Been a while since we've done one of these, may as well start the ball rolling early:

Saw this in todays courier:

GREGORY Tade could be set to hand Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher a major boost ahead of the start of the new Scottish Premier League season. The Frenchman, a summer signing at Inverness after being released by Raith Rovers, has missed a large part of pre-season with an injury to his Achilles.

The problem was expected to sideline Tade for the beginning of the new campaign this weekend, but the 24-year-old forward is set to be included in a Caley Thistle squad that travels to Buckie Thistle tonight for a testimonial match.

Should he prove his fitness at Victoria Park this evening, Tade, who remained in Inverness to receive treatment for the injury while the Highland Capital club were in England last week, could force his way into the reckoning for Saturday?s SPL opener against Motherwell at Fir Park.

?Gregory has come on really well and he?s just desperate to play,? said Butcher. ?It?s a shame he missed the trip to England because he?s a real character and would have loved it.

?We will take it cautiously with him and see how it goes at Buckie, but it?s certainly a positive step and hopefully his Achilles will stand up to the test.?

Fellow new arrival Billy McKay and Shane Sutherland have both recovered from injury and will go to Buckie, but Butcher confirmed it will be a squad predominantly made up of youngsters as he gives his more senior players a well-earned rest following their exertions south of the border.

If no further signings are made before saturday then i think with our injury sitation a little better and with the likely formation change that Butcher has alluded to, i think we might line up something like this:

-----------ESSON---------

PROCTOR-----TOKELY-------ALDRED-------GILLET

-----------TANSEY----------

DORAN-------------------------ROSS

--------------HAYES------------

------TADE---------FORAN----------

couple points from what has been said.

I do remember only too vividly the only time (that I know of) that terry tried three at the back last season.

rosco---munro---golly

got truly murdered by celtic in that 6-0 thrashing. miserable, so really hoping he doesn't try it again without working on it a bit more!

and a few suggestions of gillet at centre back. last game of last season he played there when munro went off injured. we lost a rather simple free header soon after and looked bombscare like with high balls into the box and all that was against hamilton. gillet is a no in centre defence for me.

on a lighter note. bring on the well can't wait!!! :ictscarf: :ictscarf:

It was actually a back five in the first half -

Proctor-Tokely-Munro-Golabek-Shinnie

In the second half he switched Golabek for Foran and went 4-2-3-1 -

Proctor-Tokely Munro Shinnie

I'd go with:

Esson

Proctor Tokely Aldred Gillet

Tansey

Ross Doran

Hayes

Tade Foran

Subs: Tuffey, G Shinnie, Meekings, Cox, A Shinnie, Sutherland, McKay

But I actually have no idea who is fit/unfit at the moment.

Meekings definetly out for about 6 weeks and Reported Cox will miss 'well game at least.

Saw McKay in Girvans today. He was wearing one of those special casts and had crutches.

I'd go with:

Esson

Proctor Tokely Aldred Gillet

Tansey

Ross Doran

Hayes

Tade Foran

Subs: Tuffey, G Shinnie, Meekings, Cox, A Shinnie, Sutherland, McKay

But I actually have no idea who is fit/unfit at the moment.

Meekings definetly out for about 6 weeks and Reported Cox will miss 'well game at least.

No Morrison at all?! Paineyar (spelling) will hopefully take Proctors position. If Tade doesn't play and Foran is up front on his own again I would include Morrison in the starting line up. He's been in form whenever he has played in pre-season. I suspect he will be on the bench though. I would go with a 4-1-4-1 position.

Esson

Paineyar Aldred Tokely Gillet

Morrison

Hayes Tansey Ross Doran

Foran

Or 4-4-2 with Morrison dropping to bench and Tade up front as well.

Here's Meekings last Sat in Aldershot. Another 6 weeks until he can play.

Edited July 21, 201114 yr by CapitalCaley

I'd go with:

Esson

Proctor Tokely Aldred Gillet

Tansey

Ross Doran

Hayes

Tade Foran

Subs: Tuffey, G Shinnie, Meekings, Cox, A Shinnie, Sutherland, McKay

But I actually have no idea who is fit/unfit at the moment.

Meekings definetly out for about 6 weeks and Reported Cox will miss 'well game at least.

No Morrison at all?! Paineyar (spelling) will hopefully take Proctors position. If Tade doesn't play and Foran is up front on his own again I would include Morrison in the starting line up. He's been in form whenever he has played in pre-season. I suspect he will be on the bench though. I would go with a 4-1-4-1 position.

Esson

Paineyar Aldred Tokely Gillet

Morrison

Hayes Tansey Ross Doran

Foran

Or 4-4-2 with Morrison dropping to bench and Tade up front as well.

Haven't seen much of Morrison play to be honest. I'd stick him on the bench though as Meekings is injured and I'd also put Piermayr in at right back now that it looks like we have signed him.

That piccy just emphasises the difference in access to medical facilities and NHS funding for SPL players in comparison to fans - Joe has a posh padded boot and two crutches whilst yon poor **** has to do with a spade and an inflated Tesco bag.

Just heard, I think Tokely may be suspended for the Motherwell game! Disaster!

I think it may be 'Well's Ross (Forbes) that's suspended and not our own.

I think it may be 'Well's Ross (Forbes) that's suspended and not our own.

Think that may well be the case. There's nothing on the SFA website about suspensions. Only thing of relevance I could find was the referee appointments. Referee is Steven McLean, assistants are John Gilmour and Lawrence Kerrigan. Iain Brines is the 4th official and Donald McVicar is observing.

Certainly hope its a false alarm and Tokely is free to play

I think it's ridiculous how suspensions can carry over into a new season!

If Terry is still thinking about giving Thomas Piermayr a contract or if he is in process of drawing it up is he allowed to play Thomas as a trialist? against Motherwell.

You can't play trialists in the SPL (though you can in the SFL).

Esson

Broadfoot --- Tokely --- Aldred

Tansey --- A.Shinnie

Hayes --- Ross --- Doran

Berbatov Novo

Tokely not suspended, panic averted!

Esson

Broadfoot --- Tokely --- Aldred

Tansey --- A.Shinnie

Hayes --- Ross --- Doran

Berbatov Novo

Funny thing is Hayes is still the best player there