yuddie

Lawrence and Dowell are in because they've been fit and training during this break imo, you can argue whether that's sensible or not but there's at least logic to it. Haven't seen the managers pre match comments but he might allude to it.

Game day, big win today please lads!

Hope Bennett gets well soon of course.

Would love for this to be a great reset for the club, with a new Chairman, CEO and AD all on the same page and implementing a way of running the club that is distinct. More than worried we'll just keep circling though.

Mate, I'm trying to be positive. Humour me.

The lad got a new deal, we lack a fit LW option and Clement has said he's committed to using the academy. It would make sense that he gets the nod. My Team: Butland Sterling Souttar Pröpper Fraser Barron Diomande Cerny Bajrami Jefte Dessers

Btw, I rate Dujon but round pegs in round holes...just play Fraser? If we're to back our academy then this is exactly when it can be utilised.

Also I cba to lose my head over a pre match presser. @Gonzo79 has it right, they're worth sweet fa apart from injury news and the gutter press desperate for a line to run with.

Tbh I'm just a bit what will be will be with this season. Get a cup or two and work towards establishing a style and from this point, I'd call that a success. Maybe with a good wind we can challenge, who knows. I want to see us defend well and look organised on Sunday, especially after the last outing.

True enough, they barely had any to their first team last season so it'll be interesting to see what they're like when it does happen.

How'd yer reckon Arsenal will get on over the next few weeks? Rice missing the NLD and Odegaard seemingly out for a wee while - they could be 8 points behind City if it goes badly. It would only be 5 games in but that would be tough to claw back imo.

Cyrus Christie gives me the fear man. A 31 year old EFL jobber. Here I am thinking we were past that.

The club need to treat this next CEO search like a big money, key first team signing. If it takes that kind of money to get in an outstanding candidate then so be it.

Aye I don't rate Purslow all that much. Bit of a rent a gob. No shock that him and King get on.

Get him tf. I'm not having the board renegade on a candidate because some beggar went on the radio wanting the job. Fucking amateur hour man. Don't GO sponsor Celtic? How daft would we have to be to interview him?

I'd put a positive spin on it and say she could do that and hopefully sustain success in terms of trophies with us - e.g. in the mold of a Salzburg or a Benfica. We talk about the trading model, she'd seem like a candidate who could make it work and improve the quality of the squad over time. You do make fair points though. I hate to say it but we need to be realistic with where we're at in the foodchain in Europe - this sort of model would be viable for us AND could bring success if done properly. A boon would also be developing and producing Scottish talent too.

Odegaard crocked.

I liked the link to the woman who had a senior position with Nordsjaelland/Right To Dream. Bring in Henderby for the academy and all of a sudden it looks joined up. Alas, that would be sensible!

Said it before and I'll say it again, it's clear Clement has modern coaching ideas and his setup in principle is sound. You can ask the players if they're on the same page though because I can guarantee the manager didn't want them to ease off and retreat after 10 minutes. There could be communication issues of course but I think there was some stuff that was encouraging on Sunday. It can take a good wee while for teams to implement a managers idea - it took Arteta and Klopp a few seasons and a few 100m to do so. Like others have said, I think sticking with him would be wise and it could be painful this season before we gel - hopefully in time for the new year! If not develop and grow this season and see where we are at the end of it. The nights darkest before the dawn or something cheesy like that.

Watched the game last night. It is funny how rattled the Spanish and Portuguese get when playing Scotland or Scottish teams. I always got that vibe when we played Benfica, Porto or Braga in Europe. It's like they can't believe a Scottish team can actually compete. Clarke has done a decent job with your team, albeit in a very forgiving era in terms of qualification to tournaments. Not sure who a good replacement would be tbh, there's a serious lack of young Scottish coaching talent atm.

I thought Kent was a cracking wee player for us tbf. Both footed, creative and a good finisher at times (awful at others). We miss his graft more than anything - idk if it was his relationship with Gerrard or just his inate application but his work rate was immense. Still wouldn't sign him though.

You're not wrong, our medical record is beyond the pale. But the decision to withdraw him is sound though.

Aye true enough, it'd be a pretty dismal UEL campaign if we don't manage to get into the top 24 though. I wasn't suggesting we make the final, more that with the expansion we'll hit a similar number of games as the run to Seville if we make the playoffs.

Just on the Danilo omission - the paranoia being built up online I've seen in relation to the club withholding information and him seemingly never kicking a ball again is unreal. He's just off of a serious long term injury and has suffered a setback. Let's say he's 'out' for 6 weeks and then takes another month to be match fit - I can see the logic in withholding him from the Euro squad. Purely from a player welfare and game management point of view, let him build his fitness up in the less intense domestic games. A lot of our fans still don't realise that this season is going to be like the Seville run if we make the KO's of the UEL and go far in the cups in terms of the schedule intensity. Tbh I think Celtic are in for a shock in that regard too. We've just seen Chelsea leave Palmer out of their UECL squad for those reasons. This decision is in a similar vein, if anything it's more understandable. Clement, to give him his credit, has always tried to use the squad in a holistic manner. I've got no qualms with this decision tbh.

Cheers and don't slam the door. Our selling model has been genuinely horrendous in recent years. Gerrard partly to blame for refusing to sell post '55. Selling one of Kent or Morelos at that point just had to happen. Exacerbated by the fact that he f***ed off to Villa months after. Almost comical really.