Even with the recent results we have still have managed to cling onto 5th spot but are under a bit of pressure to get a top 6 place with several teams in the hunt. You have to think that Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Killie will get 4 of those. Dundee United have several games in hand on the others and Motherwell, St.Johnstone and Aberdeen are all also in the hunt along with ourselves for that more lucrative top 6 spot.

There are nine games to go:

February

St.Mirren (A)

St.Johnstone (H)

Hibs (A)

March

Motherwell (H)

Dundee Utd (A)

April

Celtic (H)

Kilmarnock (A)

Hearts (H)

and a home game against Dundee United to be rearranged. So that is 5 Home and 4 Away to go and after the 3 February games out of the way we will be finishing with 4 Home and only 2 Away games. With our recent home form I am not sure if that is a good thing although I am hoping it will be.

Top 6 is still a possibility but a good points haul in the next four games is critical.

Despite the defeat last weekend, we are still one of only five clubs to have a positive goal difference. As pointed out in another post, this may be crucial should we tie with points.

It is still all to play for and we can still be masters of our own destiny. The loss may have been a knock but surely it should be considered a means by which TB can encourage the team to greater effort, rather than being a prediction of what is yet to come.

None of these teams are invincible, not are they significantly better than us. DU has a particularly hard run coming up and we can take advantage of that. Motherwell may well have their tails up after the victory over Celtic, but you can only judge each game as it comes.

C'mon the Caley Jags!

we will do well to finish 10th. top six what a joke

A bit harsh :annoyed:

This will be the final table

Celtic

Rangers

Hearts

Dundee Utd

Kilmarnock

Aberdeen

Motherwell

Hibernian

St Johnstone

ICT

St Mirren

Hamilton

dougal

we will do well to finish 10th. top six what a joke

A bit harsh :annoyed:

This will be the final table

Celtic

Rangers

Hearts

Dundee Utd

Kilmarnock

Aberdeen

Motherwell

Hibernian

St Johnstone

ICT

St Mirren

Hamilton

dougal

Looks like you're for the drop, Dougal

Last night's result (and game) both shockers - 4 pts out of 12 so far is not top 6 form - the club really does need a big crowd and a big attitude change on Saturday if any lingering hopes are to be maintained of not having to play Hamilton again this season. Not sure how many who witnessed last night's inept performance might decide to just give it a miss and seek some counselling instead.

The most disappointing thing for me is the players' response - if we are getting beaten in these games after giving it everything then I think the majority would accept that but there appears to be no spark about the team. I am not sure how much each league place is worth to the club but any budgeting for next season should be based on being 10th as I still believe we are better team than both St.Mirren and Hamilton but that doesn't really say much.

There is still another 15 pts to be played for before the split but after last night's performance I am not sure where the next point will come from.

The interesting thing is the next 5 games are against 5 of the current top 6 teams so the club has the chance to show everybody how we would perform if we were in the top 6 - I eagerly await the team's response on Saturday....though it must be said more in hope than faith this morning....

February

St.Mirren (A) 3-3 D

St.Johnstone (H) 2-0 W

Hibs (A) 2-0 L

March

Dundee United (H) 0-2 L

Motherwell (H)

Dundee Utd (A)

April

Celtic (H)

Kilmarnock (A)

Hearts (H)

Edited March 2, 201115 yr by Tichy_Blacks_Back

4 points from 9 in February, 3 points from 9 in March (P6 - W2 D1 L3 - 7 points from 18) but still in the hunt for 6th place. So how many of the last nine points will we need to make it?

I think we will probably need 6 points from the 9 available if we are to have a realistic chance of making the top 6 - but could be as few as 5. A big ask but the type of challenge the players should be relishing. Personally I still can't quite believe we still have a chance to make the top 6 but it is good for the final pre-split games that the SPL still has 5 teams with a chance of grabbing that last position.

Anything from today's game is a bonus but I do believe we can take full points from Killie and Hearts in the last two games. It will be great for the club if we can go into the last home game before the split against Hearts meaning a victory would seal it....here's hoping....

February

St.Mirren (A) 3-3 D

St.Johnstone (H) 2-0 W

Hibs (A) 2-0 L

March

Dundee United (H) 0-2 L

Motherwell (H) 3-0 W

Dundee Utd (A) 1-0 L

April

Celtic (H)

Kilmarnock (A)

Hearts (H)

No point looking in to it too much, we will just have to see what destiny has in store for us.

