Creating A Strong Backbone ......

[bluto]

Change your picture immediately,i do not wish to be reminded of the fact that we are governed by rich public schoolboys ,or reminded of the systematic rape of my countries women nor the forcible eviction of my people from their own lands.If you are so proud of the union jack there are season tickets still available at ibrox,c**t

Bollox, of course.

Unless you are a Shellic fan.

[saints0]

Bollox, of course.

Unless you are a Shellic fan.

Oh really !! what part of my post is factually incorrect ? Will happily stand corrected if you enlighten me

[RickMcD]

Oh really !! what part of my post is factually incorrect ? Will happily stand corrected if you enlighten me

Your post was unintelligible shite.

[faraway saint]

All of your posts are unintelligible shite.

That's better.

Edited June 8, 2014 by faraway saint

[DLBud]

How many mistakes did Cheesy make last season that directly resulted in a goal against? And which matches?

I'm thinking at least 10 the way he gets vilified on here.

Look mate, you can defend him all you like but there's never smoke without fire. Over the years I've watched Saints there have been too many players to mention that have been singled out by fans, some fairly, some not IMO. The reality is the starting point for any criticism generally comes from a low level of play, lack of effort or both.

McAusland is maddeningly inconsistent and just does not dominate physically. I just don't see him as the answer as the starting CB but I don't agree with your assertion that he's vilified by our support.

[TopCat]

Look mate, you can defend him all you like but there's never smoke without fire. Over the years I've watched Saints there have been too many players to mention that have been singled out by fans, some fairly, some not IMO. The reality is the starting point for any criticism generally comes from a low level of play, lack of effort or both.

McAusland is maddeningly inconsistent and just does not dominate physically. I just don't see him as the answer as the starting CB but I don't agree with your assertion that he's vilified by our support.

I'm asking for instances which a mistake by him directly cost us a goal last season. I'm sure the forum have plenty of examples to share so.... ?

[scrappy coco]

I'm asking for instances which a mistake by him directly cost us a goal last season. I'm sure the forum have plenty of examples to share so.... ?

Aberdeen away, killie away, dun utd away x2, theres 4 off the top of my head.

Edited June 8, 2014 by scrappy coco

[faraway saint]

Aberdeen away, killie away, dun utd away x2, theres 4 off the top of my head.

Aye, but apart from them.....................................

[beyond our ken]

I think we have a strong back bone already:

Kello

Cheesy

Goodwin

McGinn

Thompson

How many hundred top flight appearances they have the old yins have between them? Them and meatball make for a back bone that every other bottom 6 team would love to have.

Throw in Wylde who's my prediction for a break out big season next term, our young full backs going into their first full season and a few more selected signings and I think we're in for a fantastic season ahead.

I don't think I've been as optimistic at this stage of a preseason since 2006, can't wait

so we are categorised as a bottom 6 club now? many would say DL had to go because we couldn't shake that off. Excuses are being made in advance for Mr Craig and his henchmen i think

anyay, that so-called backbone has many flaws

McAusland has to up his concentration and consistency

Thomson may not be played so much this season

McGinn may well be gone.

Goodwin needs to improve his discipline and is still going to be a target for other teams trying to get him sent off

maybe the excitement you feel is the kind that has you sitting on the toilet a lot

[beyond our ken]

the backbone theor is a bit misleading. yes, every team that has success will have these positions well covered, but that implies you can get away with lower quality in the wings. your "backbone" can be as strong as you want, but if you don have good width then your defence is under constant pressure and your centre forward is chasing the game all day

Edited June 8, 2014 by beyond our ken

[TopCat]

Aberdeen away, killie away, dun utd away x2, theres 4 off the top of my head.

Killie away I assume you mean the 2nd goal in the 2-1 defeat? Harkins gave it away, a long ball is punted up, Killie player misses a header and it bounces off McAusland before being passed through to an offside looking Boyd. Directly his fault? Harsh.

Aberdeen away was a mix up between him and Kello. He seems to get a shout from the keeper and leaves it, both to blame there IMO, although he did have a bad game that day.

