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Inverness CT -V- St Mirren - Preview

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Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? 
It has been a long slow start to the season for Inverness with only one win in nine SPL starts. 
It's well documented how injuries and squad changes have seen us struggle to keep in touch at the tail end of the league, but we need to put all that behind us as we look forward to a less harrowing run of games, and hopefully some players starting to come off the lengthy injury list.
Paisley's finest are in town on Saturday, but don't be fooled by this wolf in sheeps clothing.  This is not the Saints of olde.  A resurgent Saint Mirren have made steady progress this season as Danny Lennon's side sit comfortably in the top half of the league with 12 points and a goal difference of zero.  Compare that to our own stats of 5 points and a minus 10 goal difference and it's obvious to note that this is not going to be an easy ride.  We came a cropper on many an occasion when Saints were not at their best, so this game is exceptionally tough given the comparative form of both sides.
The Buddies have taken great strides this season with some shrewd additions to the squad, notably Steven Thompson, Gary Teale and Nigel Hasselbaink, with Paul McGowan growing in confidence with every game.  Into the last eight of the League Cup at the expense of the other Saints and a crushing 3-0 win over Kilmarnock sees St Mirren come into this game on a high.  While Saints were doing this, we sat out the League Cup round after our defeat at Ayr and defeats by Dundee United and Celtic have left us staring up the table; not a position we really want to find ourselves in.
 Let's concentrate on our own issues for a moment.  Yes, that injury list is still a problem, but one or two are nearing the end of the recovery road.  David Proctor could be fit after taking a nasty head knock against Celtic.  Gavin Morrison and Josh Meekings are almost ready and more importantly Lee Cox is close to a return and he is urgently required in an area where we have been a bit lightweight recently.  With Russell Duncan being released at the end of last season, we have struggled in the engine room and with injuries to key players adding to the problem, players like Cox coming back will be seen as a bonus by Butcher.  The other midfield concern has undoubtedly been the shoulder twins, our creative wide boys of Hayes and Doran, both out at the same time with similar injuries.  This led Butcher into the loan market to sign David Davis and Aidan Chippendale to bolster our seriously weakened squad.  These things all take time to come to fruition, so the sooner we get these key players back the better we will be for it.  Young Nick Ross has had more pressure heaped on him earlier than he would have liked and fringe players find themselves being brought forward into the action.  None of this has helped the fluidity of the team and results have suffered as a consequence.  Gregory Tade looks like his endeavour is winning over the fans and if he can add regular goals to his industry then we will soon be asking Adam who?  Richie Foran has been struggling of late, possibly carrying an injury which appears to be subdueing the fiery Irishman, but there is no doubting his commitment.  Billy McKay is one guy who could help out in attack, providing he is fit enough for a full shift.  The one shining light throughout all this turmoil has been the return of Graeme Shinnie.  Sidelined last season by an illness, he has taken the left back berth over from the injured Kenny Gillet and has not looked back.  He has shown us that there is light at the end of the tunnel, although it might take a wee bit longer to get through it.
 We played reasonably well at Celtic, although the result was no surprise, but the pleasing thing for the fans was the desire to take on the Glasgow giants, and we matched them bar losing two quickfire strikes in the first half.  This was in stark contrast to the troops who trudged off the park at Tannadice after surrendering rather meekly to an average Dundee United. 
 The Paisley side will have an unchanged squad for this game, which means long term casualty Darren McGregor is still out.  Aaron Mooy and Hugh Murray are almost there, but this game will be too soon for them.
One to remember
It may be too much to hope for, but cast your mind back to the time St Mirren were crowned first division champions and arrived in Inverness to party, and show us why they were the champions.  5th May 2000 it was and the home side clapped them onto the park;  the stage was set for the champs to show off their wares.  By five o'clock they were on the end of a hammering as Inverness thumped them 5-0.  The Caley Jags were three up before half time as goals from Davide Xausa, Mark McCulloch and Barry Wilson had them on easy street.  Martin Bavidge and McCulloch again completed the rout and the Saints champagne party went a bit flat.  That was in 2000, and Inverness had finished sixth after a poor start to the season.  Sounds familiar.
The league table has a disturbing look about it as news that Aberdeen are inflicting a heavy defeat on the Pars in the Friday evening game filters through.  It's 3-0 at half time which if it stays like that will mean Inverness are in danger of becoming detached at the bottom, so this put's more pressure on the home side to take all three points. Midweek win for Hibs also moved them further away from our points total.  Not even a win against the Saints will move us up a position as we are now four points behind the nearest teams.  The only good to come out of this is the fact that Dunfermline are starting to struggle and may soon find themselves in the relegation tussle.
tm4tj Prediction:-  This game now has a more crucial look about it given results this week.  Inverness are on the slide, and St Mirren are on the up.  No more are the Saints our whipping boys, at one time we owned them, but the times they are a changing.  However, glimpses of light were on display at Parkhead, and if we can get fully fit players on the park then maybe, just maybe we can start our season tomorrow.  Narrow win for Inverness to lift the gloom is my bet, but it will be tight.
And, just in case you forget, Scotland v England at the world cup in the morning, so set your alarm for 08:30 and that should warm you up nicely for the footie in the afternoon...............Mon the Jocks.
Oh dear, Aberdeen 4-0 Dunfermline was the full time result. 
Onwards and upwards folks. 
Mon the Caley Jags
 
