Eagle4Caley

Interesting to watch the highlights....as someone said they look better than it sounds like we actually played. I'm not really convinced that Warren dived, more like ran out puff and the second challenge was all too much and he fell over, did he even appeal for a penalty? (I don't think you should be booked if you're not appealling) Positives for me seem to be Bell, who looks quite tricky and committed, Trafford is sounding half decent but may benefit from a period of fitness management, Polworth seems to have found his mojo again and OFW is back and sounds like he is at least better than Ridgers. Tremarco is back too, but I would guess having been out for a while it will take some time to get back to where he was last season early on. And we are scoring goals (unlike my other team who have scored none at all in their league) and have either been ahead in a game or have pulled the game back (like against St Mirren/Livingstone). Of the rest it seems Vigurs gives us something for a parts of games, but can't really be relied on to have an impact for 90mins or do the dirty work. My impression of the defence is that apart from individual errors there is very poor organisation or ideas as to who is doing what. I put that down to the coaching, maybe Robbo needs a defensive coach. Listening to peoples views on the defence, I find it somewhat bemusing how easily Meekings was let go, whether this was to do with percieved likeihood of return to fitness, cost of a new contract, an attitude problem...yes he may not be fully fit now, but he could be the difference later in the season...and we seem to be quite happy to wait for Zak Elbouzedi and Aaron Doran. And what has happened to Seedorf, he doesn't seem to have played since he got sent off? Meanwhile Oakley who seems to have been to better option to Baird early on, now seems devoid of ideas and energy, whilst Mulraney doesn't seem to want to play at all. So I think we're all now resigned to the fact that getting back up is looking unlikely this season (was it ever?) ....so now it's all about doing enough to stay up, and I can't believe Falkirk are as bad as their league position suggests.

Pretty much reprising what I've written elsewhere....I'm a South Londoner born and bred, as far as I am aware I don't have any Scottish blood in me (just in my soul!), although one ancestry firm suggested my surname (Lyon) was linked to the Farquharson, it could be tosh but the tartan's pretty! I first became aware of ICT one night listening to the radio, now who were they playing?...ah yes Celtic, in that famous victory. I gradually took more notice of Caley over the subsequent years, having a strange desire to find a Scots team to support (although I once toyed with Partick!), I remember being surprisingly upset that Caley were relegated in 2009. I have supported Palace since I was 14 (I'm 59 now) and once I discovered that Caley also play in Red n Blue stripes that sealed the deal. I first saw the stadium in October 2012 whilst on a tour of the Highlands with my eldest daughter, persuading our guide to take a wee diversion. My first live game was Ross County at home 16th March 2013 (we won 2-1 with Charlie Taylor being brought down for the resultant winning penalty). That first trip really did cement what is now a love affair. My first away game was Charlton in a friendly, I've been to two Cup finals, and memorably did the Celtic cup semi final having watched Palace v WBA on the Saturday then taking a Megabus sleeper upto Glasgow where I met up with CaleyMad for the early kick-off. My wife has been up to Inverness twice with me for matches, we both love Inverness, personally I find a walk along the Ness never fails to stir a sense of wellbeing! My eldest daughter nearly got to see Hearts away with me in December a couple of seasons back, but the match was called off due to high winds. Not being from Inverness the pre-merger stuff is very much alien to me, it's clear there is still a legacy that still seems to affect how some people see the club...that said many years ago Palace and Wimbledon toyed with a merger which definitely raised the hackles of most supporters, and of course the infamous relocation of the Wimbledon to Milton Keynes, and subsequent rebirth of Wimbledon localy as AFC underscores what local loyalties mean to people. I think my work colleagues think I'm ever so slightly bonkers, but they enjoyed the celebratory cakes when we won the Cup. I've never seen Palace win anything (unless play-off finals count). Obviously it takes a bit a planning to come up for games working round Palace home games and stuff, but Easyjet are pretty good price wise. Watching Caley is a strange release, certainly different from the madhouse EPL, I really like the stadium's setting and the weather always seem half decent when I come up (although the Celtic home match last March mid-week was effing cold walking back). BTW I'm sure I mention Palace a bit too much on this site, for which I apologise, I'm quite at ease with supporting two teams, and despite the EPL millions, I see both teams in the same light, not necessarily glamourous, perhaps punching above our weight at times, but any honours or success is treasured, and it's always great to get one over the bigger boys!

