Feeling a bit of dread about Saturday

[tHeArAb]

Assuming we play a 442, I think Butcher will be the one to make way for Fuchs. MM apparently has a complete hard on for Harkes.

[TerryTheTerror]

Good because hes one of the best midfielders we have and he needs the right players along side him. Butcher is doing OK but Pawlett is giving nothing at the moment.

[Jim_Jam]

Pawlett must be the one who makes way surely.

[stokearab]

Good because hes one of the best midfielders we have and he needs the right players along side him. Butcher is doing OK but Pawlett is giving nothing at the moment.

He might improve with better players around him but surely you have to agree he hasn't shown up well at a higher standard than last season. He runs around a lot, has a very good fitness level but he can't keep a ball. Always looks to play it away very quickly, often fails to find a team mate and rarely looks to penetrate a defence by running at defenders and getting in behind via a one two. He doesn't impose himself on games in any way even against lower league opponents.
I know you rate him but I have seen nothing from him at this level to suggest he's good enough. Under this manager seems to be undroppable right enough.

If he's one of the best I would say we have a huge problem.

[stokearab]

Positives

Clean sheet against a team some thought would destroy us. (FWIW I didn't think they would)

Ref never gave the pen

Benji outstanding, Edwards best game so far Connolly didn't cost us a goal despite that blocked clearance. Debut for our second striker. I think he will be a very good signing.
Liam Smith looks fit again.
After the subs (forced) we looked much more like a fluid team.
An improvement on the recent shambles v Livi and Peterhead

Result generates confidence going forward

Negatives

More frustration for Lawrence Shankland
Injury to Chalmers, part and parcel I suppose.
On another day we could have been hammered (is this actually a positive)
Midfield still hopeless and MM still picking them all.

So onto the next game, need to see us attacking more and defending less because our luck won't hold like that every game.

[tHeArAb]

Positives

Clean sheet against a team some thought would destroy us. (FWIW I didn't think they would)

Ref never gave the pen

Benji outstanding, Edwards best game so far Connolly didn't cost us a goal despite that blocked clearance. Debut for our second striker. I think he will be a very good signing.
Liam Smith looks fit again.
After the subs (forced) we looked much more like a fluid team.
An improvement on the recent shambles v Livi and Peterhead

Result generates confidence going forward

Negatives

More frustration for Lawrence Shankland
Injury to Chalmers, part and parcel I suppose.
On another day we could have been hammered (is this actually a positive)
Midfield still hopeless and MM still picking them all.

So onto the next game, need to see us attacking more and defending less because our luck won't hold like that every game.

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[TerryTheTerror]

...but he can't keep a ball.

It would be interesting to see the stats on this (which MM will have, we are guessing) and I suspect his pass completion ratio will be pretty high.

[BackRowArab]

It would be interesting to see the stats on this (which MM will have, we are guessing) and I suspect his pass completion ratio will be pretty high.

This doesn't included the Aberdeen match, but pass completion for this season is:

Butcher 86.39%
Connolly 85.45%
Pawlett 83.78%
Powers 83.33%
Edwards 81.25%
Reynolds 81.25%
Harkes 76.87%

Expected passing % for those same players are:

Pawlett 83.25%
Butcher 81.34%
Powers 80.53%
Harkes 77.18%
Reynolds 76.82%
Connolly 75.08%
Edwards 72.26%

So difference between expected and completed is:

Connolly 10.37%
Edwards 8.99%
Butcher 5.06%
Reynolds 4.43%
Powers 2.80%
Pawlett 0.53%
Harkes -0.31%

[TerryTheTerror]

That's interesting and everyone is pretty high, higher than I would think in fact.

[geofoxposse]

but when passing lateral and backwards its easier and less chance of going astray. The stats on forward passing would be interesting...