The Squad - Where's It Going Wrong And What Do We Need To Sort It?

[King Street Loon]

For me it’s become apparent that the squad is again in need of an overhaul.

Last summer we lost a number of players and with all the uncertainty surrounding the manager then I thought he did well recruitment wise. At least on paper it looked good.

Alexander left and was replaced by a competent keeper in Rogers, although we’ve not had an opportunity to see what he could do due to the good form of Joe Lewis.

Taylor left as he (was fed up of McInnes allegedly pumping his missus) fancied a change back and headed down south. He was replaced by Arnason much to the delight of several fans, but has he done enough since his arrival. Granted it took him a while to get back up to speed, but keeping him fit seems to be an issue and we’re not getting him in the team consistently and seeing the performances.

Jack left and was replaced by Tansey. Now I’ve been one of Jack’s harshest critics, but it’s been shown that we haven’t adequately replaced him. Tansey has been shite and has no landed up at County. We’re severely lacking in midfield as a result.

Hayes left and was replaced by GMs. Good bit of business we thought, but only if we could get a consistent GMS. What we have gotten and most expected is an inconsistent GMS. Yes there have been flashes of brilliance from him, but it’s been too few and far between for my liking. He also doesn’t offer the same protection to Consiquine as Hayes did. This has shown Considine up to be the donkey he truly is.

McGinn left and Stewart came in on loan. Much like GMS we all thought it would be a good bit of business considering his form for Dundee. But he has taken a loooong time to get up to speed and show any sort of form. There are flashes of it, but like GMS it’s been few and far between.

Stockley left and May came in and we all hoped for the form that he showed when at St Johnstone. Its nae really happened for him despite a bright start, and I’ve been left very disappointed by his contribution even before he got injured.

Pawlett left and his place in the squad was taken by Christie I suppose. Christie has performed solidly for us and I can’t really find any issue with his overall contribution to the team.

Ball and Maynard have come in as squad fillers/fatteners and have been a massive let down. Waste of a wage.

 

So what do we need?

Goalkeepers, no we’re ok there. More pressing issues in the team/squad.

 

For me we’re lacking defensively.

Logan, has no real competition for his place in the team. Has complacency become an issue?

Shinnie, is constantly played in midfield, where I feel that whilst he has the tenacity, he lacks the discipline for the role and is always a yellow card waiting to happen and when that does it inhibits his game.

Considine, he has reverted to type. Back to the donkey we’ve always know he was. Shinnie was supposed to be his replacement, but because of deficiencies elsewhere in the squad we have to suffer Considine at left back.

O’Connor, has been another disappointment. For me he should merely be a squad member and should not be starting the first team week in week out. Won’t shed a tear if he left in the summer.

Reynolds, he’s gone massively off the boil. From the reliable left hand man to Anderson, he’s now become a liability which is a shame, but he’s another one who should maybe moved on. Good backup to the first team, but no more than that.

Arnason, I touched on earlier that we’ve not seen the best of him due to inconsistent run of games and injury. Still our most competent Centre half for me when fit.

McKenna, he has been a great success this season. Got given a chance after the league cup disaster and has not let go of the shirt. Is now for me a fist choice.

Ball, well he’s been a waste of a wage. Hasn’t really impressed or had the chance to since he arrived. This move has been a waste of everyone’s time.

Harvie, well he hasn’t been given a chance. Is he ready, we’ll never find out if we don’t give him a try? If we must keep Shinnie in midfield then give Harvie a shot at left back.

 

We’re also lacking in midfield.

We lack a bit of bite now and have never addressed the loss of Robson and Flood. When McInnes came in he recognised that midfield was an issue and he addressed that. He really needs to address it again.

Shinnie, as I touched on with regards to him in the defensive analysis. Our failure to recruit properly in midfield is detrimental to him and the team.

McLean made it clear that he was offski and he’s been much and such the same as he always has been. Nae terrible and nae great.

