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The Werthers Original Stadium

Tansey has been taking a lot of stick recently, but I don't really think looked like he lacked commitment on Saturday - he made himself available for the ball (noticably more than some others), tried to take charge of building from the back, made a few runs forward and tracked back better than Vigurs. He didn't always use the ball that well though - there were a few overhit long balls and a couple of times going forward he tried to hang onto it too long, as if to work a better opportunity for himself that wasn't going to come. I'm not sure that's a lack of commitment, but his game might well have been affected by frustration or nerves, especially after we'd lost the first goal. Vigurs is a different matter, but I don't entirely blame him either, in that we knew what we were getting with Vigurs when we signed him. County supporters and Motherwell supporters tended to be divided on him, precisely because, for all his vision and his ability with a dead ball, he simply didn't work hard enough. He never really established himself in the Motherwell first team for that reason. Personally, I wouldn't have him in the first team at all if we had a full-strength squad, and I certainly wouldn't use him in a deep-lying midfield role, where he will regularly be expected to track his opponents, put in decisive tackles and provide defensive cover and reinforcement, except as a very last resort. Saturday probably was that, but Foran has used him in that role for almost the whole season, and it absolutely baffles me. I've said before, probably in this thread, that I think that that tactic is probably more responsible for our dreadful defensive record than Warren's lack of form, and the two may well related to some extent anyway. Until Polworth is fit again, though, we probably don't have any option but to continue with Vigurs in there, but once we have more players available, I hope Foran at least tries going with something and someone else. We can talk about giving Vigurs a rocket to try to get him to work harder, but I'm just not sure he has it within himself.

Nice work, RiG. The definition of a midfielder is somebody who attacks and defends. In the case of holding or defensive midfielders, the emphasis is on the latter - you either go to the ball or track the runner and leave the ball-carrier to the defenders. Vigurs does neither here, although you could argue that Tansey is pretty slow to get back too. Warren is far too advanced, leaving a gap in behind. One pass takes him out of the game and drags Draper out (which he is obliged to do) and Tremarco tracks his runner effectively (which he too has to do). If everybody had done their job, there would not have been a free shot at goal, but sadly there was an absentee and we know what happened next. Put simply, if Polworth had been in that position, I don't think Craig would have had a clear sight of goal. For me, Vigurs is a luxury for a team in our current position. Our team needs to dig in and make sure they concentrate and do their jobs accurately in defence to provide a platform to attack. That requires all of hte midfield to do likewise and Vigurs is too often posted missing for my liking. Unfortunately, our shortage in personnel just now means Vigurs has to play.....but he needs a rocket!

At the risk of appearing simplistic and harsh, what the hell is going on with these players just now!! I have only the sportscene highlights to go by, but once again we looked lethargic, unorganised, disinterested, I could go on...it's one thing losing to a better team if we at least tried everything we could, but everything I saw just looked like a team lost and leaderless. As much as injuries played a part in this game, I'd have thought that would have made the rest even more determined to get something out of it. Everyone looked content to leave the ball for someone else, and the lack of communication was shocking. Michaels comment on sportscene was spot on, rather than start looking for new defenders to buy Richie needs to concentrate on properly training the ones he's got to do the job we know they are capable of before we are left adrift at the bottom

If we are going down the bakery route, Kingsmills !

The Harry Gow Arena !!!!!!!

For an excellent example of the "Midfielders not working hard enough to provide protection" check out how little effort Vigurs puts in to follow his man for the Saint Johnstone opener today.

Billy Mckay scored tonight (5 Dec) for Oldham, in a 3-2 FA Cup defeat at Lincoln.

Bught Park

It must be difficult to run quickly with a big red box surrounding you.

Agreed Vigurs does have his faults and lets be honest if he had pace and was the complete midfielder he probably would not be playing for us. But why are we singling out one player when mistakes are happening all over the park. Lets be honest other than Carl Tremarco the rest have been below average for weeks now.

Sell the rights to Diareze and use the money to stop leaks at the back.....

That's nearly as stupid as calling it the Global Energy Stadium.....nobody's that daft, imagine how stupid you'd look if you had a power cut!!

