*** Motherwell v Hearts Official Match Day Thread ***

[jambopilms]

How often this season have we come away thinking that was a good performance.

I can handle the odd blip in a season, losing a few games here or there, saying today was just one of them days etc, but today was typical of how we have played for months and we got what our play deserved.

[Fozzyonthefence]

6 minutes ago, jambopilms said:

How often this season have we come away thinking that was a good performance.

I can handle the odd blip in a season, losing a few games here or there, saying today was just one of them days etc, but today was typical of how we have played for months and we got what our play deserved.

Ironically one of them was a game we lost but you’re right, they’ve been few a far between.  Results have picked up since we got a more settled defence but performances haven’t.

[Aussie Jambo]

I didn’t watch the game. Not as yet anyway. Off to work. 

But prior to this game Nielson was giving Motherwell a big gee up on his interview on Hearts TV. That’s going to make everyone positive in the team eh. 🙄

[leipzig76]

That was my second time in about 10 years that I have seen Hearts in the flesh ( Ill health has plagued me since I had my last season ticket - 10 years ago )

It is also the first time in my supporting life I have left a game with 20 minutes or so to go.Even when back in the day of the really bad old times of the 1970s/80s, I never left a game so early

I've watched Hearts on streams whenever I can and it's been mostly painful to watch ( this season especially)

We've somehow managed to get a lot of positive results.

As I say I managed to get myself to Fir Park today.I was really looking forward to it.Got up nice and early and went to the Co-Op for a latte and a bacon roll.I was all set ! The first 5 mins filled me with hope.After that ? Not so much.

I was and still am angry with that display/effort but around the 70 minute mark I suddenly had a revelation that this was it,that it won't improve.That, this was the standard that was passing and seemingly being accepted as our standard.

 

[Robbo-Jambo]

1 hour ago, micole said:

Thing is our main objective apart from finishing 3rd and a possible cup, is to try and get nearer the OF. Do I think RN is the man to do that, unfortunately no. He is kind of a busted flush. IMO he has done as much as he is capable of. All very easy to say this but we have to look to moving forward and RN ain't the man to do it.

Post of the day.

 

We will never take it to another level under Neilson.

 

It's actually not that hard to see.

 

[gar jambo]

20 minutes ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Post of the day.

 

We will never take it to another level under Neilson.

 

It's actually not that hard to see.

 

Yes better squad in a long time! wrong system and it's getting exploited 

[ArcticJambo]

7 hours ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

This is it. He is at his ceiling, but in all honesty the £££ reqd to go higher dont exist so its a decent fix for RN and club.

In the mix for 3rd every year and cup SFs if draw allows it is pretty much anyone outside OF ceiling.

We have had plenty worse seasons. 

Frustrating for sure. Harsh reality.

 

7 hours ago, Taffin said:

 

True, but could another manager win a cup or make us competitive in Europe is probably the more relevant question.

 Ultimately this is where I'm finally leaning towards, when it comes to our current management team. I'm just not convinced they can take that next step, consistently, or possibly even at all.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

16 minutes ago, ArcticJambo said:

 

 Ultimately this is where I'm finally leaning towards, when it comes to our current management team. I'm just not convinced they can take that next step, consistently, or possibly even at all.

That is possible in terms of hitting the ceiling with Neilson. Calling for his head now though is daft. Any manager should be judged at the end of the season unless things are going disastrously wrong a la Levein and even then he should have gone at the end of the previous season after the cup final.

[Mr Benn]

Seemed very early in the game that they wanted it more than we did and that it is inexcusable.

[hearts00]

6 hours ago, Nik5122 said:

Robbie says,today was worst in a long time,what about Dundee Utd game before they got a player sent off?What about rangers debacle?Game at livingstone was dire,seems to have a short memory 

 

Absolutely. Gaslighting of the highest order.
 

He talked about consistently high levels of performance this season. That is utter nonsense. 
 

Trying to convince us how good we’ve been, when it is obvious to anyone paying attention that the performance levels are consistently poor but the results have generally been decent. 

