Council Juice

Good to see he was one of only 3 players to play the full 90. Everyone else got 45 min.

Personally I think it might be worth having a wee look at Hibs as opposed to County. Though I don't think anything could be done in January, they have 13 or so players out of contract. Might be worth mentioning to them in Jan that "If we stay up, we'd be mighty interested" I'd take Rankin back no worries. Doubt we will sign much in January. Maybe a permanent right back should 1 become available. A Dundee player perhaps? I think Proctor might get moved on. He is a decent and versatile squad member. Pretty much an identikit of Duff only not quite as good IMO. Rooneys contract and a permanent solution to the right back berth should be priority.

I think the current location for the academy is fine. It means County can take it's prospects who have the use of top facilities, then once trained up we can cherry pick their best talents. Thats what feeder teams are for. It allows us to blood players early and then sign more complete articles for minimum pricing.

I have the utmost sympathy for the staff and players who will be left high and dry by these events. And Also the fans who have once again been duped by lies and false promises. Unfortunately Dundee have brought this on themselves and when they did get a benefactor did they not pause for a second to think "Ok we've went up the creek before" You'd think they would be much more content to build slowly, as while overspending can bring short term success, it has been continously proven unsustainable at both Dundee and other clubs much bigger than themselves (Leeds etc) When Melville was brought in he said there would be no high spending and the club (going by archive bbc website articles) would be run within its means. He then went out and spent ?300k on 2 players and allowed a squad of 30+ players to be kept. It was marginally trimmed this season after releasing around 15 of them but they then went and brought in even more players. Some only 3 weeks ago! Surely they knew there was a potential predicament by then? People draw comparisons with us however I believe we managed to have a senior squad of around 19-20 (any new boys being freebies, mainly kids looking for a club) supplemented by youngsters such as Ross, Shinnie and Gavin Morrison. For some to state that Dundee who had around 10 more senior players, a fair few on better wages I'd imagine, would have a similar wage outgoing is more than likely off the mark. Add to the release of some non footballing staff and it seems more like we really trimmed costs to be sustainable in the 1st Division for that 1st season, with scope to adapt for the outcome going into the next season. I don't understand how the directors are claiming that Dundee are being treated differently by HMRC. Have they not read of all the winding up orders they have been attempting to impliment down South? Pompey for example? Why do some football directors feel it perfectly ok to not pay tax on time? The money should be set aside in some form and if there is no money coming in to cover bills then costs should be cut and financial models reviewed. Im no expert but it seems a fairly logical solution to me. In my opinion Dundee shouldn't be relegated- At least not right away as I believe this would do more harm to the league. A 60 point penalty which would effectively see them relegated and give them ample time to get a squad sorted for the 2nd division and costs slashed. Perhaps others will see this as harsh but it is a 2nd time in less than 10 years. Lessons have not been learnt. I hope all directors of other clubs take heed of ANOTHER stark warning of these events and make sure that it doesn't happen to them. It's a forlorn hope perhaps but hey there is always hope at least

Tom English article All very well playing with caution but if you go out to play with fear then your already beaten and playing no strikers is cowardice. Brave ploy and it came close to working. As already stated you can lose a goal from a corner no matter what the formation. Butlets not try that again eh. And the Czechs are no Man Utd. Very much a 2nd rate team these days and shouldn't be feared. Respected yes but not scared of.

Oooooh I guess it would have to be: -Gordon- - Hutton - Weir - McManus - Wallace - McCulloch - - D. Fletcher - Morrison - Dorrans - - McFadden - - S. Fletcher/ Miller - * note Fletcher or Miller It obviously all depends on the opposition and venue. And with attacking full backs it allows our midfielders to play slighly narrower. Away I'd go 4-1-2-2(wingers)-1 with same 1st five. D.Fletcher and another midfielder be it a fit Brown, Thompson, Adam, Dorrans, Morrison. With Naismith/Maloney/Dorrans/Faddy flanking big Chris Iwelumo, Mackie or S.Fletcher. If it was down to international form Darren Fletcher might struggle to make the squad. 3 good games in over 50 appearances is not good enough. And Kenny Miller is not a lone striker no matter what Walter Smith and Craig Levien will try and tell us. Running around alot does not always equate to a good contribution. He scores most of his goals and plays his best football in a front 2. Energy does not always equate to good lone front man play. His inability to keep a ball under control for long hinders him in the hold up ability for one.

hey why not we are ravaged in defence

Haven't read every response but c'mon folks remember we had 1 win in like 8 in our 1st SPL season and still did very well at the end. Don't get worried. Keep the faith and get behind Terry "does anyone have any vodka?" and the lads

Jose Goncalves Abdessalam Benjelloun Michael Ball Fernando Ricksen - would all be fantastic signings for any non old firm team. Patrick Cregg - Greg Cameron- aye I'd take (either) Lionel Djebi-Zadi - suprised we've actually not offered a short term deal Filipe Moraias - Why have we not offered a short term deal?