Tansey, he has been murder and perhaps this supposed step in level and quality has been too much for him.

Christie, has as usual been one of our better performers. It’s always nice to develop players for Celtic…

Stewart, has been inconsistent. And we’ve suffered down the right hand side as a result. Hopefully McGinn will get up to speed quickly and take his role out wide.

GMS, again he’s been inconsistent, but he’s not really being challenged for his place in the team as Wright hasn’t pushed on this season.

Wright. As mentioned above he’s not pushed on from his brilliant end to last season. When given the opportunity this season he’s not done enough.

 

We’re also misfiring up front.

Rooney seems to be a yard slower than he used to be and he was slow before. I thought his poor showings were due to the poor service he was getting from wide, but perhaps his time is up and he’s maybe becoming no more than a sub for us.

May, I’ve been disappointed in. Lots of running but no real end product. Injuries seem to be hampering him. Will he be the player he was? I’ve my doubts.

Maynard, well Nicky no goals is just pish. And much like Ball this move has been a waste of everyone’s time.

 

So who stays and who goes.

For me, stays – Lewis, Logan, Arnason, McKenna, Shinnie, Wright, May, GMS, Stewart (if we can make it permanent), Christie (if we can make it permanent), McGinn

The maybe’s/backup – Reynolds, Considine, Rogers, Harvie, F Ross, Nwakali (haven’t seen anything to say keep him if possible), Rooney

The GTF – Maynard, Ball, AOC, Tansey

 

This was a bit long winded, but thought it’d be a good starter for discussion on where the squad is and what’s required.

[King Street Loon]

Manager.

 

Close.

[Foster14]

Get Stewart to fuck.

[Bamber]

We lack pace

 

We lack a presence in the centre of defence and midfield

 

We are weak defensively on our flanks

 

We have a strong squad we have a weak first choice 11

[Panda]

Get Shinnie to left back, sign a midfielder and striker. I have faith that May, Stewart and Arnason will show more in the second half of the season.

[zander]

A manager and squad that don't shit themselves as soon as they pass Stirling.

[Byrne Baby Byrne]

We badly need to look at the middle of the park in the summer. - if not sooner. Need to replace McLean and Christie. Need to get Shinnie back to left back or if not, buy as good a left back.

 

It's time to roll out the infamous "fit Barry Robson type midfielder" line that I once mocked FnD for!!

[Stoneybloke]

Nothing is wrong. It's just reverting to the natural order of things in Scottish Football. Expecting anything else is just wishful thinking.

[dj_bollocks]

Get a manager that's going to hoof these girls up and down the park.

 

It's clear the one we have is a bit soft...

[shooftahmooftah]

A board that will spend and knows what they are doing. A chairman who has the guts to tell the manager shape up or ship out. A manager who signs the right players. A team who don't bottle it against the old firm. Then last a new stadium and training facilities . Also all the above stop talking the talk and start fkng walking the walk. Signed. Pissed off big time.

[Dynamo]

We will essentially need a new team once the loan deals end, McKenna likely moves in the summer and the dead wood is cleared out.

 

Who are we left with as starters?

 

Lewis

Shinnie

Logan

May

McGinn

 

Surplus to requirements but will still be here:

 

Tansey

Considine

Rooney

Reynolds

[Old manny]

Nothing is wrong. It's just reverting to the natural order of things in Scottish Football. Expecting anything else is just wishful thinking.

Alex Ferguson blew that type of negativity clean out of the water. He proved conclusively that there was no such thing as a "natural order of things in Scottish Football" and that positivity, character, ambition, drive and motivation could achieve anything despite a lack of monetary resources.

[Dal Riata Don]

Just finished watching the Sevco game on RedTV: Here's the problem; the players don't know/haven't been coached how to make opportunities for each other to get into open space and receive a decent pass anywhere in the final third.

