Have We Improved?

[Crossbow]

Moved by this topic in the latest rumours thread I though it might be nice to give it its own thread - personally I think we are generally better than we were under MM. However I remain very concerned that CB has huge blind spots with regard to width, fullbacks and creativity - it is all well and good saying we'll hire them when we can - the suggetion that there have been no available fullbacks for two consecutive transfer windows I find incredible.

 

We have had good runs and bad runs with CB but in terms of points gained we are still not really delivering much more than we did under MM. So whilst we are better - is it enough?

 

I'd hope for a top six finish this season (not that that in itself is a good enough performance) but fear we'll stall somewhere and drift to around 8th/9th. The performance of the "new" boys will be importnat ini the second half of the season and frankly just getting past QotS would be a big plus.

[K-9]

Slight improvement in line with increased budget. Still nowhere near enough improvement and two years on the same problems.

[vanderark14]

Slight improvement in line with increased budget. Still nowhere near enough improvement and two years on the same problems.

 

the improvements will not happen quickly. its a slow process. more numties will soon be off that wage bill like paton and langfield more wahes for more players of better quality - hopefully of course.

[StandFree1982]

Under McGhee we looked like we were going to concede 4 or 5 every game. So to answer your question, Yes.

[Coopy100]

Under McGhee we looked like we were going to concede 4 or 5 every game. So to answer your question, Yes.

Correct.

[Crossbow]

the improvements will not happen quickly. its a slow process. more numties will soon be off that wage bill like paton and langfield more wahes for more players of better quality - hopefully of course.

 

In terms of getting some dead wood off the list CB has done well - although we have also lost flair in the same process and it probably just about balances out for me.

 

We are a more solid outfit now but often dreadful going forward.

 

Whilst we remain only a few players away from a decent side, we have maddening unaddressed areas of weakness and in some of his decisions CB seems to be making use of the JC positional tombola.

[deco_1985]

I think, well hope, that Brown has tried to make us more stable through the middle of the park. and that has taken 2 windows to move high earners on, and bring in players. I would like to think he would have signed more if he could have. And if we had Pawlett, and Milsom fit it could have looked even more balanced. He has brought in Uchechi who might give us some creativity. It was always going to take time to sort us out after MM. I would be ok with finishing top six this season, and kicking on next season challenging for 2nd with the state the huns are in!

[Crossbow]

Under McGhee we looked like we were going to concede 4 or 5 every game. So to answer your question, Yes.

 

there were two... is it enough to make us a top 4 team which is I think a reasonable target for AFC?

[StandFree1982]

there were two... is it enough to make us a top 4 team which is I think a reasonable target for AFC?

There was far more than two.

[fine-n-dandy]

We have improved yes but then again we were fkn terrible, so not hard to improve on that.

 

Is it enough? No is it fk! we have a long way to go still.

[Crossbow]

There was far more than two.

 

Sorry, brevity might be the soul of wit but it also leads to misunderstanding - two questions in the title - not two goals - MM dons rarely stopped at letting just two in.

[MincePie]

Have we improved? Yes, we are harder to beat and generally look more solid. The price of this however is 0 creativity or flair.

 

Is it good enough? No, but it's a start.

[K-9]

the improvements will not happen quickly. its a slow process. more numties will soon be off that wage bill like paton and langfield more wahes for more players of better quality - hopefully of course.

Brown gave Langfield a new contract. In fact 16 (maybe more) of current first team squad signed contracts under Brown.

[RTYD]

Moved by this topic in the latest rumours thread I though it might be nice to give it its own thread - personally I think we are generally better than we were under MM. However I remain very concerned that CB has huge blind spots with regard to width, fullbacks and creativity - it is all well and good saying we'll hire them when we can - the suggetion that there have been no available fullbacks for two consecutive transfer windows I find incredible.

 

We have had good runs and bad runs with CB but in terms of points gained we are still not really delivering much more than we did under MM. So whilst we are better - is it enough?

