Hilly86

I get the anxiety part; I'd be shit-scared playing for us, but I'm also just shit at football and know it. I wonder if some of them feel the same, honestly... I'd love to hear one of those players say that they've felt unsupported and unfairly criticised, that it's a factor in them having been awful for....how long is it now? It's a two-way thing; just one little bit of something like quality would get disproportionate favour from the fans right now. Only one group deserving of criticism and able to change it.

Unlucky pitch geography - too many cowards on it whenever we play.

That's my worry. No doubt that a manager with a steel toecaps for motivational purposes is needed, but there's literally nobody in that squad who can tackle or defend properly. Changing the god-awful 4-3-3 nonsense and making them run harder might be enough?

Trying to keep those thoughts quiet, but it's difficult...

Fair enough, I think we'll have to agree to disagree about RM being of any significance to the playing squad, or that forcing ourselves to find positives does anything. Just going with the notion that they do get to know about negativity, are you suggesting that this hinders them from playing well or putting in more effort? I completely agree that criticisms can be over the top, but if that's enough to impact on our players performances, they're even worse off than their limited footballing abilities betray. No alternative plan here, but that's my point. My criticisms are only based on what's gone on for too long now and given to try and make me feel better. It will matter hee-haw to the players.

Probably just about bright enough to paint a face on, say "yes, boss" when Warburton droned on at Brentford or wherever. He's probably fine with good players around him, just shown up horribly surrounded by utter dross.

Lack of talent only matched by his apparent lack of self-awareness. It takes a special kind of confidence to keep that act of stepping on the ball, posing for a few seconds too long, passing with cringey little flourishes that scream, "I'm good, me!" - all while being made to look like an idiot by SPFL players regularly.

Cheers for replying. First off, I wish I could be as resolutely positive as you, truly. I just don't follow the logic in suggesting that being positive or negative on this forum has any bearing on the players who'll never read it. They only get to hear and see the support of travelling thousands there to back them, despite letting them down repeatedly. It's cathartic to vent here, wanting us to be much better but knowing that the players can't be punted any time soon. Ignoring the negativity for a bit, what positives would you highlight right now?

See how fast he ran to collect the ball too? What a guy!

Honestly, with cool heads all round, I'd be genuinely interested to hear why you think being positive on the forum will help?

No, same effect as pretending that they're not useless to a man. More honest though.

To be fair, none of us have to show thousands of people how shite we are at our jobs...poor wee lambs.

If I was rich and better looking, I'd have more of a chance with Jennifer Lawrence - think Martyn and I will both have to accept our severe limitations.

Exactly why we don't score goals. No imagination to make runs, terrified to make passes that aren't easy, not good enough to do something individually.

Yes. Blanks, obviously.

I wonder if any of them enjoy playing any more? Torturous to watch, has to be painful to play with no obvious point to anything you do...

You've been here longer than most, long enough to know that it's a forum for fans' opinions, to vent when being served up crap week after week, and with no direct correlation to what happens on the pitch, right? None of the gentle little souls will ever care to visit the forums. And if the basic professional pride of doing their job with effort - while wearing that badge - isn't enough to make them run or tackle hard, what use is pretending that we all believe they're giving all that they can/should?

That particular stat and account is not designed to make us look bad, truly. It's just one accurate and relevant reflection of why we're so bad currently. I'm sure we could both guess a few other stats that would accurately describe the numerous other problems.

Completely agree - I can't even complete a possible lineup before getting too disgusted at having to include so many chancers because it's all that's left. And wondering if it's really a lucky kindness that the youngsters can't be thrown in right now?

And there's the most obvious problem in one depressing statement...

Counting the empty jerseys, I make that a 2-2-1?

If only bloody-minded, blind-faith could translate to any of the players having an ounce of courage - BP9 for manager/prophet!