Livingston v St Johnstone - 11/5/2024


Aitchy
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A must win if we have any chance of avoiding the play offs. 

Mitov

Keltjens Gordon Considine Gallacher

McGowan

Drey Franczak  Carey

Sidibeh Kimpioka

Livi have only won 3 times at home this season. All three games between the teams this season have ended in draws.

 

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Drey Wright says : we are going to have to go for it: . Tell your boss that Drey.

Also repeating ; 3 winnable games;  At the moment Motherwell are the best of the rest and have probably the best striker in the league at the moment.

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I generally say we need continuity in selection but the time has come when Levein must drop his pets who have underperformed and be radical.  We need the ambition of youth, the desire to impress and commitment.  

Mitov,

Keltjens, McGowan, Olafunwa,

Wright/Francez, Philips, M. Smith,

May

Sidibeh, Kimpioka.  

If Steven was allowed to play I'd play him over an unfit Wright and Francez.  I'd have some of the youngsters who would at least have a go on the bench.  Playing the under 18's with Mitov, Sidibeh and Kimpoika would be better than last week.  

I fear the same team again as Gordon and Considine have totally lost it.  

Crawford as an impact substitute as he can score goals.  

Three points a necessity so the formation will be four- six.

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Wright has to start on right wing. I'd go 442 with him in front of Keltjens. Gordon and Gowser at Ch and Gallacher at LB with Carey there if not fit. Dan and Matt Smith/Cammy in the middle with May on left wing if Carey at LB and Benji/Adama as the front pair.

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I've copied and pasted below what I said on another thread. Apologies for that but it saves typing out the same thing twice, and it's more appropriate here.

I'd add that if Gallacher is unavailable then Considine has played at left back many times in his Aberdeen days. I know his legs are basically gone, as I mention below, but he knows the position.

I also think that Carey doing any kind of defending is asking for trouble, as he tries to nutmeg and Panenka his way out of defence. So Andy for me, if needed, is a better choice for that position.

We also shouldn't be afraid of using MacPherson in place of Phillips if Dan is having one of his off days.

I can't imagine Livi will be in the slightest bit interested in this.

I don't buy into this idea of "they'll be playing with freedom now the pressure's off" because a lot of them will know that they won't be there next season, so won't want to scupper a potential move by getting injured.

Get right in about them from the off. No messing about and holding back. The time for that's long gone, if it was ever even here in the first place.

4-4-2.

                               Mitov

Keltjens    McGowan     Gordon     Gallacher/Considine

 Wright     M. Smith        Phillips      Carey

                 Sidibeh      Kimpioka

 

Copy and paste below:

A back four of Keltjens, McGowan, Gordon and Gallacher if he's fit should work better than what we're doing now.

Considine has the knowledge but not the legs anymore and that plastic pitch could cause him problems.

Wright in front of Keltjens and Carey in front of Gallacher, with Dan and Matt Smith in the middle.

Kimpioka is our best striker right now and should be first pick. You can now tell that he's got experience and has played at a decent level.

Adama is great, but is still a rough diamond. Use him alongside Benji to benefit from his knowledge and that would also give us a pacy and energetic front line.

I'd have Sidibeh beside Kimpioka to start, and then Clark and May can be introduced later on.

I don't think Matty is as bad as people believe. He produced a couple of quality passes at the weekend and I think a lot of his good work goes unnoticed.

Hopefully we get DJ and Sven back in some way before the end of the season.

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I quite like the teams suggested by @Aitchy and @templeofsaints and agree it's time for at least one of Phillips/Matt Smith to be dropped. I think May's long overdue a start and would play him coming in from the left. Giving Sidibeh and Kimpioka a chance to play up front together is also overdue. But really we should have tried these things weeks ago and I feel like there's going to be a real feeling of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted if there are any radical changes this week.

Looking forward to Levein's weekly declaration that we're really going to "go for it", followed by picking a back five and having no shots on target.

 

 

 

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18 minutes ago, Linky said:

Win this and we could be a point ahead of County when we play against them

Love the positivity! We could also be confirmed in the play off spot as I believe RC will take something off Well at home 

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22 minutes ago, Gas Monkey said:

Love the positivity! We could also be confirmed in the play off spot as I believe RC will take something off Well at home 

I don't think that can happen just yet? If we lose and County win, they'll be five points ahead of us with six points still up for grabs.

