Next up Killie

[TerryTheTerror]

100% agree. The tackle on Edouard as well when he was a week late then put him 6 feet in the air was typical Connolly and could have been more costly if it was in our box

These instances could cost us a lot of points so it's now up to MM to pull him aside and tell him to calm the fk down and prove to him he was worth the contract extension.Personally I don't think he was.

I agree BUT the failure to create any meaningful chances will cost us far more points than the odd mistake by Mark Connelly.

[ianharab]

Spot on T , we badly need more quality in the final third , Shankland himself isn't the answer , really needing a creative spark as well

[tHeArAb]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...tball/53939225

EXACTLY as MM said during the week......a decision about Scotland would be made towards the end of this week. He's still not fit. Hopefully the conspiracy theorists will now shut up.

[tHeArAb]

True, but my point is that the focus here has come onto him yet there are several other players who deserve criticism well before him.

(Chick, my reply wasn't meant to be quoting you it was meant as a stand alone post)

Ok I'll be specific and this is just my opinion

Robson. Good enough.
Bolton. Good enough.
Neilson, nope, not from what I've seen of the boy so far, looks good going forward but unfortunately not defending.
Harkes, nope, looks out of his depth. He might change my opinion if he gets a creative partner. Unpopular opinion I imagine.
Butcher, getting found out
Pawlett, not the answer
Chalmers, not ready, may be ok with better players around him
Appere, can only function as a foil for another striker, ie Shankland
Clark, being asked to do a job he's not suitable for. See Appere.

It's only one bad defeat but the opinion above is based on all the games so far not just today. We need additions.

Would agree with all of this.

With regards Connolly, he makes mistakes which cost us goals. These mistakes are going to be highlighted more than the failings of other further up the park. Its only natural.

[Chick A Saw]

True, but my point is that the focus here has come onto him yet there are several other players who deserve criticism well before him.

(Chick, my reply wasn't meant to be quoting you it was meant as a stand alone post)

Ok I'll be specific and this is just my opinion

Robson. Good enough.
Bolton. Good enough.
Neilson, nope, not from what I've seen of the boy so far, looks good going forward but unfortunately not defending.
Harkes, nope, looks out of his depth. He might change my opinion if he gets a creative partner. Unpopular opinion I imagine.
Butcher, getting found out
Pawlett, not the answer
Chalmers, not ready, may be ok with better players around him
Appere, can only function as a foil for another striker, ie Shankland
Clark, being asked to do a job he's not suitable for. See Appere.

It's only one bad defeat but the opinion above is based on all the games so far not just today. We need additions.

Use me all you want Stoke, your reply appeared relevant to what i wrote anyway. To add to or counter what you write, but not based on seeing all games.

Neilson, he is a fantastic prospect and has time on his hands. Doesnt seem to be fit enough to last 90 minutes yet though.
Harkes, has improved on last year but needs help.
Pawlett, im really not sure about but inclined to agree. Need someone to be the link between/bring together CM/Harkes/Clark.
Chalmers, tries the fancy too often and not adding anything just now. McMullan will surely come in soon.
Appere, are we expecting too much?
Clark, will get better with something behind him and Shankland in front of him.

For me, Shankland and McMullan might be enough to steady the ship, but we need a defender(Edwards?), a CM, and maybe Safranko.

[Whitfieldarab]

True, but my point is that the focus here has come onto him yet there are several other players who deserve criticism well before him.

(Chick, my reply wasn't meant to be quoting you it was meant as a stand alone post)

Ok I'll be specific and this is just my opinion

Robson. Good enough.
Bolton. Good enough.
Neilson, nope, not from what I've seen of the boy so far, looks good going forward but unfortunately not defending.
Harkes, nope, looks out of his depth. He might change my opinion if he gets a creative partner. Unpopular opinion I imagine.
Butcher, getting found out
Pawlett, not the answer
Chalmers, not ready, may be ok with better players around him
Appere, can only function as a foil for another striker, ie Shankland
Clark, being asked to do a job he's not suitable for. See Appere.

It's only one bad defeat but the opinion above is based on all the games so far not just today. We need additions.

A bit harsh on Neilson and I'd put Clark in the found out category with Butcher but on the whole I agree with the rest of your post.

[LSArab]

My views are pretty similar on most of these. Pawlett was carried by Neilson and I’m glad MM acted to take him off today

[Henrys Hall]

EXACTLY as MM said during the week......a decision about Scotland would be made towards the end of this week. He's still not fit. Hopefully the conspiracy theorists will now shut up.

Regardless of conspiracy's the team shouldnt be relying on one guy to score goals. We all love Shanks for his contribution last season but he’s not the messiah or a messi.

[stokearab]

A bit harsh on Neilson and I'd put Clark in the found out category with Butcher but on the whole I agree with the rest of your post.

Yeah maybe harsh on Neilson but like Chalmers these are players that ideally you would blood into a successful established team whether that's in the Championship or or the Premier. Yet they're being pitched in now and without really good players around them they're looking a bit exposed.

All the players that played today would probably look a lot better with a couple of experienced additions. Harkes and Butcher would play better with a good addition beside them and Clark and Appere always look better with a good striker ahead of them. My worry is that without experienced additions we'll have more defeats like today. But we've done ok so far, just a bad day today, rewind and go again.

[A. J]

Apart from the penalty I think all of our goals have either been scored very close to or within 6 yard box.
No headers, no real shooting threat from outside the box, and no-one able to consistently deliver a defence splitting pass.