James Sands. Not a criticism of the player more the need.

Very very early days and he has done OK so not a criticism of him.

However did we need a DM?

Pretty obvious that had we not swapped a DM for an AM this game was ending goalless.
James Sands is a bit of a rookie in regards to our league and the requirements of our team.
This isn't a problem as like any such young player he needs time and patience to adapt.
The problem for me, is what the inclusion of young James says about John Lundstram?
 
Horses for courses and a good option for a midfield battle but not required for a game against a low block. It meant that Kamara looked a bit lost and confused with his role before Arfield came on.

Really says a lot that sands has pushed Lundstram out the way already it seems
 
Very very early days and he has done OK so not a criticism of him.

However did we need a DM?

Pretty obvious that had we not swapped a DM for an AM this game was ending goalless.
Early days. Took Edu a year to settle. Gio throwing him right in there. Two DMs was daft tonight. Moments against Aberdeen he looked class act, but also moments game passed him by. Glad we took the 18 month loan option.
 
We really can't afford to bed him in unless he hits the ground running and on the basis of the last 3 games he hasn't,I don't think you will see much more of him now that aribo,Jack,arfield are back
 
Thought he was alright first half but wasn't really needed in this game. Don't think he'll start much over the next couple of months and he'll be much better for us next season.

Got a feeling he's been signed to settle before being Kamara's replacement if he's sold in the summer.
 
Don’t think he lost a tackle, looks good in the air, neat and tidy, range of passing looks solid. At times you wouldn’t have known he was on the park.

Sands wasn’t the issue tonight.
 
Doesn't get on the ball a lot and when he does, it's always the safe pass.

I'm certainly not writing him off but he's given us very little so far to get excited about.

5/10 so far. All to prove.
 
James Sands is a bit of a rookie in regards to our league and the requirements of our team.
This isn't a problem as like any such young player he needs time and patience to adapt.
The problem for me, is what the inclusion of young James says about John Lundstram?
I wonder if we're trying to pi55 off Lundstram in the hope he decides to moves on.
 
I wonder if we're trying to pi55 off Lundstram in the hope he decides to moves on.
I don't think it is that, I just think this is where John Lundstram has found himself in the pecking order without any agenda.
I also think it would be better for the player if he was moved on to a club where he might find himself better accommodated.
I say this without prejudice because the lad has been a decent professional since he arrived.
 
I don't think it is that, I just think this is where John Lundstram has found himself in the pecking order without any agenda.
I also think it would be better for the player if he was moved on to a club where he might find himself better accommodated.
I say this without prejudice because the lad has been a decent professional since he arrived.
We're paying huge money to a 3rd or 4th choice defensive midfielder. I imagine Wilson will be actively trying ro shift him on. Better for the lad as well to get on with his career.
 
Early days
New country
Needs time to settle

But so far I’ve seen absolutely zilch from him that makes me think he’ll be any more than a bench player.

My initial viewing is that he’s another signing which typifies our transfer windows since summer 2019. Quantity over quality.
 
I hope nit. You get the same 3 points for every league game you play. A win on Saturday is vital. Play our strongest starting eleven.
Can't play our strongest 11 when they're not all fit. Livingston at home and county away are better games to give guys minutes than say tynecastle or Easter Road for example.
Got a feeling Saturday will be another nervous game.
 
Can't play our strongest 11 when they're not all fit. Livingston at home and county away are better games to give guys minutes than say tynecastle or Easter Road for example.
Got a feeling Saturday will be another nervous game.

Which Is precisely why you should play your strongest available starting eleven. You get the same number of points to compete fior in every league game, regardless of who you're playing.
 
I certainly will not judge him yet. It’s far too early for someone that has arrived with his background.
He will need time to find his feet and get used to a different country. Time will tell if he is good enough, but that time is not this early in his Gers career
 
Very very early days and he has done OK so not a criticism of him.

However did we need a DM?

