Speculation Thread

[magnus 3,080]

7 minutes ago, Kemp said:

Erahon certainly should, we have enough central midfielders it is safe to say he won't get a game there.

Couldn't say as I have never seen Ethan play centre mid. How good is he at centre mid? He has top flight experience and handles the pressure well even though left back is not his position. 

[Kemp 5,553]

32 minutes ago, magnus said:

Couldn't say as I have never seen Ethan play centre mid. How good is he at centre mid? He has top flight experience and handles the pressure well even though left back is not his position. 

He is a bit of a bombscare as a full back to be honest. He has played centre mid for the U21s, and played there for Scotland. He seems very intelligent on the ball, not particularly great at winning it back from the full back position. 6 months or a season playing centre mid somewhere like Alloa would do him a power of good Im sure.

[Sweeper07 4,306]

19 hours ago, div said:

Absolutely no chance of us adding another four players.

McAllister and our new Left Back will take the squad to 21.

At an absolute push I could see one more, but we won't sign another Centre Half IMO.

We've got Baird, MacKenzie, McLoughlin and Nick McAllister who can play there.

Only time will tell.. but if we go with such a small squad and so many youngsters - its either bold and brave or highly risky... and a strategy than no other Premiership team goes with... all will have more in their squads...

Given that Cooke is out for most of the season, Kellerman is out yet again and does not have a great record of keeping fit, and Gary Mac with his history, it is not so far fetched that we will need to bring in someone as an emergency loan if injuries and suspensions kick in...

Possible scenario, Gary MacK is injured, McLoughlin gets a straight 2 match ban - so do we play Baird and McAlister at CB or Paul McGinn and put in MacPherson at RB? It might be okay for a couple of matches -though depends on who we are playing against - if it means losing to a team we should be beating etc...

If the scenario is worse than that it would be even more serious . . .

Edited August 9, 2019 by Sweeper07

[Isle Of Bute Saint 9,963]

41 minutes ago, magnus said:

Couldn't say as I have never seen Ethan play centre mid. How good is he at centre mid? He has top flight experience and handles the pressure well even though left back is not his position. 

He is young so always getting a dig. He did a good job in the most part at left back considering it's not his natural position.  He was picked over pop-muzik on a few occasions.  Would like to see him in his natural position also. Baird another good player who the boooo boys like to have a dig at. Glad I dont sit in the west bank you dont hear so much abuse at players there. 

[magnus 3,080]

18 minutes ago, Sweeper07 said:

Only time will tell.. but if we go with such a small squad and so many youngsters - its either bold and brave or highly risky... and a strategy than no other Premiership team goes with... all will have more in their squads...

Given that Cooke is out for most of the season, Kellerman is out yet again and does not have a great record of keeping fit, and Gary Mac with his history, it is not so far fetched that we will need to bring in someone as an emergency loan if injuries and suspensions kick in...

Possible scenario, Gary MacK is injured, McLoughlin gets a straight 2 match ban - so do we play Baird and McAlister at CB or Paul McGinn and put in MacPherson at LB? It might be okay for a couple of matches -though depends on who we are playing against - if it means losing to a team we should be beating etc...

If the scenario is worse than that it would be even more serious . . .

Numerically it looks like we have plenty players that can play centre half but like you I would feel a lot better about this season with another really solid experienced centre half. Same with a proven centre forward. We have a great goalie, several very good midfielders. Good right back, Waters would mean we have a good left back. We look to have two great wingers (if Kyle signs) Just a couple of key men short - albeit two of the most difficult positions to fill.

[Lord Pityme 6,723]

1 hour ago, Kemp said:

Cammy Breadner is surely considered part of the first team squad now too.

Ih he uses his loaf and rolls with it, he could be in the dough, and the best thing since sliced Breadner?

[oaksoft 14,124]

If we get a good LB and another winger (KM?) and can get a proven striker somehow, I think we are good to go.