By tm4tj in Previews 2011-12 ·

Celtic -V- Inverness CT - Report

Celtic the victors on day of mass protests
 
Plenty of plaudits for the players today.  A good battling performance but ultimately the three points stayed in Glasgow.
After a bright start to the game by Butchers casualties, Celtic settled into the game and eventually cruised to victory against the struggling basement side.
First half goals from Joe Ledley and James Forrest set the Hoops on the road to victory despite Majstorovic being hassled by Tade from the off; he really is a disaster waiting to happen, Majstorovic that is. 
David Proctor was added to the injury list after a first half clash left him requiring stitches in a head gash and Roman Golobart deputised.
Bit of a stalemate in the second half only disturbed by the fans vocal protests from the stands and a diving header from Richie Foran which Forster saved brilliantly, but the game just evaded the visitors as Celtic held out for a 2-0 win.
Full report to come from Alternative Maryhill.
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Celtic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle, 24th September 2011
Normally this would be a fixture that would be expected to generate a bit of anticipation among Inverness supporters, particularly given that only twelve league games ago Caley Thistle were dismantling Celtic’s title hopes while Neil Lennon converted his water bottle on the touchline in impotent fury. Yet twelve games is a long time in football, and this is an ICT side almost unrecognisable from that which defeated Celtic in May: injury-stricken, filled with untested players, lacking a goalscorer and coming into the game bottom of the SPL and off the back of a very poor second half performance against Dundee United. Even with Celtic looking inept against Rangers last weekend and uninspired against Ross County in midweek, very few among the ICT following were expecting anything more than defeat yesterday, and this perhaps explains why it was a pretty small contingent of CaleyAway footsoldiers that assembled in the London Road Tavern and in Celtic Park itself. By the end of the game, however, despite the anticipated defeat coming to pass, there seemed to be a little more optimism among the Caley Thistle fans, having witnessed a very positive performance from their team.
24/09/11 Celtic Park, Glasgow Celtic 2 - Ledley (28), Forrest (33) TEAM: Forster, El Kaddouri, Majstorovic, Loovens, Matthews, Ledley, Ki (Samaras 75), Kayal, Stokes (McCourt 75), Forrest, Hooper (Bangura 52) SUBS: Zaluska, Wilson, Rogne, Wanyama Booked: none Sent Off: none I.C.T. 0 - TEAM: Esson, Tokely, Proctor (Golobart 27), G.Shinnie, Piermayr (A.Shinnie 64), Tansey, Ross, Chippendale (Sutherland 56), Davis, Foran, Tade SUBS: Tuffey, Gillet, Meekings, McKay Booked: Foran (25) Sent Off: none Referee William Collum Attendance 47382 The changes made by the two managers had not been difficult to predict beforehand. Terry Butcher left Andrew Shinnie and Roman Golobart on the bench, bringing David Proctor into central defence and giving Aidan Chippendale his first start. For Celtic, the much-criticised Georgios Samaras was dropped in favour of Anthony Stokes; the injured Scott Brown and suspended Charlie Mulgrew gave way to James Forrest and Joe Ledley; and the Wilsons, Kelvin and Mark, were replaced by Daniel Majstorovic and Adam Matthews.
After their poor second half performance in the old firm derby, it might have been expected that Celtic would impose themselves on Caley Thistle from the first whistle, but in fact it was the Inverness team that took the game to Celtic. In the first five minutes, Gregory Tade’s persistence and hard running twice took him through on Fraser Forster; on the first occasion he was penalised for an alleged foul on Glenn Loovens, but on the second he managed to get away a shot which was well saved by the Celtic keeper. A couple of minutes later, Richie Foran made a promising run up the right and delivered the ball into the centre, but Nick Ross was just unable to get on the end of it. ICT kept up the pressure with Aidan Chippendale putting the ball back in from the opposite wing, but this time Glenn Loovens was able to make a clearance.
Although Celtic had plenty of possession in this opening period, they had very little penetration, and their first clear chance was a 20-yard shot from Gary Hooper on fourteen minutes which went wide of Ryan Esson’s right hand post. Meanwhile, their central defence looked decidedly uncertain, especially when put under pressure by Tade; Daniel Majstorovic’s failure to clear a through ball on twelve minutes would be the first of several similar errors which caused consternation in the Celtic support. Nevertheless, Celtic gradually began to put more pressure on the ICT goal. A deflected cross produced a corner, and although the ball flew harmlessly over both defenders and attackers, David Proctor received a head knock while jumping for it, and had to be taken off bleeding heavily. Caley Thistle tried to respond with Chippendale and Tade combining well on the left, but possession fell again to Celtic and after a swift counter-attacking move that anticipated the build-up to their second goal, James Forrest got in a shot that Ross Tokely did well to block.
