SaintJet

I don't agree that he's not wanted. I too find it strange he's not featuring more but he's still being selected for an impact at some stage and I'm sure he'll start soon and kick on. We have a big squad now and I think half the problem is we are still searching for the right balance between defence and attack and this is constantly being altered to suit the opposing team instead of creating our own identity.

I agree completley. I just don't see the point in constantally castigating players - especially these guys who might be no spring chickens but who week after week try to keep our defence tight whislt being over run by more accomplished sides. By association there a veiled snipe at the management team and it's completley pointless! I get some people don't like Craig Levein but at least let the season play out and see where we are.

Very Informative; the only thing that was missing from your summary was a "skinny post" perhaps a "bubble screen" a few "blitzes" maybe an "end around"! I think sometimes part of the problem is everyone, and certainly the coaches tries to overthink a very simple game.

Haven't heard from Abernethy for ages either?

I agree, it's frustrating that we haven't made more of our recent success. I think we are all aware that we have been short of good PR forever. The one thing I will say however, is that if we are playing decent more fans turn out. I'm like a broken record I know but we are where we are just now and it's all about securing our survival this season. After that there really will have to be major improvement on the entertainment side. I found it interesting on MOTD that Danny Murphy made the point that Spurs fans love the football they are seeing despite similar position in the league contrasting that with Dave Moyes ponderous and pragmatic style of achieving results. Ultimitley fans crave great entertaining football but that's only palatable if your in the league you feel you should be.

Despite some good performances in parts we have endured a terrible run and we need to arrest this form soon. A trip to the Buddies on Saturday who have been in good form and sit comfortably in the top six. Hopefully we can continue with Dan back in midfield and look to take the game to St.Mirren and come back with a very rare away win.

Whoa!!! Don't tell me StatoRando has another one wrong?

I'll be honest I thought VAR would be a big help but its been a disaster! You are so right it just sucks the life out of the game and the decisions being made are laughable. There is no spontaneity in football now and it's one more thing to consider when going or not going to games. I suspect a lot of the pundits and media feel the same. I honestly hope a campaign is started by fans groups to get it binned!

I thought we made a decent fist of things to be fair. If we had mangaed to get to half time all square it might have been a different game but it's pointless retreading what might have been. I try to take the positives when playing the old firm and we looked to hard to break down and there is still a good spirit about the team despite the poor run we are on. Rangers are light years ahead of us in personnel and look like becoming a very well oiled machine. I've moved on. Agree about all the empty spaces around both home stands and this is why I think we should just take the old firm dough and give up three stands to the away fans. It is what it is and we are never going to change that.

Who gives a f**k

I see the latest report from the Scotland's referee VAR Chief - Crawford Allan, ( there is contradiction if ever there was one ) highlights that despite a major rise in wrong decisions, VAR is adding to the value and entertainment of our game. Incuded in these statistics was the decision to chalk off Carey's goal against the sheep. Ha, who knew? I hate VAR, it's bad enough playing against a bad referee but almost impossible playing against two. I started this thread so we can keep an eye on some glaring errors that have cost us crucial points this season. Hope everyone can chip in with incidents from home and away games. The penalty given against us on Sunday playing Dundee still annoys the hell out of me and was definitely a game changing decision. Of course all these gripes are subjective so please agree or disagree when someone raises an example. If nothing else it will give us something else to disagree about.

I'm still a bit conflicted about whether I'll go through to this game on Sunday; I'll make a decision on Sunday morning - I just can't be arsed with all the hassle connected with Rangers fans ( unfair to generalise I know- there are some decent old firm fans out there ) especially when it's on the telly. I'm keen to go to try and exorsise that loss last weekend. Rangers are undoubtly smelling blood with the league title up for grabs so although they are a far superior team and could easily dismantle us, the pressure on them will be intense especially if Celtic win on Saturday. This hopefully can be to our advantage so I'm expecting Craig Levein to set up with a robust midfield to try and frustrate the opposition. I can see us only playing one up front. I'm laying all my hope on us getting a VAR break - we are long overdue. Perhaps a soft pen...

