Dear Terry

Here is this week's training ground schedule:

Throw ins - all players must be aware at all times and ready and willing to accept the ball from a throw in. I understand that this is contrary to current thinking where players hide at every opportunity and attach themselves to a marker in order not to receive the ball.

Corner kicks - let's work on varying these. Why not try a short one for a change, swing ball away from the goalie or reach the back post on occasions.

High balls to Adam - forget it. Adam won one, yes one ball, in the air last night yet we persisted in lobbing high balls in his general direction.

Build from the back - as per previous comment, work on passing our way out of defence. Take a leaf out of Killie's book where they consistently passed their way up the park even though they have a big target man up front. Instruct our central defenders to think before hoofing high balls up the field to the opposition, we have one culprit in particular who hoofs 80% of his clearances up the park just to see the ball come straight back down towards him.

Finally, don't panic. We are still a very good side who were due a bad patch. Stick together and the ship will steady soon.

Great post.

Good post and agree with pretty much all of that. I don't like these lofted corners that we are doing just now, they give the opposition far too much time to react. Get someone who can whizz a ball in right on top of the players or, as you say, maybe bend them away from the keeper at pace with someone rushing in on it. But certainly mix it up a wee bit. How we need a Barry Robson for set pieces now.

Edited December 30, 201015 yr by RiG

Watching us take a throw in is cringworthy!! Why can't someone just take it quickly to someone in space? The way we attach two men to markers, who then try make a bit of space, is baffling.

Work on crosses too. Not just corners. Our final ball into the box is dreadful most of the time.

Stop playing two midfielders who play pretty much the same way. Especially when neither can pass, and one isn't upto this standard.

Get the attacking midfielders to support Rooney quicker. The gap between Adam and the rest gives him no chance of holding the ball up for that amount of time. While he's improved dramatically, Rooney is a long way from the hype surrounding him at the moment. If he was getting proper, quick, support from the rest, then he'd improve his own game far quicker.

Here is todays "Armchair Manager" episode.

Away from home we play as a tight unit but we are so good away from home becos defensively TerryandMo have got their tactics just rite - and way from home we have Hayes to take the oppo on and the likes of Foran deep, holding up and being a bit of a playmaker. We hold a high defensive line, Rosscoe marks and Granty sweeps. Cox and Duncan take turns of trying to support Rooney and Ross does ditto. Even Eric can be a menace away from home.

But at home we are also defensively motivated and that is a recipe for. Gawd to we need a rite back to allow Duff to go central and how I would love to see somebody who can put their foot on the ball and spray forward passes instead of the carb impersonators.

I also feel however that we have the potential and the squad to move forward

Watching the throw ins makes me question why I never made it as a pro. What is the problem? No one wants to take responsibility.

Richie, your having a bad spell but please, please remember your not two footed.

Davie B, you must have been sitting near me because from where I was sitting, it was hard to spot the difference between Cox and Duncan.

Duff has been poor for three games now.

Ross needs to play with his head up.

Rooney has regressed two years.

Munro was superb last night and was prepared to step up to the plate.

Shinnie was alright as well.

Esson, your fine as well.

Same with Tokely.

Fans, it's ok for our team to pass backwards to retain possession, please think further than 2 seconds into the future.

Butcher, why wait for subs for so long? What's Sanchez done that's so bad?

We've picked up 3 points out of the last 15. That's no good. We're like Scotland, all up for it against the big teams but unsure what to do when we're favourites.

Me, I'm prefect.

Jesus, I forgot Eric. Come off it man, stop joke closing down defenders. It used to be funny and cute, not now though.

Here is todays "Armchair Manager" episode.

But at home we are also defensively motivated and that is a recipe for. Gawd to we need a rite back to allow Duff to go central and how I would love to see somebody who can put their foot on the ball and spray forward passes instead of the carb impersonators.

Been saying that for a while now.. Duff is doing ok at RB, but is being wasted, he could do so much more for us in the middle.

Also need to tighten up LB too, Shinnie will one for the future, but we need Gillet back soon.

While i agree with the opening post, there wasnt any complaining when the players were getting the results so lets not start accusing players of this and that because they are the reason we are doing so well this season. Just remember where we were this time last year and take a reality check!!!!

The reality is we're rapidly losing all the ground we had gained. We praise them through the roof when they do well so it's completely rational to go the other way as well.

What terry should do is take the team on a big coach trip before our home games.

The things that I need to work on is to remind myself that I have been too critical of my team due to the fact that they have played so well. Only 4 defeats in 17 games and the expectation kind of rises that defeat isn't really an option any more.

In the St Mirren/Killy games I have forgotten to look at what is good and hone in what goes wrong and kind of forgetting why I support my local team.

I have kind of leapfrogged the thought of a top six for the first time and instead zooming in on playing some European team in a cup next season.

ICT have some great fans that support the team to the bitter end without the pressure of expectation and I must remind myself to try and reach the level of those fans.

Completely agree with the OP, we currently have no one we can depend upon for a decent set piece nor do we have a throw in tactic of any kind, in fact i think we are one of the worst sides at starting from a throw in, but thats been a problem for years.

Maybe they just need to work on winning. They can win. They have won. And they will win again.

Maybe they just need to work on winning. They can win. They have won. And they will win again.

And how do you do that then? That's like putting icing on your caked before it's been baked!

We need to change, we've played the same style for a year now, 4-4-2... mix it up a bit n learn how to take throw ins, and how to pass the ball forward from mid field....

Maybe they just need to work on winning. They can win. They have won. And they will win again.

And how do you do that then? That's like putting icing on your caked before it's been baked!

Sorry Rene but I must disagree. We have won and we know how to win. Eventually we will win again.

And let's hope that Gillette is back soon for the left back berth and is as sharp as a razor.