Team for 2018-19

Egli Kaja has returned to AFC Wimbledon.

Pity, I liked him but he wasn’t getting any real game time.

Yeah and I think Cadden is now looking really good the last couple of games he's played too, so i'd rather he got a run in the team than swap and change giving Kaja a game.

Yeah, would be better for us to give a signed player game time than a loaned player.

That said & somewhat inconsistent in my thinking, we need a regular goal scorer so Hardie gets the nod up front.

Apparently Scougall will be allowed to leave St J if he can find another club... would we take him back? If so where do you see him fitting in?

Don't know if he's the same player he was in his Livi days, bit injury prone might be the reason St Johnstone aren't wanting him, obv something isn't working there.

We're the club for 2nd chances though so who knows, might be worth a shot.

Would prob be in competition with Robinson and Sibbald.

I think, if he still has what he had he would offer something different from both of them. Been discussing it with my sons & I couldn’t decide where I would play him but I think he would offer us a different alternative from the bench.

With St Johnstone saying he's free to find a new club I think we should be offering him a trial at the very least. Some players just don't fit in certain places and can shine with others. Iain Russell will probably always be my go-to example for that; Ryan Hardie got some awful reviews from St Mirren fans; Airdrie fans were happy to see Lithgow away; Byrne got released by Dunfermline; Even Liam Kelly was met with a bit of a sigh when we heard he'd be our first choice this season.

If Holt and Martindale can get him fitting in with our system I wouldn't see any reason he can't be a valuable option, that's assuming I'm remembering his work rate right. Saying all that, no idea what wages he'd be wanting, that could be one of the reasons St Johnstone want him off the books now rather than keeping him as a backup.

He was the type of player that would almost always beat the first man, which opens up space in defences and gets defenders on the back foot, I could imagine how good that would be for Ryan Hardie having nice open spaces to run into and fire shots on goal. I just worry about his injury risk, but if we got him on the right deal then great, we've still plenty of other players around that area that are competing for places, so it wouldn't leave us short.

He was good at Championship level but struggled at Premiership. Cant see much point in bringing him in; just another one on the payroll.

When did he get a real chance at Premiership though? He has hardly featured for St J & IMO hasn’t had an opportunity to show what he can do at that level.... so he may well have something to prove; which fits the type of character of player we have been signing for the last few successful years.

Bertie Bassett wrote:When did he get a real chance at Premiership though? He has hardly featured for St J & IMO hasn’t had an opportunity to show what he can do at that level.... so he may well have something to prove; which fits the type of character of player we have been signing for the last few successful years.

Not being funny but he's had 27 appearances last season; how much more of a chance does he need?

The other question though is with Sibbald; Robinson; Cadden (once Lamie is fit); Lawson and De Vita all likely to be on the bench who would you drop permanently to the reserves?

Even though we've seen a significant increase in crowds this year, money is still tight, and, in my opinion, every penny should be used to try to persuade Halkett to extend his contract beyond the summer; not get a luxury player who would likely as not barely appear in our team.

Don't get me wrong; I liked Scougall when he played with us; he could turn on a sixpence and wind up the opposition; often leaving them with no option but to take him out. However one clattering tackle in the middle of the field and he was pretty much out of the game. With Pittman, for example, one clattering tackle can be added to all the rest he gets throughout the game; he just gets up and gets on with it.

The last comment is a bit of a fisher...

LivingstonFC wrote:Team news from 1.45pm as the gaffer makes one change to the side that picked up three points against Hearts last week.

Keep an eye out for the bench today too...#livilive

And, likewise, not being funny but if we based our signings on the number of games guys had played without making an impact of any note (even at a lower level than top tier SPFL) we would not have Liam Kelly, Scott Pittman, Dolly Menga, Craig Halkett, Alan Lithgow, Nicky Cadden (need I go on?)- none of those guys had shown any kind of ability to make them memorable until they began playing for us. Admittedly Dolly looked useful in his video clips but he was nothing more than a journeyman player before coming to us, TBH if he was more than that he wouldn’t be here.

What I’m saying is Scougall fits the profile of the identikit player that we tend to sign.

I’m not saying we must go out & sign him - I’m still not sure he fits our current style of play - & in fact my question is more about whether his style would fit in & enhance our options rather than a discussion on whether he has had enough of a chance to prove his ability at this level because if any group of supporters should known that good players can thrive under certain styles but appear average in others it has to be Livi fans, we have seen it happen often enough over the last 2 seasons.

Durnford wrote:The last comment is a bit of a fisher...

LivingstonFC wrote:Team news from 1.45pm as the gaffer makes one change to the side that picked up three points against Hearts last week.

Keep an eye out for the bench today too...#livilive

Lee Miller returns from injury to take his place on the bench.

St Johnstone fans certainly rate Scougall, and think he will be a success at another Premiership club, just doesn't fit into theirs. Which is where i'm with in this debate, will he fit into our style of play?

He takes the ball into his body well and turns with it in tight areas, also used to nip in and take the ball from players, which they didn't like and mostly fouled him for it. Has he developed significantly enough in his physique to now deal with being clattered though, Mullen certainly did and had bulked up a fair bit in his last season with us.

I think i'd take a chance on him, nothing to lose really as we'd not be dependant on him being a success. He was an exciting player at Livi, I think he could be really useful playing just behind Dolly and Hardie. Wage wise we don't have to break the bank here, he either takes it or doesn't, there'll be better offers from other clubs, but he'd be getting into a good team where things are happening with Livi, that would be good for him getting a big move again.

I’m finding myself agreeing with you LF

Updated the team on this - Good to see the majority of the squad now contracted until 2020 but still the likes of Halkett, Gallagher, Jacobs, Lawless to tie up, as well as the return of Hardie to Rangers at the end of the season.

I see Jack McMillan has signed a one year extension and then gone to Partick on loan for the rest of the season.

I can see the logic that he needs to get some regular playing time and not much happening on the reserves (or whatever they're called these days) but I do wonder with Gallagher picking up a yellow at a rate of about 0.75 of a card per game

Both Lamie & van Schaik can cover Gallagher but I too was surprised that a regular sub was loaned out.

Bertie Bassett wrote:Both Lamie & van Schaik can cover Gallagher but I too was surprised that a regular sub was loaned out.

Particularly with the January transfer window still open or is that tempting fate?

Callum Carson
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Potential defensive issues for Livingston tomorrow. Craig Halkett and Declan Gallagher both nursing injuries. Club are also hopeful of getting a loan deal sorted for defender Ciaron Brown from Cardiff, but given the current situation at that club, it could take time to sort out.

Bit premature to be loaning Jack McMillan out then, going to be struggling against St Jognstone if both Halkett and Gallagher are out.

Kelly
Lamie, van Schaik, Lithgow
Jacobs, Byrne
Lawless Pittman Cadden
Hardie, Menga

Menga is suspended. Erskine could maybe fill in.

Is he? Pah!
Personally I’d go with Hamilton but I think you’re right, he will give Erskine a first start.