Where is our season heading now?

[proudtobeabuddy]

Just now, TopCat said:

 

No team in this divisions current format has stayed up with our current points total or less at this stage of the season. If we do manage it, it will be the greatest escape this league has ever seen.

I'm not underestimating our current predicament but it's not usually a team of our size and resources that is down there... and agree/disagree IMO we are getting better. If we'd just lost another 5 on the trot in December I'd be saying....let's plan for next season in the 3rd tier.  I still maintain that if we have similar form in the next few months then there's bound to be another team who lose form, it's the law of averages. It won't be easy but it's very much in our hands at this stage, we know what we need to do.

[pozbaird]

Relax. Trump's inauguration is only three weeks away.... MSMGA.

We'll be fine.

[John Gotti]

2 minutes ago, proudtobeabuddy said:

They don't have to be...Injuries, suspensions.... unlucky late goals conceded meaning 2 draws instead of 2 wins...stuff like that, it's happened to us, it can happen to other teams.

You're right bud but unfortunately when Dunfermline went 1 up today they didn't sit in and concede a late equalizer, then scored a second and won the game. Likewise Dumbarton went 1 up against Utd and saw it out for a win. For whatever reason we haven't been doing this and are now running out of games to catch teams that are still picking up points. 

If I was a supporter of the other sides in the league I would expect us to go down and unless we go on a Chelsea type of run it's probably what will happen.

[proudtobeabuddy]

1 minute ago, John Gotti said:

You're right bud but unfortunately when Dunfermline went 1 up today they didn't sit in and concede a late equalizer, then scored a second and won the game. Likewise Dumbarton went 1 up against Utd and saw it out for a win. For whatever reason we haven't been doing this and are now running out of games to catch teams that are still picking up points. 

If I was a supporter of the other sides in the league I would expect us to go down and unless we go on a Chelsea type of run it's probably what will happen.

We need a good January and February or we're down, i realise this. If we lose any more ground in January it wouldn't be just a great escape it would be a miracle.

[faraway saint]

42 minutes ago, Bud the Baker said:

Second time I've quoted this post and like I said before we're chasing a moving target which unfortunately seems to be speeding away from us - two of the three teams directly above us have picked up 4 from 2 so even if we win on Saturday we'll not have made up any ground on two of our realistic targets.

 

The QotS game really is a must win now.

Yeah, funny how some people forget other teams can, and are picking up points while we think we're three games away from catching teams, assuming that they will all lose while we win.

Oh dear, what a mess.

Edited January 2, 2017 by faraway saint

[John Gotti]

1 minute ago, faraway saint said:

Yeah, funny how some people forget other teams can, and are picking up pints while we think we're three games away from catching teams, assuming that they will all lose while we win.

Oh dear, what a mess.

Might be the best option bud.

[TopCat]

I'm not underestimating our current predicament but it's not usually a team of our size and resources that is down there... and agree/disagree IMO we are getting better. If we'd just lost another 5 on the trot in December I'd be saying....let's plan for next season in the 3rd tier.  I still maintain that if we have similar form in the next few months then there's bound to be another team who lose form, it's the law of averages. It won't be easy but it's very much in our hands at this stage, we know what we need to do.

Indeed it's not. It's normally part time teams, it's quite remarkable how bad we have been given our resources. We'll still need to break new ground to stay up though.

We're certainly better than when we lost 6 in a row - couldn't get any worse - but we still aren't doing enough.

We've had two home games against teams with ten men in the last fortnight and we haven't even managed to win one of them. It goes without saying that for a team in our predicament, that's simply not good enough.

We need orders of magnitude improvement in results between now and May if we are going to do it. We've won 2 of our 19 so far games this season. Given our nightmare last 4 fixtures, to stay up I think we need to win at least 6 of our next 13 games. Possible? Of course... Likely...?