Not exactly...seems a step backwards

Hi SP, I'm a South Londoner born and bred, as far as I am aware I don't have any Scottish blood in me (just in my soul!), although one ancestry firm suggested my surname (Lyon) was linked to the Farquharson, it could be tosh but the tartan's pretty! I first became aware of ICT one night listening to the radio, now who were they playing?...ah yes Celtic, in that famous victory. I gradually took more notice of Caley over the subsequent years, having a strange desire to find a Scots team to support (although I once toyed with Partick!), I remember being surprisingly upset that Caley were relegated in 2009. I have supported Palace since I was 14 (I'm 59 now) and once I discovered that Caley also play in Red n Blue stripes that sealed the deal. I first saw the stadium in October 2012 whilst on a tour of the Highlands with my eldest daughter, persuading our guide to take a wee diversion. My first live game was suitably Ross County at home 16th March 2013 (we won 2-1 with Charlie Taylor being brought down for the resultant winning penalty). My first away game was Charlton in a friendly, I've been to two Cup finals, and memorably did the Celtic cup semi final having watched Palace v WBA on the Saturday then taking a Megabus sleeper upto Glasgow where I met up with CaleyMad for the early kick-off. My wife has been up to Inverness twice with me for matches, we both love Inverness. My eldest daughter nearly got to see Hearts away with me in December a couple of seasons back, but the match was called off. I think my work colleagues think I'm ever so slightly bonkers, but they enjoyed the celebratory cakes when we won the Cup. I've never seen Palace win anything (unless play-off finals count). Obviously it takes a bit a planning to come up for games working round Palace home games and stuff, but Easyjet are pretty good price wise. Watching Caley is a strange release, certainly different from the madhouse EPL, I really like the stadium's setting and the weather always seem half decent when I come up (although the Celtic home match last March mid-week was effing cold walking back). My next match is Livingstone away in November. I once watched their manager score a winning play-off final goal for Palace!

Just testing times all round! Some horrible similarities about our Summer preparations, and the current prognosis for doing well in our respective leagues...only the amount of money involved is different I'm not happy at all that Frank De Boer has been sacked after 4 games, we've become a real joke. We've had a pretty poor transfer window, and we're left with a terrible goalkeeper in Wayne Hennessey, OFW's senior international colleague, and unbelieveably one fit striker...even Caley didn't leave themsleves that short (unless we are talking quality) I can't be arsed to go to the next home game v Southampton since it's on TV, the passion I had has become very diluted....on the other hand I am very much looking forward to coming up for the away game at Livingston in November, by then the team might be motoring.

Surely this sort of faffing around at the back was quite prevalent in the Hughes era...is that a good sign?

I think it's quite possible, to make a lot of noise and atmosphere without resorting to either flares, abuse, damage or intimidation...however some of the later may be linked to excessive drinking. It's great that some young lads are keen to improve the atmosphere at games and show support for the team, but it must be done within the confines of the law, and if that happens generally everyone gets on board. Down in my neck of the woods my other team have a pseudo 'Ultra's group called the Holmesdale Fanatic's and they are part of the reason why the atmosphere at Palace games is considered to be amongst the best, they also do a great job with displays at matches. Just occasionally they (or their hangers-on) get above themselves and we see the odd flare or firecracker going off (but only at away games) this doesn't go down to well with most of the fan base, and forums are usually busy afterwards with for and against. In the end the authorities will win every time so why push it? And there's no bonus points for getting a bad reputation for being bad away travellers, it potential has ramifications for the rest of us. Hopefully the club and this particular group can achieve a meeting of minds and then we can move on. Watching football in a fervent, noisy but ultimately peace-loving atmosphere is the best (when your winning!)