 

This was starkly apparent in yesterdays game and when we face better sides. The players don't seem to be able to judge what is relevant to the here and now of play and what isn't i.e. should I go over and get involved or shouldn't I.

 

Against weaker sides this is less of a problem but so many times in the Sevco game did we have possession but no where to put it.

 

This is also the reason why Christie always looks like our best player - he seldom passes but just runs straight at the oppo defense - when he can't do that [last night] he's no better than all the rest.

 

Another thing that needs to be looked at is our distribution from defense - it's pish; shots are either over-hit: McKenna/ Arnason or played at a snails pace Considine so we fail at the long-ball game as well.

[The Oxford Don]

Nothing is wrong. It's just reverting to the natural order of things in Scottish Football. Expecting anything else is just wishful thinking.

 

Biggest load of shite posted to the forum in quite some time (and that's saying something).

 

We desperately need a strong, ball-winning central midfielder (which allows Shinnie to move back to LB), and a ball-playing centre-half as our distribution from the back is terrible (as Dal Riata says). We could also, and this is wishlist territory, do with a quick, skillful forward who can hold the ball up and also convert chances. Assuming that we don't need McGinn in the wide areas, perhaps he could do this role for us.

 

It was painful last night watching the ball fail to 'stick' up top once we cleared it.

[Dynamo]

 

Biggest load of shite posted to the forum in quite some time (and that's saying something).

 

We desperately need a strong, ball-winning central midfielder (which allows Shinnie to move back to LB), and a ball-playing centre-half as our distribution from the back is terrible (as Dal Riata says). We could also, and this is wishlist territory, do with a quick, skillful forward who can hold the ball up and also convert chances. Assuming that we don't need McGinn in the wide areas, perhaps he could do this role for us.

 

It was painful last night watching the ball fail to 'stick' up top once we cleared it.

 

Don't feed the troll.

[Mr John]

A manager and squad that don't shit themselves as soon as they pass Stirling.

 

Why are they eating Stirling?

 

Midfielder, left back, atomic bomb Glasgow. Fixed.

[Mr John]

Alex Ferguson blew that type of negativity clean out of the water. He proved conclusively that there was no such thing as a "natural order of things in Scottish Football" and that positivity, character, ambition, drive and motivation could achieve anything despite a lack of monetary resources.

 

...in the late 70s.

 

These days it's all about the money, honey.

[CalgaryDon]

Get rid of O'Connor and Maynard.

 

Keep Tansey, Reynolds and Considine as backup - good players to have on the bench (compared to outside of Celtic).

 

Don't sell McKenna. Sign Devlin (an improvement on Arnason). Could potentially be the future Scotland CB partnership.

 

Move Shinnie to left back.

 

Hopefully this Nigerian lad is as good as he potentially could be. Jack would therefore be replaced.

 

I'd like us to sign Dylan McGeough as the replacement for McLean.

 

I'd personally still like to see us TRY sign both Chrisite and Stewart (folk seem to think some sort of fee has been agreed in the past) - obviously its probably out of our financial reach.

 

Not sure about Chris Cadden.

 

Get Stevie May fit.

 

Get training facilities and Stadium approved and built.

[minijc]

Team of wimps, slow heartless wimps that are the perfect example of flat track bullies that shit themselves against our two main rivals and Hamilton because "we can't play on their pitch".

[Old manny]

 

 

 

These days it's all about the money, honey.

Leicester City proved recently that it is not "all about the money" sonny.

[minijc]

Leicester City proved recently that it is not "all about the money" sonny.

Of course, their players were playing for free.

[robbojunior]

Get Shinnie to left back, sign a midfielder and striker. I have faith that May, Stewart and Arnason will show more in the second half of the season.

 

This is pretty much the succinct solution.

 

We can do other things to improve further, but the above solves the major problems.

[Old manny]

Of course, their players were playing for free.

 

They were on a lot less then the players from Man U, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool et al. So all in all it was nae a bad effort and another example which proves there is no such thing as a natural order in fitba.

