Matchday Thread Inverness CT -V- St Johnstone

[caleyboy]

 

I don't know what to make of that. Obviously it was great to end the season with a win, end in 5th rather than sixth and to beat last year's points tally. Great also to sign off the season with an excellent last minute goal from Greg Tansey.  But what do we learn from the match to take into next season?

 

It was very much a game of two halves - again! First half was dull with very little action. Lots of sideways and backwards passing culminating in a pass back to Brill from Shinnie of all people from inside the opposition half! Second half was much, much better. It looked as though the half time team talk went something like "OK boys, forget everything I've taught you and just go out and play your natural game and give it a right good go!" We were much more threatening when we were more direct and attacking with pace and width.

 

But then after the match Hughes in his interview was saying that we'd not been passing it quickly enough and we needed to up the pace of the game.  He said the players were taking on board what he was trying to do and it showed in the second half.  It does seem to me that the way we played in the first half was how we've tended to play since Hughes came in (ball to feet) and the way we played in the second half was how we were playing in the first half of the season when when we were 2nd (ball into the spaces).  If how we played in the 2nd half was the way Hughes wants the team to play then that's fine by me but it certainly contrasted sharply with the style of play we have only witnessed since Hughes came here.

 

The conclusions I reach are:-

1. We have a very talented squad of players who are capable of playing very exciting attacking football.
2. We have a manager who in recent weeks has had the team playing in a style which is boring to watch and which has been very unsuccessful.
3. We have a manager who today takes credit for a 2nd half performance which was much more in the style of the team before he took up post.
4. I have no idea what Hughes really wants from the team and consequently no idea of the style of football we are likely to witness next year.

 

You know DD, if I for one minute thought you knew what you were talking about I would agree with you but to be honest I just think you are one of those anti Hughes people who look for any scrap to have a go. So, in summary, I really don't think you know what you are talking about and I certainly don't agree with you. I do however respect your right to have and voice your opinion but that doesn't make it right.

[PerfICT]

So, fifth and a cup final - an excellent season, all things considered!

 

.....I just wish I could shake this nagging feeling of an opportunity missed!!!!

 

I'm going to go away and have a scratch at some of the stats, but a few interesting ones will be in there: 100% ability to not lose games that we scored first in; 100% failure to win games we conceded first in; number of clean sheets; number of 4-0 or more humpings; 100% failure to score from free kicks round the box; poor penalty conversion rate etc etc.

[old caley girl]

 

......and, referee Steven Maclean who missed the fairly blatant Considine push on Richie at the end of the cup final, yesterday felt Sutton's last minute aerial body check on Langfield yesterday, was fair. Fair play to Motherwell for finishing 2nd again. 

 

................will Falkirk send Butcher down again? If Butcher takes them down let us not forget this great quote ''Malpass confessed he would have been better off financially if he had stayed in Inverness but admitted the lure of a big club in the capital was too much.''

 

ICT set a new record points haul in the top league yesterday and take a well earned rest before regrouping and learning significant lessons from this season. 

 

Not strictly true as we actually attained 58 points in season 2005/06.

 

So we did! Could be argued that some of those points were gained in the bottom 6 post split so easier to attain? 

[Sneckboy]

I've heard it mentioned on a number of 'media outlets' that we achieved our highest ever points tally - including on BBC Alba last night when the reporter was (speaking English) and interviewing young Christie and Nick Ross. It would have been funny if Ryan had corrected the assertion by declaring that actually we scored one point more when his old man was the boss!

That was the season we won all 5 post-split games without conceding a goal - but as you state, OCG, that was in the 'bottom 6'.

But, yeah, it's a record for ICT from a 'top-6' finish.

Just another vagary of the 'split system'!

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Good to finish with a tidy win.  Just watched it all on iPlayer.  Not the greatest display, but a satsfactory result. Shocking defending for Tansey's goal at the end, but a good finish.

 

I know I should be satisfied with 5th place, and a Cup final, but I can't help feeling disappointed and that we let things slip so badly after Xmas. Whether it was the Butcher leaving thing or not, who knows, but nevertheless I feel that we missed a fantastic chance to finish 2nd this year, and I will be surprised, pleasantly I hope, if we are in that position again in the next few years.

[+DoofersDad]

 

 

You know DD, if I for one minute thought you knew what you were talking about I would agree with you but to be honest I just think you are one of those anti Hughes people who look for any scrap to have a go. So, in summary, I really don't think you know what you are talking about and I certainly don't agree with you. I do however respect your right to have and voice your opinion but that doesn't make it right.

 

 

 

  So whether you agree with me or not is based on whether you think I know what I'm talking about and not on whether what I actually say is consistent with your thinking!  I'm flattered! 

