Rabbi Matondo

[KeyserSoze 14,598]

11 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

That's not how football works, you cant have a 25 man squad where every player is first team quality/as good as the player keeping them out of the team.

I know. But SOME competition would be good eh?

[beararse 6,386]

19 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

That's not how football works, you cant have a 25 man squad where every player is first team quality/as good as the player keeping them out of the team.

And even if it was we’re not in a financial position to do so, and I doubt we ever will be.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 65,057]

25 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

I know. But SOME competition would be good eh?

We have plenty of competition.

[KeyserSoze 14,598]

4 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

We have plenty of competition.

So is Wright competition for anyone? Arfield? Roofe? Sakala? Sands? King? 
 

there’s NOT enough competition for places which is my point. The players viewed as competition aren’t really ever going to be tbh.  They are just bang average squadies. 

[graeme_4 34,651]

53 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

That's not how football works, you cant have a 25 man squad where every player is first team quality/as good as the player keeping them out of the team.

No, but they should be capable of putting some pressure on those in front of them. That’s how you get the best from those starting. Scott Wright isn’t that. Bog standard SPFL winger.

We haven’t had a good RW in years. Matondo might be that, but we know Scott Wright isn’t that. We should have brought in better IMO. 

[bluenoz 30,944]

14 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

So is Wright competition for anyone? Arfield? Roofe? Sakala? Sands? King? 
 

there’s NOT enough competition for places which is my point. The players viewed as competition aren’t really ever going to be tbh.  They are just bang average squadies. 

That's mental. We have a bench from McGregor, Souttar, Jack, Helander, Lowry, Tillman, Barisic, Sands, Sakala, Colak, Wright, McCann, and more.

It all depends on who your preferred 11 is going to be. But those 11 subs I mentioned would win the majority of league games. The strongest squad we have had in years.

[graeme_4 34,651]

15 hours ago, HG5 said:

Short memories, some folk.

Very true. Bang average or worse for the rest of the season.

Was practically hounded off the park at one point for being so bad. A great goal in a cup final doesn’t change the rest of the season I don’t think. 

[graeme_4 34,651]

1 minute ago, bluenoz said:

That's mental. We have a bench from McGregor, Souttar, Jack, Helander, Lowry, Tillman, Barisic, Sakala, Colak, Wright, McCann, and more.

It all depends on who your preferred 11 is going to be. But those 11 subs I mentioned would win the majority of league games. The strongest squad we have had in years.

It is a strong squad apart from RW and GK. 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 65,057]

9 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

So is Wright competition for anyone? Arfield? Roofe? Sakala? Sands? King? 
 

there’s NOT enough competition for places which is my point. The players viewed as competition aren’t really ever going to be tbh.  They are just bang average squadies. 

Arfield and Sakala are ideal squad players for me. Roofe is a tough one, arguably first team quality but injuries prevent him from being that, more than good enough to play a part. No idea really on Sands, think he has looked decent in pre season though and King is only 18.

What level of player do you want as a squad player?

Strongest squad in a long time for me.

[bluenoz 30,944]

Just now, graeme_4 said:

It is a strong squad apart from RW and GK. 

We just sorted our RW spot for the first time in over a decade and yet you are still not happy because Scott Wright is the second choice. 

[blaudrup 5,458]

21 minutes ago, bluenoz said:

We just sorted our RW spot for the first time in over a decade and yet you are still not happy because Scott Wright is the second choice. 

To be fair, we've thought we've sorted RW many times, but they ended up shite.  So still need to find out if Matondo has the goods.

Scott Wright with a better haircut could be a new player.

[King Jela 20,384]

59 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

We have plenty of competition.

Naw we don't. Near enough all positions in our first team will have a nailed on starter apart from, maybe, the keeper and who'll play as the third choice centre mid/attacking mid. 

The rest are squad players. 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 65,057]

4 minutes ago, King Jela said:

Naw we don't. Near enough all positions in our first team will have a nailed on starter apart from, maybe, the keeper and who'll play as the third choice centre mid/attacking mid. 

The rest are squad players. 

So squad players jobs isn't to provide competition?  

[bluenoz 30,944]

14 minutes ago, King Jela said:

Naw we don't. Near enough all positions in our first team will have a nailed on starter apart from, maybe, the keeper and who'll play as the third choice centre mid/attacking mid. 

The rest are squad players. 

I could name you 8 players who are likely to be on the bench who all represent their country. Hardly squad players.

