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Glad I posted that...

It's 17:45 kick off, so you could be in bed by 20:30.

I cannot accept the type of support fo nisbet. He’s a forward who is meant to create and score goals. He isn’t doing that. Week in and week out. Looks off the pace much of the time too. He doesn’t combine with our center mids or wide guys (if we even have those), that I don’t really know what he does. I don’t know where hibs played him, but if he’s more of a 10 who plays with another forward, then that’s on Thelin. Lazetic was poor today, but has been ok most of the season and is young, hasn’t been a main 9 for a team as far as I know. Nisbet is an experienced pro. Working hard isn’t enough for me. football is mainly about two things. Not giving away goals, especially cheap goals, and scoring goals. We should see 18 months of Thelin work in these two areas, but today is a perfect example of where we are. We’re not bad at the back, and have looked better this season since the back 3, but even now we’re back to where we were last season where we look shaky at the back, bit nervous, and are giving away goals. We’re almost going backwards and getting worse defensively. In attack it’s all about the final third. Combinations, crosses, getting to the line, different types of runs to attack crosses, a forward laying off to a shot from a midfielder etc. I have absolutely no clue what we are trying to do in attack. And today isn’t a one off, this is the norm for us. Said it before, I’m an ‘A’ licensed coach with 30 years coaching experience. I have not clue what we are trying to do in attack. We don’t really see combos. Don’t see overlapping, don’t see width, don’t see getting to the line for crosses, don’t see early crosses or variations of crosses. What the fuck are we meant to be doing in attack?? I don’t believe nisbet, or karlsson, are bad players. But they are clearly not being utilized or playing to their ability level. That’s on Thelin too.

Pretty much my view on it. Would not want to watch that United team more than a couple of times a season. Goodwin could get football stopped. We desperately need to a striker as we already knew Yengi was not good enough and on last few weeks evidence neither is Lazetic. Nisbet worked hard but is getting zero service from midfield. We need a striker in that can fit the system they are trying to implement. Karlsson is a really frustrating player. Despite scoring today I felt he was major reason our attack was so toothless. I would happily pay for Polvara’s flights back to the U.S. if it meant not having to watch him get out muscled or give the ball away again.

Just back. Wasn't great, wasn't terrible. Utd got what they came for, were really cynical and sucked all the joy out of fitba for an evening. When they actually tried to play football, they appeared capable. Complete domination, doing very little, until we make a rudimentary catalogue of errors. All our goals against come from the initial error causing a domino of further fuck ups. Today it was Aouchiche with a tragic attempt at a header when he should have controlled it, the defence gets caught out and Devlin loses a header he would normally go through first time and Milne doesn't read the game and cover, leaving Mitov rooted to his line for an easy finish. We then dominate up until our goal, with some fairly attacking subs. Those subs are then screwed for utd's fifteen minute spell of actual football until Thelin finally realises he needs to make a sub again. We finish the game on top but with little opportunity to score, save for one good run and cross from Milanovic. Shinnie ran his arse off the entire game, constantly making the space down the left and was my MOTM. Knoester decent too. Armstrong was terrible in the second half, as was Lazetic. Aouchiche worked really hard but his passing was woeful, and Polvara worked hard but once again gets caught in possession in the most schoolboy of fashion (think he might be a centre half). Karlsson did really well for the goal but just needs fired into the sea. McGinn was never the fastest player in the world, but he could drop a shoulder and send a player into a different timezone. Karlsson hasn't taken on a player since he arrived, and he's very easy to defend against. Nisbet perhaps looked poor on the TV, but he did a lot of work as the number nine and did stretch them a good bit in the first half - significantly more so than Lazetic. Kjartansson shored things up nicely and should have been on earlier. Bilalovic tracked back well but isn't the player you want in the wingback role. Keskinen was actually okay there, I think people forget he's the fullback with a player in front of him, but we missed Lobban.

Partly because we have no real attacking threat at 9, and neither wide player will attack the line. So we spend the day going sideways and backwards. Aouchiche and Armstrong will penetrate centrally as an attacking mid, but there’s zero quality attacking play for either wing or 9. It’s been a painful watch all season, we’re so predictable and honestly, the last 20, we may be the happier team to get a point.

Becoming too common, gift goals you gift games and points.

Ah ... OK, swap Milne and Knoester then

Talk Talk - It's My Life

Assume I have missed something here but how are Sky allowed to show the Livi/Tims game live at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon

This. I'm actually fairly comfortable with our current position and performances. Thelin has shown a fair bit of pragmatism in the last few months to get us some points on the board. That's exactly what I'd expect a manager to do when he's not got the players to execute his preferred plan. It's not long until January when he can hopefully clear the decks a little and get one or two in that could help. Hopefully we see some intensity and energy at least after our week off. I expect we will. Not sure what to expect from them, they have a few good players. Think we'll win 3-1. Aouchiche and Polvara seem to be the preferred midfield, which is fine. Get Armstrong further forward and hopefully we'll see the best of one of our strikers too.

And hopefully the second time in 24 months will be when we hump them next June

My colleague found this quite amusing, let's just say I'm known for being a little more cynical in work. Kind of you to say though

Hun. My kids don't even make the top ten.