Pretty obvious that had we not swapped a DM for an AM this game was ending goalless.

Succession planning.

Not sure about you but I’m not convinced there’s much mileage left in Davis, Arfield’s getting on also and Jack isn’t very reliable to say the least. Kamara could be sold.

It’s an absolute head in the sand situation if you didn’t think our DM position would need a longer term solution within 6-12 months.
 
Succession planning.

Not sure about you but I’m not convinced there’s much mileage left in Davis, Arfield’s getting on also and Jack isn’t very reliable to say the least. Kamara could be sold.

It’s an absolute head in the sand situation if you didn’t think our DM position would need a longer term solution within 6-12 months.

Arifield doesn't really play the role TBH.

If we sold Kamara I would expect a better class of replacement than Sands personally as I would expect us to be looking at minimum 15 million for Kamara, chuck in the Patterson fee, potential CL money... all leads me to think we would end up with additions that just end up relegating him to the bench, that and we would likely head to one DM more often than not at home.

He does feel like a player who is going to become a squad member at best pretty quick IMO.
 
Very very early days and he has done OK so not a criticism of him.

However did we need a DM?

Pretty obvious that had we not swapped a DM for an AM this game was ending goalless.
I expect that Sands was bought with the expectation that Kamara will be sold in the summer.
 
I’m sure we will find out more about him, after he plays more than 2 games.
One of the reason we went for him is he can play in more than one position!
So let's give him time to see how he does in other positions when needed?
Two games is to early to judge him...... If he scores against the scum he will be captain blue eyes, for a long time coming?
 
He’s 21 full of potential and only just played his second game in Scottish football. Imo he’s looked solid and looked really tidy on the ball.

He’s one for the future and a position where we’ll definitely need players long term
 
Early days. Took Edu a year to settle. Gio throwing him right in there. Two DMs was daft tonight. Moments against Aberdeen he looked class act, but also moments game passed him by. Glad we took the 18 month loan option.
It wasn’t daft it was a necessity
 
The kid had a really okay game against Aberdeen yet straight after the game there were posts slating him because he wasn't some rampaging midfielder. By all accounts, that's not his game.

Rangers fans are so full of shite at times. "We should be signing prospects that we can mould into players." Yet when we sign one who is clearly solid and pretty decent technically, it's "he doesn't do enough" after two games. Was the same with Glen on here when he had a bad game or two. What do you want? There is clearly something there to work with.

We'll see how he gets on. Just the rush to judge what has looked a pretty decent low cost punt so far is bizarre.
 
I think its clear why he’s been brought in, Davis will leave in the summer, lundstram isn’t fancied clearly, and jack is unreliable. That leaves us with Kamara as the lone dm we could rely on in the summer. So I’d say it’s prudent to forward plan. He’s suffering because of gios team selection of playing two dm. You can only play one dm in most games in Scotland.
 
I think its clear why he’s been brought in, Davis will leave in the summer, lundstram isn’t fancied clearly, and jack is unreliable. That leaves us with Kamara as the lone dm we could rely on in the summer. So I’d say it’s prudent to forward plan. He’s suffering because of gios team selection of playing two dm. You can only play one dm in most games in Scotland.
Even then Kamara is one of our biggest assets and probably at most risk of us selling. Bringing in Sands absolutely made sense

Think the selection last night was mainly down to fitness and hopefully not something we’ll see too much of.
 
Him and Kamara hasn't worked together in either game.

Was an instant difference when more dynamic players in Arfield and Jack were involved.
And that was due the fact that we didn`t need 2 DMs in the first place - not Sand`s fault. He did cover any runs of our centre-halfs, dropping back in their position, which is not what Kamara does. Likewise, he gave Kamara the license to go up the park - and that should have told us that only one was needed. For Kamara is doing fine in getting position back, but truth be told, he`s the safe-pass / side-pass chap in midfield that we didn`t exactly need last night, and sure not near the penalty area. That`s no criticism of Kamara, just of the line-up.
BTW, FF needs their hatchet-victims, be it Wright or Itten or Lundstram. The latter is no Arfield nor a Kamara, he sits inbetween, controlling the midfield similar to Jack ... and did so admirably. It is more like what people want to see in him and then get disappointed rather than what he actually is.