 

Just for clarity I can confirm that I haven't a clue what I'm talking about and my family and pyschiatrist can confirm that.    But you are way wrong if you think I am one of the anti Hughes people looking for any scrap to have a go.  Quite the opposite, I very much want Hughes to succeed but unfortunatey I am having to look for scraps to convince me that he might.  In essence, what I was saying in my post was that I really don't know what style of football Hughes is trying to achieve but I like what I saw in the 2nd half yesterday. 

[davie]

 

I don't know what to make of that. Obviously it was great to end the season with a win, end in 5th rather than sixth and to beat last year's points tally. Great also to sign off the season with an excellent last minute goal from Greg Tansey.  But what do we learn from the match to take into next season?

 

It was very much a game of two halves - again! First half was dull with very little action. Lots of sideways and backwards passing culminating in a pass back to Brill from Shinnie of all people from inside the opposition half! Second half was much, much better. It looked as though the half time team talk went something like "OK boys, forget everything I've taught you and just go out and play your natural game and give it a right good go!" We were much more threatening when we were more direct and attacking with pace and width.

 

But then after the match Hughes in his interview was saying that we'd not been passing it quickly enough and we needed to up the pace of the game.  He said the players were taking on board what he was trying to do and it showed in the second half.  It does seem to me that the way we played in the first half was how we've tended to play since Hughes came in (ball to feet) and the way we played in the second half was how we were playing in the first half of the season when when we were 2nd (ball into the spaces).  If how we played in the 2nd half was the way Hughes wants the team to play then that's fine by me but it certainly contrasted sharply with the style of play we have only witnessed since Hughes came here.

 

The conclusions I reach are:-

1. We have a very talented squad of players who are capable of playing very exciting attacking football.
2. We have a manager who in recent weeks has had the team playing in a style which is boring to watch and which has been very unsuccessful.
3. We have a manager who today takes credit for a 2nd half performance which was much more in the style of the team before he took up post.
4. I have no idea what Hughes really wants from the team and consequently no idea of the style of football we are likely to witness next year.

 

I shoudn't, but I'm going to bite. Dad, your first assertion (because they are assertions, not conclusions) is right but the rest are to varying degrees incorrect.Your second point is simply wrong. Since the split (which I'll take your "recent weeks" as) we have drawn two lost two won one. That is not "very unsuccessful" by any definition, especially when the defeats are to the top two in the League. Average in the top half of the League at worst. Boring to watch? Only if you prefer another style. Not everyone does. Yesterday was 67% to 33% possession to ICT, possession recycled and this contributed to St. Johnstone having to chase the game, even at 0-0. There was only one winner, the passing was excellent and possession good. Your third point is again, simply wrong. Hughes is the manager, and he will take credit for the way his team plays, no matter what style you percieve it to be. That's the way it works. The second half didn't happen because of someone saying "forget everything I've told you" it happened through keeping possession of the ball, creating and taking chances. Which is precisely what the manager says he tells the players. On your fourth point, Hughes has talked long and loud about what he wants this team to do, which is at least equal the achievements of this season by playing a passing game based on possession and control. I see no mystery in that, and therefore have a good idea of what style of football we will see next year. Me? I look forward to it.

[tm4tj]

So, fifth and a cup final - an excellent season, all things considered!

 

.....I just wish I could shake this nagging feeling of an opportunity missed!!!!

 

Was it an opportunity missed, or an opportunity gained. At least we gave ourselves the opportunity to win the trophy, unlike all but one other team.

I am happy enough with our progress, but that is the key word, we need to progress.

[+bughtmaster]

Theme song for this thread...''Always look on the dark side of life''....  ???????????/

 

Maybe there is a more  perfict one----------- by George it could be rigged though-------- by some renegade, sneaky boy or other dirge composer ?

[PerfICT]

 

So, fifth and a cup final - an excellent season, all things considered!

 

.....I just wish I could shake this nagging feeling of an opportunity missed!!!!

 

Was it an opportunity missed, or an opportunity gained. At least we gave ourselves the opportunity to win the trophy, unlike all but one other team.

I am happy enough with our progress, but that is the key word, we need to progress.

 

 

I suppose my "opportunity missed" comes from the fact that, in the absence of one of the ugly sisters for a few years, the chances of silverware and Euro opportunities are higher. Ironically, next season is likely to be the best opportunity of all (without SEVCO, Hearts and......Hibs?!), so let's take it! If Motherwell are good enough for 2nd, so are we!!!

[hislopsoffsideagain]

Have to say that I thought DD summed up yesterday really well.  

 

In the first half our play was directionless.  Again, and again, and again, it was sideways, backwards, sideways, backwards, and repeat until the ball was given away in our own half.  Our tempo was too slow to particularly wear St Johnstone out, or to carve them open.  There was precious little width and our attacks tended to stall just in front of the penalty area as all our forwards moved into that central area.

