Holmes_and_Watson

Peanut

A sad day as Toadhall Saint is gunned down at high noon, outside the saloon. Only later did they realise he was just offering a view of the upcoming fixture. 🙂

Is this the same as the move to adhere to the UEFA guidelines? That provides %of expenditure against turnover. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/28/premier-league-clubs-set-to-back-uefa-style-framework-of-financial-rules

Conga

Banana

"This needs to change" 🙂 Looking forward to seeing the placard. While I'd not put it past the club for a moment to persevere with a player in the face of all evidence in the hope of a fat sale, and because their arrogance knows no bounds... Baz clearly isn't the best shot stopper. We all know that. The club know that too. However, they and successive managers see a lot of other things in his game. There are any number of other stats that could bring that out. Some examples. When we've been at our peak RussBall this season, Baz has been key to providing quick, precise, well weighted passes all across the back line, and further up when required. It's been very impressive. He's among the best at ensuring the posession based game that Martin's system depends on works. You'll see any number of our moves go through him at some stage. Yes, a lot of them would be standard for lots of keepers. But a number weren't. In practice, that peak RussBall has been mucked about with. Stephens, Brooks, Rothwell, Sule aren't at their best with it. So Baz's strengths aren't quite as needed. And there are any number of keepers who provide better all round shot stopping and support in a non RussBall set up. It's the same now as it was for Baz at the start of the season. He, like a lot of our players, are stand outs is some areas, and limited in others. Baz's limitations are pretty severe, and noticeable, because it's stopping a shot. For all the talk of ceilings and development, that might not happen, or not get to the level needed. I hope he improves, likely gradually, but enough that we get the benefit of an all round game while he's with us. With all respect to the stats sites. Those are not the level of data analysis conducted by the clubs. It's a developing field. It doesn't fully reflect anyone's all round game for context. And most importantly, it doesn't have a stat for Scowling. Baz is top ranked for Scowliness.

Jardine: There's been a murder, at Firhill. Taggart: There's a murder at Firhill every fortnight. Jardine: Not the football! A body! Regan: No you don't. You're both going to sit here and look at social media on the back of these Hate Crime reports. Taggart: All the murderers are under 25 these days, so they'd get let off anyway.

A day further into Hate Crime Land: 4000 reports. In a country of millions, it might be tough to gauge if that's a lot considering the novelty of it and pent up hatred some people have. What suggests it is a lot, is that other areas have had to be drafted in to support Police Scotland's specialist team set up for this (and all moved away from already dropping levels of investigations). Presumably numbers will drop away, despite extremes on both sides pushing (old firm spikes expected) The first minister was widely reported for hate crimes. This seems to be for speeches made about there being too many white people in the Scottish Parliament. Police Scotland had already said they'd not be investigating older incidents. However they have also said that every report would be logged as a non crime hate incident. The first minister even supported this. But this isn't being applied to the first minister or JK Rowling. Some of her reported as hate crime comments were after this was introduced. It certainly applies to others. Opposition politicians already have prior non crime hate incidents logged against them. A day in, and the legislation is not being equally applied to all. So, at least one person, with comments made after the act, is treated differently. And when this has settled down, that's the bit that should be kept in mind. It's already being targeted. We'll see in due course who does have them recorded against them, and the circumstances around them. I hope all opposition parties find out, as the first minister considers their non crimes as indicators of hate. Bear in mind an example in the guidance related to a politician who gets to drive the SNP despite not being in it. In an interview, the same SNP representative as yesterday failed to understand the basics of the Act they feverishly pushed through. Back tracking, in the face of actually having to deal with the real world rather than getting everything they want passed. Yet now completely at odds with Police Scotland's guidance. Another dismal day from the party that painted windows on their delayed ferries to make it seem they were further along (appropriately being investigated for rigging shipping contracts). Finally, to see the PM emphasise the freedom of speech side of this. And at least one person on an extreme who said that they had a list of names waiting to be reported has been kindly asked by Police Scotland if they had considered not using social media. Like all swivel eyed, they are doubling down on the injustice of the response. In fairness, a don't use social media isn't an appropriate response to genuine reports, they said applied to social media. A day in, it shows how frustrated the police are with it.