Its still great to be in this position with 3 games to go

A draw against Celtic today could be enough.

we will do well to finish 10th. top six what a joke

A bit harsh :annoyed:

This will be the final table

Celtic

Rangers

Hearts

Dundee Utd

Kilmarnock

Aberdeen

Motherwell

Hibernian

St Johnstone

ICT

St Mirren

Hamilton

dougal

I realise you always love to be contraversial dougal but by my reckoning, in order for Motherwell and St Johnstone and Dundee U to be in the positions you'd like two out of three of them need to win two games. Considering St J have Rangers and Celtic as well as DU then I cant see them going above us. DU away to rangers today then away to Motherwell and home to St J I'd be inclined to think St J will not pick up the points and Killie will have the better chance of the fourth spot.

I realise you always love to be contraversial dougal but by my reckoning, in order for Motherwell and St Johnstone and Dundee U to be in the positions you'd like two out of three of them need to win two games. Considering St J have Rangers and Celtic as well as DU then I cant see them going above us. DU away to rangers today then away to Motherwell and home to St J I'd be inclined to think St J will not pick up the points and Killie will have the better chance of the fourth spot.

38 games Alex. The season doesn't end at the split. You staring out to sae again?

Dougal is obviously a county fan. Only county fans are negative about ICT and obsessed with seeing us do badly.

I'd have been happy with 10th at the start of the season.

Motherwell have a tough 2 games ahead of the split with DU at home then Hearts away. I can see us nicking it on goal difference. But a win at Killie on Sat is a must.

We will finish where we finish, all we can do is sit back and hope the squad can pull one out of the bag.

A few people that Ive spoken to are happy that we haven't been relegation candidates in our first year back in the SPL.

Although a top six is still a possibility and I think we will have to see what fate has in store for the mid week fixtures. If United win then I think ICT will definitely need us in Kilmarnock on Saturday.

I heard Colin Calderwood on BBC Radio Scotland this morning. He thinks Hibs can still make it in to the top half. Surely we can do it.

After St Johnstone's loss to Gers last night, i think it's safe to say it's between ourselves and 'Well for the final top 6 place now.

I can't see Hibs beating Celtic, which obviously they need to do, and I can see it being a close game between St Mirren and Aberdeen - and even if aberdeen win, they've got a 9-goal difference to make up with motherwell.

IF Motherwell slip up tonight to Dundee United, then I think top 6 is ours for the taking.

Who knows really - it's a funny old game, isnt it

Motherwell didnt slip up, I reckon we are bottom six.

Motherwell have won 2-1 so for us to beat them to the top 6 slot we need them to lose to Hearts and then get 7 points from the next 3 games. Possible but it is out of our hands now. If Motherwell get a draw we will need 3 straight wins. If they win its all over. With St Mirren winning Hamilton are all but down and with Dundee Utd losing Hearts are all but assured of 3rd. Once the top six make up is finally decided there will now only be which of the OF wins the title as anything worthwhile to play for. Serious anticlimax to the season unless Hearts can do us a big favour by beating Motherwell and rolling over against us.

Can see us dropping several more places before the end of the season. Our post Xmas form has been awful. Still staying up = job done.

Going to be a busy summer for the management team as they'll need to cut the deadwood from the squad & unearth several bargain basement gems

7 point behind motherwell 2 games in hand have to play killie celtic and hearts

keep the faith its still possible just a little difficult

Can see us dropping several more places before the end of the season. Our post Xmas form has been awful. Still staying up = job done.

Going to be a busy summer for the management team as they'll need to cut the deadwood from the squad & unearth several bargain basement gems

Regarding the bit in bold: I am certain Tel and Mo are working on this as well as possibly the players as to he wants to sell/release. By the way Kencar, do you mean "basement gems" like Dundee Utd (Douglas from QP) and Hearts (Stevenson from Ayr) or more like what we did when signing Hayes and co? I think there are several good players from clubs down South or even Ireland who have players who could do a job in SPL, won't name names though as that is unfair on the players and club that they currently play for .

Edited April 6, 201115 yr by Mahonio

As they say the big woman is not quite singing yet but she is warming up....

Three points on Saturday is a must if we are to have any chance of making the top 6 and I think we can do it - then it only leaves those two easy home games to get out of the way

I see even Rooney has dropped off the SPL goalscorers table on the BBC site for the first time in a long while - we could do with him being back on it come Saturday evening....

Edited April 7, 201115 yr by Tichy_Blacks_Back