January transfer window ( Now closed )

[Sertse]

11 hours ago, jambo2524 said:

We have the 5th worst defense (goals against) in the Championship.

We have conceded one less goal = 17 versus the current bottom Club Arbroath = 18 after 12 games.

 

In the Premiership only the bottom 3 have a worse goals against per game = Ross County, Hamilton and marginally Motherwell.

 

We fans would generally agree that our Goalkeeper CG and full backs MS and SK are our 3 best players this season. On that basis our centre halves have a lot of explaining to do regardless of the defensive qualities of the remainder of the team (that are 100% not blameless)

 

We need to sign a young but proven Centre half ideally left sided that will play every week and is top half Scottish Premiership quality.. 

Findlay is the obvious choice as he is the right age, is quick, durable, wins his headers, left sided, and out of contract in the summer,

 

That signing alone will almost guarantee our promotion. 

 

 

Funnily enough Findlay was one of my first signings on FM!

Nailed it. Bin Berra and get him in 

[OTT]

1 hour ago, MTS1874 said:

Gallagher is the better defender but would Budge sanction the signing of a guy with a criminal record for serious assault, I have my doubts. Just the type of defender we need.

 

You'd hope that Budge wouldn't wade into the football department. Otherwise, that wouldn't be okay.

 

If Robbie/Joe deem him to be the guy they want (or don't want) then thats their decision. He's a Scotland international, if he's good enough to represent his country, he's good enough to turn out for us. 

[Gav M]

i'm hoping that the comment on looking for a new right back is in direct reply to a question on that position and not a comment on what we are looking for defence wise in General.

it was well known before Berra got injured that we required at least 1 more CB, I can't see that having changed, and comment on one being looked for wasn't quoted due to the questions being asked.

[Ribble]

Not against bringing in a RB on loan to the end of the season, would allow Logan to stay with Cove and hopefully play more then he would if he stayed (assuming lower leagues aren't binned for the season) and would also give us the option of moving Smith inside. 

 

I'm kinda now at the point where most of our business should be looking at next season, looking at the likes of Stuart Findlay, Millwall's Murray Wallace or Sonny Bradley at Luton who had a decent game against Chelsea yesterday who are all available on a pre-contract.

[GinRummy]

49 minutes ago, Dazo said:

I don’t recall many complaints when we signed Halkett. Not aimed at you but seems like 20/20 hindsight vision is the order of the day after a defeat. 

I know what you mean but I’ve been critical of him quite a lot in the past. His positioning seems to let him down a fair bit. For the record, I thought he’d be a very good signing when we bought him. 

[Pasquale for King]

2 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

I know what you mean but I’ve been critical of him quite a lot in the past. His positioning seems to let him down a fair bit. For the record, I thought he’d be a very good signing when we bought him. 

Everybody did, we were wrong. 

[Adam_the_legend]

1 hour ago, Cruyff said:

A back up right back. 🤣

 

He's no serious, surely?

 

 

He must have a JKB account. Top class trolling from RN 🥴🙄

[Rick Sanchez]

1 minute ago, GinRummy said:

I know what you mean but I’ve been critical of him quite a lot in the past. His positioning seems to let him down a fair bit. For the record, I thought he’d be a very good signing when we bought him. 

 

He always goes ape shit when we concede a goal but never usually covers himself in glory. Show me you care by going daft beforehand and trying to organise things and tell players where to be.

 

Berra doesn't do it much now either. I'd love a no nonsense centre back that shouts like **** before the event rather than after it.

[bobby bombscare]

6 minutes ago, Rick Sanchez said:

Who's going to join as backup right back for six months? Don't spunk unnecessary cash on another squad player when we can recall Cammy Logan for nothing.

 

Spunk some cash on O'Donnell and use Smith's composure where it's needed, in the centre.

 

Gordon

 

O'Donnell

Smith

Halkett

Kingsley

 

Haring

Irving

 

Ginnelly

Naismith

GMS

 

Boyce 

 

Or

 

Gordon

 

Smith

Halkett

Popescu

 

O'Donnell

Haring

Irving

Kingsley

 

Ginnelly

Boyce

GMS

Halkett has been the biggest problem since day one. The day he started was the day all our defensive issues began. Doesn't matter who he's paired with, there is issues. Berra should be picked before him (and that REALLY isn't a compliment on Berra)

For me Popescu is the best of the 3 and he's still not good enough. I would be most inclined to try Harring and Popescu there. If that works then stick with that to get us till the end of the season and try and push the boat out for a quality CB on a pre-contract. I mean, we score 2-3 goals on average per game, we only lose games because we ship 3-4 goals a game as well. I'm sure between Haring and Popescu we can cut that down to 2? 

