Our bench - will it be one of the more decisive features next year?

TimzRFudz

TimzRFudz

Well-Known Member
Maybe one for the stattos to get their teeth into. I think it was clear that on our day we were a match for any team in the league this season, but that over the 38 games consistency cost us. Drilling down into that a little further, we had too many draws from winning positions and losses from drawing positions. That said, whilst we had some decent players on the bench, very seldom did I look at the seven subs and think there was an absolute game-changer sitting there. As a result, I'm not sure that SG was often in a position of being able to make changes to rescue a point or a win (that's where the stattos come in, this is just my subjective opinion, maybe the stats will say that I'm wrong).

Taken together, whilst we've all (rightly) been clamouring for a bit more quality in the starting XI, hopefully we'll see a bit more of a cutting edge right through the match day 18 next season. Turning those losses into draws and draws into wins will make the difference.

An interesting window ahead...
 
Until that lot get their comeuppance we will always be fighting with one hand tied behind our back

My hope is that lot have become drunk fat and happy and fall asleep at the wheel

With TLB’s appointment the table has been set for Gerrard

He will have no better opportunity to win 55 than next year imo

It’s critical he gets it right this summer.
 
Virgil Hilts said:
That would be a bit silly.
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Of course it would. And I'm not suggesting for a second we take our eye off of the ball regarding the running of the game up here. But that doesn't preclude us from also focusing on what's within our own ability to sort out. Hence a thread on the playing staff...
 
Quite often its what you bring off the bench that wins you the game. Its been like that anytime we've won the league. You need 2 or 3 players you know will come off the bench and change things for you especially against packed defences like the sheep and killie.
 
I wonder if that's what the staff are thinking with the likes of Stewart,Jones or Hastie.Add a Morelos replacement and that's more firepower off the bench
 
TimzRFudz said:
Maybe one for the stattos to get their teeth into. I think it was clear that on our day we were a match for any team in the league this season, but that over the 38 games consistency cost us. Drilling down into that a little further, we had too many draws from winning positions and losses from drawing positions. That said, whilst we had some decent players on the bench, very seldom did I look at the seven subs and think there was an absolute game-changer sitting there. As a result, I'm not sure that SG was often in a position of being able to make changes to rescue a point or a win (that's where the stattos come in, this is just my subjective opinion, maybe the stats will say that I'm wrong).

Taken together, whilst we've all (rightly) been clamouring for a bit more quality in the starting XI, hopefully we'll see a bit more of a cutting edge right through the match day 18 next season. Turning those losses into draws and draws into wins will make the difference.

An interesting window ahead...
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You mean signing someone with talent above anything in our league outwith the poets, but with fitness issues, and dedication to his fitness issues, on a pittance, on a short term deal, could be a master stroke?
Who'd have seen that coming a year from now?
 
We lack a Nacho Novo type player who you know can off the bench in a limited time give it everything, make an impact and come up with a goal to seal it.
 
IndianaRanger said:
Rubbish. We will decide the outcome. If we sort out our consistency we will win the league. It was in our hands this season and we just came up short.
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If you don’t think that dodgy match officials can and have changed the outcome of our matches that’s up to you.
 
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Absolutely. However if you look at our summer signings and injuries we should have been able to rely on the likes of Grezda, Lafferty and Murphy either starting or off the bench, but for different reasons they haven't had the impact
 
The game now is a squad game. Apart from maybe a core 5 or 6 players who will play pretty much every game you need players who can come in and make an impact. Likes of Middleton will have learned a lot from last year. Watching him for the youths he looked more confident taking a pop from distance. Hope he brings tgat into the first team
 
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