With Celtic increasingly dominating the game, Terry Butcher decided to bring on Roman Golobart, presumably having been told that David Proctor would not be fit to resume. So ICT were restored to eleven men, having played for more than five minutes with only ten; but within two minutes of being restored to full strength, they were a goal behind, when Joe Ledley fired in a twenty-yard shot low to Esson’s right after striding onto a crossfield pass from Beram Kayal. Perhaps sensing a new vulnerability about ICT, Celtic went for the quick kill and just three minutes later Tokely had to make another block to prevent a Gary Hooper shot going in. Caley Thistle rallied and quickly forced a corner, but when Chippendale’s ball in was cleared, Celtic swept to the other end, Ki sliding a diagonal pass into Forrest who burst past Piermayr and fired the ball into the net from just inside the box. Celtic 2 – Caley Thistle 0.
While at this point ICT supporters might have been forgiven for expecting a collapse of Aberdonian proportions, the rest of the first half was in fact dominated by a Caley Thistle team determined not to lie down to Celtic. The Inverness team managed to win four corners in but unfortunately never really looked capable of threatening in the air from any of them: this was one area in which Majstorovic and Loovens looked very comfortable. For all Tade’s terrific workrate and pressurising, Greg Tansey looked the most likely ICT player to score, breaking late from midfield, and he sent in two shots just either side of the forty-minute mark which also, unfortunately, went just either side of the goal.
The second half was comparatively uneventful. Celtic seemed content to try to retain possession and play at a slow pace, and while it might not have been particularly exciting for their supporters, ultimately the tactic worked, with ICT’s front men having run themselves almost to a standstill by around the eightieth minute. On the subject of the Celtic supporters, incidentally, it would be churlish not to mention the backing they gave their team in the second half: at one stage, the entire home support was on its feet doing the huddle; at another, the two ends of the ground were involved in some call-and-response chanting. It was genuinely impressive, and actually enjoyable to see football supporters having real fun at a game despite the fairly dull football on offer. Mind you, the ground was only ¾ full...
Perhaps surprisingly, the Celtic players didn’t seem particularly lifted by the noise from the terraces. Probably their best chance came five minutes into the half, when a dangerous ball into the penalty area was scooped well over the bar by Stokes. Subsequently, much of Celtic’s probing play was well broken up by Nick Ross and David Davis, two of ICT’s more impressive performers, who both played quite deep and shielded the defence well. Equally, however, ICT were unable to build any real momentum. The replacement of Aidan Chippendale with Shane Sutherland after only fifty-five minutes might have contributed to this. Chippendale looked a little fragile at times, but there were a few pleasing flashes of creativity: neat threaded passes and intelligent overlapping runs. Sutherland, when he came on, wasn’t really able to get into the game, apart from one potentially dangerous run cutting in from the left that ultimately came to nothing. The fact that Sutherland was again brought on to play in a position that is not his preferred one was a reminder of how limited the manager’s options currently are, but if Chippendale was too tired to have carried on it would have been interesting, perhaps, to see Tade moved wide for the last half hour and Billy McKay given a chance up front; certainly, the terrific ball fired across the area by Tade after again winning possession from Majstorovic halfway through the second half suggested that he could be effective in that role.
As the game entered its final stages Caley Thistle carved out one fine chance that might have made the last ten minutes interesting, when Graeme Shinnie, again mostly excellent for ICT, slung in a cross from the left which Richie Foran met with a diving header. From where we were sitting in the stand, it looked like it had been an excellent stop from Fraser Forster to keep the ball out of the net. That, however, was very much that. Foran looked exhausted, and although Gregory Tade never stopped running until the ninety minutes was up, he too was unable to make a difference. So another defeat, but it was a far closer game than many had feared it would be, and the travelling supporters showed their appreciation of the players’ efforts by staying to applaud them, a gesture that was reciprocated by most of the team.
No real change, then: as so often this season, we are left reflecting on a decent showing that ultimately wasn’t rewarded. Yesterday’s performance was undoubtedly much more spirited and inventive than last week’s second half against Dundee United, and players like Davis, Chippendale and Tansey showed enough to suggest that they are up to SPL standard; yet the suspicion remains that without a player who can score regularly, surviving in the league this season will be a struggle. Next week’s home game against St Mirren is starting to assume real importance, and unfortunately a team that hadn’t scored in their three previous league fixtures emphatically found their shooting boots yesterday, putting three past Kilmarnock. Still, Killie themselves came up to Inverness in fine league form, and look what happened there. So, keep the faith, but keep your fingers crossed too. 
Short highlights found on YouTube
 
