring Sutherland in for Foran and Tuffey in for Esson for the visit to Ibrox.