So, what exactly do we do with Foran?  I think his days on the wing are finished, and there's not much chance he'll be in defence unless there's a real crisis there.  I think Draper and Vincent have the central spots sealed up, while I also wasn't that impressed by Foran's passing in the times I've seen him play there in pre-season.  For me, I'd like to see him either in the Andrew Shinnie role (though Doran might be first choice in there), but I'd particularly like to see him up-front with Billy Mckay, as I was quite impressed with him there when he was played there last season.  Is he good enough to start matches anymore though?

 

Up-top from the start for me.

Thats actually a tough one to answer, i'd be inclined to say, like you, that he should start upfront but tbh, i'd have him anywhere in the team, so long as he plays .

Play him alongside Billy. Hes a terrific centre forward, a menace in the air and with 10 goals to his name last season he still knows how to find the net. His richest vein of form last season was when he was deployed up front too. His double against United was when he was at his best.

Agreed about his passing in midfield. Pretty diabolical at times

I'm not sure, Im just wondering if we played him upfront with McKay it could be a really good combination but I think that with Allen and Agestein around I think they might be a better choice upfront. Not sure where to play him but same position as last season?

Defensive/holding mid role alongside Draper.

 

Reasoning - he wins balls in the air but isnt really a target man and doesnt have great pace to get behind the defence, for me he's not creative enough for the Shinnie role so that has to go to Doran, not enough pace for a winger and we have better options and in defence its a solid unit so why disrupt. Let Foran move into the middle of the park and control the game, break up play and hold the ball, allow others around to create and make space.

I fully expect this to be our starting 2-3-1 for most of the season:

 

Draper - Foran

Doran - Vincent - Ross

McKay

 

No reason why Foran can't still do a job as AML and he doesn't need to do too much running as Shinnie will overlap all day down that same side. Also, with Vincent and Draper, in theory, playing as the midfield two, I would expect one to venture forward to provide additional support from midfield whilst the other one sits to protect the remaining defenders.

 

EDIT: Also, If Foran hasn't got the pace to play AML I would surmise that he doesn't have the pace for an AMC role like "Shinniesta" which requires a decent amount of pace to lead quick counters and drive past opposition players into space to create chances. He (Foran) is very much a combative CM now.

Edited August 1, 201311 yr by RiG

To play devil's advocate here, is Foran still good enough to be one of the first names on the team sheet?  I'm almost certain that (in the event of a fully available squad), Draper and Vincent will have the middle two roles sown up, while I was also more impressed by Polworth in there, than Foran in pre-season.  If we continue with 4-2-3-1, Mckay is going to have that position up-top sown up everyday of the week, and should he be injured, then Allen or this Norwegian fellow would presumably get in there ahead of him.  I believe his days on the wing are finished, while Ross, Pepper, Williams, Doran and Marley Watkins (who IMO will regarded in due course as our best signing of the new batch) would get in there first, while I believe Ben Greenhalgh will come good in the end.  He won't go into defence unless there's a real crisis and in the "hole role", Doran seems to be first pick now, with Ross and possibly Pepper going for it.

 

Does that mean Foran's days as one of the first names on the team sheet are over?  Will he, from now on, be a "veteran-off-the-bench" type figure?  I'm not sure of that just yet, but I won't be surprised if this season is his last, in his current regard.

Edited August 1, 201311 yr by Renegade

If you look at any of the positions he can play, we have options that are as good if not better than Foran, so you are right to ask the quesion.  But in addition to versatility, he takes onto the pitch an abundance of presence, determination and leadership that I believe helps drive his teammates to perform better.

Edited August 1, 201311 yr by Yngwie

If you look at any of the positions he can play, we have options that are as good if not better than Foran, so you are right to ask the quesion.  But in addition to versatility, he takes onto the pitch an abundance of presence, determination and leadership that I believe helps drive his teammates to perform better.

Can I claim the prize for spotting your deliberate motoring reference?

Ah yes, I see it now!

 

I suppose I could have added that Foran never hides......

He's also got loads of experience and this  should temper the enthusiasm of the younger element in order to steady the ship:

 

"Argh! Jim Lad, go abart yer business ,now, there's a good lad. Shoulder to the wheel an'all or it's over the side and aff the  end of the plank fer you, lad, ....aye!" 

 

Unfortunate that his off-the park antics has kinda clouded both our view of him and his own judgment of what is right for a player in his role at the club. The question now is whether or not there might be a role at this club after his playing days have wound down?

 

"I'll splice the mainbrace tae that, lads. Aye!"

Just in front of the exhaust but somewhere behind the radiator grill....

Just in front of the exhaust but somewhere behind the radiator grill....

 

He will be too easy to find there. 

 Nah! It's too much of a squeeze methinks. It would be too exhausting for him to ever try...

Think he showed today that we cant do without him !

I thought he was excellent.

There was not a better player on the park today than him

Never write Richie off,he always gives his all for this team. Why all the grief about where to put him,is he not still club captain

MOTM by a mile today. Fantastic performance from him.

MOTM by a mile today. Fantastic performance from him.

 

just behind Vincent and Draper for me but I agree he was faultless today. This is the Foran that we need to see week in, week out and if he keeps his emotions in check then we'll see the best from him.

Second half he dropped back and excelled spraying balls all over the park.

No coincidence that Vincent shone and Draper came to life with this tactical shift.

St Midden just had no answer after our half time reshuffle and the scoreline flattered them.

I fully expect this to be our starting 2-3-1 for most of the season:

 

Draper - Foran

Doran - Vincent - Ross

McKay

 

 

Decent prediction I think.

Must admit I was wrong. He has been woeful in pre season and I personally wouldn't have started him but I thought he was outstanding today! Dominated the middle of the park!

Pulled it out of the bag yesterday. Quality performance. Turned the Midden midfield inside out and kept his head even when things werent going his way. More of the same please.

The signings of Vincent and Agadstein give Richie a freer role in central mid and gives us more options if games are going against us.

Think he showed today that we cant do without him !

 

Taking nothing away from Richie and unlike a few others I had far from written him off in pre-season....but, I don't think it's true to say that we can't do without him (on the park at least).  We coped pretty admirably without him in the Charlton match.

 

Not sure there's any player you could put in the "can't do without" box at the moment because we have very capable cover for every position on the pitch.  Not only that, but we have a depth of squad that allows us to be far more adaptable than perhaps any other season in the SPL that I can recall.  In fact, you could leave out every player that started against St Mirren and we could still field a strong team, IMO.

 

FWIW, I'd have his name as one of the first on the team sheet every week....and despite putting his body through the ringer at the end of last season, he came back looking leaner, sharper and fitter than ever.