[Pasquale for King]

2 hours ago, leipzig76 said:

That was my second time in about 10 years that I have seen Hearts in the flesh ( Ill health has plagued me since I had my last season ticket - 10 years ago )

It is also the first time in my supporting life I have left a game with 20 minutes or so to go.Even when back in the day of the really bad old times of the 1970s/80s, I never left a game so early

I've watched Hearts on streams whenever I can and it's been mostly painful to watch ( this season especially)

We've somehow managed to get a lot of positive results.

As I say I managed to get myself to Fir Park today.I was really looking forward to it.Got up nice and early and went to the Co-Op for a latte and a bacon roll.I was all set ! The first 5 mins filled me with hope.After that ? Not so much.

I was and still am angry with that display/effort but around the 70 minute mark I suddenly had a revelation that this was it,that it won't improve.That, this was the standard that was passing and seemingly being accepted as our standard.

 

Hope your next game is better, someone from the club should get that pinned up in the dressing room. 

[Pasquale for King]

5 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Absolutely. Gaslighting of the highest order.
 

He talked about consistently high levels of performance this season. That is utter nonsense. 
 

Trying to convince us how good we’ve been, when it is obvious to anyone paying attention that the performance levels are consistently poor but the results have generally been decent. 

Two good posts 👍🏽👏🏾

[pettigrewsstylist]

2 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Hope your next game is better, someone from the club should get that pinned up in the dressing room. 

Not a bad idea. 

[ArcticJambo]

8 minutes ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

That is possible in terms of hitting the ceiling with Neilson. Calling for his head now though is daft. Any manager should be judged at the end of the season unless things are going disastrously wrong a la Levein and even then he should have gone at the end of the previous season after the cup final.

Agreed, on all counts. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but there have been many instances this season, and indeed the last cup final where, it's now become obvious to me that he is limited.

[Pasquale for King]

2 minutes ago, ArcticJambo said:

Agreed, on all counts. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but there have been many instances this season, and indeed the last cup final where, it's now become obvious to me that he is limited.

Limited is the perfect way to 

describe him in football terms. 

[ArcticJambo]

6 hours ago, Martin_T said:

 

My contention with the 3-4-3 is that it's heavily reliant on having quality in the wing back positions.

 

Right wing back is probably the biggest problem position in the team and it was pretty obvious that they were trying to address that in January.

... and lets face it, Cochrane is no wing back, he's not quick enough to get back, and not skillful enough when forward. Kingsley post injury can't really play that position either, may never now!

[Pasquale for King]

1 minute ago, ArcticJambo said:

... and lets face it, Cochrane is no wing back, he's not quick enough to get back, and not skillful enough when forward. Kingsley post injury can't really play that position either, may never now!

Four transfer windows to sort it, has played over ten players there and still persists with the system. 

[pettigrewsstylist]

4 hours ago, Carter said:

I've got nothing against Neilson. He was an honest player for us and done an excellent job getting us out of the Championship in first spell. By the time he left we had a really unbalanced squad.

 

He is being well supported by the Board now. Personally I wouldn't have brought him back for a second spell. I don't think any manager should leave Hearts in the belief that MK Dons in League One is progression. What I fear we're now seeing is a manager getting increased budget made available to him and he doesn't know how to properly utilise it. We clearly have problems in midfield yet a guy we've spent €400,000 isn't considered part of the solution. 

 

Teams have worked out how to play against us. They know we don't vary it and everything goes through Snodgrass. We have a 20 goal striker being deployed in a deep lying withdrawn role which is in no way playing to his strengths.

 

Neilson needs to display that he has what it takes to effectively utilise the resources that we are making available to him. I thought Budge and the Board were too quick to extend his contract. Nothing I've seen since causes me to diverge from that opinion. 

Who was 400k, Kio or Grant?

[Bob Loblaw]

Today was terrible, and you get the  feeling that performance wise that it's not a huge surprise we chucked that in after the last month or so.

 

However, context is important.  Since the winter break we've went from being in 5th spot  and 4 points off 3rd, to 3rd and 5 points clear. 

 

The team deserve a bit slack, we've lost, what 2 games in 14? And one was against Rangers.  

 

It was horrible today, but there's no need for the fans to lose the run of themselves. Beat St Johnstone and there's a good chance we stretch our lead and the closest team to us have both Celtic and Rangers in their next 3.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Bob Loblaw

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

3 minutes ago, Bob Loblaw said:

Today was terrible, and you get the  feeling that performance wise that it's not a huge surprise we chucked that in after the last month or so.

