dead_ball_specialist

He can stay but he needs a cabinet reshuffle.

Such a spiteful, unreasonable thread. Raven is a class act. He's composed, has good technique and is a slick passer of the ball (something we haven't had at the back since Bobby Mann). He doesn't look fully fit yet IMO. It's early days. Give the man a chance FFS. Our last 2 games have been Hearts away and Celtic at home. Ravens qualities will be more visible in the slower paced games.

Clubs slashing their budgets and laying off players, meanwhile http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/14064682 Scandalous.

History repeating itself? Then it was Wilson and Wyness, now its Munro and Tokely. Treating long standing players like this only turns the players and fans against you. Especially when you replace them with duds like Tom Aldred. Munro was our best player towards the end of his last season, Tokely finished this season strongly and won his starting place back on merit. 33 isn't over the hill for a centre half. David Weir was still playing for the Scottish Champions at 40. Poor managment imo.

It'll take alot worse than the Rangers debacle to get me to start supporting Clach.

It doesn't happen very often, but IHE has got it absolutly right!! Couldn't agree more.

If we're going to sign a promising young player lets not make the same old mistake of a 1 year contract. Sick and tired of quality players leaving for nothing every season. When's the last time we got a decent transfer fee for anyone?

We're undefeated at home since the debut of Dancing Nessie. Get him signed up for next season.

Maybe Grant and Russel didn't want him there?

What a waste of a sunny afternoon, should've gone to Nairn beach.

Aye.

I would also question the coaching staff. What do the players actually do in training all week? We have a very young team but I don't see many improvements since the start of the season. Those calling for Butcher to go are OTT. We aren't really any worse than any of the teams around us. Even on weeks like this where we are terrible we still only lose games by a single goal. It won't take a big swing in form to change these defeats into wins.

12 points in the bag for ICT next season.

Gregory Tade - 25 (first season in SPL) Billy Mckay - 23 (first season in SPL) Greg Tansey - 23 (first season in SPL) Shane Sutherland - 21 Sam Winnal - 21 (first season in SPL) Graeme Shinnie - 20 Nick Ross - 20 Roman Golobart - 19 (first season in SPL) Josh Meekings - 19 (first season in SPL) Call me a 'happy clapper' if you want but the fact is we just dominated an SPL game and came away with a draw, hardly a disaster. Some of the rants against the team on this forum are totally over the top. We had a major rebuilding job in the summer and now have a young, inexperienced squad which has fought its way from relegation favourites to midtable despite our worst ever run of injuries and suspensions. Young players need patience and support, not unrealistic expectations and abuse.

We also beat East Fife on a Penalty shootout in a Scottish Cup replay after a last minute Alan Hercher equaliser. Those were the days.

Tansey and Foran were terrific today. I also thought McKay and Winall put in a good shift. It was just one of those days where we threw everything at Killy but the ball wouldn't go in the back of the net. It was a frustrating game for sure but let's not let the red mist cloud our judgment. The only thing I agree with you on is Gnapka, he was way off the pace.

I blame the players.

Sounds like Houston is taking a leaf out of Alex Smith's coaching manual and assembling a team of 'wee men'. Lets see how that works out.

Arbroath away, haven't been there for a while.

I don't agree with that at all. As the Pars got more and more negative in the closing 20 minutes he clamped down on them hard. I've never seen us awarded so many free kicks. Will need to see the red card incident again but we only have ourselves to blame for the melee that lead to it. No complaints about the referee from me. What let us down today was our overly cautious tactics and slack play in the final third. Dunfermline are shocking at the back, it made no sense playing a lone striker against a dodgey defense and keeper. Even when we went to a back 3 they offered little threat on the break. We should have been pushing forward right from the start imo. When we did work the ball into dangerous areas we usually squandered the good work with a duff cross. Something that needs to be worked on in training surely. Also worth nothing that we were at our most dominant when we increased the tempo. At times we were guilty of letting Dunfermline drag us down to their level imo. When we got the ball down and pushed men forward we looked a class above them. Overall it was a decent performance. Golobart was man of the match by a mile.

There's a long way to go in the first division title race.

Billy Mckay is the new Craig Dargo.

I heard a guy shout "FFS Butcher, get your boyfriend off!" yesterday reflecting the 'favouritism' tag that others are alluding to. Foran's definatly becoming the most unpopular player for the boo boys, the new Hastings / Barrowman / Djebi Zadi if you will. I think this has alot to do with the fact that he pretty much always plays the full 90 minutes even when he's having a stinker or out of gas and just strolling around. I say rest him, give someone else a chance and make him earn his place back. His attitude would improve if he felt his place was under threat.

----------------Tuffey---------------- Meekings---Tokely--Golly---Gillet ---------Morrison--Cox---------------- Hayes---------Shinnie---------Sutherland -------------------Tade------------

Yesterday was like the Challenge Cup Final debacle all over again. For me the biggest weakness in our team is a lack of defensive cover from midfield. The best anchor man in our squad (imo) is Gavin Morrison. I would put him in as the holding midfielder next week to help support our back 4. Also agree with shouts to give Jonny Tuffey a start. Esson shouldn't be made the scapegoat for our shocking goals against tally, but his performances this season haven't been up to his usual standards. Tuffey deserves a chance.