 

The second half was completely the opposite.  We were far more direct and decisive with the ball.  We were more willing to throw players forward, particularly the full-backs, which gave us width.  Possibly because they had the cup final in mind, St Johnstone couldn't, or wouldn't cope with the increased pace of our play.  We carved out numerous chances and it was terrific to watch.  It proves we can keep the ball on the deck but still play attractive attacking football.

 

The trouble is that the first half reminded me of many of our games in 2014, while the second half reminded me of many of our games in 2013.

 

It seems far more likely that Yogi made the necessary changes at half-time, rather than the players spontaneously reverting to type.  But, pessimist that I am, the thought had crossed my mind...

 

I strongly believe that we are a better team - and, with these players, will always be a better team - playing the way we did in the second half yesterday.  That's simply because, in my opinion, you can't play like Barcelona unless you have Xavi at the base of your midfield, rather than Tansey.  If Yogi proves me wrong, then brilliant.     But, with 'Butcher-esque' tactics, we will be top six next season.  With Yogi tactics, I'm not nearly as confident.

 

At least, following that win, we have now scored more points with Yogi (29 from 25 games) than without him in the dugout (28 from 13 games).

Edited May 12, 2014 by hislopsoffsideagain

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Sorry Don but forgot how to put the official report on but here we go :

Last game of the year and the erseholes (not Mahonio!,) decide to play a nothing at stake game at 12.15 on a Sunday morning (or perhaps it may be a Subway morning in the near future ?!!

The last game of the season, to moi, gives far more positives than many have given credit to. The first half was drab but the passing, to me, was nowhere near the negativity that has been posted on here recently. Both teams were negative and it was as if we were b oth looking for a 1-0.

The first half was totally bereft of any real skill and was as dull a 45 as I have ever witnessed. But we stuck to a very defensive system and we changed it after half time. GAWD if we had nicked a goal we may have gone ballistic!

Brill saved cos it was hit at him and we never lookred like scoring.

But the second half was SO much better and - like at Muvversmell we could have rained goals IMHO.

In the second half we relaxed and if we had scored a second early doors we may have hammered them. McKay, Watkins, Raven and Tansey could easily have added to the tally. Christie got a poacher goal and anyone of four could have snatched the second but he did dispatch it with force.

So here. We go with the cirque :

Brill 6 - not tested but never troubled. Still not convinced.

Raven 6: more subdued offensively which was a slight concern

Tremarco : better game than usual - still not good enuff going forward but solid defensively.

Devine : could really be one fer the future and I would love to see at left back

Draper : did he look the sort there or what ? Draper and Warren ?

Vincent : Totally wasted on the wide right.

Shinnie : MOM fer me and maybe we stick with him in there.

Tansey : tackles like Paul Scholes

Doran : jhesus if he was fit ???!!

Christie : green but such a potential talent

McKay : Poor Bily was fecked but will prosper with the potugese hit man

Watkins and Wiliia s both upped the pace.

[Sneckboy]

Where did our 57 points come from?

 

Home 30

Away 27

 

St Johnstone 9

Hibernian 7

Hearts 7

Kilmarnock 6

Ross County 6

St Mirren 5

Dundee United 5

Partick Thistle 4

Aberdeen 4

Motherwell 3

Celtic 1

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

We need a Portugese Wellington ?

[tm4tj]

You just post it in editorial forum Johndo. What happened to the scoring for the rest of the team?

[Yngwie]

Having watched on Alba, can any of our Gaelic speakers explain the commentator's references to George Weah and Nuremburg?

 

I think I've worked it out what it must have been about.  Saints manager Tommy Wright was a keeper at Man City at the same time George Weah played there. He also played for N. Ireland when they got a draw against Germany in Nuremburg.

[Council Juice]

That was a tidy and efficient performance against a team with, understandably, 1 eye on the final. Christie showed some real class again and deserved MOTM.

I thought Tremarco looked a lot better going forward and should be our number one left back and allow Shinnie to play further up.

I couldn't understand why Shinnie lined up alongside Tansey in the middle. Have him wide of an attacking midfield 3. Christie or Ross in the middle and Doran or Watkins. He still played well enough mind.
Doran needs to get down the beach and jog of his spare tyres. A terrible shape for a winger and Hughes needs to hammer him IMHO.
 

A good way to sign off. Get another striker in, maybe a young defender in the close season. Even on loan. And I'm feeling ok about next season.

Hope you all enjoy your summer and the world cup. 

Good luck to St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup final.

[tm4tj]

http://caleythistleonline.com/page/index.html/_/reports-2013-14/inverness-ct-v-st-johnstone-report-r1167

 

You'll find your finished article here Johndo, and I filled in the blanks for you Cheers all.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Thanks Don - fraid I fell into the wrong crowd on the way home OR did they fall in to me