We need to able to offer a chance to a couple of our younger academy players otherwise we might as well shut the thing down.

I think we will be in a very good position going forwards.

[faraway saint 33,000]

2 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

If we get a good LB and another winger (KM?) and can get a proven striker somehow, I think we are good to go.

We need to able to offer a chance to a couple of our younger academy players otherwise we might as well shut the thing down.

I think we will be in a very good position going forwards.

This is looking like our major problem right now. 

[Sonny 9,414]

1 hour ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

He is young so always getting a dig. He did a good job in the most part at left back considering it's not his natural position.  He was picked over pop-muzik on a few occasions.  Would like to see him in his natural position also. Baird another good player who the boooo boys like to have a dig at. Glad I dont sit in the west bank you dont hear so much abuse at players there. 

Interesting. Could you name the games where Ethan was picked before before Popescu or Muzek (considering Mihai started every single game after joining the team and there was only 1 League game when Muzek did not start after getting his debut)?

[mattman 1,432]

3 hours ago, windae cleaner said:

We don't have good enough forwards in the youths

Other areas we can get away with

We will need another forward to come in

I don't think we have brought through a forward since Basher and McGarry

Think it might have been young Thierry John Baird, although he never had as much impact as basher or Mcgarry

Edited August 8, 2019 by mattman

[Wilbur 2,923]

3 minutes ago, mattman said:

Think it might have been young Thierry John Baird, although he never had as much impact as basher or Mcgarry

I don't think John Baird came through our academy system. IIRC he was a free transfer from Clyde.

[mattman 1,432]

1 minute ago, Wilbur said:

I don't think John Baird came through our academy system. IIRC he was a free transfer from Clyde.

You’re right, I’d always assumed he did as well 🙈

[Isle Of Bute Saint 9,963]

7 minutes ago, Sonny said:

Interesting. Could you name the games where Ethan was picked before before Popescu or Muzek (considering Mihai started every single game after joining the team and there was only 1 League game when Muzek did not start after getting his debut)?

Not popescu never wrote that. Was Muzik not on the bench a few times ? 

[kevo_smfc 1,886]

12 minutes ago, mattman said:

Think it might have been young Thierry John Baird, although he never had as much impact as basher or Mcgarry

Jon McShane. Major disappointment.

[Stu 3,444]

David McKenna was a reasonable lower league striker after leaving us. Think the problem for him and Baird was promotion came at the wrong time for them - had we stayed in the first division a bit longer they'd maybe have got more game time.

I think Basher, McGarry, McKenna and Reilly are the only strikers to come through our youth set-up to have scored for the first team since the turn of the century, which is pretty poor considering we've produced decent players in every other position. And of that four Basher was in his mid twenties when he came back and Reilly has ended up in midfield.

[MenstrieSaint 1,095]

Bashers strike rate in the Premier league playing for St Mirren is exceptional

 

[Mainstand Sweary Mob 107]

Absolutely no chance of us adding another four players.
McAllister and our new Left Back will take the squad to 21.
At an absolute push I could see one more, but we won't sign another Centre Half IMO.
We've got Baird, MacKenzie, McLoughlin and Nick McAllister who can play there.

Surly we need more options more up front? With greg tansey going, did that not free a wage for someone who isn't a midfielder?

[aldo_j 2,175]

1 hour ago, MenstrieSaint said:

Bashers strike rate in the Premier league playing for St Mirren is exceptional

 

0 goals in 0 games I think. Suppose you could argue it’s 100%...

[Dan Is The Man 741]

Ridiculous to think we’re going into this season with just Baird, McLoughlin and MacKenzie as our centre half’s. Nobody had heard of Mcallister until a couple of weeks ago. Gary Mac is injury prone and McLoughlin is only here for 6 months. Another centre half is needed more than a striker now that Cooke isn’t as bad as first feared.