By tm4tj in Reports 2011-12 ·

Celtic -V- Inverness CT - Preview

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It might get worse before it gets better. 
Inverness have got probably the worst fixture on the back of a poor opening sequence to the season.  One win in eight SPL games does not fill the fans with much confidence going into this game at Parkhead, and things could get worse before they get better.
However, cast your mind back to last season when Inverness went to Glasgow late November.  Celtic had hammered hapless Aberdeen 9-0 a couple of weeks earlier.  It was not looking good for the Jags as Celtic stormed 2-0 ahead after 65 minutes; but Inverness were made of sterner stuff then.  We were trying to preserve a long unbeaten away record, stretching back a year, and Foran and Munro managed to turn this game around as Inverness left the east end of Glasgow with a well deserved point and record still intact.  Only five of that team look likely to start this weekend.
This season, we seem incapable of turning anything around.  Confidence is low and morale seems to be stretched, even the gaffer is losing patience with some of the displays on view and bickering with the fans will not help.  We have been hit with an incredible run of injuries, and the list just seems to grow and grow.  That in itself is not an excuse as every team has to deal with this, but injuries in key areas has left us threadbare given the self inflicted wholesale changes at the end of last season.  News that Foran and Morrison are struggling just adds to the woe.  Butcher also bemoans the fact that he is unable to field the same teams in consecutive games.  It would appear that he has made more changes than Facebook and neither are popular with the masses.
Another defeat will see us slightly adrift at the foot of the table, albeit a long way to go, but the goal difference is usually a bit of a give away and a great indicator as to how your team are doing.  Well, at the moment we deserve to be where we are and unless something changes this weekend, then I see no reason to believe we will be in a healthier position after ten to five on Saturday. 
It's all doom and gloom.  Out of the Communities Cup at Ayr and losing our unbeaten run at home against a poor Hibs side.  Ayr have also been trounced by Partick and Morton, and therein lies part of our problem, the inability to convert the chances we are creating.  Worse was to follow as Aberdeen scored their first goals for this season against us and Robbo's East Fife even showed us how to do it as they dumped the Dons out of the same cup on Tuesday night.  Motherwell, Dunfermline and Dundee United have all scored three goals against us and that is the other part of the problem.  Ryan Esson, last seasons CTO player of the year, will be disappointed at this, but the fault lies further upfield as our back line seems to be shipping goals like nobodies business.  Roman Golobart played his part in United's killer second goal from which we never recovered, and Butcher let him know this.  He never re-appeared after half time.  It's not the first time the young Spaniard has been chastised, although this one was the straw that broke the donkey's back.  But he is not the only one guilty of erring in the final third.  Our midfield are giving the back four little help and outlets are at a premium.  Lack of a battling midfielder and a playmaker makes life difficult for us and we will have to weather the storm.  Changes and injuries are taking their toll and at the moment it looks like an uphill battle, Celtic possibly adding to our misery, however, we are at our most dangerous when written off.  Do so at your peril Mr Lennon.
Celtic meanwhile, limbered up for the big game by dumping our feeder club out of the Communities Cup at a sodden Victoria Park, Dingwall.  Sloppy defending was the main difference as Celtic eased into the next round.  So it would appear that County face the same issues as us, leaky defence and no recognised striker.  Ayr maybe made our result look slightly better as they held Hearts after ninety minutes.  Rangers provided the comedy in midweek by losing a very late goal against Falkirk in a 3-2 defeat.
Anyway, I digress, back to our own issues...................................
Alternative Maryhill has drawn the short straw and will tell us what to expect from this encounter.............
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Got my match ticket through the post this morning. The top right hand corner bears the legend 'For It's A Grand Old Team To See'. Oh cringe. Try telling that to the Celtic supporters who sat through the tame capitulation at Ibrox last Sunday, or the one-nil home defeat to St Johnstone, or the aggregate 3-1 defeat to FC Sion, or even the stultifying cup win against Ross County in midweek. This is a Celtic team that has frequently been poor and often no better than workmanlike even in victory this season, and there are unhappy rumblings in the global huddle. On the relatively moderate and sensible Kerrydale St forum, the 'We Are All Neil Lennon' thread has dissolved into a gloomy quarrel about whether or not Lennon is up to the task of managing the club, while on the rather less moderate and sensible MonTheHoops site, one of the faithful began a thread on the County game by asking 'Would it be worth taking the loss to ensure fanny face Lennon gets the bullet?' A grand old team indeed.
Yet as the cliché has it, a wounded animal is often the most dangerous, and if Celtic are desperate to make amends to their supporters for the old firm defeat, then they probably won't have a better chance than against an Inverness Caledonian Thistle team which doesn't have its troubles to seek either. Five points from eight matches isn't the worse start to a season the club has ever made, but with a defence regularly leaking sloppy goals, no natural goalscorers in the side, no emergence of a settled team and an apparent inability to maintain a high level of performance for ninety minutes, the supporters are understandably concerned. Terry Butcher can rightly claim to have been unlucky with injuries, and the loss of Jonny Hayes and Lee Cox in particular deprives the team of creativity, tenacity and SPL experience, but this alone doesn't account for the paucity of the second half performance against Dundee United last week. In contrast with the hooped masses, the ICT support remains almost unanimously supportive of Terry Butcher, but it must be hoped that there is no discontent or serious loss of confidence in the dressing room: over much of the past two and half seasons, the hallmark of Butcher's Caley Thistle has been its great team spirit, and this has been responsible in the past for claiming points from more talented old firm sides.
Hope from History?
On the last occasion I wrote a Celtic-ICT preview, I pointed out that despite the fame Caley Thistle had earned for two shock Scottish Cup victories over Celtic, the Inverness team’s league record against the Parkhead club was very poor, ICT having won only one fixture to Celtic’s twelve, with three games finishing in draws. Ten months on, the ratio looks slightly kinder to ICT: Celtic still have twelve wins, but ICT can now boast two, and the number of draws has increased to four. If the recent additions to the Caley Thistle team are searching for a boost to their confidence and a source of inspiration after their difficult start to the season, they could do worse than looking back at the performances of last season’s side against Celtic.