 

I'd hope for a top six finish this season (not that that in itself is a good enough performance) but fear we'll stall somewhere and drift to around 8th/9th. The performance of the "new" boys will be importnat ini the second half of the season and frankly just getting past QotS would be a big plus.

 

I certainly think the pool of players is stronger, but my biggest concern is we are dull as shit to watch so don't expect improvements at the turnstiles.

[Tommy]

A lot of the football this season, like previous ones, has been pish.

 

Brown has come in, and, like Calderwood did, steadied the ship and had a few moments

but i really did hope for better this season.

[V for Vendetta]

Improved Yes.

 

Is it enough? Well that depends on what you mean by enough.

Its certainly not enough to say Brown has been a success yet. But probably enough to say it is worthwhile giving him a little longer to carry on.

[StandFree1982]

Sorry, brevity might be the soul of wit but it also leads to misunderstanding - two questions in the title - not two goals - MM dons rarely stopped at letting just two in.

My mistake.

 

Improved Yes

 

Good enough - It's getting there. I'd take losing 1 every 11 as a basis for the remainder of the season.

[Stoney]

Under McGhee we looked like we were going to concede 4 or 5 every game. So to answer your question, Yes.

 

 

Yeah but we didnt though apart from the 9-0 game we only lost 1 game by three or more goals.

 

We have some better players and a better keeper spine of the team looks better BUT balance is letting us down almost every other week and has lead to us playing some god awful football.

 

We have the makings of a good team but have gone 2 windows without looking at our key weaknesses

 

for that reason i think we are no better off than we were in may.

[StandFree1982]

Yeah but we didnt though apart from the 9-0 game we only lost 1 game by three or more goals.

 

We have some better players and a better keeper spine of the team looks better BUT balance is letting us down almost every other week and has lead to us playing some god awful football.

 

We have the makings of a good team but have gone 2 windows without looking at our key weaknesses

 

for that reason i think we are no better off than we were in may.

Other than the fact we are in the top 6, still in the Scottish cup and on a run of one defeat in 11...I can see your point.

[V for Vendetta]

Yeah but we didnt though apart from the 9-0 game we only lost 1 game by three or more goals.

 

We have some better players and a better keeper spine of the team looks better BUT balance is letting us down almost every other week and has lead to us playing some god awful football.

 

We have the makings of a good team but have gone 2 windows without looking at our key weaknesses

 

for that reason i think we are no better off than we were in may.

 

Your stats are boring and prove nothing.

 

The rest of your post is spot on however and I have no truck with that. :-)

[Stoney]

Just in reply to the myth we were getting beat 4 or 5 nil every week.

 

Seen a lot of talk 1 defeat in 11 - how many of those have been wins?

 

Until we start winning easy games at home i cant see how we have improved, we had some shocking draws before and around Christmas.

 

Time will tell if we have improved, although i have a bad feeling that top 6 is going to be mentioned a lot before the end of the season.

[muttonhumper]

Improved yes, I don't think we'd have got results at Tannadice and Ibrox under McGhee or even Brown about 12 months ago.

 

Usual disclaimer - this doesn't mean I think things are wonderful, just better.

 

 

C'mon min.

[King Street Loon]

Improved?

Yes to a degree, but still a lot of wok to do.

The personel has improved, but not always in the right position.

 

 

Is it enough?

It's a start, but time will tell if the ground work laid is what's needed.

It's baby steps just now.

We're harder to beat certainly.

[SkyeDon]

There is no doubt it is better but I would still like it to be considerably better. However, Brown seems to be (slowly) getting there and he definitely deserves the chance and time to try and fulfill potential. He's restored some pride, at least.