It boeglis the mind.

They've looked at the editor to see what the PA is going to be, and ignored everything else. 🙂

In fairness, I did then go on to point out that he seems to let in a lot of just a little more than standard saves.

There was a good post a while back, where someone pointed out the way Manning had played for Swansea. With KWP being the better option, he's had to play a slightly different role. KWP not starting, could have offered a chance to see Manning play a more forward, inverted role with Bree playing as normal (but hopefully better and not getting sent off). Obviously not an option as Stephens had to be put in somewhere. I know, I know. Not a lot of love to see Manning as a starter. But I thought I'd point it out.

Waiting for Goalie: The thematic sequel to Waiting for Godot, where two long suffering fans wait for their 'keeper to make a half decent save. 🙂

Made a really good save in training, during that break when Nathan joined us. Nathan made a thing about the lack of vocal response from the squad about how good it was. 🙂 There was a flurry of comments about "high ceilings" as if we'd all turned into decorators. With Baz, it's his Man City background (so, he must be good), his appearances at his age, and a bit of Football Manager. He is super cool receiving the ball. Excellent distribution too. Quick to get out and clear and very much part of our possession game. All attributes that the next development of a posession based sweeper keeper set up would love to have. Just seems to be let down by never quite getting to certain types of shot. Not just the ones where a save would be excellent either. And it costs us. And it doesn't save us when others in the side, and RM's choices aren't doing us any favours. The more we move from that passing game, where his strengths are, the less use he'll be to us. But he'll still play.

From the land that won't investigate all crimes. Wear a camera, have a drone overhead and your own spy satellite and they might look into it. Where there's a long list of other crimes, where only a warning will be given (some surprises on the list) The bonnie country that if you're under 25, you've every chance of not going to prison regardless of what you do. Centralised, funding slashed under SNP control, with delays in response and areas without much support (proposal for 2 traffic vehicles to cover the whole country for 4 hours a day.) All trumped by Hate Crimes that will be investigated. Because that's what their political masters are more interested in rabidly promoting. Abusive men into women's prisons? Sure! Predators protected? Sure, as long as they identify with our favourite groups! The more you read, the more jaw dropping their lunacy gets.

3000 reports so far on Day 1. All to be investigated.

The news tonight said that police Scotland will not be investigating her comments further. They did confirm they had received complaints. Which will be logged and have been investigated. But a good early bar set for investigations to not get past the first step. It probably won't stop the reporting from extremes, but should give some comfort for those named on the reports, who will have worried about the process as well as outcomes.

Comic

I've seen a few posts of people on one side with lists of people they were just waiting to report. On the other, a few in support of Rowling, not just because of her stance on the issue, but because she has the resources to stand up to it. So she's continuing her stance also as a way of pointing out to the authorities that if you go after the poorer folk, they'll have to come after her. Elsewhere, I listened to an SNP minister on the today programme this morning. She abdicated any responsibility for certain areas, saying it was a police matter. Specifically called out on biological sex, which she said is up to the police to sort out. Perahps they got a biology powerpoint presentation too. Even though the SNP and the Police worked closely on it (as one of their allies even has a scenario in the guidance). She also said that the police had ore training than their 2 hour powerpoint. They also had... some help numbers they could use if they got stuck. Help numbers to others who have either 1) had a 2 hour power point training pack or 2) have a list of folk they want to go after. The minister also said that anyone outside of Scotland would not be subjected to this enforcement. Not necessarily that it wouldn;t be reported, have to get logged and retained against that person and investigated, if only to fall at an early hurdle. The first minister, who said that the retained data for non crime hate crimes is still an indicator of hate, called dissenters right wing actors. He seemed happy that there was a robust balance in stemming the supposed rise of hatred in the world against freedom of speech in his country. He felt the bar for successful prosecution was very high. It might be high because it's utterly unsound legislation. In the meantime, he failed to mention that the process of investigation could potentially be ruinous, repetitive and curb any sort of dissenting views based on what the authorities are hell bent on delivering regardless of what their population considers sane. It might take a while for reports and investigations to proceed. It will take a while before there's enough data for subject access requests and FOI requests to return the scale of the reporting. The only thing stopping the upcoming old firm match being interrupted to ask the crowd to stop typing, is that away fans are currently banned.

