Robert

Noted yesterday we’re Toddy for Airdrie, Logan Chalmers for Ayr and George Oakley with a hat trick for Morton.

David Wotherspoon was seen at Dundee United’s training camp at St Andrews yesterday. It’s not a done deal yet apparently as they need to offload Cudjoe but terms are seemingly agreed.

Thanks for the detailed comments. I was out today after kick off and unable to check my phone as it pinged with each goal as I’d have been thumped by my better half for being rude in company, so imagine my delight to see we’d won 3-1 rather than being on the end of a beating. It really sounds as though we’ve stepped up on performance, but we still need to get our shooting boots on when close to goal. I’m pleased for Harper creating two goals. That can only help him grow in confidence. Maybe 3 at the back works for us after all, at least away from home. As Satan said, a strange set of results today. United will be smarting after getting beaten at home but we’ve already matched them this season and with the cameras in town it’s time to put in a brilliant home performance. Well done guys!

Billy Mckay still captain despite Sean Welsh starting. A bit surprised Ujdur is just on the bench.

It finished Queens Park 2-1 Dunfermline. It simply increases the importance of us getting a positive result tomorrow.

Queens Park currently leading against Dunfermline. As things stand we are one point off the bottom.

Good to see the Manager and one of the players interviewed on Reporting Scotland who featured Sunday’s game against Rangers in the Cup. It will be a tough game for them with Rangers one of the top three teams and two leagues above us. Hopefully they attract a good crowd. Admission is by donation. More details here: https://ictfc.com/matchday-info-ictwfc-v-rangers-wfc-07-01-2024/ https://ictfc.com/ictwfc-v-rangers-wfc-karen-mason-preview/

Tomorrow’s is (another) big game. A win takes us above Ayr and gives us a bit of relief in our relegation fight before our games against Dundee United and Raith. A draw leaves us treading water but at risk of losing ground when we play the two leaders. A defeat cements our relegation struggle. We need to show more intent in front of goal, and have a shoot on sight policy. The tippy tappy shirt passing stuff we play in the final third is not working so let’s trouble their defence and goalie and look for a win. That said, I’m very nervous about the game.

I get the doom and gloom, and have been critical of our recent performances. But let’s turn the clock back to 26 September. We were bottom of the league with 1 point from 6 games and had failed miserably in the League Cup and Challenge Cup. Fast forward to 3 January. We’ve climbed to 8th place and have 18 points from 19 games, with Big Dunc having got 17 points from 13 games. There is progress, but not as much as we’d all have liked, but where would we be now if we’d not brought him in? This season is now all about survival in this league and hopefully laying foundations for a successful 2024/25 campaign. A bit of a run in the Scottish Cup would be a welcome bonus. We need to see who we can bring in this month and the impact they have. We may see some players depart and probably a lot will leave in the summer with a large part of the squad out of contract then. We will start to see what the Manager can bring to the club as the squad changes and hopefully we see enough positive signs to give us confidence we are on the right lines, and that we can build a competitive squad during the close season. It is early days but we also need to see improved performances on the pitch, much more intent when attacking, and good results that ease the current relegation worries.

I had a look on the Companies House site and he resigned on 23 December. Full list of current Directors here: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC149117/officers

Looking at our squad and likely starters, Carson is the most vocal and tries to motivate others. Devine is probably next. I like Welsh but he comes across as quite quiet on and off the park, and it is hard for a goalie or striker to be captain as they are not close to a lot of the action areas. Assuming there are no issues behind the scenes around the captaincy (I had assumed Mckay was simply standing in due to Welsh’s absence, whilst Devine seemed next in line if neither Welsh nor Mckay was starting) I’d give the position to Carson.

Wotherspoon’s contract expires in mid January (the 14th has been mentioned) so it is likely Sheridan’s is the same. It is notable he has not got on the pitch in recent matches so it looks like he will be away when the contract expires.

Andrew Shinnie for Livingston (brother Graeme had one disallowed for Aberdeen) and Nikolay Todorov for Airdrie today.

I had family duties today so thankfully didn’t sign up for the livestream as it sounds like it would have been a hard watch. We are in a relegation fight now with Ayr, Arbroath and Queens Park and really can’t afford to lose at Ayr on Saturday. When I saw the line up, I was glad to see Welsh back in but I see he was hooked at half time: did he seem fully fit? I know Mckay has worked his socks off all season but we really should have started with him. To have only one attempt all game is pathetic. I see Devine was missing: is he another injury casualty? Two points out of fifteen…..

Good to see Welsh starting and Doran on the bench. Shaw up front? Looks a team that’s resigned not to lose (hopefully) rather than one that is setting out to win.

Shaun Rooney for Fleetwood Town today.

I agree with all of that. Shaw is best playing wide and taking players on. He’s currently sitting behind the front two but also trying to support the right wing back which means he’s a bit of a headless chicken at times. 3 5 2 doesn’t suit him and we’re not getting the best out of him as a result. He’s best running on to a ball, not receiving it facing backwards. He maybe needs to be an impact sub in this system rather than being a square peg in a round hole. I was surprised Welsh didn’t come on today as his craft in midfield could have made the difference. We’ve seen that Anderson can play successfully in a more advanced role so Welsh could have slotted in alongside Gilmour.

At least he was prepared to have a shot unlike many of the team. Despite having the bulk of possession and territory, we only had 7 attempts in the whole game, with Gilmour responsible for 3 of them. The other attempts were by Anderson, Harper, Mckay and Carson. Only 2 were on target, by Gilmour and Mckay.

I fear you are right on that as I’ve had a pal who’s a United fan messaging asking how bad his injury was. Seems it’s the talk of some United forums. I’m not sure exactly when in January his deal with us ends. I’m sure I read mid-January somewhere so if he’s fit we hopefully have him for a few more games.

Toddy for Airdrie today whilst Aaron Nicolson and Ross Tokely scored for Nairn, and Harry Nicolson and Harry Hennem (two) for Clach.

The only positive this afternoon is that we didn’t concede late on and end up getting beaten! We probably should have had a penalty when Devine was pushed in the box but he did go down too easily so maybe that’s what stopped the red giving it. Morton’s time wasting was disgraceful but that didn’t cost us a win. I’ve two real frustrations with our play in recent home games. We always seem to pass when a shot is on and end up giving possession away, and we pull everyone back when defending corners, so have no outball, so end up back under pressure. 3-5-2 seems to have tightened us up, but we’ve lost Shaw’s positive influence as a result and in the first half in particular we were not giving players support when attacking from wide positions. I think we should have changed to 4-4-2 early in the second half with Shaw and Longstaff testing Morton down the wings as whilst Davidson and Harper tried to, they didn’t deliver anything dangerous. It was good to see Carson back and hopefully his attitude will have a positive impact. We have two big away games against teams round about us. We ideally need to win both or at least get four points.

Not lambasting you, merely pointing out that, contrary to what could be interpreted from the post you’ve picked up on, Baynham is not at Rothes. He’s playing in the States and was previously at Queens Park. Rothes player Haspell was with us as a kid but then went to Spain.

How can we afford him unless he’s out of contract with his current club?

We’d have faced him during his time at Raith a couple of seasons ago. I’ve no idea what level he is playing at in Slovenia but his goal scoring record in the last two seasons looks pretty good: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matej_Poplatnik

If that happens, it gets us a central midfielder and a striker. Presumably Sheridan is on his way out. Any word on Wotherspoon?