[StandFree1982]

Re Stoney and the 3/4 goals a game. I said we LOOKED like we were going to concede that every week, I never said we did. We were consistently conceding goals. I know you love your stats so here is his last 15 ish games: (the Hearts game wasn't McGhee...but Brown and Know didn't have time to influence it)

 

Sat 11 15:00 A Dundee United SPL L 1-3

Sat 18 15:00 A Motherwell SPL D 1-1

Wed 22 19:45 H Raith Rovers SLCP W 3-2

Sun 26 12:45 H Rangers SPL L 2-3

October

Sat 2 15:00 A Inverness CT SPL L 0-2

Sat 16 15:00 H Hearts SPL L 0-1

Sat 23 12:00 H Hibernian SPL W 4-2

Tue 26 19:45 H Falkirk SLCP W 2-1

Sat 30 15:00 A St Mirren SPL L 1-2

November

Sat 6 15:00 A Celtic SPL L 0-9

Tue 9 19:45 H Inverness CT SPL L 1-2

Sat 13 15:00 A Rangers SPL L 0-2

Sat 20 15:00 H St Johnstone SPL L 0-1

Sat 27 15:00 A Kilmarnock SPL L 0-2

December

Sat 11 15:00 A Hearts SPL L 0-5

 

We conceded a shocking 2.2 goals a game without the Hearts game alone. Add in the Hearts game, we conceded 2.5 goals a game.

[Stoney]

Re Stoney and the 3/4 goals a game. I said we LOOKED like we were going to concede that every week, I never said we did. We were consistently conceding goals. I know you love your stats so here is his last 15 ish games: (the Hearts game wasn't McGhee...but Brown and Know didn't have time to influence it)

 

Sat 11 15:00 A Dundee United SPL L 1-3

Sat 18 15:00 A Motherwell SPL D 1-1

Wed 22 19:45 H Raith Rovers SLCP W 3-2

Sun 26 12:45 H Rangers SPL L 2-3

October

Sat 2 15:00 A Inverness CT SPL L 0-2

Sat 16 15:00 H Hearts SPL L 0-1

Sat 23 12:00 H Hibernian SPL W 4-2

Tue 26 19:45 H Falkirk SLCP W 2-1

Sat 30 15:00 A St Mirren SPL L 1-2

November

Sat 6 15:00 A Celtic SPL L 0-9

Tue 9 19:45 H Inverness CT SPL L 1-2

Sat 13 15:00 A Rangers SPL L 0-2

Sat 20 15:00 H St Johnstone SPL L 0-1

Sat 27 15:00 A Kilmarnock SPL L 0-2

December

Sat 11 15:00 A Hearts SPL L 0-5

 

We conceded a shocking 2.2 goals a game without the Hearts game alone. Add in the Hearts game, we conceded 2.5 goals a game.

 

Wasnt good enough and was rightly sacked. But to suggest we were being hammered every week was not true.

[Mouse]

Forgot how awful McGhee's last run of games was

[Geoff_Tipps]

Of course we have improved just need to look at the league table to prove it.

 

Anyone who thinks we are no better than when we had McGhee needs their heeds checked.

 

Still a lot more required though.

[Foster14]

Have we improved?

 

Even in the season, we have. We are a stronger unit, and by in large we are defensively a lot stronger before and I'd say at the start of the game I have greater confidence in the team winning than any other point in the last 2 years almost.

 

Is it good enough?

 

Right now, it is just about scraping pass marks. I don't quite understand the logic behind some of Brown's more recent moves (if Reynolds wasn't brought in as centreback who would be used at left back when ever necessary, I don't quite understand it). I do share his view that we needed a few windows to properly sort the squad and I think the summer is the key one where he proves if he is up to the task of taking us to the next level. By that point, a handful of youth players apart, every squad member will be his own, so if it ain't more rounded, then I will be disappointed.

 

I understand why we are top heavy with strikers, as those that we had are just not good enough. Should Mackie and Magennis go, Paton hopefully be moved on and decisions to be made on Chalali/Uchechi, there needs to be some kind of focus on wide midfielders. Same with some central midfielders moving on (Folly, Osbourne and perhaps Fyvie) then full backs need to be sorted. I know some suggest that previous windows should have had this sorted, but I can also see the other side of the argument.

 

So in short, while I don't think the entertainment value is sufficient just now, I see it as steady progress. Room for considerable improvement yet.

[Geoff_Tipps]

Forgot to add, surely this must be our highest league position since the 2nd game of McGhee's 2nd season? Must add not that thats something to be proud of.