St Mirren v Livi

I fear our heads wont be in this game with the final round the corner, not sure if that was what was wrong yesterday too, subconsciously it's bound to be in their minds, an injury could rob them of a final place and chance of a lifetime to get a winners medal. Maybe we should put out our fringe players again,
1. To protect the 1st choice players for the final.

2.May get more fight from them and a better chance to pick up the points.

Telling them they're playing for a place in the cup final squad/starting XI. Doubt Robbo will be playing anyway, with him taking a knock in his back yesterday, he should be rested up for the final, so get Poplatnik on from the start, Forrest and Kabia too, obv need the defensive spine playing still, Guthrie, Ambrose, perhaps getting McMillan in too, to take over the Brown role supporting the CB's at set pieces. Martindale needs to pull off one of his famous masterstrokes anyway, this is an important game, a loss would pull us into a 3 way fight for a top 6 spot, which was completely in our grasp a game ago. Mustn't lose game for me anyway, a draw would be a good result to stop St Mirren closing the gap on us.

I’d certainly accept a point just to stop the rot.

Hopefully Accies will do us a turn and take something off St Mirren on Wed night too, then we get at least a draw.

With the fixtures left i think we're 1 win away from securing top 6, Utd have a very tough run in, with Sevco and Celtic to play, doubt they'll get more than 4 pts from their remaining 4 games, so we could already be far enough in front of them. I'd rather make sure though and not leave it to chance.

Think id rather we did this on our own tbh rather than relying on favours from others,although i get your point.The last two games have been worrying from our perspective and i just hope we dont undo all the good work weve acheived to get us where we are. Massive couple of weeks ahead. .

Technically we would be doing it ourselves, we are in “pole position” for 5th as things stand, it’s ours to lose as they say.

Yeh,thank god weve got those points in the bag. Forgive my sub opptomism Bertie.We are in such a good position and it would be a shame if we ballesed it up knowing weve a great chance to do something very special here.Hopefully i can lift my spirits in the next couple of weeks, god knows how but weve got to believe we can do this.On a knife edge at the moment. Cmon the Lions . Please!.

I can’t complain at anyone’s lack of optimism - I’m Mr Glass-has-a-crack-in-it-never-mind-half-empty

The last two weeks just show how rapidly things can change & how fragile “form” really is. From sailing along without a care we are now staring at a precipice & ending the season as it started... in the doldrums. One win can change that though... and I for one would take a win at Hampden over everything else.

Yeah we've still got it in our own hands but it would be a lot more comfortable if Accies beat St Mirren so they aren't just 3 points behind us going into our game with them, and we'd open up a 9 points gap if we win this too, securing a top 6 spot this weekend.

Utd having Sevco would prob put everything back to how it was before we lost to them last weekend if we can beat St Mirren, and everything is rosy again.

Noticed St Mirren have lost another big player, Doyle-Hayes, that's 2 in 2 games injured, with McGrath injured against Celtic, their best player. We'll prob be missing Robbo right enough, so Martindale has to start Poplatnik to give us our best chance.

Yeh,up front concernes me.Hearing Martindale stripped the paint off Tannadice after the game and rightly so.Hopefully its shocked the players into the realisation of whats in front of them.We know we are better than that and i sincerely hope the players do before its too late.Of course i could be worrying overboard. Theve got to believe they can do this.At the moment im not so sure..

Radio Scotland commentary slated JET’s performance more than anyone else. Just couldn’t see why he was used as the replacement for Robbo so early... so indirectly having a go at DM’s substitution choice.

Bertie Bassett wrote:Radio Scotland commentary slated JET’s performance more than anyone else. Just couldn’t see why he was used as the replacement for Robbo so early... so indirectly having a go at DM’s substitution choice.

Exactly what i said, Poplatnik should've been the like for like replacement, and Fitzwater should've been subbed at HT too. Learning experience for DM, hopefully he recognizes where he could've done better.

That's us played the same amount of games as St Mirren now, and 1 in hand on Utd, 5 points clear of both of them, win here would be a huge result for getting 5th place, and maybe even pushing Aberdeen for 4th, as long as we don't lose though, so we are at least 5 points ahead of them.

While it would be good to head into the final on the back of a win, I’d happily take a draw to stop the losing streak.

Just hope Robbo makes the final, back spasms doesn't sound good, could take a couple of weeks to get better, and then you've still got the muscle injury, or worse, that caused it.

Weather has warmed up a good bit this week though, so at least we'll have been able to do some proper training sessions, everyone should be raring to go and make amends for last week's disappointing result. Would love it if Forrest gets a game and puts in a match winning performance to get himself a cup final start. Mon the Lions, lets do this.

Agree, still in our hands for sure BUT Martindale HAS to pick the right team. Massive Fck Up with his subs last game.
Poplatnik has to play, he is the one that can make a difference. Robbo is out injured and serious doubt for the cup final so give Poplatnik a chance and get him ready for the final.
I know couple of people that work for Aberdeen and Motherwell and they tell me that they were interested in taking him on loan with option to buy and spoke to his agent but apparently Poplatnik wasn’t interested as he wants to prove himself with us.

