Livi v St Mirren

Perfect game to bounce back from our Wed night defeat, a win here would be massive, the bottom 2 teams are the ones we need to beat and it'll def keep us up, points from them alone would be enough now to stay up.

I'd start Hardie, or at least give him a decent bit of game time here, he loves scoring goals against them, Holt is saying we need to be careful with him though, so may just get 25 mins, perfect game to get off and running with his first goal this season.

We all know what Hardie is capable of & I agree it would be worth starting him but only if he is up to speed. We really have only seen glimpses of him post-injury & he might not be the same player he was. Michael Owen lost his explosive pace when he came back from long term injury. Hardie was quick but not explosive & his strength was in his timing & adjusting to the flight & bounce of the ball.

Starting him might just give St M the fear though, knowing what he has done to them in the past.

Totally agree that we need a bounce back win & this game is ideal but that might just add pressure as it makes us favourites. They have just had 2 decent results out of 3 games, which probably signifies they have found some form. And there is the long standing tradition in this fixture of away teams getting the better results.

So not a foregone conclusion but a game we really need to be winning.

Yeah Hammill has scored some outrageous goals, Kelly will need to be mindful of that, and careful not to be too far out of his goal when Hammil gets the ball, equally so our midfielders need to get on Hammill straight away and not give him the time to look up and try long range shots.

Magennis will be a big loss to them though, and Hardie returning is a big lift to us. Can see us giving them problems with high balls into their box, don't think their defenders cope very well defending them.

They certainly didn’t defend high balls well in the 4-1 game last season & if you can get into Sampson’s head he crumbles.

This is the kind of Friday night I'd be fretting about a waterlogged pitch tomorrow.

Bertie Bassett wrote:They certainly didn’t defend high balls well in the 4-1 game last season & if you can get into Sampson’s head he crumbles.

Samson retired to join Sunderland last month (I think). Think it's Danny Rogers they've got in goal these days

So I heard at the game today... missed that; as I heard it he is now the goalie coach at Sunderland, which is somewhat surprising... maybe it’s the old adage of those who can do & those who can’t, teach.

Anyway, I thought we were in control until their lad got the head knock & was subbed. We fell out of it & the game was very flat & poor quality. Disappointing to lose a goal to a bog standard set piece. But we took control again in the second half & deserved the win. Terrific move & movement for the 3rd.

Goal conceded from a set piece. 3 goals scored and not one from a set piece.

We're a different team these days.

#tippytappy

Aye; we’re even playing it out from the back. First half everything was straight at Ferdinand but when we started playing they couldn’t match us.

First half was all possession and nowt in the final third, thank feck we came out in the 2nd half and raised our game, what a difference!!

Really couldn't see where a goal was coming from, then we came out and started having shots at their goal, mainly Pittman the hitman, who was involved in all 3 goals, scoring the first and his rebounds being knocked in for our 2nd and 3rd. Really pleased that Hardie and Sibbald scored too, it'll do both of them the world of good after being injured. Esp Hardie, exactly what we've been missing, a goal poacher/predator. Must have been said to Pitts I think, shoot and Hardie will pick up anything that doesn't go in first time. Feck it's good to have him back playing.

First half was also too many long balls straight down Ferdinand’s throat that he dealt with easily. Not enough quality service to either Hardie or Menga but the latter made more of what little he did get.

Much, much better in the second half & Hamilton was a real handful when he came on.

The preverbial game of two halves.Iwasnt overly concerned when they scored as i knew we had it in us to come back from that early setback.Was great to see us have a strikeforce after so long and i thoght they both did very well and young Jack did very well when he came on.St Mirren supporters i spoke to in the bar after the game were magnanomous in defeat and said the better team won.As id hoped for on friday weve opened up a 16 point gap between ourselves and them in 11th place which is better than i expected if im honest.So well done to Gary Davie and the lads for putting us in a very strong position concerning our number one aim for this season.Stern test on Tuesday up at Pittodrie but nothing to lose.Go for it Livi!!!

Lost my voice tonight,thanks to that arse Mclean. What a nightmare he had.Will have to see Pittmans red again but by most accounts another dodgy decision by an inept official has spoilt another game for the paying public.Only comfort was their player seeing red and rightly so. We then went on the front foot with Montano finishing after a stramash.Nearly fell of my seat when Bruce went through one on one to surely make it 2,but alas no and we paid for it.Sucker punch from them absolutely deflated me.Bahamboula fannying about on the touchline loses the ball and away they went with the afore mentioned sickener. Bruce puts that away and it could have been 3 points as opposed to one.Better than nothing I suppose but feels like an opportunity missed Unfortunately.