[hibeejim21]

If you guys would cast your mind back to the time that it all started to go wrong, it clearly points to the time we signed Stokes up on loan.
There was talk on here of him causing unrest in the dressing room, some supporters point out that he and Cummings don`t go well together (think about when Cummings form started to slip). Stokes has been an ever present since his arrival as a striker but he has only produced half a dozen goals in 16 or so games. That`s not acceptable from someone that we altered our line up to accommodate.
Some of you will disagree with me but it`s only my opinion and open to criticism.

Cummings form was getting patchy before stokes arrived wattie (as were one or two others),and they both played up front in the cup win v hertz. But i do agree they don't convince as a partnership,mainly because they are too similar in style.

I honestly don't think there has been any issue with stokes,watching him closely in recent weeks he has been putting in a power of work and you can see him talking to the players and providing support.

 More i look at things i think we just collapsed after a really intense cup tie and found it hard to recover. It's happened to better teams than us and it's not easy to switch it back on.

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I commented in another thread, ref OP Raith 1st leg match, asking if Stokes is a striker or an inside forward? I sat watching last night's game at Starks Park and again couldn't fathom what Stokes' role is? He plays predominantly as a goal provider/inside forward and yet he's supposed to be one of our main strikers!!! Hence his lack of goals. So he plays in that role and Cummings spends a lotta time on either wing!!! What about the spearhead striker???? Absolutely bizarre but surely our manager should have a say in influencing how, and where, Stokes should be playing in these matches! He does indeed put in a shift but are we getting the best out of this striker???? His goals stats indicate no!!!
PS: I have no faith in Cummings and Stokes together any more - a case of pot luck IMO! Keatings had some kinda scoring form about him but Stubbs relegated him, and others, to make way for his favourites. Notice the manager does not hold to a settled, same team policy, which does not help either 

It looks a bit like stubbs is asking stokes to play the same we he did latterly at celtic (when he was getting a game) working the channels and holding it up/bringing other players in. He's a bit predictable at times playing that way IMO and is definitely at his best part of a 4-4-2 with him playing though the middle. 

It would work a lot better if we had some more goals from the midfield i think.