28 Dec 2025 12:27:50
Yesterday was an entertaining game for all the wrong reasons. Motherwell were still in the game right up until the final whistle.
Main issues for me,
Butland, pulled off some great saves but his positioning is getting us in so much trouble! He stands on his six yrs line when the CBs are in the half way line. Giving opponents acres of space to play it into. One simple ball over the top and we're in trouble. This happened repeated and needs fixed urgently.
Aasgaard, doesn't do enough, neither or without the ball. St times yesterday I watched him mark absolutely no one?
Tav is totally done. Even his crossing is poor now.
Meghoma, this lad will be good in a couple of years time once he learns how to defend and position himself out of possession but atm constantly finds himself on the wrong side of the attackers.
Gassama, very lazy and not helping Dio and Meghoma in defending.
Also no width on the RW due to Aasgaard.
And glaring for me is we need and 8/10. Someone who has a bit of guile and can create.
It's going to be a very interesting January….
28 Dec 2025 12:45:18
Agree with most of that …. I wouldn't oppose any of them being sold in January for good money.
28 Dec 2025 13:05:35
Zikos all correct assessments mate. Wouldn't disagree once.
Do u think Curtis can be our 10?
I really like the lad and I think 10 could be his position.
28 Dec 2025 13:34:33
excellent summary. Gassama and Aasgaard dony want to be here - period.
28 Dec 2025 13:45:44
Or alternatively, Butland had a great game pulled off 4 great saves did his job and was caught with a long ball over the top once when he came out and was beaten to it.
Aasgaard wasn't asked to play on the right wing, we did lack width on that side but it wasn't down to him as he was carrying out the managers tactics by playing inside and trying to get close to Chermiti.
Gassama was our main attacking threat which is his job, he created chances from both sides of the park and roasted both full backs, He's not there to cover Diomande who was a waste of space but didn't appear on your criticism list.
28 Dec 2025 13:51:29
Very good post Zikos. I agree with all you say but did notice once we moved Gassama over to the right when Moore came on he was far more effective ?.
28 Dec 2025 14:32:37
Deecee i definitely think Aasgaard wants to be here, not sure if Gassama does right enough ?.
28 Dec 2025 15:00:30
Stevie, a near Curtis more of a wide man atm, don't think he has the patience and composure to play centrally yet. Maybe that will come but atm his energy and determination are more suited out wide.
Wsl, Butland did have a good game in terms of shot stopping, but for me he plays too deep and is causing a lot of his own problems. Just like the ones against Kilmarnock and Falkirk. It's not a one off it's almost every game where he is far too deep, and ends up too deep to receive a pass so it looks short or he has to come charging out when if he was on his 18yrd line there wouldn't be an issue. It's very basic.
I agree Aasgaard was asked to play more centrally, but he was also poor there as well.
In terms of no width that could have come from Tav but he's not got the legs anymore to play that role.
As for Gassama, he was a threat at time. There was also times when Meghoma went forward and he just stood there not offering any kind of support, either in an attacking sense or defensive. I'm optimistic about him though because of his age. Definitely one to work with.
As for Dio, the lad is an enigma for me. For me he has loads of ability, and always wants the ball. But his use of the ball can be poor and often gets caught on the ball when he doesn't shift it or he turns into trouble.
Personally I would try him in a RW position, just for his energy. I'm not sure if it would work but I don't see him as a 6, 8 or 10?
28 Dec 2025 17:53:27
Zikos. To the contrary mate I think Curtis is the most composed player we have in the final 3rd mate. Respect your opinion thought mate.
28 Dec 2025 19:28:36
Butland has two clean sheets in the games you mentioned so that's all three games you choose to criticise him he hasn't conceded a goal. Yesterday we would have been 3 down before the incident with the long ball if it wasn't for him so that will do for me. I don't remember a specific from the Falkirk game but the one in the Killie game was a dreadfully short pass back by Barron and its totally unfair to blame his starting position. Slaughter him for the mistake against Hearts but stop looking for faults in games where he has saved us.
As for Aasgaard I didn't think he was particularly good but you blamed our lack of width on the right on him which isn't right. Your comments on Diomande could also be applied to Aasgaard but for some reason a player who has been with us two years, cost a lot more money and has done nothing gets some slack and the new boy doesn't. Diomande was a waste of a shirt AND he didn't pop up with the winner.
28 Dec 2025 21:18:49
Zikos Dio played as a left sided attacking midfielder sometimes at Nordsjaelland.
With Antman playing as a 10 for Nordsjaelland.
28 Dec 2025 23:53:35
Remember reading when we signed dio he could play left of a front 3. I believe he played there once under clement.
29 Dec 2025 01:18:15
Wsl, I've already said Butland had some good saves and played well. My criticism is of how deep he sits. If you think it's good then I disagree. I think it's a concern.
As for Aasgaard, you obviously have his poster in your room, I don't. I think he is bang average. In fact truth be told I think he's actually below average for our league.
And although North can hurt at times, if we are ever going to win the league again we need to be ruthless in our player recruitment and selection.