November’s fixture at Celtic Park was played against a backdrop of upheaval in Scottish football that often seemed to be approaching farce. Scottish referees were on strike in protest at questions over their integrity, mostly from Celtic, and it was only the night before the game that it was finally confirmed that officials from Luxembourg had agreed to take charge. What is less well-remembered is that ICT went into the match on such a fine run of form that even the Herald predicted they would take a point from Celtic Park. When Celtic went 2-0 ahead twenty minutes into the second half, few really believed that this would still transpire, but they had underestimated ICT’s determination, as goals from Richie Foran and Grant Munro drew Inverness level. In the match report I remarked, ‘This was a performance that epitomised what Caley Thistle have become under Terry Butcher: confident, composed, classy and unable to accept that they are ever beaten.’
Five months later, this was a description that many would have struggled to recognise. Having accumulated six wins and two draws from the nine league fixtures prior to their two-all draw at Celtic Park, ICT followed that game with a run which saw only three wins gained from twenty league games. When an in-form Celtic visited the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium on Wednesday May 4th for a rearranged match, it was widely felt that they would run out comfortable winners and take another step towards securing the SPL title that they were favourites to win. Instead, a Grant Munro-inspired ICT put Celtic to the sword and destroyed their title hopes; by halfway through the second half, when goals from Munro and Shane Sutherland had put ICT 3-1 up, the Inverness players were cutting through Celtic at will, and the scoreline could easily have been 5-1 rather than the 3-2 it ultimately finished as after Kris Commons’ injury-time penalty. Despite Celtic's recent uninspiring performances, a repeat of that tomorrow would probably be a greater surprise than it was last season; and yet stranger things have happened.
Team News
The ICT squad for tomorrow's game remains heavily depleted by injuries. Chris Hogg, Owain Tudur Jones, Aaron Doran and Jonny Hayes are definitely out; Lee Cox and Josh Meekings, although reportedly training again, are unlikely to feature; and it is being suggested that Gavin Morrison and Richie Foran are also doubtful. Foran perhaps hasn't been at his best this season, and last week came off early in the second half, presumably due to injury, but his absence would still mean a significant loss in terms of experience and potential creativity. Probably the most intriguing question will be over who is selected to play alongside Ross Tokely in central defence: will Terry Butcher give another chance to loanee Roman Golobart, replaced at half time last week by David Proctor after his fault for the second Utd goal, or will Proctor start in what many see as the utility player's weakest position? Greg Tansey, Nick Ross and David Davis are likely starters in midfield, but the other positions are less easy to predict, depending on injuries and the formation Terry Butcher chooses to play. Gregory Tade probably worked hard enough last week to retain his place up front, although many ICT supporters would like to see Billy McKay given his chance; despite again failing to convince last week, Andrew Shinnie is a contender to play in an advanced role either just behind or wide of Tade, particularly if Foran doesn't make it; and the other wide position could see Aidan Chippendale given his first start or last week's best player, Graeme Shinnie, pushed further forward with Kenny Gillet coming into the left back position. Whatever team lines up, what is certain is that it will contain several players who still have something to prove to the ICT supporters. Let's hope they begin tomorrow.
For Celtic, Neil Lennon is almost certain to make changes from the team that lost to Rangers last weekend. If Georgios Samaras is started again, there will be properly mutinous feelings among the Celtic supporters, and Lennon is likely to go instead with the team's most consistently productive strike force of Stokes and Hooper, or else play Stokes out wide and give new signing Mohamed Bangura his chance alongside Hooper. Central defence is an area of genuine concern: both Glenn Loovens and summer signing Kelvin Wilson came in for strong criticism after the Rangers game and Daniel Majstorovic is widely perceived to be a bombscare, an impression his performances against ICT last season strongly contributed to; yet with Charlie Mulgrew, another possible contender for a centre half role, suspended, it is likely that Lennon will perm two players from those three unless he chooses to move Mark Wilson inside or bring in Thomas Rogne, who has not played all season. Despite an injury to Scott Brown, the Celtic manager has options in midfield and in the wide areas. Beram Kayal is an almost certain starter in the centre, and Joe Ledley seems likely to line up alongside him. Ki Sung-Yeung began the season well but made no impact against Rangers last week and may be dropped. Many Celtic supporters are arguing for the return of Kris Commons, omitted from the starting line-up since the defeat to St Johnstone, but with Commons publicly contradicting his manager on Twitter over the state of his fitness, Lennon may choose to leave him out of the squad. James Forrest, who turned in a sparkling performance in the 4-0 over Motherwell, must be a strong contender for one of the wide berths while on the other, if Commons is again omitted, Lennon might be tempted to bring in Paddy McCourt, who was by some distance Celtic's most effective player against ICT last season.
Prediction
Confidence cannot be particularly high at Celtic Park right now, and even on Wednesday, when the team had something to prove against Ross County, they looked lacking in imagination. If ICT set out aggressively against Celtic and manage to take something early, then another famous victory could ensue. Yet for all the criticism they have received recently, players like Kayal, Hooper and Ledley have proven in the past that they are fine players by SPL standards, while tomorrow's ICT team will almost certainly feature some players who simply have not yet shown that they are up to the required standard. With their home support expectant and the greater resources and quality at their disposal, I anticipate a comfortable win for Celtic.
Celtic 4 – Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
Other SPL news
The Communities Cup saw a few upsets during the week.  Top slayers were Falkirk, East Fife and Ayr United, who dumped Rangers, Aberdeen and Hearts respectively out of the competition. Well done to those teams for upsetting the SPL fall guys.  Good wins for Hibs, St Mirren, Dundee United and Kilmarnock, and of course Celtic who sorted County in a dirge of a game at Dingwall.  Ex-Ict manager John Robertson is the man in charge at East Fife and he must be well chuffed with his second SPL scalp, having already seen off Dunfermline.  ICT's conquerors Ayr United did well to put Hearts out after extra time and penalties, good luck to them also.
That leaves the draw for the quarters looking like this:- St Mirren v Ayr United Dundee United v Falkirk Hibernian v Celtic Kilmarnock v East Fife
These ties to be played on 25th & 26th October.
 