 

However, context is important.  Since the winter break we've went from being in 5th spot  and 4 points off 3rd, to 3rd and 5 points clear. 

 

The team deserve a bit slack, we've lost, what 2 games in 14? And one was against Rangers.  

 

It was horrible today, but there's no need for the fans to lose the run of themselves. Beat St Johnstone and there's a good chance we stretch our lead and the closest team to us have both Celtic and Rangers in their next 3.

Agree with this but I'm hopeful that the positive out of this debacle is that things need to change on the pitch. We've been putting lipstick on pigs for weeks.

[ArcticJambo]

9 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Four transfer windows to sort it, has played over ten players there and still persists with the system. 

Signing lottery, and stubborn, probably covers it.

[fila]

We should be stretching the gap from 3-4 , instead its closing .  Just not good enough at the moment 

[Bob Loblaw]

11 minutes ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Agree with this but I'm hopeful that the positive out of this debacle is that things need to change on the pitch. We've been putting lipstick on pigs for weeks.

Yeah agree. We've been almost sleepwalking to a performance like today. Hopefully sees the end of the back 3, there's no need for it. Especially when we still lose silly goals on a regular basis. It'd let us get an extra body in midfield and play Shankland in the right position. 

[Pasquale for King]

24 minutes ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

Who was 400k, Kio or Grant?

Kio, Grant was only £300k, doesn’t play either.

[Pasquale for King]

17 minutes ago, ArcticJambo said:

Signing lottery, and stubborn, probably covers it.

Stubborn and refuses to acknowledge the tactics didnt work. 

[1971fozzy]

24 minutes ago, Bob Loblaw said:

Today was terrible, and you get the  feeling that performance wise that it's not a huge surprise we chucked that in after the last month or so.

 

However, context is important.  Since the winter break we've went from being in 5th spot  and 4 points off 3rd, to 3rd and 5 points clear. 

 

The team deserve a bit slack, we've lost, what 2 games in 14? And one was against Rangers.  

 

It was horrible today, but there's no need for the fans to lose the run of themselves. Beat St Johnstone and there's a good chance we stretch our lead and the closest team to us have both Celtic and Rangers in their next 3.

good post.  Definitely disappointing today but yes a bit of slack is required. Calling for folks heads etc is OTT and more so when we are 5 clear.  Both us and hibs have Celtic soon , they are away to Livy whilst we are away to the sheep, and they have rangers and we have at Johnstone. I’d expect us to be at least 8 clear of them after the next 3 games. 
the end of the season is the time to review. If we get 3rd and into European groups again then it’s been a successful season wether some like it or not and he’s going nowhere and rightly so. If it all implodes (unlikely) then it’s different

[1971fozzy]

7 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Kio, Grant was only £300k, doesn’t play either.

I think grants due a run but dropping Devlin for today would have been criticised. He was pish and got taken off so will be interesting to see what happens next game. I’d expect to see Halliday back though. RN doesn’t seem to trust Grant and most definitely not Kio

Edited February 19, 2023 by 1971fozzy

[Kirky Jambo]

I’m still relatively young and have witnessed far worse performances than today’s, indeed several at Fir Park.

 

The more worrying thing is that we could all see it coming apart from, apparently, our manager. We’ve seen it before with Neilson, the Brora result was on the cards and last season defeats to strugglers St J and Dundee came and went in quick succession.

 

In the past he has found a way to get us back on track, hopefully he can do so again, just wish it didn’t take him so long to address it. Think it is the stubborn streak in him

[Mr Benn]

1 hour ago, Mr Benn said:

Seemed very early in the game that they wanted it more than we did and that is inexcusable.

Apologies. Wanted to edit and reposted

Edited February 19, 2023 by Mr Benn

[pettigrewsstylist]

Sportcene showing Snodgrass challenge on V Veen was a penalty.

[Pasquale for King]

35 minutes ago, 1971fozzy said:

I think grants due a run but dropping Devlin for today would have been criticised. He was pish and got taken off so will be interesting to see what happens next game. I’d expect to see Halliday back though. RN doesn’t seem to trust Grant and most definitely not Kio

He wasted a lot of money on them then, I think Grant would've been better than McKay.