[V for Vendetta]

I'm starting to realise that part of the problem is that the club and manager have over rated some of our players based on a period when there was little strong competition. When Hearts, Hibs and Sevco were gone or struggling our team looked good and players were handed contract renewals and probably good wages.

 

Now we are competing with much stronger opposition, particularly Sevco who are steadily sorting things out on the field (if not off it). As a result I fear we have a squad of players some of whom may just be getting paid beyond their actual ability.

 

To put it another way, some of these players are getting found out big time now that there is real competition. The players who can only do it against Killie, Hamilton or Ross County or whatever aren't good enough for us and are being paid too much and have far to comfortable a time.

 

Unfortunately McInnes is loyal to this group and will take fucking eons to realise some of them need to be replaced urgently.

 

Add to that the manager has also had it easy up to know and again he is also being found out in crunch areas - tactics, team selection and mental preparation.

[1903Fitba]

Full backs

Midfield

Striker

Manager with a brain

Chairman with balls

 

Not much

[Stoneybloke]

 

They were on a lot less then the players from Man U, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool et al. So all in all it was nae a bad effort and another example which proves there is no such thing as a natural order in fitba.

So you are denying the dominance of Celtic and Rangers in Scottish Football for well over a century. When was history rewritten?

[old sheep]

You are obviously too young to remember when the New Firm dominated Scottish football! I think the broader point old manny is making is that just because you have less resources doesn't mean you can't put up a fight against the Tims/Sevco. I imagine we must be about bottom of the Spfl table for points gained against these two this season. For a team lying joint second that is a disgrace.

[Ke1t]

We need grown ups in the team.

 

We have one potential leader on the field in the shape of Shinnie, and that's your lot. There's no more fight in our team than there was Calderwood's legendary Shitbag XI, when we had guys like Duff, Kerr, and McDonald spending 90 minutes avoiding tackles in midfield, Aluko sulking over on the left trying to engineer a move home... to the Huns... and Tricky Ricky Foster... well, fuck knows what he was being paid for.

 

Watching this team pish themselves any time the Huns came forward, shiting it in tackles, and making the bare minimum of an effort just to get the fuck out of Glasgow without a serious hiding, and making no real attempt to cross the half way line aside from immediately after the goals... it was like watching Calderwood's gutless wonders all over again.

 

The current team has way more ability than Calderwood's shit, and that's allowing them to beat the shite teams reasonably easily, but when it comes to the old firm the almost complete lack of testosterone in the side exposes the real character of this side. Happy to bully the pish sides, terrified when it comes to the 'big' teams.

 

Fucking disgusted at the awe Aberdeen treats those cunts in Glasgow with.

[Old manny]

So you are denying the dominance of Celtic and Rangers in Scottish Football for well over a century. When was history rewritten?

No, I am simply pointing out the fact that Aberdeen dominated the Scottish game between 1979 and 1986 which counters your assertion that there is a natural order in Scottish football. If you knew anything about history you would know that it is constantly being revised and rewritten. If there was such a thing as a natural order in the game then the Dons would not have won the Cup Winners Cup, Leicester City would not have won the Premiership and Greece would not have won the Euros as the natural order theory does not allow for anomalies. Unless, of course, you believe in Virgin Births and all that nonsense.

[RUL]

The simple fact in the 80s clubs held all the cards. Aberdeen and Dundee utd could retain the best players plus had similar resources to sign good players.

 

Murray changed the huns and Mccann celtic. Celtic signed our best player last season and put him on the bench. This is not the 1980s and football has changed completely.

 

Our best hope is to recruit good experienced spl players and bring through young players and give them time to be good. Hearts are trusting their youngsters with impressive results. Our similar aged players who have been picking up great results get token 6 minutes here or there. This is our biggest failure under mcinnes. Amy youngster who has a poor game, Wright, is dumped in favour of experienced players. We have to be braver with the youngsters.