By tm4tj in Previews 2011-12 ·

Munro & Duncan Testimonial Dinner

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[caption id="attachment_4704" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="© CaleyJags.com 2011 (click to enlarge)"][/caption]
There have been significant rumblings on the forums and elsewhere regarding a Testimonial for former Caley Thistle stalwarts Russell Duncan and Grant Munro
Although we dont have details of any forthcoming match as yet (we will of course publish that when we do) ... we can pass a few more details regarding the dinner to be held in November.
The dinner will be held at the Drumossie Hotel
The date is Saturday 12th November
A table of 10 costs £600 or individual places can be booked for £60
The speaker on the evening will be George McNeill and the band will be the Ann Dixon Group.
Further details can be obtained by emailing Barry Wilson at the following email: [email protected]
 
Grant Munro
Grant was signed on an "S" form and was part of the Caley Thistle first team squad for 13 seasons. For his first three seasons he was a youngster attempting to make the breakthrough. He only made a total of 10 appearances between August 1998 and August 2001 and was also loaned out for part of each season (to Fort William [98/99], Clach [99/00] and Elgin [00/01]) as manager Steve Paterson sought to carefully develop his talents.
However his break came in season 2001/02 where he made 22 starts for the club and by the end of season 2010/11 he had racked up a total of 367 appearances for ICT (352 starts) and scored a respectable centre half total of 17 goals.
As a youngster he developed a good partnership with Bobby Mann and when Mann left at the end of 2003/04 season, Grant became the rock at the heart of the ICT defence, first with Stuart McCaffrey and then as one half of probably the best central defensive partnership ICT have ever had alongside Darren Dods.
Debut (squad): 4th Aug 1998 Debut (played): 2nd Jan 1999 50th appearance: 13rd Nov 2002 100th appearance: 27th Oct 2004 200th appearance: 3rd Mar 2007 300th appearance: 24th Oct 2009 Last Game: 14th May 2011 First Goal: 16th Feb 2002  
Russell Duncan
Russell came to ICT from Aberdeen in the summer of 2001 but it was not his first visit to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. He had previously captained the Scottish U-16 team here in a 5-1 victory over England in 1997 !
Russell was a bit of an enigma in terms of fan appreciation. Many saw him as an "unsung hero" who often failed to get the credit he was due, whilst others would bemoan some of his performances and recount each and every missed pass. However, it is a fact that ICT results with him in the team tended to be better than when he was out of it .... 
His importance to the team can perhaps be gauged by looking at his appearance statistics. In 10 seasons with the club, through the span of 6 different managerial regimes, Russell never played less than 29 games in any season ... thats someone who the manager knows he can rely on !!!
In the end, Russell made 353 appearances for ICT (318 starts) and scored 11 goals.
Debut (squad): 4th Aug 2001 Debut (played): 4th Aug 2001 50th appearance: 28th Sep 2002 100th appearance: 17th Jan 2004 200th appearance: 25th Nov 2006 300th appearance: 31st Oct 2009 Last Game: 14th May 2011 First Goal: 13th Oct 2001  
 
By Scotty in News 2011-12 ·

Dundee United -V- Inverness CT - Report

Defensive lapses make it difficult for Inverness 
 
Inverness shot themselves in the foot once again as Spanish defender Roman Golobart's lapse put the highlanders behind just before the interval and they never recovered from this setback.
Dalla Valle had opened the scoring for the Tangerines before Nick Ross squeezed home an equaliser.  Tade and Golobart combined to let Danny Swanson lift United ahead just before the break and substitute Jon Daly sealed the win with his first touch of the ball as he headed home in the 68th minute.  Inverness had looked dangerous early on but they were eased out by United after a keenly fought contest saw the men from the North slump to the foot of the table.
Davie will be along to tell us how we managed to lose this one 3-1 and what can we expect to see next week when we visit Parkhead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dundee Utd
01 Pernis 03 Dixon 05 Kenneth 12 Watson 18 Gunning 06 Flood 08 Robertson 10 Swanson 11 Rankin 19 Dalla Valle (Marsh-Brown 79) 22 Dow (Daly 69) Substitutes
25 McCallum, 14 Douglas, 26 Marsh-Brown, 16 Armstrong, 17 Mackay-Steven, 09 Daly, 23 Hilson Inverness CT
01 Esson 03 Tokely 16 Golobart (Proctor 46) 19 Shinnie 02 Piermayr 08 Tansey 10 Shinnie 11 Ross 25 Davis 09 Foran (Sutherland 56) 15 Tade Substitutes
12 Tuffey, 14 Proctor, 22 Gillet, 20 Chippendale, 18 Sutherland, 21 McKay Referee:- Steve Conroy Attendance:- 6497 Yesterday’s vantage point, high in the Jerry Kerr stand at Tannadice offered a healthy away support a panoramic view of just how Inverness CT come to be at the bottom of the league. It was a dissection that was played out on the public stage that at times had the look of an execution about it. Dundee United came into this game without problems to seek in terms of loss of personnel and injuries, but on the back of a decent display against Rangers. Inverness were in an almost identical position, after a bright showing against Hearts and loaded with their own selection difficulties.
The first 16 minutes encompassed the whole game. United started brightly, but were pushed back as three chances fell to Tade and Andrew Shinnie. Tade blasted the ball into the side netting from an acute angle and Shinnie’s diving header grazed a post. Both times, Pernis and his defence were beaten men and could offer little resistance to the crisp passing that created the chances. The optimism generated was, however rudely terminated in 12 minutes by Dalla Valle. The Fulham man drove into the space created by Inverness pressing, and Piermayr found himself exposed. The Finn created room rather too easily and drove a low shot past Esson for a barely creditable United lead.
Inverness were rocked by this, but replied in typical fashion in 16 minutes. Gregory Tade’s strong play on the left caused all kinds of problems for a hesitant United defence and when he delivered a low cross on the six yard line Ross just beat Dixon to the touch to equalise.
In an open game, Dalla Valle was denied by a superb Ryan Esson save and Graeme Shinnie’s direct style was paying dividends for Inverness down the right. As chances were traded, parity looked on the cards at half time until Flood dispossessed Tade in the centre circle in 43 minutes. Golobart, who had an excellent game to this point, hesitated between tackling Swanson and dropping back to allow support to arrive. Swanson didn’t, drove past him and chipped Esson from the 18 yard line. The Inverness defender looked crestfallen, and support from his team mates, so obvious in the past couple of weeks was conspicuously absent.
Half Time Dundee United 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
At half time, the main talking point aside from Jim McLean’s appearance was the arrival of David Proctor for the above mentioned Golobart. The reasons for his substitution are a matter for Terry Butcher, but he did not appear to be injured. Proctor’s introduction did nothing to shore up Inverness’ defence and it appeared that they could at times be bypassed at will. Swanson should have scored again and Gunning unleashed a thunderous drive that Esson saved well when he should have been closed down 30 yards out. Foran had departed to be replaced by Sutherland, who played manfully out wide without ever creating the chance that would have equalised for the second time. In fact the pivotal substitution came in 69 minutes, when Dow was replaced by Jon Daly. Accepted wisdom has it that you should never replace anyone just prior to a corner, but Houston did. Daly lumbered onto the field, into the six yard box and connected with a ball that evaded both Piermayr and Proctor. The sense of crushing inevitability was overwhelming at this point and in truth the game ended as a contest there and then despite quality chances falling to Tade and Shinnie.
Full Time Dundee United 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
The full time whistle was met with predictable Joy from United fans determined to celebrate recognition in Jim McLean, who took their ovation at half time. It was met with less enthusiasm from the Inverness fans and there were some unseemly scenes of bickering at the end, although the discontent was far from universal. The return up the a9 was met by rain of biblical intensity, that prompted more introspection. That this is fast becoming a team that can play passing football, but neither defend nor score effectively, in stark contrast to previous seasons is a concern. That no other team, with the possible exceptions of Hibs and Aberdeen look likely to lose points against us, is a concern. By the end of the second half of this game, there was only a barely discernable shape to the team. They looked unable to comprehend or execute the tasks allotted to them is a concern, but they were a match for United in all but the crucial areas; scoring and goal prevention. That this situation is caused in no small measure by a near catastrophic injury situation is beyond argument and it must get better as people return to the team. That is why yesterday was a matter for concern, but at the moment, no more than that.
Match Highlights from Arab TV
 