I think he will bring Ginnelly back in but that will be the only change against St Johnstone. 

[Pasquale for King]

15 minutes ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

Sportcene showing Snodgrass challenge on V Veen was a penalty.

Poor from VAR 

[RudiSkacelsLeftPeg]

4 hours ago, Aussie Jambo said:

I didn’t watch the game. Not as yet anyway. Off to work. 

But prior to this game Nielson was giving Motherwell a big gee up on his interview on Hearts TV. That’s going to make everyone positive in the team eh. 🙄

I wouldn’t watch this one. Sore on the eyes.

[Francis Albert]

Robbie's summing up ... "We were nowhere near the levels". What does that mean?

"We were 8 points clear and now 5 points clear - it was never all over" Yes we know but assumed we would build on our lead against teams in the relegation zone not retreat.

 

Hearts TV commentators took 10 minutes to recognise that we were struggling. As usual Robbie waited far too long to address the problem. A problem.of his creation. We were in effect 2 down before we did anything to address the problems. And our belated  change of personnel and set up failed miserably.

 

As for the players ... Pathetic but as always the manager takes responsibility. Or should do. Robbie can't blame the backing of fans and the club resource-wise. 

 

 

[Carter]

1 hour ago, 1971fozzy said:

I think grants due a run but dropping Devlin for today would have been criticised. He was pish and got taken off so will be interesting to see what happens next game. I’d expect to see Halliday back though. RN doesn’t seem to trust Grant and most definitely not Kio

Back 4 plus Snodgrass and two from  Devlin, Haring, Halliday, Grant, Kio in midfield and Shankland right through the middle as a proper No. 9 flanked by two from  Mckay/Gino/Humphrys/Forrest/Oda/Kuol.  He's not exactly short of options which only really makes it all the more bloody infuriating.

[mitch41]

8 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

How many time have Hearts "tied up" 3rd by this stage in the last 20 years?

 

You just make things in your head then post it as fact.

 

 

Are you delusional take off your blinkers the teams below us are mince. This team, well sometimes we’re a team but not very often, try again, these players are so much more capable of winning far more games but are being mismanaged. Too many games this season have just been unacceptable because Hearts have been a shambles. You talk about the last 20 years I live in the present and I’m only interested in THIS SEASON. Will this be another trophy less season, I hope not but tell me will Hearts ever win anything with Neilson in charge No Danger although I pray I’m wrong because it seems Robbie can do no wrong in the eyes of our Board and I doubt he’ll never be emptied no matter how bad it gets.

[mitch41]

8 hours ago, Jim Panzee said:

Not answered my question then old chum. Can’t have it both ways and be a shite manager winning games and getting us to 3rd.

What question, there you go again with 3rd 3rd 3rd beaten at home by a crap Killie team in the League Cup, light years behind 2nd in the League, so let’s see if Neilson gets his tactics right for the rest of the season and get some decent performances in like beating Celtic in the Scottish Cup at Tyne.

[Malco]

1 hour ago, Carter said:

Back 4 plus Snodgrass and two from  Devlin, Haring, Halliday, Grant, Kio in midfield and Shankland right through the middle as a proper No. 9 flanked by two from  Mckay/Gino/Humphrys/Forrest/Oda/Kuol.  He's not exactly short of options which only really makes it all the more bloody infuriating.

Problem is we have not learned from last season when we took off Woodburn and steadied the ship despite losing by bringing Haring on against Motherwell (think that was SN call and not RN?), I know Haring wasn't available today but the midfield needed a Kio or Halliday type or both as defensive midfield away from home after first 10 minutes Neilson lost the tactics battle!

Motherwell bullied our defense, absolutely no idea unless Rowles was injured why he was left sitting on the bench and if he was injured why was he sitting on the bench? More worrying is that RN quotes in the Edinburgh Evening News "I thought we were poor today, worst we've been for a long time, we've been in decent form then we perform like that" seriously we had some good wins on paper but our performances have been below par especially against Rangers which was a total embarrassment from tactics to motivation!, we looked a total shambles and it's up to RN to ensure that the players are motivated and understand the tactics! and how to change the game! to many times we can see the changes needed and sometimes he does these changes but 20/40 minutes later! 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

We have our second rancid, shite performance of the month but the usuals just can't leave it at that and have to make up a bunch of nonsense. Makes it worthless to come on this board some time.