PS i'm pretty drunk so forgive any errors in that last post!

Spot on man,Spot on! Just when our strikers are all getting fit our defenders are all dead. Surely a short term (hopefully pacey) centre half till january would help but we (not me as I'm a dirty scumbag armchair fan) need to ignore midweek and get behind what could be THE most important game of the season.

Slightly depressing viewing today. We were creating opportunities. Plenty enough to win a game but falling asleep at key moments cost us again. It was our undoing against Celtic and might cost us again. Though I did get a chuckle when Suso squared up to and shoulder to checked Rossco. Then good Mr Tokely just burst into a fit of giggles at the thought of this 5 foot midget thinking he had a chance of survival in any physical contest between the two of them. Yep a highlight it was in an otherwise bad day at the office.

To be honest I don't think it's the formation. Could be tinkered a little. Why not play Cox Duff and Duncan in the midfield and encourage Duff and Cox to support as much as and when possible. But for any formation to work, simple errors have to be cut out. You get away with it in the 1st division but teams such as Hearts will punish mistakes.

It's getting to the point where your going to have to ask permission if you can go for a leak. "Oh now it's half time folks, you've got 15 minutes to go and get yer pie and sit back down, Yes Mr Ender you can go for a widdle but you'll have to be quick"

If anything, having 20 odd "officials" standing in the stairwells is both a fire hazard and health and safety risk. It's alot easier to make an example of a small group, even if there is no real reason for it.

-Esson- - McCann - Tokely - Munro - Gillet - - Proctor - Duncan - - Cox - - Odhiambo - Hayes - - Rooney - Was Gillet injured yesterday? I include McCann as due to extra injury recovery as well as the fact it's in his loan agreement couldnt play yesterday. Reckon we should go more 4-2-1-2-1. Give a bit more in the middle of the park but allow Cox to push forward and support the attacking three with Proctor and Duncan protecting the back 4. Would have Proctor push out to support McCann with Cox dropping back and Hayes helping Gillet when on the defensive.

A much appreciated apology from a hibs fan who like his fellow club supporters have done nothing wrong but has went beyond the call of duty to make it. But only getting a point against the Easter road lot. Bit embarrassing journey North for most I'd suspect.

Alan Gow would in my eyes be perfect. A striker who can play behind the front man and on the left (cover for Foran there). It will probably never happen though and I imagine he'll be a St Mirren player shortly. I'm suprised we didn't sign any of the young centre halves we had on trial as Im pretty sure any could do a better job than Proctor in that position. Jack Ross used to be a pretty good player but at 34 perhaps a touch over the hill. If he was deemed surplus to requirements after a month by Billy Reid, a man who he had played for before at Clyde, then I can only imagine he'd struggle to cut it any longer at the top level. (famous last words no doubt) Odhiambo, Foran, Hayes Sanchez and Blumenstein can all play up front as well as Sutherland. Signing someone who is just an out and out striker, unless he is unproven, would probably cause more problems than it solves IMO but again a left sided attacking mid/ striker might not be a bad shout. I'd like to see Shinnie given a chance on the left though. Free transfers are not restricted by the window if without a club. I wouldn't mind a couple of players on loan. Centre half and a left centre mid maybe?

For a moment there I thought we'd resigned Rory! Give the kid a break! It's his 1st season in the 1st team picture and he's being played out of position. Yes he does need to fill out but again, he's 18. If he tries to bulk up too much now then it will probably be more detrimentle in terms of injuries etc in the future. Im not too bothered about playing people on different wings. It can work and does for Hayes. He can be devastating when cutting in on his left. However surely it would be of more benefit to play a young unseasoned rookie in his best position and let the slightly more experienced Hayes play on the left? Just a thought. Either that or play Shinnie left side as he seems to have a good cross and weighs in with the odd goal. I won't have this pick on young Ross nonsense. It's really not on. He can only work with what he's given and no player was anywhere near good enough yesterday as a team. It really disheartens me when "fans" lay into young prospects like this. No wonder our national game is up feacal creek.

