After the 5-0 mauling of Kilmarnock it was essential that we defeated the Pars but I think most of us were looking forward to the game with trepidation. Dunfermline are a poor side and a few poor sides have been good enough to see us off this season, but not on Saturday. We controlled the game from start to finish, apart from a wee shaky spell in the middle of the second half when all of us must have thought we had blown it. But the team dug deep and eventually got the winner - thank god! We completely outplayed Dunfermline all afternoon which proved to me that if we keep working hard and cut out the mistakes that a relegation battle is not a cert for the mighty ‘Well this season.
When I look at the other teams in the SPL, apart from Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Hibs, we have the players to compete with everyone. Aberdeen are a poor side who have a decent defence but up front they are about as useless as a guitar player with no fingers. Inverness are the same, they play the way they know how and if that doesn't work they are buggered. We all know Killie aren't great and don't get me started on St Mirren. OK the Buddies have had a good start to the season but it just can't last, and although I don't think they will be relegated I predict they are about to drop like a stone to around the foot of the table. That leaves Falkirk, Dundee United and Dunfermline who are all, how shall I put it, total pish!!! Falkirk have no good players, Dundee United are an SPL graveyard for half-decent players and Dunfermline are full of journeymen who prefer to listen to Jim Leishman's poetry than try play football.
If we can continue to sort out of our defence, hopefully with Corrigan returning soon and maybe Murphy joining in January, we have the attacking players to win more games than we lose. Kerr and Lasley look to be gelling well in midfield and Foran and McGarry are working hard up and down the wings. Up front Skippy is back to his best, with the only worry being that the vultures will be gathering for a possible swoop in the January sales. That leaves one place up for grabs and I am still not convinced about Callum Elliot. So much so in fact, that I would start with our goal scoring hero instead of him at Parkhead on Saturday.
Oh and one more thing, Jim Hamilton looked terrible on Saturday. He had a couple of nice touches but looked slow and jaded - so I give MM a big thumbs up for getting rid of him. Big Jim looks to have found his spiritual home at Dunfermline alongside all the other past-it duffers who reside in Fife.
MM