[Ross-Gazza genius 1,914]

1 hour ago, KeyserSoze said:

So is Wright competition for anyone? Arfield? Roofe? Sakala? Sands? King? 
 

there’s NOT enough competition for places which is my point. The players viewed as competition aren’t really ever going to be tbh.  They are just bang average squadies. 

Ffs he's a young player getting better and improving each year, harsh as fuck to call him bang average squadie! 

The only place I feel our cover is weak is if Jack and Lundstram were to get injured as we don't have any other players capable of being aggressive in there. Everywhere else I think our squad has good cover and players who could step in and challenge if needed. 

Sakala and Wright have proved they can contribute from the bench so they could certainly step in if needed. 

Our squad is very good this season and the best it's been for a long time, probably a stronger squad than when sir Walter got us to the europa league final. 

[graeme_4 34,651]

1 hour ago, bluenoz said:

We just sorted our RW spot for the first time in over a decade and yet you are still not happy because Scott Wright is the second choice. 

Have we?

We’ve brought in a guy who’s looked good in a preseason game, who’s now injured, to supplement a guy that’s not shown anything to convince he’s good enough to start regularly. 

[bluenoz 30,944]

Just now, graeme_4 said:

Have we?

We’ve brought in a guy who’s looked good in a preseason game, who’s now injured, to supplement a guy that’s not shown anything to convince he’s good enough to start regularly. 

Take a day aff mate or drink from the glass half full for a change.

[graeme_4 34,651]

4 minutes ago, bluenoz said:

Take a day aff mate or drink from the glass half full for a change.

I think we’ll win the league, qualify for the champions league and overall have a great season.

Still allowed to think GK and RW options aren’t what they should be. 

[Ross-Gazza genius 1,914]

1 hour ago, graeme_4 said:

No, but they should be capable of putting some pressure on those in front of them. That’s how you get the best from those starting. Scott Wright isn’t that. Bog standard SPFL winger.

We haven’t had a good RW in years. Matondo might be that, but we know Scott Wright isn’t that. We should have brought in better IMO. 

Mate we've had a great window and the squad is looking very strong, I think you are nit-picking now. Wright and sakala still contributed heavily last season from the bench to show they still have worth to us this season. 

We are at the stage where we seriously need to trim players before we bring in anyone else, sure if someone wanted Wright or Sakala then we'd listen but I don't think we are going to start offering them to teams for the sake of it. 

I'd get rid of Simpson, Helander, katic, Kelly, Middleton and be open to offers for Wright, Sakala, Roofe but I wouldn't let the last 3 leave for buttons as they all produced good numbers last season considering they weren't nailed starters every week. 

[OrangeRab 2,778]

I’m a bit more pessimistic on our bench. Have always said our first eleven when fit was more than good enough to win the league last year. But the numbers from our squad players were significantly worse than Celtics. And that’s where the league was lost. 

Ideally you want to have players who can change a game and or progress to be starters in the future. We have slightly too many who fall into neither category. (Wouldn’t be happy with them filling in for an extended number of games. And a few that are past it).

Having said that, we’ve had a great window and looks like more depth in quality in the forward areas than last year.

[Roy Hobbs 2,180]

I can't think of a team in Europe who's squad players are genuinely pushing the first 11 in every position.

[.Williamson. 82,580]

Any update on this?

[hammer93 15,057]

21 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

Any update on this?

Aye....we have no competition in the squad 

[graeme_4 34,651]

1 hour ago, Ross-Gazza genius said:

Mate we've had a great window and the squad is looking very strong, I think you are nit-picking now. Wright and sakala still contributed heavily last season from the bench to show they still have worth to us this season. 

We are at the stage where we seriously need to trim players before we bring in anyone else, sure if someone wanted Wright or Sakala then we'd listen but I don't think we are going to start offering them to teams for the sake of it. 

I'd get rid of Simpson, Helander, katic, Kelly, Middleton and be open to offers for Wright, Sakala, Roofe but I wouldn't let the last 3 leave for buttons as they all produced good numbers last season considering they weren't nailed starters every week. 

Don’t disagree. Hopefully we’re actively trying to shift guys that aren’t good enough, and then replace them with better. 

[King Jela 20,384]

4 hours ago, The Specky Liar said:

So squad players jobs isn't to provide competition?  

Eh? Where did I say that? It absolutely is their job but we don't have competition in the squad, which was the point made above. 

Unless you can see Zalkowski starting over Tav when fully fit, Souttar over Goldson when fully fit or Sakala starting over Kent when fully fit?