bdu98196

Well that was worth a trip. Looks like we are in the festive mood early gifting St J the game. Meekings was exposed at RB with a lack of cover from Warren and general lack of pace, was obvious that we'd loose goals from the first St J attack. Vigurs fir much of the game was his usual self wanting to play the quick release pass and avoid responsibility with Draper in defence he needed to step up and take control more, Cole has energy but lacks the vision and ideas at this level. yet again panicked clearances and high balls to Doumbaye which was easy for the defence to deal with - all in very predictable as said. Overall tactically poor and below par player display which allowed a St J team who created little to score 3 goals and have and comfortable win without much challenge. Very poor.

^ meekings can play RB with Draper at CB if necessary

Few weeks ago, it was Doumbaye who was getting slated and people calling for him to be dropped he wasn't god enough, last week it was Tansey, this week Warren. Its the manager who picks the formation and 11 starting players - given the nucleus of the team being OFW, Tremarco, Warren, Meekings, Raven, Tansey, Draper, Vigurs, Polly are all the same guys from last year and even going back our most successful period. Perhaps its an indication that the last manager either did better with what he had than he ever should and we are now at our 'real' level or that the new manager is playing tactics and formations that aren't best for our group. But as the last guy is disliked by so many on here it has to be all the players fault this time.

Number of times this season the midfield loose possession and put the back line in trouble or dint create space for the defence to release a pass. With Draper further forwards we need more steel in front of the central pair and with us playing central midfielder on the wing they constantly move insude exposing the full backs. Vigurs and Polwarth are often guilty of loosing the ball then failing to track back leaving the problem to the defence. I feel given the positions played we need more from Vigurs, he needs to get stuck in and be more physical to dominate the midfield if not we need draper back there and another creative or forward outlet.

Any booing of former players is pretty poor levels of respect and in the case of Shinnie as a player who always gave his all and captained us to our greatest moment in history there's really no need and no grounds. Nobody on here would accept being subjected to any abuse if they had to visit a previous employers in their new role so why is football any different.

First half I thought we competed well but created little, soring against the run of play, Aberdeen for all the possession didn't create much more and we gifted them the lead with a rash challenge for a stonewall penalty, but not really much in it otherwise. 2nd half we were a mess, no composure on the ball, panicked forward play to clear the lines and never created much or put the Dons defence under pressure. We chased the game but were never likely to score a 2nd no matter how long we played, the 3rd dons goal was just a sucker punch. We got what we deserved form the match, Cole was found wanting and when Doran moved inside he offered more creativity but Mulraney did nothing coming on and too often there was no midfield support to Doumbaye. Poor performance, poor result and shows how weak our squad is as I never expected without Polly & Tansey for us to look so much weaker. While the ref was poor its not a reason for our defeat, we just didn't compete in the middle of the park.

Tansey's game is his passing, distribution and vision, perhaps there has to be a link that since we lost a lot of our creative players who could read the game such as Christie, Watkins, Mckay it looks like Tansey isn't performing, where passes that once he would find players running onto or in positions is lacking? Our forward line has changed a lot and over time familiarity is required, they need to learn his game as much as he does theirs, currently he looks a frustrated player who is trying to compete alongside Vigurs playing the same type of role. There is no doubt his natural ability to play a pass, hit a free kick or nerves of steel when we get a penalty are enough why he warrants selection. During games he works hard and while not everything comes off for him just now I think we are stronger with him in the side than without.

BBC have published the latest survey, can put in ICT details here and see where we sit - pretty much bang on average TBH. Although from an entertainment point of view the cost per goal indicates we are good value to watch. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37988939

He probably sh*t it that he'd have to face Draper IMO.

OFW Mckay Warren Meekings Tremarco Horner Vigurs Doran Draper King Doumbaya Possible opportunity to see Horner get a run out, would allow Draper to play further forwards where he has been so effective already this season, if not can Mckay slot into the midfield and play Raven at RB?