Not sure of what to make of this one.Guess il keep my thoughts until i see the lineup. Really cant see our strongest starting 11 due to circumstances. Hopefully injuries wont hamper us in the lead up to the final. Mirren will want revenge for us knocking them out the cup and therefore will be right up for this regardless of their injury situation, and their at home.Like others id take a point here and keep St Mirren at bay in the League then our full attention can focus on next Sunday. Good luck to Davie and the lads,who i hope can turn this around..

Livi2020 wrote:Agree, still in our hands for sure BUT Martindale HAS to pick the right team. Massive Fck Up with his subs last game.
Poplatnik has to play, he is the one that can make a difference. Robbo is out injured and serious doubt for the cup final so give Poplatnik a chance and get him ready for the final.
I know couple of people that work for Aberdeen and Motherwell and they tell me that they were interested in taking him on loan with option to buy and spoke to his agent but apparently Poplatnik wasn’t interested as he wants to prove himself with us.

You’ve been “championing” Pops all season.... are you his agent?

I would like to see him given a chance though. JET just doesn’t bring enough to the party to be a starter. His close control is occasionally spectacular but he’s just not mobile enough.

Gavin Reilly will be back in the squad for tomorrow too, after having Covid, he's been back training and passed fit to play.

Just read Robbo will be fit for the final and could even make it against St Mirren, but it may be risky to play him in case his back seizes up next week.

Good news then, i didn't think he'd make the final, def wouldn't play him against St Mirren, not even as a sub, isn't worth the risk imo. Poplatnik and Reilly should be enough for us, and JET doing the last 15 mins as a winger, with Kabia on the other side.

Edit to my earlier post.Letter through post this afternoon telling me ive to be in Bathgate tommorrow at 4pm for my Covid vaccination.,so will miss the game live.Will rely on you guys with any updates, would be appreciated.Hopefully Sportscene will be worth waiting for.Enjoy.Lol T.

I see it's going to be peeing down with rain at match time tomorrow. What is it with Paisley? Most of my memories of games there have included getting soaked and avoiding puddles on my way to and from the supporters bus. Heavy pitch not good.

orco wrote:I see it's going to be peeing down with rain at match time tomorrow. What is it with Paisley? Most of my memories of games there have included getting soaked and avoiding puddles on my way to and from the supporters bus. Heavy pitch not good.

Think the last game i went to there it was pissing it down, and they scored a late breakaway winner, same at Hamilton shortly afterwards, or vice versa.
Hopefully we do it to them this time.

Troy wrote:Edit to my earlier post.Letter through post this afternoon telling me ive to be in Bathgate tommorrow at 4pm for my Covid vaccination.,so will miss the game live.Will rely on you guys with any updates, would be appreciated.Hopefully Sportscene will be worth waiting for.Enjoy.Lol T.

Full game is on bbc alba at 6pm Troy.

Bertie Bassett wrote:

Livi2020 wrote:Agree, still in our hands for sure BUT Martindale HAS to pick the right team. Massive Fck Up with his subs last game.
Poplatnik has to play, he is the one that can make a difference. Robbo is out injured and serious doubt for the cup final so give Poplatnik a chance and get him ready for the final.
I know couple of people that work for Aberdeen and Motherwell and they tell me that they were interested in taking him on loan with option to buy and spoke to his agent but apparently Poplatnik wasn’t interested as he wants to prove himself with us.

You’ve been “championing” Pops all season.... are you his agent?

I would like to see him given a chance though. JET just doesn’t bring enough to the party to be a starter. His close control is occasionally spectacular but he’s just not mobile enough.

‍� hahaha lol like I would be in here if I was lol
I just know what the lad can do, I follow lots of football and players from from former Yugoslavia and he has been one of them I have followed for 5-6 years now.

https://twitter.com/LiviFCOfficial/status/1363122628647677955/photo/1

DM may be losing the plot.... Max has made one or two errors lately but nowhere near as many as Robbie made earlier in the season without losing his place... Reilly is just back from isolating & hasn’t exactly impressed so far... what does Pops have to do to get a start?

Hopefully he knows something we don’t & these guys do the business today.

Out: Stryjek, Fitzwater, Bartley & Robinson.

In: McCrorie, Ambrose, Forrest & Reilly.

Had a feeling Stryjek would be getting dropped, didn't have a good game last week either, making a few dodgy decisions that he just got away with, so can't really argue too much with McCrorie coming in.

Sibbs and Holt are a good combo in midfield, Forrest and Mullin should also be good, but it hasn't clicked in prev games, dunno what Poplatnik has to do to get a start, but at least it isn't JET up front, and Reilly gives us energy and pace too.

Fingers crossed we get off to a good start this time, mon the Lions.

Well we got off to a good start but have conceded a 25 yarder... every season St.M do that to us.