[Tatlock]

Haring is slow and clumsy in the tackle in midfield so god knows how many penalties we’d concede if he plays CH. he’s developed legend status based on every other defender or defensive midfield being worse. He is not the answer.

[The White Cockade]

9 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

Halkett has been the biggest problem since day one. The day he started was the day all our defensive issues began. Doesn't matter who he's paired with, there is issues. Berra should be picked before him (and that REALLY isn't a compliment on Berra)

For me Popescu is the best of the 3 and he's still not good enough. I would be most inclined to try Harring and Popescu there. If that works then stick with that to get us till the end of the season and try and push the boat out for a quality CB on a pre-contract. I mean, we score 2-3 goals on average per game, we only lose games because we ship 3-4 goals a game as well. I'm sure between Haring and Popescu we can cut that down to 2? 

Popescu is the bomb scares bomb scare imo

He basically handed the third goal to them in Saturday 

His touch is awful for a professional footballer 

[GinRummy]

9 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

Halkett has been the biggest problem since day one. The day he started was the day all our defensive issues began. Doesn't matter who he's paired with, there is issues. Berra should be picked before him (and that REALLY isn't a compliment on Berra)

For me Popescu is the best of the 3 and he's still not good enough. I would be most inclined to try Harring and Popescu there. If that works then stick with that to get us till the end of the season and try and push the boat out for a quality CB on a pre-contract. I mean, we score 2-3 goals on average per game, we only lose games because we ship 3-4 goals a game as well. I'm sure between Haring and Popescu we can cut that down to 2? 

Come on eh? Popescu is shit. Not defending the other two but how can you say he’s better when he’s hardly featured and looks so bad when he has.  

[kingantti1874]

What an argument.. who is the shortest defender we have 😂 sad thing is - everyone is right in their own way. Our central defence is utterly honking

[neilnunb]

Berra is the issue for me. Absolutely finished. 

[kingantti1874]

1 minute ago, neilnunb said:

Berra is the issue for me. Absolutely finished. 

Not disagreeing but Halkett is honking as well. His positioning is terrible. Since the day he arrived we have been abysmal at CB

[David Black]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

Not disagreeing but Halkett is honking as well. His positioning is terrible. Since the day he arrived we have been abysmal at CB

The thing with Halkett is that he might improve with a better partner beside him.

[Heartsofgold]

For me it's telling that both the penalties were given away by our 2 best defenders on Saturday, tackling their opponents in areas that a decent CF would have been there to cover.  The 2nd one was VERY telling as Halkett totally backed off and Smith made a challenge that can only be described as stupid but I think both of these incidents indicate that our very competent fullbacks have ZERO confidence in our current crop of CH's making a challenge on an attacker.

 

I'm sick to death of defenders backing of on attacking player.  How many times have we seen them doing this over the last several season that results in the attacker getting a cross in or a shot on target.  Jockeying an attacking player is OK if you have a further defender covering you but is useless when facing up one on one.

[Pasquale for King]

1 minute ago, David Black said:

The thing with Halkett is that he might improve with a better partner beside him.

Bit early to be on the sauce. 

[Heartsofgold]

5 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

Not disagreeing but Halkett is honking as well. His positioning is terrible. Since the day he arrived we have been abysmal at CB

Such as Declan Gallagher when he was at Livi.  

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, Heartsofgold said:

For me it's telling that both the penalties were given away by our 2 best defenders on Saturday, tackling their opponents in areas that a decent CF would have been there to cover.  The 2nd one was VERY telling as Halkett totally backed off and Smith made a challenge that can only be described as stupid but I think both of these incidents indicate that our very competent fullbacks have ZERO confidence in our current crop of CH's making a challenge on an attacker.

 

I'm sick to death of defenders backing of on attacking player.  How many times have we seen them doing this over the last several season that results in the attacker getting a cross in or a shot on target.  Jockeying an attacking player is OK if you have a further defender covering you but is useless when facing up one on one.