[proudtobeabuddy]

14 minutes ago, TopCat said:

Indeed it's not. It's normally part time teams, it's quite remarkable how bad we have been given our resources. We'll still need to break new ground to stay up though.

We're certainly better than when we lost 6 in a row - couldn't get any worse - but we still aren't doing enough.

We've had two home games against teams with ten men in the last fortnight and we haven't even managed to win one of them. It goes without saying that for a team in our predicament, that's simply not good enough.

We need orders of magnitude improvement in results between now and May if we are going to do it. We've won 2 of our 19 so far games this season. Given our nightmare last 4 fixtures, to stay up I think we need to win at least 6 of our next 13 games. Possible? Of course... Likely...?

A few new signings and a couple of wins in our next few games and i'd say more than possible.... I hope we're working hard behind the scenes to get some faces in we were quick enough to lose 2.

[pozbaird]

These new signings that we need this month. At the level we now operate at, how in the name of the wee man are loanees who can't get a game elsewhere or some lower league guys going to breeze into what is clearly a 'crisis club' and make such a difference that we turn overnight from a two-win all season team to go on the kind of winning run our situation demands? Unless we're bringing in Kris Commons types like Hibs... which clearly we aren't.

Best of luck to any new signing of course, just like any other new face, any season, any time. No pressure lads! 

Are we signing David Copperfield and Dynamo?

[Callum Gilhooley]

25 minutes ago, pozbaird said:

These new signings that we need this month. At the level we now operate at, how in the name of the wee man are loanees who can't get a game elsewhere or some lower league guys going to breeze into what is clearly a 'crisis club' and make such a difference that we turn overnight from a two-win all season team to go on the kind of winning run our situation demands? Unless we're bringing in Kris Commons types like Hibs... which clearly we aren't.

Best of luck to any new signing of course, just like any other new face, any season, any time. No pressure lads! 

Are we signing David Copperfield and Dynamo?

If one can play left back and the other a commanding centre mid ?

 

p.s. Any chance of digging up Paul Daniels to play up front also ?  I`d like that... not a lot,but i`d like that.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Callum Gilhooley

[melmac]

As the Donald would say, we need to build that wall, and stop conceding goals.

[munoz]

9 minutes ago, Callum Gilhooley said:

If one can play left back and the other a commanding centre mid ?

 

p.s. Any chance of digging up Paul Daniels to play up front also ?  I`d like that... not a lot,but i`d like that.

How about Tommy Cooper ? He'd have us up the table "just like that " .

Edited January 2, 2017 by munoz
Blank post.

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

2 hours ago, TopCat said:

 

No team in this divisions current format has stayed up with our current points total or less at this stage of the season. If we do manage it, it will be the greatest escape this league has ever seen.

 

What you are saying is Jack Ross has not signed one player in the current mess left by Rae. So if Jack keeps us up you will accept him. 

[Isle Of Bute Saint]

2 hours ago, faraway saint said:

Yeah, funny how some people forget other teams can, and are picking up points while we think we're three games away from catching teams, assuming that they will all lose while we win.

Oh dear, what a mess.

Its not what other teams do its what we do. FFS you can tell you have not worked in a team environment.  You dont look over your shoulder and panic. You get the head down and get on with things. Jack Ross management style is tbat a true professional who i have every faith in. There are a lot of bookmarks in my diary for the end of season. 

[saint in exile]

16 minutes ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

Its not what other teams do its what we do. FFS you can tell you have not worked in a team environment.  You dont look over your shoulder and panic. You get the head down and get on with things. Jack Ross management style is tbat a true professional who i have every faith in. There are a lot of bookmarks in my diary for the end of season. 

There's no point in looking over our shoulder, cos there's no f*cker there! They're all ahead of us!!

[faraway saint]

51 minutes ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

Its not what other teams do its what we do. FFS you can tell you have not worked in a team environment.  You dont look over your shoulder and panic. You get the head down and get on with things. Jack Ross management style is tbat a true professional who i have every faith in. There are a lot of bookmarks in my diary for the end of season. 