[Prague Buddie 401]

19 minutes ago, aldo_j said:

0 goals in 0 games I think. Suppose you could argue it’s 100%...

Played 1, scored 2 actually. 

On his debut. Last game of the season when we got relegated. 

3-1 v The pars. 

Other goalscorer in the game was Stickroth. 

[pod 7,692]

34 minutes ago, Dan Is The Man said:

Ridiculous to think we’re going into this season with just Baird, McLoughlin and MacKenzie as our centre half’s. Nobody had heard of Mcallister until a couple of weeks ago. Gary Mac is injury prone and McLoughlin is only here for 6 months. Another centre half is needed more than a striker now that Cooke isn’t as bad as first feared.

None of us have ever heard of McLoughlin until a couple of weeks ago. 

[div 13,525]

56 minutes ago, Dan Is The Man said:

Ridiculous to think we’re going into this season with just Baird, McLoughlin and MacKenzie as our centre half’s. Nobody had heard of Mcallister until a couple of weeks ago. Gary Mac is injury prone and McLoughlin is only here for 6 months. Another centre half is needed more than a striker now that Cooke isn’t as bad as first feared.

McLoughlin is here for an initial six month spell. I'd guess if he's a success then it shouldn't be too difficult to have that extended to the end of the season.

If it doesn't work out, or he returns to Hull in January, we have another window in which to replace him.

Need to remember the budget we are working with here. A team like us can't afford to carry five central defenders in the first team squad. We have four options for two positions, and at a push five as Paul McGinn could also play there. I daresay the development team must also have some central defenders?

We're only going to have one left back and yet we're worrying about only having four central defenders?

[rabuddies 1,432]

I think people have to realise that in implementing the Manager's plan and signing a better quality of player that it must have an effect on the playing budget.  Expecting to sign another 4 or 5 players is a nice thought but I have to agree with Div and another two, possibly three is the most we can expect.  We have to put some faith in our younger players otherwise they'll never progress.  We've never been afraid of it in the past, why are so many talking it down now.

There is a picture of Fergies Furies on another thread.  There's 14 of them - does anybody think we had another 10 in the first team squad in those days?

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by rabuddies
Fergies Furies

[div 13,525]

It's also pretty clear that Jim (and the board) are embarking on a building strategy here.

Foley, Durmus, Obika and McAllister all on 2 year deals is a signal of intent.

It will take us a while, but the hope has to be that over the next 2-3 transfer windows we can get away from the endless cycle of mass change that we've been in ever since the famous transfer window of Jan 2016.

Bringing in good players though comes at a price.

I'd expect those four to all to be on good wages given where they have come from. 

Even the lower reaches of the English leagues pay significantly more than we do.

So, spend what limited budget we do have on a smaller more manageable squad, but with decent quality.

Use the quality players to help bring on the academy kids, and hopefully those same quality players will also help establish ourselves in the top flight where year on year we can get incrementally stronger.

We're obviously not talking international class players here, but it's a step change from the V9 and non-league model that nearly killed us last Summer.

[linwood buddie 3,242]

1 minute ago, div said:

It's also pretty clear that Jim (and the board) are embarking on a building strategy here.

Foley, Durmus, Obika and McAllister all on 2 year deals is a signal of intent.

It will take us a while, but the hope has to be that over the next 2-3 transfer windows we can get away from the endless cycle of mass change that we've been in ever since the famous transfer window of Jan 2016.

Bringing in good players though comes at a price.

I'd expect those four to all to be on good wages given where they have come from. 

Even the lower reaches of the English leagues pay significantly more than we do.

So, spend what limited budget we do have on a smaller more manageable squad, but with decent quality.

Use the quality players to help bring on the academy kids, and hopefully those same quality players will also help establish ourselves in the top flight where year on year we can get incrementally stronger.

We're obviously not talking international class players here, but it's a step change from the V9 and non-league model that nearly killed us last Summer.

Has Kyle signed yet Div ,and not announced yet?