Spot on. 

[Alan_R]

37 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

You think Savage picked Frear and Roberts? The two guys that were on trial and he was interested in for Dundee Utd before he came back? They signed for us three months before Savage quit his old job ffs. 
Back Neilson all you want but that’s laughable. 
 

Was already pointed out thanks. Doesn't feel like they've been around that long. August til December got my months pickled. Think I can be forgiven in this weird past year. Just seemed like he "could've" had a hand. I should've checked.

 

Another poster already righted me without being so ****ing snotty. 

[neilnunb]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

Not disagreeing but Halkett is honking as well. His positioning is terrible. Since the day he arrived we have been abysmal at CB

 

 

Thought the defence was ok earlier in the season, not great but more than adequate.

 

Berra played at East Fife - a game we scrapped by. Two goals lost.

 

Celtic - 3 goals lost where he was responsible for 2.

 

Ayr - another 3 goals lost

 

Dundee - another 3 goals lost, cost us the 3rd goal when we were right back in the game.

 

Raith - responsible for the corner that led to their opening goal. 

 

I'm not saying Halkett is great but he is being dragged down covering for Berra. Halkett must have the biggest arse in Scottish football though. 😐🤣

 

 

 

 

[Batistuta87]

1 hour ago, heartsfc_fan said:

I'd be happy with O'Donnell.

Speaking of which, is he not meant to be out of contract this month?

Yeah his Motherwell contract was up to 1 Jan. I'm sure he's played since then though so don't really know what the deal is there.

[A_A wehatethehibs]

2 hours ago, TheBigO said:

Yeah don't disagree with anything here dude.

 

I'd like a new CF, and if we really want Adebayo and this is the chance to get him, brilliant, lets scoop him up, but I definitely find it weird that CH and CM are not our priorities.

 

I just don't get Halliday.  I tend not to be negative on here, especially about individuals (other than Steven MacLean, who had me at i8 levels of hatred!), but I've been saying basically since day 1 of the season that I just don't see the point of him.  He'll kick a couple of people in a derby or against the OF.  What else does he do?  I would honestly rather Damour or Cochrane were used this season.  Why not?  We're paying them anyway.

 

I get your point re 3 CMs, but when we do this, we're really shit at getting up near our CF.  Always happens.  Other teams play a 433 or 4321, 4321 etc and it can be attacking.  Ours ALWAYS plays more like a 451.  I also want GMS and Ginnelly both on the park, so not sure how that works. I guess a 433 with them both wide up top, but the midfielders would simply need to get in beside the CF.

 

Gordon

Smith Halkett Popescu Kingsley

Haring Irving

Naismith*

Gino Boyce GMS

*or Walker

 

Looks OK, but that's more or less what we've been playing, so are you saying more of a:

 

Gordon

Smith Halkett Popescu Kingsley

Haring

Irving Halliday

Gino Boyce GMS

 

No bad too, but I'd be taking Halliday out for Walker or Naismith.  (or McGill, Cochrane, Damour, C Smith: as I say, just don't see why we signed the guy).  Not saying any of them are our saviours, but I don't see us being worse with them in the team.

 

What I like about your team is that the FBs will get high up the park and Haring can cover them.  The winger on the other side can come in and get to theback post too.

 

The second team is what I’d be deploying tomorrow night. **** Naismith and Walker. Walker is backup to Ginelly / GMS and Naismith is backup to Boyce.

[Cruyff]

14 minutes ago, David Black said:

The thing with Halkett is that he might improve with a better partner beside him.

He won't. He's absolutely shite. 

[kingantti1874]

7 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

Thought the defence was ok earlier in the season, not great but more than adequate.

 

Berra played at East Fife - a game we scrapped by. Two goals lost.

 

Celtic - 3 goals lost where he was responsible for 2.

 

Ayr - another 3 goals lost

 

Dundee - another 3 goals lost, cost us the 3rd goal when we were right back in the game.

 

Raith - responsible for the corner that led to their opening goal. 