Really lively performance from Ryan Christie against Partick on Saturday, gets one goal, wins a penalty (should have had a second) and provides the assist for the winner

This blunder was shown on BBC Breakfast TV down in London this morning..... given how poor my other teams goalkeeper is (in every game) this made me feel quite cheerful. There was a little bit of a 'my enemies enemy is my friend' feeling about this (as in the Highland's v the Central Belt), but still a classic!

This was great to watch....thanks for posting, must say Celtic Park looks rather mundane after seeing how this ground looks! It may only be Brechin, but a win is definitely a win, along with four goals, a clean sheet and the signs of some sort of balance and players finding their feet.....if only I could say that about my other team, following the score during the game yesterday brought welcome relief and my friend sitting next to me was looking pretty bemused when I also exclaimed "blimey Falkirk 4 nil down at home"

Yes we tend to forget that quite a lot of these players have had very limited careers, and we have had quite a turnover, yet we are hoping that they will gell instantly and give us a promotion winning effort. Given our limited financial muscle we have clearly punched well above our weight in recent years which has raised expections amongst us all that can't be achieved in the short term. We now have very few 'senior' players of which Warren is probably past his peak (and getting injured a fair bit), Raven is I think considered past his (Hughes obviously thought that, Robbo perhaps the same) I think some fans want him in for his experience and that SC goal! That leaves Vigurs and who (?) to provide the foundation and encouragement for the younger players. The situation with OFW seems worse than I thought.

Sounds like Doumbouya was not the worst forward we've signed in recent years after all

The Semi-final was pretty amazing...BUT I absolutely loved the whole Final experience, It didn't matter that we were playing Falkirk, they were the equal of us, and outnumbered us in support. We bossed the first half, but contrived to almost lose the second, those last 10mins were an emotional experience and that amazing winning goal with Watkins doing all the hard work, and Vincent defying fatigue to get up field and knock the lose ball home...FANTASTIC. It was great that I was able to share the day with CaleyMad. One of the best days in my football supporting life... I've supported Palace down here for over 40years and we've lost twice narrowly in the FA Cup to Man U, which hurt a good deal, but Caley winning the Scottish Cup is quite some compensation!

Blimey this sounds like a terrible result, coupled with my other team losing 0-3 at home to a promoted side and my football weeked is as bad as it gets. Strange how last week we seemed to do pretty well but lost, and also had a couple of decent results in the league cup, but seem to have completely gone to pieces today. It's amazing that the summer before last we couldn't offer a good enough deal to keep Miles Storey (which seemed to be the last straw for Hughes, and yet Storey spends most of the time on the Dons bench) and at the end of last season we were too slow to sign up Alex Fisher...that's two strikers that look like strikers but penny pinching could cost us dear. I wonder if losing Ross Draper during the week also knocked a bit of stuffing out of the team. I presume Warren is injured, because I sort of cling to the idea that Raven, Warren (and eventually Tremarco) would be enough as a backline with Seedorf and Mckay to give us some solidity. However losing Tansey and Draper probably leaves us with a midfield that isn't combative enough. I go back to my comments over a year ago about those glad to see the back of Highes because of the 'tikka takka' style of play and endless possession at the back, and the fact they might rue his departure over the coming year. Unfortunately not only have we lost someone who was able to make us punch above our weight, but the board seems reluctant to invest enough in the playng squad to give us a fighting chance of even staying at this level...for all the comments about ego trips, I don't see much cache in being in control of a team spiralling down the leagues. Given that today we could even put out a full bench of substitutes and this being the start of the season, the board is going to have to dig a bit deeper or we are in for a very long winter

You put it so well! Meanwhile back down here we have Coutinho and Danny Rose manouvring for moves, for betterment...same old ***** only the money is different!