We conceded 9 goals at Tannadice this season, having just watched all 9 I can only see the 2nd in the 3-2 game where he could be directly faulted? He cleared a cross and it went right to Armstrong. What other goal you thinking of?

[DLBud]

Aberdeen away, killie away, dun utd away x2, theres 4 off the top of my head.

^^^^^^^^^

This.

Both games at Rugby Park this year McAusland made Kris Boyd look like Zlatan simply because he couldn't match up physically IMO.

[TopCat]

so we are categorised as a bottom 6 club now? many would say DL had to go because we couldn't shake that off. Excuses are being made in advance for Mr Craig and his henchmen i think

anyay, that so-called backbone has many flaws

McAusland has to up his concentration and consistency

Thomson may not be played so much this season

McGinn may well be gone.

Goodwin needs to improve his discipline and is still going to be a target for other teams trying to get him sent off

maybe the excitement you feel is the kind that has you sitting on the toilet a lot

Not really following you here. Where did I categorise us as a bottom 6 club? I've already predicted we will finish in the top 6 this season.

I remember when Thommo signed for us there were people on here and other sites saying he was over the hill. 3 consecutive 15 goal + seasons and a national title later, I'm still hearing it. Thommo is our captain and if fit I expect he will start every game next season.

I believe Goodwin has had 1 red card in his time here, and that was over turned on appeal. Surprised even St Mirren fans are buying into the media witch hunt about his discipline. In the last 2 months of the season he was utterly immense in the middle of the park, fans of other clubs said the same thing too.

If McAusland keeps our defence as the 7th best in the country - as it was last year - then I'll be happy enough.

McGinn may be gone, or may not be gone. If he is we will be in the money and should be able to find a decent replacement with it. If he's not we will have one of the top young players in the country a year wiser and a year more experienced.

[TopCat]

^^^^^^^^^

This.

Both games at Rugby Park this year McAusland made Kris Boyd look like Zlatan simply because he couldn't match up physically IMO.

Well Boyd is the best striker in the country, he scored 22 goals for a team that finished below us last season.

Every defender in the league had problems with Boyd last year, McAusland included.

[Drew]

^^^^^^^^^

This.

Both games at Rugby Park this year McAusland made Kris Boyd look like Zlatan simply because he couldn't match up physically IMO.

In fairness, I thought McGregor had a poorer game through there post-split.

I think McAusland does perhaps get fair bit of stick from our support, but I think that is balanced out by many cutting him some slack as he is a Saints fan, and always gives his all. I'm not sure that his all is quite enough, though, but do believe he is a confidence player who would benefit greately from a strong, no-nonsense centre-half at his side. I have no problem with him remaining at the club, but we need decent competition at the very least in his position.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Drew

[scrappy coco]

Killie away I assume you mean the 2nd goal in the 2-1 defeat? Harkins gave it away, a long ball is punted up, Killie player misses a header and it bounces off McAusland before being passed through to an offside looking Boyd. Directly his fault? Harsh.

Aberdeen away was a mix up between him and Kello. He seems to get a shout from the keeper and leaves it, both to blame there IMO, although he did have a bad game that day.

We conceded 9 goals at Tannadice this season, having just watched all 9 I can only see the 2nd in the 3-2 game where he could be directly faulted? He cleared a cross and it went right to Armstrong. What other goal you thinking of?

The thrid goal in the same game, he has 5 yards on Dow, so what does he do,

make a tackle? no, usher him out wide? no, or even foul him outside the box? no,

he allows Dow to stroll past him effortless, while hoping kelly can make up 3 yards

to make a tackle, SHOT, FUMBLE, GOAL, = bad defending....

[DLBud]

Well Boyd is the best striker in the country, he scored 22 goals for a team that finished below us last season.

Every defender in the league had problems with Boyd last year, McAusland included.

You can spin this any way you like but no amount of passionate defence or re watching of old clips is going to change what is evident to a great many people and that is that Mark is simply not good enough at this level.

He doesn't need to directly cause goals for me to think that. Lee Mair was another classic example of someone who's frequent undisciplined approach to defending had an impact on those around him.

