Transfer window verdict

[Zizou]

With the news that Thomas won't be signing, that's probably us done for the summer. What are your thoughts on our activity this window?

Have to say, for me it seems a bit of a shambles. We've released players who probably could have stayed in hindsight and we seem to have been left with an unbalanced squad. Heavy in lots of positions and then absolutely nothing in others (RB/LB).

Last season we seemed so much more organised. Identified what we needed and got it in very early.

So far, Juanma and Rossi look like players. Too early to judge the others but they haven't exactly hit the ground running.

[2MatoFish]

I don't know that many of the players we released would've offered much beyond filling a jersey.

keatings looked out his depth in most of his outings in a hearts team that romped the championship
carrick is made of glass
eckersley has never managed to play at a high level and his being lumped with hibs justifies this
oliver never looked like he was gonna be anything but a gary glen
holt wasn't our choice to lose him, but no great loss anyway
wilson wasn't our choice and isn't any great loss


I don't know that not having any of those players has really hurt us that much.

The players we've brought in have been largely underwhelming so far, but rossi looks good and juanma will have more good games than bad. Augystyn has looked humpty and everyone else is either untried or been a mixed bag.

I think the real issue this year has simply been odd formations and player selection.

[The Comedian]

A mess and he's still fucking about with it.

[Hank Scorpio]

I think our business has been okay.

McHattie or Eckersley, while average at best, should have been kept on for left back coverage, as highlighted immediately when godisgod got a suspension. It seemed pretty clear that Carrick and Oliver weren't going to make the grade any time soon, as well as Carrick having injury issues, so I can't argue too much with the sales.

I think Swanson and Djoum have been brought in to bulk up the midfield, especially after seeing how far McKirdy is away from being a first team player. Augustyn looked decent before injury, and apparently the 2nd half yesterday showed encouraging signs. Obviously, Juanma has looked very decent, while Reilly is 3rd choice striker/4th choice winger, and looks to have been brought in with the future in mind.

All in all, not too bad, but not amazing by any means. Hopefully we can get another striker and a new keeper in January.

[Zizou]

I think the real issue this year has simply been odd formations and player selection.

True, but how much of that is down to our signings?

We've clearly signed Juanma for example with absolutely no idea how to fit him and Sow in and it's been to the teams detriment.

Just doesn't seem like much of a structure or plan in place.

[2MatoFish]

True, but how much of that is down to our signings?

We've clearly signed Juanma for example with absolutely no idea how to fit him and Sow in and it's been to the teams detriment.

Just doesn't seem like much of a structure or plan in place.

It doesn't hurt to have two players capable of playing up front alone. We also have the option of playing both, if we need it.

And Sow hasn't always been awful out on the wing, it's just evident and really frustrating when he is.

[Cheeky Gnando’s]

Hard to tell yet, especially with Swanson and Djoum not having played much. Give it a month or two and we will have a better idea.

The first 5 games we were raving about some of the signings, but they've all hit a terrible run at the same time (as has most of the team, and that's including we know are decent players). We've had loads of injuries as well, so once we have a more settled side it'll be easier to judge them.

[Billy Butcher]

The signings are all quite good for what we can realistically expect IMO. The problem is the coach chopping and changing every week and constantly playing players out of position.

[Winston Churchill]

I like Rossi and he is the pick of the bunch.

Swanson is a good squad player.

Not seen hey Arnold yet.

Blazing saddles is better than Ozturkey.

Godispap has been found out already.

Wan-ma is a diver.

Reilly is another Jamie Mole/Dale Carrick/Gordon Smith/Gary Glen.

[Hank Scorpio]

We need Winnie-isms for all the Scottish players, as well as Sow and Pallardo.

It will fulfil the dream of having a Winnie XI

[Shuto Makino]

Bit of a shambles. Let players go, brought in replacements who have been a mixed bag at best then let more go a wee bit later with no apparent replacements lined up, leaving us scrambling for frees. We look no better at the back than before, have less cover at left back than before and no more at right back. Hard to tell in midfield as Swanson and Djoum are newer signings, but they both feel like panic buys to me. Up front Juanma has ability, but we've struggled to fit him and Sow into the same side.

[I.J]

Signed a hibs cunt. Shite.

[Sterling Archer]

He's one of us now, kissed the badge and everything

[I.J]

Makes me respect him even less. At least trash like Griffiths dedicate their lives to it.

[Walter Sobchak]

Swanson and Rossi were the only pass marks out of the starters against killie though tbf.

[Fire Doinks]

Juanma is clearly a good striker and has technical ability that's above SPL level, he's already managed a few goals but I think he will improve as the season goes on. I prefer him to Sow and I think the management team feel obligated to keep including Sow because they think he deserves game time. Personally I'd drop Sow at least for a couple of games and give Juanma a shot upfront on his own with two proper wingers and someone capable of a creative pass behind him.

Rossi looks good, strong and not that slow. I've always liked having a left footed centre-back in the side.

Augustyn seems to be getting a lot of hate but from the 10-15 minutes of the Celtic game that I saw he was clearing everything that came his way and looked like his best outing for us. I've seen folk highlighting communication issues, I think that'll come in time if they're being coached well in a defensive system.

On what little I've seen of Oshaniwa I think he's clearly better than McHattie and is a solid LB for this level.

Swanson is definitely a wait and see but no reason why he couldn't do well for us, certainly different to any other midfielder we have in the squad.

Djoum was a regular starter for Roda in the Eredivisie, more than 100 games in a league that's superior to the SPL for a number of years suggests he won't have a problem playing at our level.


Overall I think we've done well but the suggestion that we had a lot of strength and depth that was being said at the start of the season isn't the case I think. Considering this was our first window back in the top flight I'm impressed at the standard of player we've brought in and think it complements the young Scottish talent at the club. I fully expect us to improve over the course of the season, so I'm pretty happy with the transfers, the main issue seems to be with our line-ups and formation.

[Big Physical Acey]

Pozzy for Dank's post, albeit I've seen nothing from godispap to suggest he's any good yet.

[Mikey]

Djoum was pretty good when he came on yesterday. Didn't have anything to do going forward because he was more or less playing full back but he never got skinned at all. Looks big and strong compared to a lot of the players in this league.

If Augustyn stops headering backwards/sideways/uptheways he'll be decent.

Oshaniwa looks like he struggles with the basic mechanics of kicking a football but I think it might be nerves/excitement. If he calms down a bit he'll be fine.

Juanma and Rossi are good players in this league.

Reilly has looked poor so far but he did quite well when he came on yesterday. First time he's played as a centre forward which probably tells it's own story.

Swanson has proven he is a good player at Dundee United but he looks very short of fitness just now.

[Cheeky Gnando’s]

I thought godispap was excellent against Partick. Since then what I've seen of him has been quite different Hamilton was one of the most clueless performances you'll see from a professional at that level

Agree with Dank that one of the big issues, if not the biggest*, is the lack of a settled, coherent team/formation. We've now got a fair whack of wide players and attacking midfielders, but far too many to fit in - especially when we are forcing Sow out on the left on a regular basis.


*scratch that, the biggest is clearly the gap in Reilly's teeth

[CritchSmile]

Juanma and Godispap have quality. Rossi is a shit karapidis I suppose.

The rest are fucking abominations. Reilly being the pick of the bunch.]

Absolute shambles from Levein's preferred agents and Neilson's decision to release squad players to bring in fresh squad players.