v Hibs (h)

[the_arab]

So had some time to think, will hopefully be able to use the correct words here to put it across well.

With the squad we have, we are not going to get relegated. If we are happy being a St Mirren, Livingston, Dundee type club and happy with survival, then this squad is fine (no disrespect to those clubs).

If we want to become a consistent top 6 club though, we need to improve. We need our 'experienced' players to be top 6 level and in turn they help bring the young players up to that level. We can't have bottom 6 players and hope that the young guys will pull them up.

In the squad we have a lot of experienced players who I would count as being top 6 type players. Seigrest and Carson in goal, perfect. Newman can learn a lot from those guys. In defence, Edwards and Mulgrew are what we need. Neilson I thought had a good game v Hibs and we have had Kerr Smith stroll at Parkhead, so in the centre those 4 don't need improved on. At full back, I think everyone likes McMann, he is what we need. At right back, even though Freeman is now first choice (and well deserved), Liam Smith is a good option there as the experienced player. Nobody can probably name a MotM performance from him, but nobody can ever think of a match where he has cost us 3 points.

Midfield is different. Fuchs is perfect, top 6 level player. Harkes and Butcher however are not those level of player. This is the position where we have most of the talented kids in the squad, but they need help in there. We need to improve the quality in here.

In the wide areas, Niskanen is good, very pacey which we lack in the squad. Pawlett however is not top 6 quality. He had a good start to the season (as did Harkes), but when the tough days have come and we need the experience to step up he has went hiding. We have youth in Chalmers and Watson who again need help from the experienced guys.

Up front there are issues, as everyone knows. Nicky Clark is not top 6. He works hard, but just doesn't have the quality. McNulty is the same and I don't think Biamou is the answer. If Tony Watt signs, I'm going to count him in the top 6 group, mainly because I expected him, if he stayed in Scotland, to go to a Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen type club. There isn't much youth in this position, I think Appere is 23 now. Its time for Louis to step up and decide is he the player that came on and made a huge difference against Aberdeen, or is he the ineffectual player who started against St Johnstone?

Obviously, Connolly and Reynolds will be away most likely in January, Harkes is out of contract in the summer, while Biamou will be away and McNulty is only on loan. Those wages must be used to bring in experienced players who are better (easier said than done), plus we will need to replace Fuchs if/when he goes in the summer. I think Carson is a good enough replacement for Benji, so that will also give some free wages for the rest of the squad.

Anyway, long story short, we need some good recruitment in the summer if we want to step up to the next level.

Good post, agree with most altho you must be watching a different Niskanen to me as for me 99% of the game passes him by, most games you wouldnt even know hes on the pitch. Bizarly when he does get it he looks pretty good but for me he has been an absolutely p1sh signing so far

[BackRowArab]

Good post, agree with most altho you must be watching a different Niskanen to me as for me 99% of the game passes him by, most games you wouldnt even know hes on the pitch. Bizarly when he does get it he looks pretty good but for me he has been an absolutely p1sh signing so far

With Niskanen I am judging him solely on his pace, he is the only player in the squad that has any. This has got to be the slowest squad ever assembled at Tannadice.