Maybe Drew is correct and he'd benefit from a robust centre back beside him but I'd rather have Darren in that role if I'm honest.

[TopCat]

The thrid goal in the same game, he has 5 yards on Dow, so what does he do,

make a tackle? no, usher him out wide? no, or even foul him outside the box? no,

he allows Dow to stroll past him effortless, while hoping kelly can make up 3 yards

to make a tackle, SHOT, FUMBLE, GOAL, = bad defending....

The third goal was quite clearly Kello's fault.

[TopCat]

You can spin this any way you like but no amount of passionate defence or re watching of old clips is going to change what is evident to a great many people and that is that Mark is simply not good enough at this level.

.

And I think a great many people - including Danny Lennon and seemingly Tommy Craig - think he is good enough for this level.

[DLBud]

And I think a great many people - including Danny Lennon and seemingly Tommy Craig - think he is good enough for this level.

Sure, and nepotism and lack of budget don't come into it at all.

[whydowebother]

.

Edited June 8, 2014 by whydowebother

[Kendo]

Who in our budget would do a better job than Cheesy. I expect a long list from the cheesy ain't good enough at this level brigade.

[DLBud]

Who in our budget would do a better job than Cheesy. I expect a long list from the cheesy ain't good enough at this level brigade.

Kendo, I'm not sure if you're being serious or not but if you are then consider this. McAusland's been a mainstay of a team that has perennially flirted with relegation and continually loses soft sloppy goals. If we're really serious about changing the mindset at the club then you could argue that he has been part of the problem and we should look for a better option.

We also don't score a lot of goals but over the last few seasons we've moved on most of the midfielders and strikers who've been involved in that with the exception of Thomson, whose contribution exempts hims from most criticism IMO.

McAusland has had a good run but has never established himself as a really viable option at centre back IMO.

As far as who's better within our budget? I'm not sure as I don't know who's available and I don't know how much we want to spend on a centre back. I'd suggest we allocate a decent amount to this though and go out and get ourselves a real leader who would dominate forwards physically and inspire others around him, bearing in mind we've got two kids playing at full back again next year.

McAusland is a local boy and a fan and for those reasons every Saints fan probably wishes he was the answer but he's just not and if we genuinely have aspirations about replicating the recent successes of the likes of St Johnstone and ICT then strengthening at the back must be a priority.

Edited June 8, 2014 by DLBud

[pod]

Kendo, I'm not sure if you're being serious or not but if you are then consider this. McAusland's been a mainstay of a team that has perennially flirted with relegation and continually loses soft sloppy goals. If we're really serious about changing the mindset at the club then you could argue that he has been part of the problem and we should look for a better option.

We also don't score a lot of goals but over the last few seasons we've moved on most of the midfielders and strikers who've been involved in that with the exception of Thomson, whose contribution exempts hims from most criticism IMO.

McAusland has had a good run but has never established himself as a really viable option at centre back IMO.

As far as who's better within our budget? I'm not sure as I don't know who's available and I don't know how much we want to spend on a centre back. I'd suggest we allocate a decent amount to this though and go out and get ourselves a real leader who would dominate forwards physically and inspire others around him, bearing in mind we've got two kids playing at full back again next year.

McAusland is a local boy and a fan and for those reasons every Saints fan probably wishes he was the answer but he's just not and if we genuinely have aspirations about replicating the recent successes of the likes of St Johnstone and ICT then strengthening at the back must be a priority.

Ferguson.....Now look at the players I have actually put forward, i’ve always said, the best form of defense is attack. Could that be the best midfield ever, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Cantona and Beckham, with Ruud Van Nistelroy and Cristiano Ronaldo up front. Unstoppable?

He also quoted " the best for of defence is attack" while at Love Street.

So there's your answer, flood the midfield and get a couple of more strikers.

[buddie172]

Sure, and nepotism and lack of budget don't come into it at all.

Lack of budget certainly doesn't, he's on a very very good wage at the club - although I wouldn't be surprised if a percentage was coming straight from his old man.