 

The problem today was neither the formation nor the selection. There was something wrong with the team as a whole. Everyone including Neilson saw Devlin struggling and thought we should put Grant on. Grant comes on at the half and there's almost no improvement. Three subs on at 60' to replace a tiring and ineffective Smith, a struggling Humphrys, and a lost Hill, switching the formation to a back 4. Absolutely nothing improved, indeed almost nothing changed about the game. We finally got Yoda on late and he missed an absolute sitter.

 

Neilson deserves blame mostly because the team clearly weren't mentally at it, and unfortunately the other person who has to take some blame is Shankland, who's got the captain's armband and has to rally the troops when the mood is dour. You also expect someone like Snodgrass to be able to get heads up but he didn't. I think in that way we really missed Gordon today, not for his keeping (Clark had a few Gordonesque saves, along with a few Gordonesque kicks) but for his vocal leadership.

 

I mentioned on another thread that every season he's been with us, Neilson's teams have laid one or two absolute stinkers in late January and February. First Championship season it was our first league loss against Falkirk, next season it was a rancid draw at Hamilton. Second Championship season it was Brora plus three straight dire draws against QotS, Morton, and ICT. Last season it was 5-0 to Rangers then that awful Dundee home game and the loss in Perth. I just took a glance at his United Championship season and in February he got 4 points from 4 games, losing to Arbroath and Pars and drawing with Inverness.

 

Despite these Robbie's teams score considerably more, win considerably more, and achieve considerably more than all but a select few of Hearts managers historically. After the stinkers he has always put the team back to rights. It sucks and it needs fixing but he's got a long history of turning the ship around. I trust he'll do it, which is great in the long term, but doesn't take the stink off these performances.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

One more thing to add. The Hearts performance was wretched but it must be said that that was a very different looking Motherwell team since Kettlewell came in. Van Veen, who'd be come almost anonymous under Hammell, looked like a man possessed.

 

They've been so bad it's easy to forget that this Motherwell side is stocked with good SPFL players and never should be near the relegation zone. Kettlewell got them playing today and we were absolutely not ready for it.

[Sherbet]

4 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

One more thing to add. The Hearts performance was wretched but it must be said that that was a very different looking Motherwell team since Kettlewell came in. Van Veen, who'd be come almost anonymous under Hammell, looked like a man possessed.

 

They've been so bad it's easy to forget that this Motherwell side is stocked with good SPFL players and never should be near the relegation zone. Kettlewell got them playing today and we were absolutely not ready for it.

Why were we not ready for it?

[Bazzas right boot]

6 hours ago, mitch41 said:

Are you delusional take off your blinkers the teams below us are mince. This team, well sometimes we’re a team but not very often, try again, these players are so much more capable of winning far more games but are being mismanaged. Too many games this season have just been unacceptable because Hearts have been a shambles. You talk about the last 20 years I live in the present and I’m only interested in THIS SEASON. Will this be another trophy less season, I hope not but tell me will Hearts ever win anything with Neilson in charge No Danger although I pray I’m wrong because it seems Robbie can do no wrong in the eyes of our Board and I doubt he’ll never be emptied no matter how bad it gets.

 

If it ever gets bad, he'll be replaced. 

 

We might never win a cup for a while. 

 

You aren't living in tbe present as currently we are 3rd and still in the cup.

 

You are living in alternative universe where hearts tie up 3rd with 10 games to go are winning lots of trophies and are close to the OF.

That reality doesn't exist and never has in the modern era.

 

You don't won't to talk about 3rd as it kills your nonsense dead, you don't want to talk about the past as it gives context to Hearts relative position in the Scottish game and our 3 cups in over 50 years.

You live in a fantasy world and seem to enjoy us being beat far too much. 

 

 

5 hours ago, mitch41 said:

What question, there you go again with 3rd 3rd 3rd beaten at home by a crap Killie team in the League Cup, light years behind 2nd in the League, so let’s see if Neilson gets his tactics right for the rest of the season and get some decent performances in like beating Celtic in the Scottish Cup at Tyne.