By tm4tj in Reports 2011-12 ·

North of Scotland Cup Final - Report

Teaser Paragraph:
Can Cans can't quite keep cup. 
Inverness chose to field a strong team for this North of Scotland cup final with at least six first teamers on show.
Aidan Chippendale, Johnathan Tuffey, Shane Sutherland, Billy Mckay, Kenny Gillett and David Proctor all started against the cup holders in front of a healthy sunday afternoon crowd at new Mossett Park Forres.
They were hoping for an upset and after only three minutes a ball was played into the ICT box and with Proctor slipping over this allowed the Forres number 8, Scott Moore to shoot just narrowly over.
In the fifth minute came Inverness' first chance.  A great ball was whipped in by the diminutive Andrew Greig which landed on Sutherland's head and the Forres goalie really had to work hard to keep the ball out.  It really was end to end stuff with both teams squandering chances.
An even better chance came in the twenty-second minute when a nonchalant ball was played upfield, Proctor and Skinner at right back couldn't cope with the presence of Lee Fraser the tall striker who found himself one on one with the keeper with 20 yards to go, but David Proctor sprinted back to save an open goal and make amends.
Shane Sutherland opened the scoring with a 22nd minute strike.  Kenny Gillett started the attack from deep within his own half, effortlessly sprinting up the pitch and gave it to Shane who passed it out wide to Aidan Chippendale who then crossed it back to Shane who had made great strides to make it back into the box and finish off a decent move.
A minute later it was two, Shane Sutherland turned provider for Billy Mckay who looped it over the oncoming keeper, Stuart Knight.
The third goal came just before the break, Andrew Greig made yet another darting run into the box and was upended by Nathan Sharp. Billy Mckay slotted the resultant penalty into the net and the game looked all but over.
The half time scoreline was a bit harsh on Forres who had created plenty of chances, but unlike their visitors they could not take advantage of them.
Half Time 0-3
In what was now becoming a not surprisingly quieter game, Forres were handed a lifeline when they got their first goal on 54 minutes also from the penalty spot.  Aidan Chippendale seemingly being tackled, however with the tackler down, the referee somehow decided to override his initial decision and Aidan Chippendale was now the perpetrator instead, a strange set of circumstances indeed.  So, we went from free kick and possible card for McPherson to penalty to Forres, the referee's assistant seemingly able to change the ref's mind.  Simon Allan buried the ball low to Tuffey's right hand side.
Six minutes later Kenny Gillet was disposessed in the six yard box which led to a great oppurtunity, but ultimately led to a throw in. Forres at this stage were playing with much more confidence and the crowd were fully behind them and urging them forward.
The young Invernessians did well to stop Forres' flow who at one point had four consecutive corners.
Chances came and went for Forres and Green, Sharp and Scott should have done better when given the opportunities
In the 65th minute, Chippendale yet again beat the right back and played the perfect ball across goal which was met by Andrew Greig at the back post and he finished off excellently across Knight from eight yards.
However the Can Cans never gave up and another ball into the box was met by an unmarked player, Scott Moore who with full force powered a header off the crossbar which then went vertically downwards and just over the line, and so with 15 minutes to go it was now 4-2.
Substitute Duguid spurned an opportunity from eight yards as Forres pushed forward and Chippendale again showed a clean pair of heels as he raced away and curled a shot just wide at the other end.
Both teams were wanting more and Forres finished the game off in style and scored another thumping goal in the dying moments to keep the away team hanging on.  Lee Fraser knocking the ball past Tuffey from eight yards after good work by Moore.
Forres fell just short in a highly entertaining final and certainly gave their full time opponents a run for their money, but the final score was a victory for Inverness in a seven goal bash on a Sunday afternoon, and cakes in the stand, what next.
Full Time 3-4 and Inverness Caledonian Thistle take home the AJG North of Scotland Cup.
Terry Butcher who was in attendance will have learnt quite a lot I should imagine and it was definitely good experience for both sets of teams, and great to see so many of the injured and fringe players getting a run out.
CALEY THISTLE - Tuffey; Skinner, Gillet, Murphy, Proctor, Polworth, Greig (Watson, 86), Laing, Sutherland, McKay, Chippendale. Subs unused: Stewart, Dingwall, Whyte, Baldy.
FORRES MECHANICS - Knight; G. Fraser, Allan, Grant, Sharp, MacPherson, Barron (Duguid, 64), Moore, L. Fraser, Scott, Green (Tweedie, 86). Subs unused: McNab, Davidson, Main. Booked: Moore, G. Fraser.
Attendance: 565.
Referee: D. Ross.
Thanks to Sotonict for this report from his travels North.
By tm4tj in Reports 2011-12 ·