 

I'm not saying Halkett is great but he is being dragged down covering for Berra. Halkett must have the biggest arse in Scottish football though. 😐🤣

 

 

 

 

i can’t be that all the partners Halkett has played with have made him look shit though. Let’s be honest he’s beeen rotten since he set foot in the door.. I can’t recall again game where I’ve thought “Halketts had a good game” not even once which you’d expect if the biggest problem is who plays beside him.

 

I get the feeling that hes the sort of player that ok when playing on the back foot.. where we aren’t expected to make the play.. as soon as there is any space in behind we are done.

 

when he was at livi - he’d be defending deep most of the time. 

Edited January 25, 2021 by kingantti1874

[Cruyff]

1 minute ago, kingantti1874 said:

i can’t be that all the partners Halkett has played with have made him look shit though.

 

I get the feeling that hes the sort of player that ok when playing on the back foot.. where we aren’t expected to make the play.. as soon as there is any space in behind we are doen

Berra was punted to Dundee and Halkett was still gifting goals to get us relegated. 

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

Halkett is decent. Overall he has been a good player for us considering some of the partners he's had at the back. I think there's been a bit of an overreaction to a few poor performances. 

 

Popescu made a stinking mistake giving the ball away but if you look at the area he's given it away in, its not ultimately what's cost the goal, it's Halkett being spun way too easily and not bringing Kennedy down when he had the chance. Hasn't had much football and, while he is never going to be a world-beater and is most likely not good enough for Hearts, from what I have seen he is leagues ahead of Berra.

 

Berra is finished. He can't move, he can't jump, he has no confidence at all when he has the ball, and teams actively seek him out as the weak point in our defence. He is a total liability. For me, he is the biggest reason we have conceded so many goals this season, as the other defenders don't trust him and it throws them all out of sync.

 

If Souttar can come back and be half the player he was, he is easily a starter in this team. 

[OTT]

16 minutes ago, David Black said:

The thing with Halkett is that he might improve with a better partner beside him.

 

He's had 4 partners. He should be the partner that improves the defence. 

 

I think its time to move him on. He's okay in glimpses but he's not good enough overall. I think if he was left sided instead, it might be less of an issue (as right sided players are more common so improving shouldn't be as tough to sign better). 

[Gambo]

42 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

Halkett has been the biggest problem since day one. The day he started was the day all our defensive issues began. Doesn't matter who he's paired with, there is issues. Berra should be picked before him (and that REALLY isn't a compliment on Berra)

For me Popescu is the best of the 3 and he's still not good enough. I would be most inclined to try Harring and Popescu there. If that works then stick with that to get us till the end of the season and try and push the boat out for a quality CB on a pre-contract. I mean, we score 2-3 goals on average per game, we only lose games because we ship 3-4 goals a game as well. I'm sure between Haring and Popescu we can cut that down to 2? 

I'd like to see Popescu get a shot on the right hand side of Central defence. Looks awkward as a right footer on the left.

[kingantti1874]

2 minutes ago, Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine said:

Halkett is decent. Overall he has been a good player for us considering some of the partners he's had at the back. I think there's been a bit of an overreaction to a few poor performances. 

 

Popescu made a stinking mistake giving the ball away but if you look at the area he's given it away in, its not ultimately what's cost the goal, it's Halkett being spun way too easily and not bringing Kennedy down when he had the chance. Hasn't had much football and, while he is never going to be a world-beater and is most likely not good enough for Hearts, from what I have seen he is leagues ahead of Berra.

 

Berra is finished. He can't move, he can't jump, he has no confidence at all when he has the ball, and teams actively seek him out as the weak point in our defence. He is a total liability. For me, he is the biggest reason we have conceded so many goals this season, as the other defenders don't trust him and it throws them all out of sync.

 

If Souttar can come back and be half the player he was, he is easily a starter in this team. 

when was Halkett decent? 

[Jamboscanbevicius]

Agree with lots of this. But we all know that we are not going to bin all of what we currently have in the next week at CB.

 

So right now I would...

- make Gallagher and Motherwell the best offer we can afford to try and tempt him now. Halkett looked very assured alongside him at Livi so they have an understanding already. It's tried and tested and an immediate fix!

- if we can't get him, I'd try and get Findlay from Kilmarnock.

