Stirling Observer

From watching the highlights, I would have expected Rooney to close down Linn, he hesitated, wanting to stay on the line, when he would have been more useful putting Linn under pressure. 

Great ball by Keatings for our opener. Whilst the second was a goalkeeping error, I liked seeing Storey have the confidence to strike it early. Don't think many were expecting the shot. Like someone mentioned the highlights made it look like we played okay. Although most who were in attendance seem to disagree. 

Better not be 2- 5 to mark the anniversary

I don't recall many experiences of making wholesale changes being productive. Particularly with a squad the size of ours. I would like to see Trafford drop out, he fails to track his runner which causes problems for the defenders. We desperately need Welsh back pronto.

Didn't see the utd game but think things need freshened up. Think McGregor and Harper should start. I imagine the home fans will be ready to boo at the first opportunity but I hope they would cut McGregor and Harper some slack. White doesn't seem to have rediscovered his end of season form and think todorov is just a impact player. Could push Keatings up top or start storey if he is fit/training well. Don't like making too many changes but a couple needed to shake things up.

After yet another unsuccessful season. His commodity has plummeted. Would be surprised if his wages commanded much. Hopefully he has some fire in his belly to get back to his best.

Being the Sunday game we will know what is required to progress

We have been playing teams from the divisions below us. Especially at home Robbo has probably instructed the fulls back to play wide and high, so they are attacking threats and pin the other team back rather than a tight back 4. Would be surprised if they played the same against Dundee. Presume you will see a much tighter unit. Time will tell

 I'm really hoping you are not showing off your Brazilian whilst tanning it up. 

We were in complete control to begin with but Raith got a foothold before half time. Raith keeper struggled with crossed balls, think he was their 3rd choice. Just a pup. Liked the look of Carson, Vincent became more influential over the game and McGregor looked very tidy. Definitely room for improvement but a good solid base. I will take a 4-1 home victory over anyone.

Apparently outside of the post. Not saved

Very impressed. Very knowledgeable, fair and balanced opinions and some odd gems of anecdotes and memories. Keep them coming!

Limped off the field of play.

Just back from Forres. 4-4-2. Harper and Machado linked well on the left. Really impressed with them both. Walsh was MoM for me, lots of great crosses. Keatings looked sharp enough, Todorov was good in air but a bit predictable on the ground. McCart strolled it. Chalmers and Brown in the middle worked hard. Good run out. 

So why did Hughes need replaced? He was angling for an out. I'm not suggesting Foran was the correct appointment but he was the cheap option after Yogi's bloated budget being frittered away.

You can't blame ofw. He was given a lucrative contract and any appearances will cost the club money they can't afford. He has played on loan and tried to help the situation. We were desperate for the appearance fees from the euros so gave him a bumper contract. Oh how it has backfired now!

No colours could be a problem on semi final day

This all day long.

Yogi, great coach, good at improving players.

Yogi awful recruiter of talent. 

Don't be naive, Yogi played his part in relegation, he wanted to push the club forward for his own ego, raising budgets and then wasting it on players. He has a very high opinion of himself. Financially we are still recovering from this. The warning signs for our relegation season with Foran were starting to appear under Hughes.

What's kingsmills said. I see the identity of not based on origin but on characteristics. Players who are committed and honest by giving 100% for themselves and their team mates. Team spirit has been often mentioned by former players. I think the fact most players aren't from here adds to it. They become a football family rather than having their own family around. They are young guys away from home and rely on each other. Robbo has got the team very close to this, I still feel a couple of players shirk a bit when the going gets tough but the majority dig deep. I feel the additions of McCart and Welsh this season have really helped this. This have added grit and determination in key areas of the pitch.

Trafford first booking was so stupid, why slide into a challenge there. He needs to learn the game. There was nothing to gain, he may win the ball but it wasn't stopping a dangerous attack or going to give us possession. Then he runs the tightrope for the rest of the game. The second yellow was a yellow as it denied county a dangerous counter attack.  I feel aggrieved about that one because draper committed a foul which led to the break. Even the free kick we had before, McManus was never 10 yards from the ball. 

It was a shocking start, we were jogging around, you would never have known it was a derby game. Thought county finally figured out how to play us, they dropped deep without the ball, let our defenders have the ball then broke at speed when we had committed players forward. 

Draper schooled us in the middle. I would give him Mom for his first half performance alone. Really disappointing as this has been the first derby where we seemed to not be up for it. I would argue it's normally been the county fans saying that previously but not this time. Sad times. 

Happy they are playing 4-4-2 against our 4-2-3-1. They have consistently done that and we have largely dominated the middle of the park. Glad Walsh is in. Glad Gardyne is out. Looking forward to this one

Thought it was a defensive line up to begin with. Therefore it was a cagey first half with no real rhythm. Petra was causing tremarco problems on their right and Brad had lots of space on our right but his touch, cross was woeful. Second half I felt we had more control but no much creativity, Polly and Doran were the only two who looked capable of unlocking something. That was Jordans poorest game for a wee while. Walsh came on to give us more natural width with stretched the game a bit and therefore entertaining. It's disappointing to not get the 3 points but I thought the lads all put a shift in. I think Robbo was a bit too defensive which cost us the 3 points. Not raging about it though. Interesting results throughout the league. Has County's bottle smashed, imagine the fear they would have if we managed to make it 3 league defeats in a row. Shame their is no real challenger to them.

Chalmers doesn't have the energy, bite or aggression to play the same role as Welsh. The reason for our better form of late has been the emergence of a fully fit Welsh. I fear now for what may come. A central midfield of Chalmers and Trafford strikes of a Scotland midfield in Kazakhstan which fails to make 10 tackles. Welsh is the closest thing we had to filling draper's boots. 

Was it not against Raith? 3-2 final score

Was a very intriguing game, conditions were difficult in the first half but we seemed to deal with it much better and were more confident on the ball. Whilst we were the better team we were too slow moving the ball. We made two decent chances in the last 5 mins of the half.

Second half the conditions calmed and McDonald starting dropping deep more and more, when they brought on storey his running caused us a bit of danger and opened the game up. All three goals were excellent. The final goal killed Partick and they visibly gave up after it. Think we deserved to win but it was a hard fought one.

Thought everyone played their part. Playing Chalmers wide means his natural instinct in the check back or run into the middle and not go beyond the opposition defence like Doran does. Whilst Chalmers did well it harms out forward opportunities. It's harsh to drop Chalmers or Trafford but think it's for the greater good to get Walsh back into the starting 11. Special mentions to Doran, Welsh and White.

Robbo is maximising what he gets from the players. These players are not premiership standard barring a couple. He has them well drilled and found a system the players are comfortable with. I'm confident we can secure a playoff place and no-one will fancy playing us.