Midway report

[Chick A Saw]

1st quarter - P9 W4 D2 L3 Pts 14 (52%)
2nd quarter - P9 W5 D3 L1 Pts 18 (67%)
1st half - P18 W9 D5 L4 Pts 32 (59%)
CL - P8 W3 D2 L3 Pts 11/24 (46%)
RN - P10 W6 D3 L1 Pts 21/30 (70%)
3rd quarter/2nd half starts on Saturday

My OCD just cant let what you paint a better picture of our first quarter! Seeing the quarters as simply against each team once with Partick away played out of sequence.
1st Quarter – P9 W3 D3 L3 12pts (44%)
2nd Quarter – P9 W6 D2 L1 20pts (74%)
Managers before RN.
CL – P7 W3 D2 L3 11/21 (52%)
LE – P1 L1 (0%)
Should never have had such a poor League Cup then such a poor defeat to a very poor Dunfermline side to start the League campaign. There was also a number of warning flags out there that all was not well with the relationship between manager and players which nearly led to us loosing what looks like one of RNs key players in McMullan. Instead of waiting for his 2 players, Fyvie and King, Shabba should have got players in who were of a good enough quality that he could not have used the excuse that his best 2 players were never available. However, he did also loose Stanton but had already got rid of a player who might have filled in, although in a slightly different role.

Under RN, we have done better, but must do even better to get us out of this league!

As to Shabbas players, im torn between should he have been given the close season and should have been punted for signing Emil Lyng, who was apparently his only signing from last January. But he did get the chance to bring his own players in, even discounting recommendations made by Luggy as rumour has it.
Siegrist – I think there is a good keeper to be teased out of him and seems to be growing in confidence with each game.
Rakovan – Thought there was a keeper there, but he needs to use his height and put on some muscle. Time should be up but need that 3rd keeper should Deniz not make it back.
Frans – Dependable enough, maybe a bit on the slow side, but looks to be one of the first names on the team sheet when fit.
Watson – Had a good run in the team prior to Bouhenna getting fit, then filled in at RB. Was eventually found out at RB, but im sure will be an important player for the run in.
Bouhenna – I think this is Shabbas second best signing. The lad is a level above us and is adequate back up if Fyvie is out.
Booth – Really didn’t like this lad to start with, but has since got over injuries and is surly one of the first names on the team sheet.
Wardrop – Hopefully one for the future as I thought he was to be the chosen RB.
Loemba – This lad is a bag of tricks, but this is not what we need just now. If he could add goals to his tricks, then he should get a chance. I don’t think we will see him after next month.
Aird – Frustrating! Assists, fantastic. Goals, good contribution. Ability to beat a player, no chance! Ability to last a game, non-existent.
Barton – Some skill but no heart! Should be first out the door next week.
Rabitsch – I think Saturday said enough about this lad when Watson came on to push Bouhenna into midfield. Not sure if he will be here past next month.
Clark – Not seen enough as he seems to be the injured one this season.
Curran – I like this lad and think he should get more of a run in the team, but I don’t see RN changing his formation to allow this.
Safranko – Runs himself into the ground defending from the front but maybe needs to do less of that, something that the right centre mid will allow.

RN now needs to be properly supported in the transfer market by the new owners. Scobbie, Barton, Loemba and Rakovan should be shown the door with emphasis on a new keeper, centre mid and another option for the wing. After them, Robson, King and Edje might need to keep the effort up or will find themselves replaced by better options.

[Shedboy1971]

good post Chick and 100% agree on the 1st quarter - total shambles against teams of that quality.

[Shedboy1971]

I also think Murdoch has improved since RN arrived - more steel to him. Stanton too. Overall RN has 1000% more support than shabba did - just now anyway.

[Whitfieldarab]

Agree with most of your analysis Chick but still to be convinced by Curran. He was the only one on your list of Shabba signings that was given a 3 year deal so why is he only a back up striker?

If we are giving a player a 3 yr deal he should be a 1st pick on the team sheet and a player that is signed for 1 year in the championship and the next 2 in the Premiership. That he definitely isn't. Really can't understand why he should warrant a contract of this length. Puzzling.

[Chick A Saw]

Agree with most of your analysis Chick but still to be convinced by Curran. He was the only one on your list of Shabba signings that was given a 3 year deal so why is he only a back up striker?

If we are giving a player a 3 yr deal he should be a 1st pick on the team sheet and a player that is signed for 1 year in the championship and the next 2 in the Premiership. That he definitely isn't. Really can't understand why he should warrant a contract of this length. Puzzling.

