We are right in the **** now

[Dobmeister]

To answer the question "Is there a bigger pain in the neck than a smart Alec who turns out to be right????" Albeit much of what you say is true TBH.

[ALBERTZ_11]

To be fair I dont think there was much else Atkinson could do...tried to close the angle and there was no one else anywhere near the scorer and it didn't work. From where I was the penalty looked a bit soft but not much you can do.

Fully expect Gary Naismith to say that we cant keep conceding soft goals like we did today the only problem is that we keep conceding them. More worrying today was the apathy from the players and the apathy from the Queens fans didn't get the attendance but it didn't feel there were too many Queens fans there but then again of late the team have been giving them little to go for.

Walked home tonight thinking I wont be back this season but I know I'll be there against Dundee

I hope not as Queens will be playing Arabs that day but all means go to the Dens Park club's match. LOL

[ALBERTZ_11]

Stop the world. JRS wants to get off. I was settling down to watch Dundee v Celtic on my I-pad but found I had time to spare so I thought I'd have a (now rare) look at the MAD site after yesterday's defeat and there it was - JRS posting, "I now realise that we won't ever be any good. I....am withdrawing my views on this site". This was a Damascene conversion, and no doubt. Oh, how JRS (and others who now seem to be similarly converted) pilloried me over the years for consistently suggesting exactly that. I have posted so often that Queens are, at best, a mid-table Championship team that is more likely to be relegated than promoted; that the secret for supporting a team like Queen of the South is to manage one's expectations. Clearly, JRS failed to do that: in other words he could not accept that Queens are just another small provincial club going nowhere, forever struggling to keep its head above water.
Equally, when Gary Naysmith was appointed I was pilloried, not for condemning the appointment, rather for querying how, with his modest managerial CV, he had managed to persuade the Board that he was the right man for the job. Four wins out of six**** games in charge would suggest that he is simply another from the managerial merry-go-round: and it may not have escaped your attention that East Fife are occupying a much healthier league position now than they were when Naysmith was in charge. Perhaps my contact in Fife was right when he informed me at the time of the appointment that East Fife's gain was our loss.
Is there a bigger pain in the neck than a smart Alec who turns out to be right????
JRS and I disagreed on many issues but he will be a loss to this site. I wish him well. At my age, I have learned never to say never but like JRS I doubt if I'll be back - certainly not in the near future.

Queens were interested in Barry Smith as well. Do you mean this site or Queens games?

[jardi]

JR, I spoke to you only last Tuesday and you were surprised when I pointed out that I reckoned St. Mirren would beat Dundee Utd and then Raith would probably beat Utd too, - meaning that if we beat St. Mirren we would be just a few points behind Utd. However, I also pointed out that St. Mirren will not be relegated and that they will win the Challenge Cup and you were surprised!

How can you be surprised that a team fighting for their life managed to beat us on Saturday? To be fair Queens should have been 2-0 up at half time and 4 or 5-0 was not out of the question, - but one shot on target and a soft penalty changed the match and begged only one question: Why did Naysmith not remove the ineffective Dykes immediately and try to chase the game? Young Connor was excellent, but brought on too late.

We will need to watch our backs now, - and could still be relegated, - but we could also still get that 4h spot. We play Dundee Utd on April 1st and I think they will be the Fools that day.

[Spikefaethesouth]

JR, I spoke to you only last Tuesday and you were surprised when I pointed out that I reckoned St. Mirren would beat Dundee Utd and then Raith would probably beat Utd too, - meaning that if we beat St. Mirren we would be just a few points behind Utd. However, I also pointed out that St. Mirren will not be relegated and that they will win the Challenge Cup and you were surprised!

How can you be surprised that a team fighting for their life managed to beat us on Saturday? To be fair Queens should have been 2-0 up at half time and 4 or 5-0 was not out of the question, - but one shot on target and a soft penalty changed the match and begged only one question: Why did Naysmith not remove the ineffective Dykes immediately and try to chase the game? Young Connor was excellent, but brought on too late.

We will need to watch our backs now, - and could still be relegated, - but we could also still get that 4h spot. We play Dundee Utd on April 1st and I think they will be the Fools that day.

Jardi-do you not think that Queens had the upper hand in the first half because we had a big physical forward who was capable of winning as well as holding the ball up bringing other into the game? That guy in the first half was Dykes whose presence was a handful for those big uncompromising centre halves of St Mirren. Although this resulted in Queens playing an aerial game it was much more effective than when Lyle plays that role and wins next to nothing just occasionally flicking the ball onwards to no one. Why he did not do this in the second half I do not understand and yes he could have been hooked.
As for the fourth play off position this does seem a long shot but you never know with our club.

[jardi]

Spike, I'm with you on Dykes for his first half performance, - but in the 2nd half he was completely in the pocket of the St. Mirren defence, - and that is down to Ross Jack and Fowler doing their homework.

So at 2-0 down, - you need to change it and change it fast. In the last few games, to be fair Naysmith has tried double and treble substitutions, - which for a variety of reasons didn't work, - but stubbornly sitting in at 0-2 on Saturday without attempting a change was crazy!

At 0-2, - we might as well have gone down 0-4, - so the manager could and should have changed the personnel.

I must add, - I cannot fault the players for trying on Saturday, - and bizarrely, I actually enjoyed the game much more than the last 3 or 4 performances, - because the lads gave their best.

Young Atkinson was completely faultless for the goal, - and if he hadn't narrowed the angle, we'd all be saying that he should have come out! His kicking and distribution were excellent, and all helped to upset St. Mirren's rhythm.

Any criticism of young Mercer is completely unfair, - as Hammil would have been turned inside out by their wing wizard and would have probably been sent off too!

I'm completely aware that 4th place is as near as damn impossible, - but it is as achievable as coming last!

One final point; - I think this defeat by St. Mirren will have wakened everyone up. Too many people thought that Queens were safe in mid-table, but now they are not. Every team is capable of beating anyone else, - and so Queens need to start concentrating on just winning. If they do that they might just get that coveted 4th spot, - but if not, they will attain that lucrative 5th spot in terms of a greater cash pay-out, which will help us rebuild for next season.

[louisxiv]

I'm completely aware that 4th place is as near as damn impossible, - but it is as achievable as coming last!

Both are highly unlikely but I'm in glass half full mode today so I'm with Jardi and won't give up on the possibility of 4th until the mathematics prove otherwise.

[basher60]

What a bizarre season this is turning out to be . A brilliant start under Gav Skelton , then the mystery behind his departure and the collapse on the pitch . JT taking over and the result against Albion Rovers which cost the club approx £150,000 . Only recently it looked like Naysmith has steadied the ship with 14 points from 6 games only for us to take 1 from our last 4
We're now in a situation where we could be dragged into the relegation zone and the home crowds are dropping and any kind of atmosphere is non existent . It's just as well we've the Arena and Hewitson has more plans to make the club money away from the football pitch or we'd be a part time club playing in Div One IMO

[jardi]

You make a very pertinent point Basher, - and one that is often overlooked by the fans, - who simply do not stick around when the going gets tough.

Now is not the time for supporters to leave the ship though, - as there is much work to be done.

Queens could end up anywhere between 4th and 10th, - so come on folks, - this is actually very exciting.....its not like the SPL, where Celtic were effectively champions at Christmas!

[ALBERTZ_11]

I'm going to Kirkcaldy on Saturday, where I haven't visited before. I sense there should be some turnaround as Queens have a better away record than at home this season. As stated, anywhere between 4th and 10th is achievable still. If the crazy scores continue like on Saturday, who knows where every club could finish.