Mike's Moan - After Paisley

It is harsh to say, but Donnelly, Quinn, O'Donnell and McGarry are not good enough. Foran does not look interested and Kerr and Hamilton look very slow. I feel sorry for Paterson at left back as he is playing out of position and is doing his best, but again he is not good enough. So out of the starting eleven on Saturday only Smith, Craigan, and McCormack came away with pass marks - so it does not take a genius to work out why we lost.

What can be done about it is a difficult question, as the club hardly has a great track record in signing players. We CANNOT go into the Aberdeen game with the same defence, as even the shot-shy, living on past glories, delusional Dons will put a few past Donnelly and Quinn. I think Malpas has to try and sign a central defender on a short-term deal, maybe Paul Ritchie, to give Brian McClean and William Kinniburgh time to recover. He also has to give Mark Reynolds a start at left back if he cannot get one in.

The problems do not stop there, however, as our midfield is powder puff at best, and looks slow and jaded. Phil O'Donnell will always be a legend at the club, but he no longer has the legs to play every week. The combination of him and Kerr just does not work, as they both need a midfield enforcer beside them. As we do not have one of them, I think we need to play three central midfielders, as this would give both O'Donnell and Kerr more time. I would play Fitzpatrick alongside them in a diamond three, with Kerr holding. Fitz makes great runs forward from midfield and deserves his chance. If we sign a midfielder, hopefully Lasley, as Alan McCormack looks unlikely, I would simply drop O'Donnell to the bench.

Up front I don't think we have as much of a problem, as it is creating chances that we are failing to do. I would play McCormack wide left, and Macdonald wide right, supporting Jim Hamilton up front (aka the Chelsea formation). The only dilemma here is that Hamilton does not have great movement, but hopefully the skilful, quick play of McCormack and Skippy can make up for this.

This is what I would do, but I have a horrible feeling that Malpas will stick with 4-4-2, and change very little. This, I fear, would lead to another defeat, and another inquisition. Surely everyone has to see that the starting eleven against St Mirren was not good enough. We got exactly what we deserved from the game, and will continue getting what we deserve until changes are made. I am beginning to stop caring who we sign, just as long as we sign someone - anyone! Lasley? McCormack? Ritchie? Lawson? Mulgrew? …?

MIKE'S MOAN