 

3rd is very important. 

Bobs league record blows everything you scream about out of the water and is why you'd rather ignore it.

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Bazzas right boot

[Australis]

Hopefully we do make Europe again.

 

But seeing that lack of organisation, ideas, effort, energy and leadership again yesterday, we will really struggle against much better European sides.

 

 

 

[i8hibsh]

I have to take my hat off to the 3 clowns, they have closed the gap this season. We are closer to 12th than 1st and if Dundee Utd win their game in hand the gap between us and bottom will be smaller. I am not suggesting we will finish anywhere near the bottom but as it stands after 26 games we are 31 adrift of the top.

 

You really do have to be some kind of special to see these 3 Stoogies as 'next level'.  What they have at their disposal is streets ahead of most teams in the league and yet again we are underperforming. With a dry humping from Celtic round the corner I think we will be even closer to the rest.

 

Of course we could lose every game till the end of the season and the jobs of our management team will be very safe.

Edited February 20, 2023 by i8hibsh

[leipzig76]

10 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Hope your next game is better, someone from the club should get that pinned up in the dressing room. 

Thanks PK. It would be nice to think the players would be sat down and forced to read some of the posts on here.Still can't believe how poor most of that game was.

[PapaShango]

We were poor yesterday no doubt about it and it's been coming for a few weeks. We got away with it against Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and St Mirren by being clinical but yesterday after a bright first 10 minutes we fell way off it. We seem to play everything through Snodgrass, it's like the players are programmed to give him the ball regardless and it means we look for no other option. Our passing was sloppy, defending cross balls honking and no outfield player would get pass marks. The second goal straight from kick off killed the game for us, we huffed and puffed but never looked like scoring. 

 

We have had a good habit of bouncing back from defeats, just got to hope the same happens here. He definitely needs to consider other options though, McKay looks like he's play 5 a side footy, his drop off in form is alarming and he needs taken out the team. Also can we please play Shankland in the number 9 role, he's our most clinical finisher and is wasted anywhere else on the pitch. 

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, leipzig76 said:

Thanks PK. It would be nice to think the players would be sat down and forced to read some of the posts on here.Still can't believe how poor most of that game was.

Agreed. 

[Jim Panzee]

2 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

I have to take my hat off to the 3 clowns - (who won the manager of the month award last month), they have closed the gap this season. We are closer to 12th than 1st and if Dundee Utd win their game in hand the gap between us and bottom will be smaller. I am not suggesting we will finish anywhere near the bottom but as it stands after 26 games we are 31 adrift of the top.

 

You really do have to be some kind of special to see these 3 Stoogies as 'next level'.  What they have at their disposal is streets ahead of most teams in the league and yet again we are underperforming. With a dry humping from Celtic round the corner I think we will be even closer to the rest.

 

Of course we could lose every game till the end of the season and the jobs of our management team will be very safe.

 

slight update to introduce a fact over option.

[Pasquale for King]

3 minutes ago, Jim Panzee said:

 

slight update to introduce a fact over option.

Lee Johnson may win it this month, probably whatever ugly wins on Sunday, but It doesnt really mean much. 

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, PapaShango said:

We were poor yesterday no doubt about it and it's been coming for a few weeks. We got away with it against Aberdeen, Dundee Utd and St Mirren by being clinical but yesterday after a bright first 10 minutes we fell way off it. We seem to play everything through Snodgrass, it's like the players are programmed to give him the ball regardless and it means we look for no other option. Our passing was sloppy, defending cross balls honking and no outfield player would get pass marks. The second goal straight from kick off killed the game for us, we huffed and puffed but never looked like scoring. 

 

We have had a good habit of bouncing back from defeats, just got to hope the same happens here. He definitely needs to consider other options though, McKay looks like he's play 5 a side footy, his drop off in form is alarming and he needs taken out the team. Also can we please play Shankland in the number 9 role, he's our most clinical finisher and is wasted anywhere else on the pitch. 

Plenty practice with 15 defeats in 41 games i think, Shankland back up front is a must but lets not hold our breath as the manager is nothing if not stubborn about his formation and tactics.