It is not really rocket science to know why we signed Sands, who can cover a few vital positions, be it DM, RB or CH. With the prospect of loosing quite a few of players currently used there to transfer bids, injury or suspension. I for one reckon that we`ll get a bid for Kamara in the summer (if not earlier), that we won`t be able to decline. Goldson is for the off (and he sure did not set the heather on fire with displays like yesterday - past glories are past glories), Jack and Helander returing from long term injuries etc..

Yesterday was again a game when we played right into Livingston`s hands with a far too defensive line up. We effectively had 3 or 4 attackers against their packed defence, and while Borna`s crosses where at least somewhat effective, our captain posted missing in the attacking sense. So no wing-play from our wingbacks to speak of. Hopefully Gio switches to a more attacking line-up in similar games, I doubt we`ll see that up in Dingwall though.
 
Shouldn't be starting games - that is just a total disrespect to the rest of the squad. Only thing I can think is Gio has done it to try and force a couple out the door.

new manager justifying his signing.

Gerrard shoehorned Davis straight in to the team, when he signed him and he clearly wasn’t ready, we blew the league. When he did get up to speed he was the best midfielder in the league, still was till age caught up with him this season.

I’m not going to judge any player after 2 games particularly a team playing so poorly with non existent sorry negative tactics. At Aberdeen we had 3 players all doing the same job ! Getting in each other’s way.
 
He was absolutely fine. More of a classic dm type than kamara. Made himself available for passes and kept the ball moving. Didn't need 2 dm's at home to livi but that's not his fault.
 
Which Is precisely why you should play your strongest available starting eleven. You get the same number of points to compete fior in every league game, regardless of who you're playing.
Maybe I'm being thick, that was his strongest starting 11 as Jack , Arfield and Roofe were unavailable for a 90 minute stint. Aribo, Kent and Morelos unavailable also.The fact that we had a prospect from the reserves as well as a random new just out the wrapper signing shows that we were down to the bones.
 
He's neat and tidy and will probably prove more than useful for when we play Man City, PSG and Barcelona.
Dortmund up next. Then we can put him into hybernation for next season's CL (hopefully)

Unless of course he is actually a CB who's just had some gametime in midfield. In which case...we need to wait and see.
 
Maybe I'm being thick, that was his strongest starting 11 as Jack , Arfield and Roofe were unavailable for a 90 minute stint. Aribo, Kent and Morelos unavailable also.The fact that we had a prospect from the reserves as well as a random new just out the wrapper signing shows that we were down to the bones.

"Arfield and Roofe were unavailable for a 90 minute stint"! They both were on the bench and came on during the second half which means that they were both actually able to play at any stage in the game. If Itten or Sands had been injured and had to come off during the first half, are you trying to say that neither Roofe nor Arfield would have come on at that stage? The clue to the point I was making was contained in the words "strongest starting eleven '. Roofe and Arfield both could and should have started on Wednesday night.
 
"Arfield and Roofe were unavailable for a 90 minute stint"! They both were on the bench and came on during the second half which means that they were both actually able to play at any stage in the game. If Itten or Sands had been injured and had to come off during the first half, are you trying to say that neither Roofe nor Arfield would have come on at that stage? The clue to the point I was making was contained in the words "strongest starting eleven '. Roofe and Arfield both could and should have started on Wednesday night.
Going to have to agree to disagree on that one.
Players returning from injury do not start games.
 
He spoke really well at the press conference today, think he is a player that will develop a lot at us.

My concern is him playing beside Kamara is just not going to work they are both holding midfielders that offer very little going forward.

Hopefully the last couple of games were out of necessity and we won’t see that regularly
 
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