Your right of course but that's a very simplistic view to take. Every manager or head of recruitment look at player, evaluate and give them a contract hoping they work out and the success ratio for everyone must be 50% or lower - perhaps a good bit lower. Our recruitment last couple of seasons was just plain awful and a lot of it looked like a scatter gun approach. It added insult to injury because CD seemed to be given an open cheque book when Tommy couldn't get a packet of Rich Tea for the Canteen!

I think thats our strongest starting line up.

And to put the tin hat on it - I missed this but my Dundee colleagues here are reminding me that the stadium announcer called the attendance with "1962" away fans!! Ho ho. Sometimes you just have to take it on the chin I guess...

I couldn't agree more but young, strong, competent center backs are like goal scoring centre forwards very rare. No doubt that this will be addressed in the summer but that experience between the players you mention should still see us marshall the line better as the game runs down.

Watched the game back and I have to say it's easy to lambast Gordon about the penalty but it was the most ridiculous infringement I think I've seen given as a foul - a loose hand brushing against an opposition player's face which was actually caused by another player barging him. The look on the Dundee player's face said it all when the award was given. It's all very well saying the player should know better but defending in this league is all about physicality and timing, if officialls interpret these as game changing penalties the game is lost! I also get why Levein was annoyed after the game - the time and space that MaGhee got to head the winner was crimminal and that's defending 101 in Levein's book. We have to defend our goal better than that. I'm still scunnered.

Fair comment and I would agree

So to be clear you didn't think the two players who started up front Kimpioka and Sidibeh played any part in us being ahead midway through the second half|?

Would you lie doon. Try and come up with something worthy of discussion; I don't want to sound like Chris Sutton - 'but, your better than that.'

That was an absolute sickener! To lose that game after having enjoyed good passages of play and looking so steady in defense spoiled the weekend. We have been done by VAR a few times so I'm not even discussing it. Baffeling decision by officialls just wanting to cause controversey. Dundee looked to get forward all the time and have some tidy players - I thought McCowan was a standout - but for all their forays we looked sound at the back although they have some pacey wingers that caused us issues. If they hadn't got that pen pretty sure we would have won the game but we lost focus after the goal near the end and it cost us the game. We really should have been further ahead anyway. Total sickener. Despite another change around the team looked pretty solid, Matt Smith was excellent and the two lads up front were a handful; Sidibeh looks a real star, his positioning and technical ability were outstanding - he'll score goals in this league. Kimpioka too was excellent. He caused all sorts of problems with his pace and his frustration was obvious when he got hooked. That was a mistake. I have to say looking at the squad we have it's incredible that we're still unsure of our prefered starting lineup and who would believe that Kane and Clark can't find a place in the team, a few months back I thought our survival was depending on them being in the team. We are going to give someone a good hammering one day I'm sure of it but just now I just feel scunnered.

I find it hard to argue with this. Some people are getting ahead of themselves with their aspirations. The main objective this season is to stay in the league. If we do stay up and we are still not making any progress under Levein I'll understand the critisim.

Didn't enjoy the game at all. I can't think of any passage of play where I thought we were a threat. Kimpy continues to impress and looked dangerous but we can't keep hoping he'll turn half chances in to goals. Defense looked solid again, McGown has been our most consistant performer since he came back in to the team and Conso too has really improved - shame about the goal- pure opporntunism from a great striker in form. Olafunwa looked tidy and grew in to the game but Gallacher is a bomb scare and looks to unload the ball at any opportunity- said it before he's a liability! Young Con Smith looked a bit overwhelmed early but you can see he is a class player and so worth sticking with him and let him get a run. I'm officially on the "why Max" bandwagon- he looks lost out there and needs a rest - I really don't get his inclusion every week. Carey continues to drive me nuts - very capable but always looking for the 'Hollywood' ball. I suppose it's in his DNA and he can win a game for you. All in all there were little bits and pieces of encouragement here and there but nothing to suggest we will be well clear of the dogfight, Hope we can get some more real bite back in to the midfield for Sunday and the most glaring thing that we need is a wide threat. We need an MOH type player or Dre Wright urgently.

Wrong! Levein was in charge for the game in November.

For Who?