Paul Hartley

[Darkblue64]

Feel sorry for him losing 3 fantastic players before season kicks in. See what he's made of now. Will he get money to spend? Difficult to replace the sheer skill of Stewart the goal scoring of Kane and the unpredictability of GGS. Anyway onwards and upwards hopefully. Mon the Dee 

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[Boba Fett]

I think the squads already looking good in an attacking sense. 

With all that's going on, the fact we've signed Elbak2e has flown under the radar somewhat.

I suppose the risk with the strikers is we're relying on players coming to the fore who have yet to make their mark at Premiership level.

Time for Wighton to step up, hopefully Yordi adjusts and it's a massive season for Loy.

I'd still be focusing on the rear guard signings which seem to be taking forever to get any movement on.

 

[mondee93]

defence is definitely needing work, we're ok up front now it seems easier to find decent attackers than defenders !!

[Darkblue1893]

Although stewart is obviously a massive loss, i think the team as a whole will benefit more due to the hard work of williams and duffy tracking back, and although hemmings scored all those goals last year it maybe meant we relied on him n other members of the squad didnt chip in as much whereas if the midfield xhip in we may well score more

[harry94]

In regards to Stewart, I think he's actually prepared quite well for this eventuality. The style of game seems to have adjusted a bit and he's brought in Williams and Duffy who give us a bit of width (with cover for the full backs) and also players like O'Hara and Vincent who give a more industrious midfield who can work out of possession. As controversial as it is, I kind of think Harkins wouldn't have been first choice anyway as he's not really effective when we aren't dominating games (which is like half the games we play) and I think that it was his downside. With El Bakhtoui, I don't think he's been signed with much tactical thought - he's got natural ability and will cause teams problems (like Stewart did) so we'll find a way to use it once he's settled.

Hemmings has been a bit more difficult. Loy obviously steps in but he's a different player entirely, he lacks the power Hemmings had. Against County, he did quite well and ran his ar** off while providing a good bit of hold up play but the problem was that he didn't gain as much from shitty hoofs up the park as Hemmings was able to achieve. He's not really a like for like change so the players around him are going to have to learn to play him (i.e. pass it to his feet or try to hit one of our wingers with space to run into). I think Teijsse was signed to eventually replace Hemmings as he's a lot more similar but I genuinely think that Hartley thought they had hid the clause and we'd get another year out of him. I think that if we were more sure earlier, another target man type physical forward might have been signed.

Have disagreed a bit with some of the comments over the past few months about the defence - I think our back line get some harsh treatment. Since January, they have been relatively solid but they've experienced change (the one period when we didn't, we went on a long clean sheet run) and they have played in a side that put a categorical emphasis on attack over defence (having Loy and Stewart in front of the full backs and in addition Harkins as one of the central players has the potential to backfire really badly). If they get a run together and we keep the industrious style of play in front of them, I think we'll be OK on the goals scored against column.

Think we'll maybe struggle more against teams we should be beating this season but do a lot better against the bigger sides.

[Gedee]

Very few would argue that we have had three great losses in Hemmings, Harkins & Stewart, and it's very unlikely PH is going to find "like for like" replacements over the next few weeks. I've been looking over, the many highlight video clips of the three mentioned, over the past few days. And in seeing their class & capabilities, & knowing, none of them are no longer with the Mighty Dee, it hurts ....it hurts deeply.   But it's also been kinda wearing me out in the past few weeks, all the stories & rumours, about will they go (or not) or the similar rumours, like they are staying, they are going, they are gone!!  Weel at least now we do know. They are gone !!.

But more importantly for PH & the whole DFC team/squad, they know exactly where they are at, and what they are expected to do, and capable of doing. In fact last week against Ross County, they more than showed what they are capable of. Rangers sorted out Peterhead, so in some ways we know what to expect. But even as early in the season as this, there has been a stream of "daft results"   And didn't Hamilton match Rangers at Ibrox ....and nearly come away with all three points.

There's much more to PH than being able to spot potential quality players. He is a tactictian, perfectionist & grafter (imo). I am not too concerned about DFC future under PH. The players now departed will be missed. But it is up to PH & the present DFC players to prove again what they can do. Starting on Sat. Come on PH, Players & Oor Great Supporters

[Wattie Rojas]

It looks like we might have any of the midfield 5 making forward runs. Williams, Duffy, gowzer,  o'hara and Vincent all look capable of doing it although we'll miss Greg's ability to find them.

[DFC1974]

51 minutes ago, Darkblue64 said:

Feel sorry for him losing 3 fantastic players before season kicks in. See what he's made of now. Will he get money to spend? Difficult to replace the sheer skill of Stewart the goal scoring of Kane and the unpredictability of GGS. Anyway onwards and upwards hopefully. Mon the Dee 

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I think the transfers will have been part of his wider objectives set out by the BOD. 

A top six finish and comfortably avoiding relegation twice coupled with what is now a proven eye for talent whilst making the club just shy of a million quid will do his managerial portfolio no harm at all.