 

- offer the other one (Findlay/Gallagher) a pre-contract now to strengthen further in the summer

 

Then in summer:

- Berra is gone, ship Popescu out too, and Halkett unless he improves

- ease Souttar back slowly, slowly for start of next season... likely his last chance or I fear he is finished unfortunately

- try and sign a nailed on starting CH - someone like Murray Wallace would be excellent

Edited January 25, 2021 by Jamboscanbevicius

[Pasquale for King]

14 minutes ago, Alan_R said:

Was already pointed out thanks. Doesn't feel like they've been around that long. August til December got my months pickled. Think I can be forgiven in this weird past year. Just seemed like he "could've" had a hand. I should've checked.

 

Another poster already righted me without being so ****ing snotty. 

Apologies I had just been pissed off by other things on here and took it out on you, looking to sign a back up RB instead of a replacement CH being one of them. 

[bobby bombscare]

5 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Come on eh? Popescu is shit. Not defending the other two but how can you say he’s better when he’s hardly featured and looks so bad when he has.  

 

27 minutes ago, The White Cockade said:

Popescu is the bomb scares bomb scare imo

He basically handed the third goal to them in Saturday 

His touch is awful for a professional footballer 

Plain and simple. Popescu at least has some pace and wins the areal battle. Aye, he's not great with the ball at feet and makes bad decisions but let's be honest.. Berra and halkett have been making a couple howling decisions every game.  On saturday, Halkett almost put the ball in our net twice trying to clear it, when he was 1 on 1 for the second pen, rather than usher him to the touchline or try and get the ball, he just made a b line for the penalty spot and left a big open space for the boy to run at goal. Might as well have just not been there, he literally did nothing. he tracked him for 10 meters and made absolutely zero effort to do anything. Never put himself in a position to block, never tried to push the boy out, never put in a tackle even though he was outside the box for a lot of it and in the perfect position for a tackle. Instead, Smith had to come back (albeit from his initial mistake) and make a tackle from the ball from a far more difficult angle than Halkett. Basically just put the shot at goal on a plate for the boy. I mean he never even had a yellow! Take the foul outside the box if nothing else. Then the third goal... aye, a wayward pass from Popescu with that stupid bandage covering his eyes 😂 but Halkett was done . Done for pace, done for skill and done for football intelligence. He was made look like a Sunday league player. Again, he wasn't on a yello0w and it was outside the box.. take the foul if nothing else?! 
 

Since the day he joined, he consistently gets burned for pace, consistently gets caught out of position and consistently leaves smith or the other CB to cover for him being miles away from where he should be. Yes the other boys make poor decisions, but he has his own fair share of blunders on a weekly basis. 

Before he arrived, Berra, Souttar and even to an extent Dikamona looked solid together. Then as soon as he joins we have got issues.

 

Soutter and him is a bomb scare

 Berra and him is a bomb scare

 Dikamona and him is a bomb scare

 Popescu and him is a bomb scare

Smith and Halkett was a bomb scare

 

I mean since going to Killie, Dikamona is looking like he did in his first season for us again. Berra is past it and not good enough but how come when Berra and smith played the 2 CB positions, it was the most solid defensive performance we had all of last season (and one of our only clean sheets we had?). I'm not saying Berra or Popescu are in any way good, i'm saying Halkett is so overrated it's unreal and I got pelters for saying he wasn't that good when everyone was still hailing him as out next captain back when he first joined. 

 

I mean if i'm wrong, i'm happy to take pelters for it. I'm just an armchair manager at the end of the day 😂 but i honestly thin the rout of all our CB problems have been him. He was carried at livi by playing in a back 3 with lithgow and gallagher and has done nothing but cause defencive issues since he arrived. He chips in with goals and that makes everyone think he's great.. but unfortunately CB is about stopping goals more than scoring them. And our goals conceded before his arrival and his goals conceded after his arrival should tell that story perfectly.

 

Even if people don't agree with who is better, the point is that they are all well below the level we need and they are all at roughly the same point of terrible. I just personally think that so many players have struggled next to Halkett that there is no way he isn't playing a deciding factor in it. 

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

5 minutes ago, Gambo said:

I'd like to see Popescu get a shot on the right hand side of Central defence. Looks awkward as a right footer on the left.

Agree ! That's problem in central midfield aswell with 2 left footed players , balance just isn't right at all

[Pasquale for King]

2 minutes ago, Jamboscanbevicius said:

Agree with lots of this. But we all know that we are not going to bin all of what we currently have in the next week at CB.