As with any statistics they can be interpreted in many ways. Its not clear if this is just first team (squad) therefore will depend on how strong your first team is and how many youngsters are part of that. In a club with a large registered senior playing staff then that can bring the average down dramatically - based on the lack of depth and youngsters in our squad it maybe brings our figure upwards. There may be clubs with players such as Ross County, St Johnstone etc who have certain players who although play for the club are paid outwith the general club payment structure either by individual investors or holding companies - its well rumoured that some of the RC players are paid by Roy and not the club, would suspect they are not the only club doing this - was Motherwell and Faddy not another along with Killie & Boyd. What we can take from this is that Celtic have a lot of money and should have the best squad, then the sequential order of the top 4 is as expected although Hearts may be lower due to having such a large squad with more youngsters than Aberdeen which suggests the gap. Nothing there is new or a surprise really.

Great result and much improved performance, hopefully that now kick starts Doumb into a run of goals The other results just show how tight this league is, yet again teams dropping points you wouldn't expect - that's us on 13 points from 11 games, hardly an outstanding haul but sitting in 6th and 5 points of 2nd yet only 4 off 11th. Other than Celtic who have games in hand so may yet take 31 from 33 points after the 11, to have 2nd place teams on only just over half the available just shows the gap Celtic have and how competitive the rest are. Its been an inconsistent first round set of results, but gives something to build on but I think we need to be a bit more ruthless especially at home where we have dropped points to Killie and Rangers recently but in both cases know we should have done better.

Been saying repeatedly, Vigurs is lazy and shows no heart or desire. Those who cite he has ability to turn a game, other than a decent free kick on occasion and long range shot, his passing is poor often a case of getting rid of the ball asap even if it plays someone else into trouble and lucky if its ever more than 10 yards, tackling is non-existent and zero tracking back. In games where you need to slow it down and break up the rhythm of the opposition he has a role, but surely on current form his days in the team must be numbered?

Preference / Strongest OFW Mckay Warren Meekings Tremarco Tansey Draper Mulraney Doran King Fisher Most likely OFW Mckay Warren Meekings Tremarco Tansey Vigurs Doran Draper King Fisher

I'm not convinced either Doumb or Fisher will ever be prolific at this level, but Fisher offers better link and therefore playing a team like below would be with the options of Polly, Doran and King getting in the box to support. With all 3 able to interchange positions and the option of Mulraney coming into there with his pace - technically I think these 3 are ahead of Mulraney but if he can work on his finishing with that pace then we could have our own Walcott type player (not great at crosses to play was a winger but pacey enough to open up teams and score goals through the middle) OFW Mckay Warren Meekings Tremarco Tansey Draper Doran Polly King Fisher

To be fair to Doumbaye, when he cam on against Aberdeen he looked decent and offered something different however he hasn't kicked on. Unfortunately the physical aspect of the SPFL so far isn't suiting him, he's loosing too many balls in the air for a man of his size but he does seem to try and chase and work but without a lot of product. Fisher seems to cope a bit better with the physicality so looks to be heading towards the role of first choice striker by default. Neither of them through have really been stand outs in games and the lack of goals from either option is definitely a concern, with nobody stepping up and putting the ball away Richie will probably keep rotating them until we find a combination that works and hope one starts to find the net and gain confidence. Looking at our options we could do with a smaller, pacey player to get in behind and try win knock downs etc (like Billy Mckay/Watkins), maybe Mulraney can grow into that role, he has the pace and as a winger his final ball quality is poor so perhaps working on his finishing may be a better skill to develop.

Willie Collum is a disgrace, usually he's awful for both teams but tonight his incompetence could be seen as bias. Before the game I said we needed to play king mulraney and fisher to get in behind their slow defence but the starting line up failed to do that, but once we changed in the 2nd half I thought we looked really dangerous znd had them pegged back. Unfortunately I think RF got it a wee bit wrong tonight and some players let him down. But Mckay played well at CB and Tremarco made some great last ditch tackles with Draper covering everywhere as usual. Vigurs yet again showed no heart or desire again and let the game pass him by, with Doran fit there really can't be many reasons to play Vigurs now?