If you're going to go down the overblown Scottish songs route (which, personally, I wouldn't), then Waterfront would surely be more appropriate? How about 'The Little Shop of Horrors'?

Thistledome more like!

The team need to show us something to get remotely excited about. I've not witnessed too much of this great home performances. We are very fragile and easily turned over. We are in trouble and Hamilton game is as important as all of our remaining games but it does take on an extra dimension now. Three wins in sixteen league games is relegation standard. Four defeats in a row is relegation standard. Conceding the most goals in the league is relegation standard. Taking points off Celtic will not guarantee our Premiership status. As disappointing as they are, injuries are part and parcel I'm afraid and the problem created by no money and hence a weak and wafer thin squad just exacerbates that. Leaving the stadium in the 90th minute against Aberdeen does send out a message to the players. It should tell them that the fans are not happy with what we are seeing. Fair game if you ask me. Will I stay for another couple of minutes to watch joyous Aberdeen players and fans. Not likely, I'd rather poke my eyes out with a jaggy nettle. I'll still turn up and give it a go, but the standard of play and the way we go about it is making it difficult to give me much hope for the future. Prove me wrong please. Disgruntled.

Thats some school Yngwie. Who won the fags and crack?

Even if there were subsidised buses people would still find an excuse not to go to a game. If we save any money from this give it to Richie to improve the squad.

Absolutely depressing stuff today. Struggling to think of any real positives at all. We were shocking at the back, had no real control in midfield and struggled to create much of note up front. Our sole tactic of lobbing it towards Doumbouya was easily handled by Anderson and Shaughnessy. With no Plan B Saints rarely looked troubled and ended up with a deserved win. First goal was really poor tracking of Liam Craig who burst into the box and was found by Maclean and the ball was quickly poked beyond Fon Williams. Second came from a free kick which wasn't cleared and Davidson turned the ball in whist the third came late on with our makeshift defence all at sea and Swanson danced inside what was left of it before finding the net. Sending off seemed justified. I can't remember the first yellow but it was a warranted second yellow and Warren had struggled for most of the game to deal with Swanson running right at him. Whilst our players seemed to take a touch of the ball to get it down and kill the forward movement Saint Johnstone continuously looked to attack and get forward. We had a lot of the ball but any time we got into the final third we couldn't break down the Saints defence and just passed the ball or ran across the edge of the penalty area before either shooting wide or passing the ball out for a throw in. It was similar to some of the toothless displays under Hughes last season. Five red cards in the last eight games in Perth. State of that. Referee was laughably bad.

Any Saints fan or neutral may well conclude today that ICT are a bunch of uncultured thugs, incapable of playing football, or defending, or attacking. They might also conclude that we are the worst team they have seen this season, that we are getting relegated and that the league will be better without us. And based purely on today, it would be hard for me to disagree.

I watched the Alba highlights which gave a good coverage of play from both teams perspective and yes the lack of communication was the most obvious of our many faults. The first thing the players should have done after the match and in the presence of R F is watch a play back of that game, the second thing was to have the same people brought together on Sunday morning to watch it all again and to go over every move, then individually explain in front of everyone their part and what should have been done where involved and / or should have been involved in. Sparks would fly and noses would be rubbed in their ****. Perhaps then they would start getting their act together. There are good players there but what happened to the Team play, and the urgency that we were renowned for? It was sadly lacking . we looked like a poor Aberdeen side striving to gain individual glory and failing miserably. We now have the fight of a lifetime on our hands to climb up that table. At worst we will go down a league and maybe never ever get back into the Premier league again. Nobody ICT minded wants that, if there is they should be booted out. There has got to be a big turn around for the rest of the season it is up to the Board, management, staff and players to ensure we do starting next match onwards.

Caley Park.

The money saved simply has to go back to the fans, whether it's through lowered ticket prices, or subsiding something like a display or the buses

Harsh to single out individual players making mistakes, collectively over the past few weeks they have been shocking and that includes a very inexperienced manager..

In his defence, m'lud, he had to change his boots twice in the process, according to the outlined photos that is......................then nearly got back into the bargain so surely he cant be that slow!!.....he remains not guilty on this occasion your worship.