 

So right now I would...

- make Gallagher and Motherwell the best offer we can afford to try and tempt him now. Halkett looked very assured alongside him at Livi so they have an understanding already. It's tried and tested and an immediate fix!

- if we can't get him, I'd try and get Findlay from Kilmarnock.

 

- offer the other one (Findlay/Gallagher) a pre-contract now to strengthen further in the summer

 

- this summer Berra is gone, and we should try and ship Popescu out, and Halkett unless he improves

 

- ease Souttar back slowly, slowly... has to be his last chance or I fear he is finished unfortunately

 

- try and identify a nailed on starting CH for this summer. Someone like Murray Wallace would be excellent!

Good post, I think Halkett looked ok Livi because they played a 5 at the back and sat on their own 18 yard line. He actually looks better in a three with us too because he’s not as exposed as he has been this season, funnily enough he was last season too but the manager hasn’t had the same criticism for that.

[Kyle1874]

18 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

Thought the defence was ok earlier in the season, not great but more than adequate.

 

Berra played at East Fife - a game we scrapped by. Two goals lost.

 

Celtic - 3 goals lost where he was responsible for 2.

 

Ayr - another 3 goals lost

 

Dundee - another 3 goals lost, cost us the 3rd goal when we were right back in the game.

 

Raith - responsible for the corner that led to their opening goal. 

 

I'm not saying Halkett is great but he is being dragged down covering for Berra. Halkett must have the biggest arse in Scottish football though. 😐🤣

 

 

 

 

I think if we get a good CB in then halkett will fine he needs someone next to him that he does not need to worry about he’s not a bad player 

but I do think we need 2 CB for next year but be happy with halkett to stay and fight it out for a start 

[jambopilms]

18 minutes ago, neilnunb said:

 

 

Thought the defence was ok earlier in the season, not great but more than adequate.

 

Berra played at East Fife - a game we scrapped by. Two goals lost.

 

Celtic - 3 goals lost where he was responsible for 2.

 

Ayr - another 3 goals lost

 

Dundee - another 3 goals lost, cost us the 3rd goal when we were right back in the game.

 

Raith - responsible for the corner that led to their opening goal. 

 

I'm not saying Halkett is great but he is being dragged down covering for Berra. Halkett must have the biggest arse in Scottish football though. 😐🤣

 

 

 

 

Berra is clearly done but the defence was awful even when he was away to Dundee. Halkett provide no support to anyone and it's no coincidence that our defence has been awful since his arrival.

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

8 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

when was Halkett decent? 

 

Some people have really short memories. Had a great start to the season last year, played alongside donkeys and looked okay, and was our top scorer. I'd say that's decent.

[Pasquale for King]

2 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

 

Plain and simple. Popescu at least has some pace and wins the areal battle. Aye, he's not great with the ball at feet and makes bad decisions but let's be honest.. Berra and halkett have been making a couple howling decisions every game.  On saturday, Halkett almost put the ball in our net twice trying to clear it, when he was 1 on 1 for the second pen, rather than usher him to the touchline or try and get the ball, he just made a b line for the penalty spot and left a big open space for the boy to run at goal. Might as well have just not been there, he literally did nothing. he tracked him for 10 meters and made absolutely zero effort to do anything. Never put himself in a position to block, never tried to push the boy out, never put in a tackle even though he was outside the box for a lot of it and in the perfect position for a tackle. Instead, Smith had to come back (albeit from his initial mistake) and make a tackle from the ball from a far more difficult angle than Halkett. Basically just put the shot at goal on a plate for the boy. I mean he never even had a yellow! Take the foul outside the box if nothing else. Then the third goal... aye, a wayward pass from Popescu with that stupid bandage covering his eyes 😂 but Halkett was done . Done for pace, done for skill and done for football intelligence. He was made look like a Sunday league player. Again, he wasn't on a yello0w and it was outside the box.. take the foul if nothing else?! 
 

Since the day he joined, he consistently gets burned for pace, consistently gets caught out of position and consistently leaves smith or the other CB to cover for him being miles away from where he should be. Yes the other boys make poor decisions, but he has his own fair share of blunders on a weekly basis. 