They let their club die......simple. Not a case of believing - factually based on the legal criteria the old club is dead therefore any history becomes just that.

We're at home, Sevco are terrible with their only improved performances using the majority of players who were in the Championship last year and that team was no great quality. We need to go at them, show no respect and put pressure on their dodgy center backs. OFW Mckay Meekings Warren Tremarco Tansey Polly Mulraney Draper King Fisher I think with the pace of Mulraney & KIng we can get in behind their full backs, especially Tavernier as he always pushes on and can be caught out, Fisher is a bit more physical and I think against a slow defence who will try bully our players then he may have more success than Doumbaye. Disappointed Barton wont play though so I could see Draper own him.

We don't play them til 14th as next wknd is the international break. Based on the announcement being last wk, that makes last wk, this wk, next wk being the three so technically our game would be the first he might be eligible for again not that it really matters other than I personally think he makes that team weaker.

They are the scurge of Scottish football, videos online smashing up Parkhead toilets, ripping up seats at Pittodrie, throwing seats, coins & cups of pi$$. Utter scum, would like to say its just a minority but its seems like reasonable numbers going by footage and its behaviour that both that club and its fans are proud off. They moved up through the lower leagues singing and spouting their bile and hatred with deplorable behaviour and these teams were lucky that they were in those leagues a short time - now they are back and we have to deal with them. Sadly the SFA and Police Scotland seem to turn a blind eye, the media brush over the behaviour and its ignored into being accepted as the norm. On here there were heated words when some very minor issues arose at Pittodrie with some fans where it was made clear by the majority that our clubs name does not want to be tarnished yet at a club with 40k+ season ticket holders there never seems to be a voice speaking out - the board say little and the fans groups spout the same old lines - its like a cancer and a disease that cannot be cured and even moves through generations. Not sure what the solution is until we (Scottish football) gets a governing body with a spine that will hit The Rangers (and any other significant offenders) where it hurts with real fines based on % of income - not a few thousand and a soft telling off but £100k's, closed door games and banning or expulsion from competitions. Publically when pressed all the bodies condem and say they fight to clean up Sottish football but until actions are there to back this up then nobody believes it.

Draper is playing a pivitol role as a leader in the middle of the park, he shows heart and desire to compete all fans strive for, opposition fans envy thet we have him. He should play any game he is fit and like above is it known he has above problem on artificial surfaces? Should we be more worried that the type of game Accies play he may get sent off if its too physical and its better to save him for Sevco and a chance for Barton (hopefully) to meet him.

OFW McKay Meekings Warren Tremarco Tansey Vigurs Doran Draper King Doumbaye Team almost picks itself after the last game, however I feel after the 2 sub appearances from Doran he deserves a start if fit enough, so its between dropping Polly or Vigurs. Up front Fisher came on and scored but in the first half I felt Doumbaye cause Celtic problems - tough call but I think either will be a good option. Being in the position where we have Mulraney, Doran, Boden and Fisher to try fit into a winning team when all can contribute something shows we are starting to build up strength and depth - this means Cole hasn't even had a sniff yet and Raven & Horner are on the sidelines!!!

Looking at the facts based on previous game time from the manager who signed him and now with a new regime yet with Dembele as the only fit striker due to injury to Griffiths, Ryan is still not getting game time. In the attacking/ creative midfield he is somewhere behind Sinclair, Roberts, Forrest, Armstrong and appears to be fighting it out with Commons and Mackay-Steven. Nobody is suggesting he cant play a part just the facts suggest that its not going to be easy for the lad and history suggests that the longer he is sitting on the sidelines the further his career will fall away.

Just one of several Celtic signings from the last few seasons, purely to weaken opposition, trip them of talent, limit potential future sales income and stop any team in Scotland getting them - Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Ciftci, Allen, Christie - even under the previous management regime that signed them there was limited game time. Its hard to see where these players may it now under the new manager considering the positions he has signed. The likes of Christie and those who haven't left Celtic yet will most likely end up in English lower league obscurity like those before, although with the big step up in salary on offer you can see why these boys sign up - a few years at Celtic and they are well set for life.