I think we have seen some versatility in the season, and certainly in the last couple of games. How effective it was, and our ability to switch it up are problems. Last time out, we were trying to use Sule to get past their defender and create/ shoot. This time out, we used a more direct, physical approach with Stephens and Aribo. Last time out, when using Sule didn’t work we struggled to get another option going. Tonight, when Che and Aribo got subbed, we weren’t able to adapt our style. Martin will look at the possession and control. He’ll look at what we’re creating from that. Often enough, we’ve patiently racked up a number of chances. Sometimes we convert them. Sometimes we don’t. We certainly don’t convert enough of them. Martin will no doubt be looking at the players. But the system, in how the chances are created, plays its part. It’s a bit like under Ralph, or Jones, or Selles. Lots of narrow defeats and if only moments. They were all convinced that the system was the key, and if only the players would adapt. Even when it was clear that this was as good as the players were going to provide, they all persevered. Elsewhere, other clubs who didn’t try to revolutionise football, and also with good resources, have managed to leave us behind at the top of the table. Tonight, Ipswich, who aren’t blessed with those resources have also left us behind. We have worked just as hard as them in other games. We looked by far the better team by half time tonight. But they don’t have to worry about their side falling apart when you take parts of a system out of it. If we repeatedly have the same failings, Martin has to tinker Plan A to see what it takes to get us over the line in games. It was worrying that we offered little control or purpose with our subs. No real impact or system was imposed on the game. Giving it to Edozie, with the predicable outcomes is not a solution. I’d expect us to have a number of options from our bench. But we just looked more disjointed. It would be nice to go into the playoffs with a bit of hope that we can actually learn to close out a game. As for Baz, I pretty much think every shot that goes towards the goal on one side will go in. I’d love to think that it’s because of the way our defence line up, restricting his time and sight. I don’t see many howlers. Just lots of those nearly ones. Just not quite in the right position. Just not down quite fast enough. Just not quite able to reach it. The strengths he brings like distribution, mobility and awareness as a sweeper-keeper are supposed to offset a lot of that. He had some good passes tonight. But we weren’t playing that short, sharp passing around to get our possession and move teams around. So, he didn’t have as much to bring to the table.

Despite dominance of possession, Saints manage to squander a promising position, losing them points. We’ve seen it so often this season. After such a solid first half, we ran out of steam in the second. Our subs offered little and our work rate dipped. Both sides work to the last whistle normally, but only Ipswich did today. Removing Adams and Aribo left us physically light, and we were outworked and outfought as a result. Fraser’s work rate wasn’t replicated by Brooks. Edozie was involved in a lot, but created no chances of note. With our line up, we moved away form crisp passing moves through the middle looking to create more from direct play today. But when the players that were key to that were removed, we didn’t manage to get any other system going. We have a squad of players who are good in parts of what RM is looking for. We have quality elsewhere, that is a bit restrained by the system. And we’re seeing game after game that we’re not getting solutions to the flaws in the system or to get to a point where that possession is putting teams away.

Oh for .... Any shot on goal is enough.

Good clearance from Ipswich there. Nearly.

Fortunately, Nathan told us it's actually hardfer to play against 10. Ipswich should watch out. 🙂

Bree off. Considered to be last man. He's been just a little off on a few occassions today.