White Knight

Wow, how many spreadsheets did you use for all of that? The problem is that you didn't take into account the impact of weather on the day of the last 6 matches at each one of those contests, nor did you assess the impact of ground conditions on the day, nor whether a particular match was on natural turf or an artificial surface, etc. My point is that you're not comparing apples with apples in this kind of analysis. NONE of this matters. The last 5 or 6 St Mirren matches are arguably important to measure mindset and fitness. That's all. At this level, and at this point of the season, a positive outlook must be paramount. Positive results will be carried into the next game. As the teams line up, they MUST believe they will get a positive results. Performances over the last few games will influence the strength of that belief. Playing good football -- doing what they do best -- fosters that belief as well. That is where Ross is far better than Rae. The players are going about their business with more belief and a positive attitude. Under Rae, there was fear in their eyes everytime they touched the ball. Results will come -- game by game. Looking at how all the other teams have faired over the last gazillion matches means nothing.

Couldn't agree more. As I said before, something was going on in the dressing room to rob the players of every ounce of confidence. In the QoS match, the players looked like deer caught in the headlights. No one wanted to do anything for fear of ridicule. No drive, no enthusiasm -- certainly no one sprinting to take a corner! This team certainly has the skill and inate ability to do far better. Let's see what improvements confidence will bring. Think about it. Do you perform better at work if your boss is constantly on your back, or if he supports you and encourages you along the way? Perhaps Rae couldn't read his players properly and used the wrong tactics. I get the feeling he was less motivational and more confrontational. Don't get me wrong, while today marked a huge improvement in commitment and drive, compared to a few weeks ago, there is still some way to go.

Seriously, what’s wrong with you people? It’s only the first week of Sept! This is the same manager that rallied the team to avoid dropping into the relegation zone last year. Do you really think he developed Alzheimer’s over the Summer and has suddenly forgotten how to manage a football team? I do agree there is something not quite right at Ralston. We have a decent crop of seasoned professionals. These guys certainly have the skills to achieve a level in the game that most, if not all, of us could only dream about in our younger years. But, something isn’t right. Confidence is a tricky thing to master and lack of it can destroy the most promising career. Players no longer like getting on the ball for fear of making a mistake. The result – they punt it up the park or panic when making the most basic pass. Sound familiar? Look at the players’ faces. They sometimes look like a deer caught in the headlights. Is it their fault? No, they need support to gain back that confidence. They don't need a kicking when they're down. We have our part to play in the success or failure of this club. That’s why we’re called “supporters”. We’re not called “detractors”! If you want to see improvements, then do your job and support the team. Enough of the negativity for God’s sake. Get off the manager’s back and let’s show a bit of patience for someone who obviously has the knowledge and motivation to succeed!

Simple truth is that footballers will not perform well if they lack confidence. Passes go astray. Phantom players are at the end of what would otherwise be perfect balls. Professional players do not get to this level, even in the Championship, without having personal drive and enthusiasm for the sport. So, it's unlikely the problem is laziness. Instead, there's something else impacting morale and performance. Could it be Rae is pushing too hard, to the point that there is real fear of making a mistake? Whatever the reason, something is not right in the heads of the players rather than their feet.

Maybe ok on any other bit of clothing -- but, a football strip? Really? At least it's the away kit. Sent from my SM-T815 using Black & White Army mobile app

Always good to take on Premiership opposition-- this is where we belong! Accies 2 St Mirren 4 Sent from my SM-T815 using Black & White Army mobile app