Iain

He tried to let the game flow and probably should have shown a card well before he did. Overall though, the game benefitted from continuity, we're just a bit sore about his performance because we're looking for excuses. There are none. We played crap and they played a bit better.

Couldn't agree more but also seemed to me that Tav had been told to forget his normal game plan and stay back at all costs. We beat them last year by playing on the front foot, pressing and harrassing at every opportunity. today, we waited for them to get comfortable and let them control the tempo.

Agree wholeheartedly. Last season, (Europe aside) it was not the so called 'big games' that derailed us. We disrespected St Johnstone, Dundee and Motherwell as well as being surprised by Kille (who set their game plan out before us every time they took the field in just about every game)....and Ditto Aberdeen! Treat and play in all games like we did in all the OF games from last season and it will be very difficult to stop us. It's obviously a difficult mental challenge in this league when you go from the big games to playing in front of 6,000 on plastic (even if most of the 6,000 are 'gers fans) but SG knew that when he came here and he brought with him a promise to address how we approach these games (if not initially, certainly by half a dozen games in). Last year, he was cut some slack as a rookie and rightly so. There is no excuse this year. So far, so good and I believe we'll do it...

Whether or not he needs to learn it, he is coming back the the club and as we saw last season, Gerrard has to play him whether he likes it or not due to the terms of engagement with Liverpool. Personally, i'm glad his hands were tied because there was a period soon into the league campaign last season where i'd have dropped him like a stone. However, he eventually came good and overall, produced pretty well for us, especially in the games against the better teams in the SPL (cup semi's excluded). Candeias is surplus and due to the Kent arrangement, and the signing of Jones, the blikelihood is that Murphy is too.

Yep, Flanagan

If there's no pace on the oppo flanks, Falanagan is reliable. As soon as pace is injected in his direction, he becomes a liability. Given that the idea of the flanks is usually pace driven, he has limited use as a full back. I'd like to see him in away games as a defensive/protective midfielder in front of the centre backs. He knows how to tackle and puts fear into opposition the way he crunches in and he'd be less exposed in the middle. No doubt, there'd be a few late one and yellows, the odd red but he carries that liability on the flanks anyhow.

Kent will be back, so one has to wonder how much game time Candeias and Jones are likely to get. Sadly, that means Danny will be the odd one out.

My first post guys...so go easy..... My two pence worth on Barisic is that he clearly has the capability to be outstanding because we signed him after he was outstanding against us. We had a decent teams out those nights and he looked every bit the Rangers type player. Admittedly, he's flattered to deceive a lot of the time since and i've often wondered if those games against us were his best ever moments. Like someone else said....we'll know by Christmas if he's the real deal or not.