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1 hour ago, blueheaven said:

I quite like the teams suggested by @Aitchy and @templeofsaints and agree it's time for at least one of Phillips/Matt Smith to be dropped. I think May's long overdue a start and would play him coming in from the left. Giving Sidibeh and Kimpioka a chance to play up front together is also overdue. But really we should have tried these things weeks ago and I feel like there's going to be a real feeling of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted if there are any radical changes this week.

Looking forward to Levein's weekly declaration that we're really going to "go for it", followed by picking a back five and having no shots on target.

 

 

 

McGowan at centre half. Franczak starting? Really?

Right hand side has to be Keltjens and Wright. McGowan isn’t a centre half so shouldn’t be ahead of Considine or Gordon(regardless of their failings).

Woeful 11 but should start;

Mitov

Keltjens Gordon Considine Gallagher

Wright Phillips Smith Carey

Sidibeh Kimpioka 

 

Do not want to see Connor Smith, Franczak or Nicky Clark in that starting 11. I’d accept McGowan at RB but not as part of such a weak centre back pairing. Also people talking about Stevie May starting need to chill out!

 

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"Levein added: “Tony had a little niggle with his calf before the Hibs game.

“That caused him a few problems. We had hoped to get him back for the Aberdeen match.

“Obviously, however, Graham had to go and play there as we didn’t have anyone else left-sided.

“Fingers crossed with Tony for Livingston this weekend. He’s improving. I’m hopeful.”"

 

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39 minutes ago, R.B.B:- Adz said:

McGowan at centre half. Franczak starting? Really?

Right hand side has to be Keltjens and Wright. McGowan isn’t a centre half so shouldn’t be ahead of Considine or Gordon(regardless of their failings).

Woeful 11 but should start;

Mitov

Keltjens Gordon Considine Gallagher

Wright Phillips Smith Carey

Sidibeh Kimpioka 

 

Do not want to see Connor Smith, Franczak or Nicky Clark in that starting 11. I’d accept McGowan at RB but not as part of such a weak centre back pairing. Also people talking about Stevie May starting need to chill out!

 

In a back four I'd choose McGowan at centre-half instead of Considine, yes.

May has routinely made an impact and added energy to the team each time he's come on of late (other than the Aberdeen game which I didn't see so won't comment on) and he's a far better player than several of the guys Levein keeps picking, so yes I'd definitely have him in contention for a start.

 

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3 hours ago, garydavidson said:

If you ignore the fact County are playing Motherwell at home, then sure. I am far from your point of positivity though 🤣

Last time they played Motherwell, they lost 5-0. Although last time they played them at home they won 3-0, so who knows.

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8 hours ago, R.B.B:- Adz said:

McGowan at centre half. Franczak starting? Really?

Right hand side has to be Keltjens and Wright. McGowan isn’t a centre half so shouldn’t be ahead of Considine or Gordon(regardless of their failings).

Woeful 11 but should start;

Mitov

Keltjens Gordon Considine Gallagher

Wright Phillips Smith Carey

Sidibeh Kimpioka 

 

Do not want to see Connor Smith, Franczak or Nicky Clark in that starting 11. I’d accept McGowan at RB but not as part of such a weak centre back pairing. Also people talking about Stevie May starting need to chill out!

 

Philips has been miles off it for weeks now. Smith hasn’t been much better. Team is sorely lacking in energy.
 

Playing Franczak in his preferred position might actually provide more of an attacking threat than the other two who have managed a paltry one goal between them this season.

We need to win this game. It must be soul destroying for professional players to be set up in the negative, rigid manner that Levein has them every week. Time to give them some freedom.

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1 hour ago, Cagey said:

Might get an insight into the calibre of the teams we will play in playoffs when Airdrie meet Partick on BBC Scotland tonight.

I wouldn’t hold out much hope for us playing either from what I’m seeing 

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2 hours ago, Cagey said:

Might get an insight into the calibre of the teams we will play in playoffs when Airdrie meet Partick on BBC Scotland tonight.

Just watched that game,Saints would be underdogs against either of those two,both teams had everything Saints are sadly lacking,in particular goals.

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