Starter for TEN; Anyone for TEN-is? Bo Derek: Scottish Football 2020-21

[Mr Beast]

Better start getting used to Rangers winning something again.

[Lang Spoon]

Ugh. And fuckin Gerrard as well.

[BallochSonsFan]

The real Dumbarton starting to show up now. 3 losses in a row in the league after beating Clyde 1-0 at home at the start of November. I'm not too bothered by the 3-0 loss to Falkirk on Tuesday night. The Bairns have a bigger budget, better players and should be beating us. Anything can happen on match day and you do get surprise results, but Falkirk will win 9 times out of 10 against us because they're a better team. No shame in it and they were pretty good on Tuesday.

It's the game against Peterhead that really frustrates. I'd expect us to be competitive against East Fife. I'd expect us to be competitive against Peterhead. The Peterhead game was particularly bad because they were playing an inexperienced, thrown together defence and we barely laid a finger on them. There was little between the 2 teams in midfield. We coped well enough with a lot of what Peterhead could throw at us. But our complete lack of attacking threat was worrying and it points to the fundamental problems within our squad. We lack creativity and attacking threat.

Some fans have a romantic notion that Ross Forbes is going to spray balls around like a Scottish lower league Pirlo. They accept his lack of workrate because of his threat from set pieces. Unfortunately it's largely bunkum. Forbes hasnt been a creative force for at least a couple of years now. He wasnt great with us and did nothing at Forfar to convince that it was a one-off. I didnt want him back and he's doing nothing to change my opinion of him. There's no creativity in midfield and we have poor options out wide. So we end up launching long balls forward for somebody to chase. The return of PJ Crossan from injury may help that. Adam Frizzell could be an option if he can find a bit of consistency after his injury problems, but he's not the second coming of Dom Thomas by any stretch of the imagination.

And up front we've got the immobile Denny Johnstone and the ineffectual Robert Jones. That we brought Jones back after an unimpressive spell with us last season is baffling. Jamie Wilson looks like he has something about him but he isnt going to carry the attack on his own and he isnt getting any kind of service.

I'm frustrated with Jim Duffy. He's one of these guys who has a standing within Scottish football and who comes across as a genuinely sharp and keen observer of things. He tends to do reasonably well with the clubs he manages for a period of time before things start to become stale. Once they've started to turn, Duffy's teams tend to become dour to watch. His squad building isnt great and right now Dumbarton have an abundance of left backs but no real quality in midfield or in wide attacking positions. I don't expect us to beat Falkirk but I equally don't expect us to struggle against Peterhead. I want to see us having a go at Peterhead and we just didnt do that. Our next 4 games are against Thistle, Cove, Montrose and East Fife and it's not unlikely that we'll go through December without a single point. Montrose and East Fife look the games where we're most likely to take something, but EF have already beaten us 2-1 this season and Montrose will also make a game of it.

Need to hope that we can find something that works for us. It's hard enough watching football at home via a web stream and maintaining an interest without our form and performances actually turning fans off football. I do wonder how many fans will be eager to come back after a whole season without football as the focal point of a Saturday?

[RobM]

86 years and we finally get to play in a Scottish Cup tie, two weeks to the next one.

[KingsburySaint]

Mussleburgh rewarded with a trip to Wick, I believe, which is my dream draw in a non-pandemic.
The League Cup has been rather fun this weekend but St Mirren rewarded with worst possible draw. Due another upset, I'm sure and then we can lose to Alloa in the semis.

[Mr Beast]

Neil Lennon’s jacket is on a very shaky nail. I’d be surprised if he isn’t gone by tomorrow.

[torres]

There were shitloads outside Celtic Park calling for his head earlier on.

[multipleman78]

I think the Celtic fans forgot we are in tier 4 up here.

Anyway, I understand wanting to make a change but massive protests outside the ground seem a bit over the top. I think Lennon has lost 2 domestic games in 2020.

Wasn't he close to the sack in 2011 and famously his side found 3 goals at Rugby Park to draw 3-3 and off they went? Is this run worse than that time? Back then, the Rangers players knew how to win titles and he turned it round. Now, the Rangers players have shown that they know how to play well until January.

It might be that Rangers will have learned how to keep their form going into the new year but that is still to answered.

[Gangster Octopus]

Shitloads is a good description of Celtic and Rangers fans...

[Mr Beast]

I understand your caution multipleman. It’s been a while.

[CY_Boaby]

What a fantastic set of results the League Cup threw up this weekend as we say goodbye to the Jambos, the Dons and very likely, wee Neil Lennon.

It must be horrible being a Celtic fan knowing that your club won’t be winning a fifth consecutive domestic treble and I’m sure everyone connected with Scottish football shares their pain and completely understands the reaction of “The Greatest Fans in the World”™. Let’s face it, had St Mirren blown this opportunity then I too would be protesting in the midst of a lockdown and demanding the head of the hapless manager. Watch out Jim Goodwin – I’ll be gunning for you in a few years’ time!