 

33 minutes ago, saint in exile said:

There's no point in looking over our shoulder, cos there's no f*cker there! They're all ahead of us!!

[faraway saint]

On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 2:49 PM, irvine_buddie said:

We’ve got a decent run of games coming up from December to the end of February that when you look at them all individually are definitely winnable (apart from maybe Dundee U away) if we play like we did this week.

 

Ayr (H) Drew

Dundee U (A) Lost

Morton (H) Drew

QoS (H) Lost

Dunfermline (A)

Falkirk (H)

Dumbarton (A)

Ayr (A)

 

It’s not out of the question to take 18+ points from that run,  at the moment we’re 13 points behind the playoff spots so we could get ourselves back in the hunt.

 

It’s a massive ask though ask considering we haven’t won 3 league games on the bounce in years, I’d be happy just to get to 8^th by then.

2 points from 12 as things stand.

4 games to go, 12 points available.

Already looking like Ayr are the only realistic target.

Dunfermline have only lost one from the last ten.

Dumbarton have lost 3 from the last ten.

QOS, well, let's not talk about them..

So, Ayr, 7 points above us and 7 goals better off. They play at Falkirk next week and we've got Dunfermline.

Who knows what could happen but it's not great or pretty.

What we'd give for an unlikely win and, please god, they lose.

[TopCat]

Ayr are catchable, but only if we get a manager in who knows what he's doing.

You can forget about 8th or higher regardless.

[cambiebud]

Ayr are catchable, but only if we get a manager in who knows what he's doing.

You can forget about 8th or higher regardless.

The problems at the club are primarily down to the swing door to the managers office. We need to stick with Jack Ross for the medium to long term. If we go down, then so be it. A long term plan and we will get back to the top. We have made this shambles through mismanagement and the fans are culpable too. Look at the players that the boo boys have attacked in recent seasons. Imrie, Harkins, Carey etc, who were good players before they came to St Mirren and good players when they left.
The club should stick by Ross even if we go down

[Dibbles old paperboy]

49 minutes ago, cambiebud said:

 

The problems at the club are primarily down to the swing door to the managers office. We need to stick with Jack Ross for the medium to long term. If we go down, then so be it. A long term plan and we will get back to the top. We have made this shambles through mismanagement and the fans are culpable too. Look at the players that the boo boys have attacked in recent seasons. Imrie, Harkins, Carey etc, who were good players before they came to St Mirren and good players when they left.
The club should stick by Ross even if we go down

 

I disagree. I think we have been sloppy when we have appointed the last few managers. Tommy Craig was appointed the day after Danny was told his contract would not be renewed, and supposedly the Hawk had been sounded out about the manager's gig and turned it down (before going in the huff that Teale and Goodwin were promoted ahead of him when Craig did take over). So, Tommy Craig doesn't work out. We are still in the SPL and in a position where the season can still be saved. How do we handle the next appointment? The chairman leaves a senior player and coach in charge and goes off on holiday to South Africa for 6 weeks while the transfer window opens and 2 takeover bids come in for the club. Any player interested in signing must wonder who will the owners be in 1 week's time and will Teale still be the caretaker / interimmanageruntiltheendoftheseason or will the Argies be in charge with a new manager at the helm. Despite 50 quality applications and despite identifying we needed an experienced wheeler dealer to be appointed the gig is eventually given to Teale just before McLean is sold as the window closes. Then we let go of Teale and appoint Murray... we do interview Ray McKinnon but he doesn't give as good an interview as Iain. As the Murray / Spalding partnership founders Spalding is mutually consented, Alex Miller is brought in to mentor Murray and a few months later and then when that still doesn't work Alex Rae is appointed and after a delay that got Lord Pityme anxious Davie Farrell is appointed as assistant. Possibly the worst search for a new manager ensues after Rae and Farrell get the chop, everyone reckon GLS must already have the new man lined up to takeover. Will it be Billy Davies? Is it Neil Warnock? Yogi Hughes? Perhaps we will be the first senior club to go with a female manager... say hello to Jack Ross, although wait for it he's coming after he has had one more game with Alloa first. 