Before he arrived, Berra, Souttar and even to an extent Dikamona looked solid together. Then as soon as he joins we have got issues.

 

Soutter and him is a bomb scare

 Berra and him is a bomb scare

 Dikamona and him is a bomb scare

 Popescu and him is a bomb scare

Smith and Halkett was a bomb scare

 

I mean since going to Killie, Dikamona is looking like he did in his first season for us again. Berra is past it and not good enough but how come when Berra and smith played the 2 CB positions, it was the most solid defensive performance we had all of last season (and one of our only clean sheets we had?). I'm not saying Berra or Popescu are in any way good, i'm saying Halkett is so overrated it's unreal and I got pelters for saying he wasn't that good when everyone was still hailing him as out next captain back when he first joined. 

 

I mean if i'm wrong, i'm happy to take pelters for it. I'm just an armchair manager at the end of the day 😂 but i honestly thin the rout of all our CB problems have been him. He was carried at livi by playing in a back 3 with lithgow and gallagher and has done nothing but cause defencive issues since he arrived. He chips in with goals and that makes everyone think he's great.. but unfortunately CB is about stopping goals more than scoring them. And our goals conceded before his arrival and his goals conceded after his arrival should tell that story perfectly.

 

Even if people don't agree with who is better, the point is that they are all well below the level we need and they are all at roughly the same point of terrible. I just personally think that so many players have struggled next to Halkett that there is no way he isn't playing a deciding factor in it. 

Great post.
The EEN reporter described Halkett on Saturday as reminding him of an elderly grandparent trying to usher an unruly child around a supermarket and failing. 

He needs to go at the end of the season. 

[Leveins Battalion]

We have NO decent centre halfs available.

 

Soutar is not reliable.

 

 

We need 2 centre halfs as we look gash even in this tin pot league.

[jambopilms]

5 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

 

Plain and simple. Popescu at least has some pace and wins the areal battle. Aye, he's not great with the ball at feet and makes bad decisions but let's be honest.. Berra and halkett have been making a couple howling decisions every game.  On saturday, Halkett almost put the ball in our net twice trying to clear it, when he was 1 on 1 for the second pen, rather than usher him to the touchline or try and get the ball, he just made a b line for the penalty spot and left a big open space for the boy to run at goal. Might as well have just not been there, he literally did nothing. he tracked him for 10 meters and made absolutely zero effort to do anything. Never put himself in a position to block, never tried to push the boy out, never put in a tackle even though he was outside the box for a lot of it and in the perfect position for a tackle. Instead, Smith had to come back (albeit from his initial mistake) and make a tackle from the ball from a far more difficult angle than Halkett. Basically just put the shot at goal on a plate for the boy. I mean he never even had a yellow! Take the foul outside the box if nothing else. Then the third goal... aye, a wayward pass from Popescu with that stupid bandage covering his eyes 😂 but Halkett was done . Done for pace, done for skill and done for football intelligence. He was made look like a Sunday league player. Again, he wasn't on a yello0w and it was outside the box.. take the foul if nothing else?! 
 

Since the day he joined, he consistently gets burned for pace, consistently gets caught out of position and consistently leaves smith or the other CB to cover for him being miles away from where he should be. Yes the other boys make poor decisions, but he has his own fair share of blunders on a weekly basis. 

Before he arrived, Berra, Souttar and even to an extent Dikamona looked solid together. Then as soon as he joins we have got issues.

 

Soutter and him is a bomb scare

 Berra and him is a bomb scare

 Dikamona and him is a bomb scare

 Popescu and him is a bomb scare

Smith and Halkett was a bomb scare

 

I mean since going to Killie, Dikamona is looking like he did in his first season for us again. Berra is past it and not good enough but how come when Berra and smith played the 2 CB positions, it was the most solid defensive performance we had all of last season (and one of our only clean sheets we had?). I'm not saying Berra or Popescu are in any way good, i'm saying Halkett is so overrated it's unreal and I got pelters for saying he wasn't that good when everyone was still hailing him as out next captain back when he first joined. 

 

I mean if i'm wrong, i'm happy to take pelters for it. I'm just an armchair manager at the end of the day 😂 but i honestly thin the rout of all our CB problems have been him. He was carried at livi by playing in a back 3 with lithgow and gallagher and has done nothing but cause defencive issues since he arrived. He chips in with goals and that makes everyone think he's great.. but unfortunately CB is about stopping goals more than scoring them. And our goals conceded before his arrival and his goals conceded after his arrival should tell that story perfectly.