I guess 3 from 9 isn't awful. Most outsiders would have expected us to lose to Celtic and Dundee Utd away whilst would give us a chance against Hamilton at home. To be honest I'd much rather have lost to DUTD and beaten Hamilton as I can't see Utd being in the relegation mix. We are more likely to be. Had to be that wee soap dodger Imrie with one of his 1 in a 1000 30 yard "specials" though didnt it.

Watching the game I thought we were pretty good today. We dominated the 1st half an hour and Mulgrew couldn't cope with Hayes explosiveness. Unfortunately by half time I thought Johnny was looking pretty jaded and was dead on his feet by the hour mark. Did well considering his lack of match fitness. Might have been wise to take him off at least 10 minutes earlier. I thought Nick Ross played pretty well today on his less favoured side. He has no real experience of this or 1st Division level so I thought he performed amicably. Certainly didn't look out of place as what some seem to be suggesting. His passing was in general precise and he showed quic feet in tight spots. Needs to bulk up a little but he's only 18. His only real error was not to react better to Cha Du Ri missing the header but again, with experience, he'll learn to read those situations better. Odhiambo was very bright and alert which caused Celtic problems but his 1st touch was absolutely murder at times and I had to check to see if someone had replaced his head with a 50p because his head must be that shape to have missed the header. You don't get many chances in these games and he had to take that really. I thought McCann played well and got forward at the right times with a few decent crosses into the box. He was however pretty badly at fault for the goal. He stood off and allowed McCourt to cut inside to run along the box. Always show them down the line. After that no one could make a challenge and it was a good finish. Up to then Paddy the Pikey was annonymous. Gillet played well and made some very good tackles and interceptions. Maybe, like Rossco got caught out of position a little but I think he's got the talent to do well here. After our good 1st half display and initial bright start to the 2nd half Celtic began to take over after looking beyond mediocre up until then. And they are title favourites? Really?! McCourt took his goal well and there was a good 15-20 minute spell where I thought we were going to implode. We survived that scare and I thought Sutherland should have been brought on to support Rooney earlier and Hayes off earlier... maybe instead of Ross. After that spell Celtic eased off and had we decided not just to lump everything forward aimlessly we could have given them a nervous finish. In short a good perfomance in the 1st half. A little over ran 2nd half. Can be pretty content and few could argue with the result. As long as we show the same desire for the rest of the season we should not fear anyone. Could do with a left winger. And ?4.5m for Scott Brown. Are you kidding me on?!!!

Bad hygiene, eh? I wouldn't hold it agianst him - the smeg gets the better of most of us from time to time. Bad hygiene, eh? I wouldn't hold it agianst him - the smeg gets the better of most of us from time to time. Have a green dot for making me lol. But you're still a disgusting pig for saying it. :_lol: Yeah credit where credit is due. Taht was a good one. I consider myself owned.

Oh SMEE, Im guessing your having a slow day. Not a great deal to do or are at least in the mist of a large dose of procrastination. Anyway good call on this thread. :_thumbup: My team after some deliberation- - Brown - - Tokely - Dods - Mann - Golabek - - Cowie - Black - - Wilson - Robson - Rankin - - Wyness - Subs- Calder; Munro, Dargo, Christie, Foran Even though Brewster was good as a player he's left such a bad taste in the mouth I couldn't consider him. The likes of Niculae miss out as he was a class player but only showed glimpses of that. Hayes would get in there if it wasn't for Foran and the strength in attack. Duncan just misses out to Christie. They'd be in my squad though(Hayes, Duncan and Niculae). And special mention to: Bayne, He might not have been a regular or goal machine but he always got important ones. Hislop for his winning header to take us up to the SPL 1st time round. Cherry, Esson, Hastings and Ritchie.

I'd like to see Darren Thompson ressurected for us...... as a better player! Love to see Wyness in his prime again, scoring for fun. Darren Dods was the defence master in terms of winning every high ball. Robson was 2nd to none in terms of left mid creativity and goals. I miss Rankin too. He was the 1st real contender as a replacement for Robson and that I can score from any range type has never been replaced. Really hard to nail down 1 player but it really has to be, the one, the only, Bobby Mann, oh or Jim Calder.

Good touch and passing ability but slow as stated. Might benifit from a more central role. A deep lying playmaker in the Pirlo (ok bit of a leap quality comparison wise, but Im talking positionally) mould but he'd need to spend some time in the gym.