Don’t worry everyone, I’m sure those lovely level-headed chaps at the Green Brigade will have another banner at the ready “PLEASE COME BACK SAINT BRENDAN. WE DIDN’T MEAN WHAT WE SAID WHEN YOU DUMPED US. ALL IS FORGIVEN”

[gavc23]

86 years and we finally get to play in a Scottish Cup tie, two weeks to the next one.

I’ve only today noticed you’re in Cockenzie? We’re in the Pans, so feel free to wave next time you’re in Lidl.

[Duncan Gardner]

After their hard fought loss to Dingwall's finest, Celtic look forward to playing other iconic North London pubs...

[Felicity, I guess so]

Just the other night when Celtic were bowing out of Europe I rhetorically asked if they mibbes couldn’t do the decent thing and be just as shite in a cup in Scotland...

[CY_Boaby]

I’ve watched some of the footage from the aftermath at Celtic Park, and it was scary stuff seeing the fans run after the players whilst they speed away from the stadium. Thankfully all the players got away because if one had stopped to try and reason with them, you get the feeling they’d have been ripped to shreds. It’s hard to see the Scottish Government allowing fans in when you see this much vitriol being directed at their own players and I’d surprised if the Celtic players want to play in front of this mob now. Not much fun taking a throw-in or corner when you’re within spitting distance of these thugs.

We all knew there’d be a huge amount of bitterness and bile this season with ten-in-a-row and all that shite, but watching this angry mob turn on their own team in such a short space of time is unbelievable.

[Lang Spoon]

The Green brigade are the most tedious shites. The right-on veneer is peeling away to reveal a gammon as succulent as any served at Castle Greyskull.

[Satchmo Distel]

Who would want the job when Lennon goes and have to put up with that level of expectation?

[DPDPDPDP]

Who would want the job when Lennon goes and have to put up with that level of expectation?

Satchmo, the job isn’t that difficult. Sadly, domestically you only have to beat one other team. Only 4 times in the last 55 years has the Scottish League been won by a team other than Rangers or Celtic. Again sadly, no team other than these two have won the league since 1984/85 when Aberdeen won the league.

[Duncan Gardner]

Agree with DPetc. The problem isn't CeltGers and RangTic fan expectations- even the knuckle draggers know that occasionally getting past Xmas in the Thu night League is as good as it gets

As an elderly local summed it up for Louis Theroux's Da Paul in the 80s: "They play each other a guid six times a season, by there's nae allus a riot"

[CY_Boaby]

Well if Celtic thought they've had a shit week, it's been worse for the Buds. First of all we we find out that someone may have been cooking the books resulting in some dodgy accounting, then the SPFL hands us two 3-0 defeats for out postponed matches with Motherwell and Hamilton. After our win over Livingston 2 weeks ago, we had a lovely 4 point lead over Hamilton and a goal difference over them of +13. Since then, Accies have played 1 extra game but the deficit's been wiped out as have 9 goals!

I browsed over the very wordy 15-page SPFL verdict and can't see how we can complain. It didn't make good reading and the Club (and players) have seriously cocked up - from too many sitting together at a meal, not being distanced enough on the team coach, 4 players all car sharing in the one car as well as too cramped training facilities. All of these scenarios should have been easy to manage but this lax attitude has contributed to our downfall and the postponement of 2 matches. Had we followed the guidelines and there was still an outbreak then fair enough, but the more I read the angrier I became at our sheer stupidity and utter failure to follow the guidelines.

Now we all know what the punishment is for not fulfilling a fixture and failing to follow the guidelines, no club should be complaining if they now suffer the same fate. Clyde might be feeling a bit nervous now.

[Felicity, I guess so]

Was watching Liverpool-Spurs, since I have Prime but my brother texted me as St Mirren scored their 2nd, now I’m glued to that one. Nous sommes tous des Buddies!

One query- Rangers have sponsor-free tops on...clash of betting shops with the cup sponsor..?

[Felicity, I guess so]

Yabutteo! Hope they go all the way

[DPDPDPDP]

Last night’s result for St Mirren was magnificent.

[Duncan Gardner]

Excellent post DPetc. Go Buddies Go . Stealers Wheel, Lady Jane out of Lovejoy and Downturn, Screw Mackay from Porridge, yer boys handed out the hell of a beating!

At risk of alerting Messrs McSue, Grabbit and Run, haven't St Mirren had previous problems not looking after the petty cash properly?

[DPDPDPDP]

Excellent post DPetc. Go Buddies Go . Stealers Wheel, Lady Jane out of Lovejoy and Downturn, Screw Mackay from Porridge, yer boys handed out the hell of a beating!

At risk of alerting Messrs McSue, Grabbit and Run, haven't St Mirren had previous problems not looking after the petty cash properly?

Duncan, I can’t recall anything dodgy regarding St Mirren, however the same can’t be said for their opponents on Wednesday. Ho, ho, ho.