Dundee Utd -V- Inverness CT - Preview

Teaser Paragraph:
Caley Thistle go into this week's game at Tannadice hoping that a killer touch can be added to improving performances that saw the CaleyJags take all three points against Kilmarnock and a share of the points against Hearts in the last two games.
The Hearts game was especially frustrating as they were there for the taking, but that's football for you ....
This week's preview comes from the pen of regular contributor Davie and he somehow manages to bring back William McGonagall, an old photo of Maurice Malpas and his uncle Harry ! Over to you Davie......
[caption id="attachment_4678" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Saturday's hosteltry of choice"][/caption]The trouble with ghosts seems to be that they always come back to haunt you. I’ve no real objection to that – it’s their job. It fair perturbs yer equilibrium though, when they turn up mob handed, which was why I felt decidedly perturbed when I spotted Sir William Topaz etc. and my uncle Harry at the end of my bed. I jumped.
“Davie, how are ye?” said the bard, “It’s that time o’ year again” That explained both of their retro adidas Dundee United tops. I’d never seen Harry in one of them or outside the snug on a setterday, and said so. “What are ye doin wi him?” I enquired. “I’m tryin tae understand that boy o’ mine – I wiz never intae football and he’s a ragin Arab. Could he no play snooker or something? It’s weird.” No quite as weird as livin’ in Kirkcaldy on a voluntary basis, I thought. McGonagall looked bored. “What’s happened to your team? There’s none o’ them left”
I gave him the standard explanation. Some of them were getting’ on a bit. They left. Some wanted more money, they left. Some girned too much, they left. We brought others in to replace them, younger and better but they got injured. So we had to improvise, and we have. Terry Butcher says that we are getting there, after all we have some new guys you won’t know about:
David Davis – no relation to Dickie Davis, came from Wolves. Good debut last week.
Aiden Chippendale – winger, he can “outstrip” any Arab on the park.
Gregory Tade – forward, once described as having five lungs, two hearts and no brain. Has danced in the streets of Raith and started scoring.
[caption id="attachment_4679" align="alignright" width="109" caption="Maurice Malpas - Tannadice Legend"][/caption]Greg Tansey – Liverpudlian bloke with his own two man fan club (I met them on a bus)
Roman Golobart - Plays a bit like yer Davie Narey used to when your team wore those jerseys; he’s prone to the odd faux pas, so probably now terrified of guys called Terry or Mo.
They should all play on Saturday, and there are more of them, but we’ll leave them for another preview. “That’s a bigger change than when your old man went on the wagon” said Uncle Harry, when Wullie butted in. “Did you say Chippendale? When did you start signing the ungodly and unclothed”? I sighed, I should have known this would come from a man who tried to moralise Dundee and unsurprisingly failed. Harry just lit up another fag.
United are in the same boat really, said the bard. Gomis gone, Bauben gone, Goodwillie gone, Russell out, Severin out. It’s a sorry tale, but needs must and so must John Rankin.
Both sides are anchored at the wrong end of the table, with one point separating them and something has to give on Saturday. Matches between the two sides are traditionally close (apart from those in any way involving Craig Brewster) and Saturday shows every sign of being the same.
“What’s aboot yon stripper you’ve signed then?” said Harry. I sighed again, and the Bard looked as if he was about to wade in. “We’re a family club” I said:
[caption id="attachment_4680" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Poet ... allegedly"][/caption]“And, in conclusion, I will say without dismay,
Visit the jaggies without delay,
Because the football is a school of morality,
And hasn't the least tendency to lead to prodigality”.
“Have I heard that before?” said McGonagall. “Probably”, I replied, somewhere around 1884.
 
By Scotty in Previews 2011-12 ·

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