 

Even if people don't agree with who is better, the point is that they are all well below the level we need and they are all at roughly the same point of terrible. I just personally think that so many players have struggled next to Halkett that there is no way he isn't playing a deciding factor in it. 

This is spot on. I thought he would be a good signing but he is always out of position, hasn't had a good partnership with anyone, I can't name one good attribute.

At least Berra is still dominant in the air.

[TheBigO]

18 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

The second team is what I’d be deploying tomorrow night. **** Naismith and Walker. Walker is backup to Ginelly / GMS and Naismith is backup to Boyce.

Halliday is simply above Walker and Naismith in my order of players I don't want to play!

 

Naismith at least you can guarantee will be involved.  Walker at least there's the hope he'll pull something out the bag.  You can't say either about Halliday!  Really need to sign a midfielder with some drive.  The laddie Alli isn't getting a game for Spurs....!!!!

[TheBigO]

5 minutes ago, Kyle1874 said:

I think if we get a good CB in then halkett will fine he needs someone next to him that he does not need to worry about he’s not a bad player 

but I do think we need 2 CB for next year but be happy with halkett to stay and fight it out for a start 

Thats my - unfashionable - thoughts on Halkett.  He's the common denominator in 2 bad years of defending, but he's also never had a good, steady partner, nor a midfield worth a shit in front of him.

 

Play him with a fully fit Souttar (or a new signing), Smith and Kingsley, Haring fully fit along with Irving or a new signing in there too.  Then judge him.  I think he'd be just fine.

 

That said, the counter is he's been a part of the problem and what's he done to remedy it.  I get that.  Just my gut is that he'll be one of those who in a few years we think of fondly.  Pressley had a rough time when he first came to us - and in a much better team.

[weegie jambo]

6 minutes ago, Leveins Battalion said:

We have NO decent centre halfs available.

 

Soutar is not reliable.

 

 

We need 2 centre halfs as we look gash even in this tin pot league.

this, all day long!

[Paul Shark]

10 minutes ago, Leveins Battalion said:

We have NO decent centre halfs available.

 

Soutar is not reliable.

 

 

We need 2 centre halfs as we look gash even in this tin pot league.

.... and Neilson claims his priority defensively is a right back to cover Michael Smith 🤣

[Cruyff]

Just now, Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine said:

 

Some people have really short memories. Had a great start to the season last year, played alongside donkeys and looked okay, and was our top scorer. I'd say that's decent.

Did he aye? I seem to recall he was pish pretty much from about the 2nd league game in and has been consistently terrible ever since. 

[David Black]

25 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

He's had 4 partners. He should be the partner that improves the defence. 

 

I think its time to move him on. He's okay in glimpses but he's not good enough overall. I think if he was left sided instead, it might be less of an issue (as right sided players are more common so improving shouldn't be as tough to sign better). 

Maybe the fact he has had 4 partners is the problem . A better partner might improve him. 

[Leveins Battalion]

2 minutes ago, Paul Shark said:

.... and Neilson claims his priority defensively is a right back to cover Michael Smith 🤣

Michael Smith got the absolute piss took out of him by Kai Kennedy however he will do.

 

Berra and Halkett have been bullied by a guy who was non league in England and then a guy who has played league 2.Then asking both of them to be ball playing CH is mental,Berra cant pass the ball 10 yards.

 

 

[kimosavi]

1 hour ago, bobby bombscare said:

Halkett has been the biggest problem since day one. The day he started was the day all our defensive issues began. Doesn't matter who he's paired with, there is issues. Berra should be picked before him (and that REALLY isn't a compliment on Berra)

For me Popescu is the best of the 3 and he's still not good enough. I would be most inclined to try Harring and Popescu there. If that works then stick with that to get us till the end of the season and try and push the boat out for a quality CB on a pre-contract. I mean, we score 2-3 goals on average per game, we only lose games because we ship 3-4 goals a game as well. I'm sure between Haring and Popescu we can cut that down to 2? 

Popescu is a bomb scare his passing gives me the fear everytime he has the ball