Grant

It's pretty clear we don't want the game on, and for that I'm happy enough tbh.

I'm quite content with that tbh.

Poor bugger.

Aye I'd also agree with this tbf, we're on our arse for fit players though.

And our midfield hasn't worked with Allan and Chalmers. Playing in a back four is also allot easier as a CB. Otoo was captain of Celtic B and Allan loves to point, I'd far rather try that than just immediately concede the midfield which is what happens when we have Chalmers and Allan. If the lack or organisation is that drastic a problem then swap Otoo and Hamilton.

Is that just coming from the courier or have you heard something different?

This is what I'd expect, however... What I'd really like is a change of shape to actually try and get the best out of the players we have available, for me the biggest problem at the moment is midfield. I a big fan of Chalmers however him and Allan don't work at all, we have three centre backs that are just being exposed time and time again because there's no protection from midfield. So what I'd like, Mehmet Allan-Walcott-Otoo-Edwards MoH-Hamilton-Chalmers-Moffat Summers Wighton Call it a 441/4231/433 with Hamilton sitting, but I'd just like to see us try and get some form of control in midfield, Hamilton and Walcott can swap around but with Todorov I'd prefer some physicality at the back. McCann can hopefully come on for half an hour.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/4863810/dunfermline-fc-malachi-fagan-walcott-new-signing/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Aye, based on not allot I'm going for Kofi Balmer. Harbottle would be good also. Quite enjoy guessing players tbf!

Courier article says he's 23 years old.

I'm enjoying the game of guess who. I think with the wording it'll be a young player? It won't be Mahon.

https://dafc.co.uk/mcpake-hopeful-of-first-january-signing-ahead-of-weekend/ Really good update from McPake, recommend reading.

Aye, pretty worried at how much he'll enjoy getting it right up us later in the season tbh. Great post by @Rossmcno1 that sums up my feelings. I'd like to think that the Germans weren't so flakey that the recent incident would sway them much, the reaction from the wider Dunfermline fanbase, sponsors and players has been fantastic.

Had a suspicion that Raith might be in for Ashcroft seing as they didn't get O'Reilly.

****.

I think McCann was hoped to be back this weekend. I think that leaves us *Fit* Mehmet, Sharp, Little Edwards Chalmers, Allan, MoH, Moffat *Might be fit/Playing through injury* Hamilton Summers Wighton, McCann

Just read that, for anyone not with a courier subscription. Bene - Another 8 weeks at least Comrie - 4/6 weeks. Jak - Month Breen - Month Todd - Month (And this is good news!) Again, while we may not be in a relegation battle now, unless we get some reinforcements in we will be soon.

Wee bit of "If yer aunty had baws" about that though, while I agree you need to appreciate the situation you're in, which is that we are struggling to put out eleven fit senior players. I'm fully behind having a first team training ground, but if I'm being brutally honest I couldn't give the slightest damn where the players come from. I feel that the significance of fans wanting to see homegrown players is vastly overstated, fans want to see good players. How many clubs at our level, which is the second tier of Scottish football have had a productive academy which has then in turned led to promotion? Falkirk had a fantastic academy, sold players every year. Didn't get promoted Livingston had a similarly fantastic youth academy around the 2010s, ended up ditching it and got promoted. On the flip side Raith Rovers are currently top and have shied away from establishing a youth academy while they're in this league because it isn't financially viable, when I lived down in England Brentford ditched there academy because it was pointless. Having a base for the first team is important, attracting youth talent and selling it on? I remain to be convinced that can be done well as a championship club. We're not currently in a relegation battle, if we carry on this trajectory then there's absolutely a danger we will be. While you keep saying we've got games on our side I'd say it's the opposite, if we were six clear with only a few games left I doubt anyone would be looking over there shoulder. As it is we've got a crippling injury list that unless it clears, or we get re inforcements we will soon be in a relegation battle. If another post on here is to be beleived we'll have a full bench of u18s on Saturday, a loss to an Airdrie side in good form in those circumstances wouldn't be surprising and would almost be expected. If that comes to pass and we're 7 points off the promotion playoffs, and closer to the relegation ones, still with a crippling injury list are you then starting to worry about the possibility of a relegation battle? And while I'd agree that performances haven't been terrible week in week out, I'd also stop well short of calling them good. There was a poster on here who said he wasn't going to Ayr to watch more turgid football, and who can blame him? We have to deal with the situation we're in now. And if things don't improve soon with regards to player availability then we'll absolutely be worrying about the relegation spots before long.

Sorry but I'm not sure I agree with a few points on this. For one the ten year plan I find hard to grasp, for one unless I've missed it where is this 10 year plan and what points do we have at various points to measure it's success? And where are we in relation to it? I don't understand how realistic talk of relegation is a knee jerk reaction either, this league has always been tight. Even when we were fourth we weren't a million miles away from the relegation playoffs (might even have been closer to 9th than 3rd?). As well as that a few weeks ago it seemed like the injuries were clearing up, going into that Arbroath game we thought we were nearly there with regards to the squad with Bene due back very soon. However since that Arbroath games we've lost Todd, McCann, Breen, Otoo, Comrie, Bene, McCann and Jakubaik. While Hamilton, Wighton and Summers are playing with injuries, the results and performances have reflected that. It's not reactionary to be worrying about relegation when you can't field 11 fit senior players and you're only 6 points away from it.

Dan O'Reilly signs for Partick Thistle.

Part of us being sustainable is surely being a top four championship club at the least? We lost a fortune being in league one last season. If these injuries continue to pile up there's every chance it happens again.

Aye, it's already been deleted because it doesn't look like it's happening!

Not exactly the most reliable of accounts, I had heard we were looking for a GK though.

McPakes post match interview is certainly something, as angry as he's come across.

McPake surely isn't blameless for the situation we find ourselves in with regards to the size of the squad? What players have the board not signed that he wanted? McGowan who ended up at Cove, and Wotherspoon who we offered to be one of our highest paid players and it wasn't enough? Hamstring, looked almost in tears when he was leaving the pitch.