Tommy Craig was the same age as Arsene Wenger and Jim Jeffries when he was appointed and had won a grand total of 2 league games as a No.1 when he was appointed.

Gary Teale was a rookie thrown in at the deep end and any chances he had of succeeding were scuppered by his own board.

Ian Murray was a poor choice which came back to bite us on the bum.

Alex Rae did well last season in avoiding relegation or the relegation play off and was fired as soon as possible this season by the new chairman and Jack Ross has been appointed after another fiasco of a recruitment process.

[Buddy Marvellous]

John Rankin and others on BBC Scotland saying that we need some old campaigners to steer us away from relegation.

Goes against what most of us see regularly in that it is the experienced one's that are letting us down!

[zurich_allan]

John Rankin and others on BBC Scotland saying that we need some old campaigners to steer us away from relegation.

Goes against what most of us see regularly in that it is the experienced one's that are letting us down!

I think it's tricky, because whilst the experienced guys we have aren't cutting it, I do think that element is lacking and is needed. The youngsters are full of potential, and very skilful and enthusiastic, but I just am not seeing any natural leaders on the park, not one. Without actually being the specific players, we are missing a Goodwin, a Shuggy, or a Thommo. I think we definitely could use that type of player in the team, but off the top of my head I can't think who's out there that could come in and might want to...

[Callum Gilhooley]

2 hours ago, zurich_allan said:

 

I think it's tricky, because whilst the experienced guys we have aren't cutting it, I do think that element is lacking and is needed. The youngsters are full of potential, and very skilful and enthusiastic, but I just am not seeing any natural leaders on the park, not one. Without actually being the specific players, we are missing a Goodwin, a Shuggy, or a Thommo. I think we definitely could use that type of player in the team, but off the top of my head I can't think who's out there that could come in and might want to...

Agree. As i said on another thread though, Experience in itself is NOT what is required....its a leader willing to dig in, to have heart to fight for the cause and have the ability to galvanise those round about them...especially the young `uns.

There arent many around with more experience than Webster but a leader he aint !  Someone on another social media berated McAllister for arguing with Clarkson and said "He shouldnt be arguing with senior players!" Bollocks !!  That senior player isnt fit to lace his boots - and most def not in a position to berate younger players.

 

Edited January 8, 2017 by Callum Gilhooley

[FTOF]

6 minutes ago, Callum Gilhooley said:

Agree. As i said on another thread though, Experience in itself is NOT what is required....its a leader willing to heart ,fight for the cause and have the ability to galvanise those round about them...especially the young `uns.

There arent many around with more experience than Webster but a leader he aint !  Someone on another social media berated McAllister for arguing with Clarkson and said "He shouldnt be arguing with senior players!" Bollocks !!  That senior player isnt fit to lace his boots - and most def not in a position to berate younger players.

 

That's exactly what Rankin added to QOS yesterday. He was constantly in conversation with the players around him and with the officials.

We don't have anyone who comes close to him.

I was dismissive of his signing for QOS on another thread. After what I saw him do for QOS yesterday, I'll admit I was wrong and I think he would have been ideal for us.

[Callum Gilhooley]

4 minutes ago, FTOF said:

That's exactly what Rankin added to QOS yesterday. He was constantly in conversation with the players around him and with the officials.

We don't have anyone who comes close to him.

I was dismissive of his signing for QOS on another thread. After what I saw him do for QOS yesterday, I'll admit I was wrong and I think he would have been ideal for us.

I dont like Rankin. I`ve never Liked Rankine, always thought he was a niggly little shit , into everything & constantly in the refs ear.

But by god could we do with a Rankine right now ?!  He was everywhere and ran the show yesterday .