Curran was also one of the first in the door if i remember right so that just adds to the confusion. Maybe Shabba had a long term plan that swapped the players around each game to confuse the opposition!

RN has come in and set the team up in the same old 4-2-3-1 we have seen for years, with the difference that the players have more than the usual half an idea on how to play it and Safranko is quite rightly the 1 up top. I will say though that Safranko will not play ever game as he will collect knocks and bookings and i would rather Curran than Clark to deputize.

[darrenshedtastic]

The improvement we have had since replacing CL has been good without over impressing but this could be down to RN having to work with what hes got until being able to bring his own players in.

CL shouldnt have been given the chance to rebuild the team in the first place but once we allowed him to, we were always going to give him the 1st 1/4 of the season to see if he can turn our fortunes around. he did make some decent signings plus with MM making changes off field aswell, the summer changes were welcomed and had mostly been considered positive but it would all depend on how the team started the season.
the betfred cup was embarrassing to say the least. CL was under so much pressure already you would have thought he would have taken it more serious to get some positive feeling back and to get some fans back on side. instead there was serious questions getting asked and the season hadnt officially started yet.

the start of the season was indifferent. losing to a poor dunfermline at home but managing wins away to qots and at home to partick had gave some a wee bit of hope but poor results and performances started to return meaning he couldnt be kept! losing to county was probably a blessing in disguise as it allowed us to get rid of CL and make the change which has given us a better chance to go up.

RN has made us tougher and harder to beat. 1 defeat in 10 is fairly good esp considering how poor we looked under CL. if he can make some decent signings who make an impact in january im confident we can go up! but we would need to keep the standards high!.

Ratings signings
Siegrist- looks decent imo- improved since RN came in
Rakovan- not great and doesnt give alot of confidence (PUNT)

Watson- looks steady enough at RB/CB will be useful
Wardrop- forgot he was still at the club tbh
Bouhenna- real quality at the back
Booth- once fit improved alot and again improved since RN came in

Barton- too casual under CL no wonder hes not playing under RN (PUNT)
Rabitsch- not great player but works hard and does donkey work that goes unnoticed. can still be useful
Aird- good set piece ability but seems to go missing alot in games. good but could be better.
Yannick- didnt really rate him when CL played him but doubt we'll see him again (PUNT)

Curran- works hard but not as good as safranco or clark
Clark- seems inj prone but shows he can score given the opportunity
Safranco- been a good signing should be looked for perm deal.

[JelloBiafra]

That's possible but we'll never know but it really doesn't matter anyway. The point is that Fyvie is easily our best player and we NEED him on the park as we are a completely different proposition without him. As the squad is at the moment he really is that important.

Sorry Terry I disagree. He was utter keech for example v Ayr home and Morton away. And Alloa will be over him like a rash on Sat. IF he is given time and protection he looks like our best player but actually Safranko and Aird again for example have produced more. Stanton was a lot better than him Sat. Arguably our best definitely no way is Fyvie easily the best IMO.

[jjaflup22]

Sorry Terry I disagree. He was utter keech for example v Ayr home and Morton away. And Alloa will be over him like a rash on Sat. IF he is given time and protection he looks like our best player but actually Safranko and Aird again for example have produced more. Stanton was a lot better than him Sat. Arguably our best definitely no way is Fyvie easily the best IMO.

And I disagree with you. Fyvie is by far our best player. He comes back into the team and our results improve, you do the math.

[ARAbCHNID]

And I disagree with you. Fyvie is by far our best player. He comes back into the team and our results improve, you do the math.

And I disagree with you!
As things stand I back Stanton to be more important than Fyvie in helping us back to the promised land.
See how it pans out, hopefully both turn out to be our talismen, but I'm afraid we witnessed another wee wobble last Saturday.
IF Fyvie is able to play 90 mins in every game and IF he is genuinely 100% full pace then SPFL Prem here we come.

[ARAbCHNID]

Curran was also one of the first in the door if i remember right so that just adds to the confusion. Maybe Shabba had a long term plan that swapped the players around each game to confuse the opposition!

RN has come in and set the team up in the same old 4-2-3-1 we have seen for years, with the difference that the players have more than the usual half an idea on how to play it and Safranko is quite rightly the 1 up top. I will say though that Safranko will not play ever game as he will collect knocks and bookings and i would rather Curran than Clark to deputize.

Curran 3 years @ £30k = £90k contract.
Clark etc etc 2 years @ £45k = £90k contract.
Curran probably asked for that, for whatever reason it suits him.
Just my conjecture, I don't work in the Tax Office!