THE MATCHDAY THREAD Discuss ICT & other games in this thread as they happen Hearts -V- Inverness CT PREVIEW 23rd Feb @ 3:00PM, Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Go to the Chatroom Media Coverage AUDIO BBC Sportsound Open All Mics [UK Only] BBC Sportsound Live commentary [UK Only] Moray Firth Radio Live commentary [UK Only]   TEXT ESPN BBC SKY Sporting Life   VIDEO SPL YouTube Channel ICT Official YouTube Channel   TEAM LINEUPS

Having seen Warren and Devine "own" Ngoo, Sproule will not pose any problems for us.

thought sproule plays wide right ??? will they be able to catch him. big cb's dont like playing against nippy little players. give them big battering rams every time

i would play sproule against shinnie, think he is nearly as fast as humprey at motherwell

As for the game I thought it was quite poor for the most part. We didn't really play much good football but we were always a threat on set pieces with all three goals coming from such situations as Hearts just couldn't cope with the likes of Draper and Warren in the air. Draper spent a lot of time drifting wide to act as a target man in the absence of Foran when we had goal kicks / free kick deep in our half. He did well deputising there and it was his smart header across goal that led to McKay bundling in our second goal.

 

Prior to that Warren had put us ahead after a well placed header eluded MacDonald following a Doran free kick. Warren is making a habit of getting free from his man and expertly placing his header in the back of the net. We've seen him do it against Aberdeen, Dundee United and Rangers this season and I wondered why Hearts allowed him so much space yesterday. Doran was played through by Shinnie but he was called offside although some of the Sportsound guys apparently said it was pretty close. Hard to tell from behind the goals. 

 

The Hearts equaliser was a smashing strike. Holt cutting inside a couple of ICT players before lashing an effort past the despairing Esson. Hearts played some nice stuff after this but more often than not it ended with a wild shot or miscued effort due to lack of composure. Our second goal was quite straight forward. A free kick was lofted into the box and meet by Draper who headed back across goal and McKay was there to head home albeit with the aid of a deflection of a Hearts defender. Had that deflection not redirected the ball I think that MacDonald might have got to it.

 

Disappointing second goal to concede for us after Nick Ross headed an effort from Ngoo off the post but we failed to clear our lines and when it fell to Webster his effort was deflected off Devine and off in the opposite direction that Esson was going to bring Hearts level again. As with the McKay goal I think the keeper might have gotten there but the deflection completely took the ball away from where he was going. Esson kept us in it with a superb save after some Hearts lad crashed a shot in from about 25 yards out. It was well struck and looked like it was going in under the bar but Esson flew to his right to palm it over.

 

The winning goal by Warren reminded me of the goal he scored v Rangers. From a corner he somehow found a wee bit of space and stopped to head home. Sutherland had a chance to make it four when he was played through but he lacked any real sense of composure and, under pressure, blasted high and wide. 

 

Andrew Shinnie was pretty quiet yesterday I thought but Danny Devine did well coming in for the injured Josh Meekings. If I was Simon King I'd be a bit worried about getting a new deal for next season. He hasn't impressed in the few games he's played and with Meekings and Warren as our first choice CBs and Devine offering good cover and Hogg still to come back I can't see him staying next season.

 

Draper was much better yesterday after being hung out to dry somewhat when he was shifted to RM against Motherwell. He was a useful target man for us in place of Foran. Nick Ross also played well I thought defending well but also offering a good attacking outlet. We still look poor at the back at times but we worked hard to grind that result out and helps to stop the recent barren run and gives the guys a boost going in to the game against United on Wednesday and of course the Highland Derby on Saturday.

 

par for the course for shane

Tbh I don't give a feck how many goals we are conceding its bloody entertaining.

Edited February 24, 201313 yr by lukemackay

Just watched the highlights on the SPL youtube. Looked a good game to go and watch. Shane Sutherland at the end though... 

Doesanyone know the meaning of the flag yesterday " Fans not customers "

 

Very stressful game but brilliant result .well done to all lets go for same over next two very important games

the flag just means that we are supporters of the our clubs and should be given more respect s they are milking the fans for every penny basically an objection to hearts over the top prices

 Shane Sutherland at the end though... 

 

Did anyone expect him to anything other than blaze it high and wide like he always does?

 

People say "he's not a winger" but he's not a striker either.

 Shane Sutherland at the end though... 

 

Did anyone expect him to anything other than blaze it high and wide like he always does?

 

People say "he's not a winger" but he's not a striker either.

 

 

Under 20 game last week, scored a header from a corner. Just can't strike a ball without it hitting Row Z it seems. 

Just seen the highlights - is Shane on commission from Spot the Ball competitions?

 

 Shane Sutherland at the end though... 

 

Did anyone expect him to anything other than blaze it high and wide like he always does?

 

People say "he's not a winger" but he's not a striker either.

 

 

Under 20 game last week, scored a header from a corner. Just can't strike a ball without it hitting Row Z it seems. 

it's what he does. have watched him season after season prior to start of game when the players practice there shooting.

he ballons the ball so much no wonder he does it when he gets a chance during the game.

at my low level of footie was always told to " work the keeper"

 

as the commentator on the highlights said  "nightmare stuff".

Not totally shure if the goals from Warren were training ground routines - the big difference to me was the quality of the delivery. Can anyone describe the tactics employed at this game ?

We started with a diamond in midfield as follows:

 

 

Jones

 

Draper Ross

 

Shinnie

 

McKay Doran

 

Just after our third goal we changed back to the standard 4-2-3-1 as follows:

 

Jones Draper

 

Ross Shinnie Doran

 

McKay

Edited February 24, 201313 yr by TerryMo

Not totally shure if the goals from Warren were training ground routines - the big difference to me was the quality of the delivery. Can anyone describe the tactics employed at this game ?

 

Terry Butcher can

 

We humped the ball into the box, Gary Warren scored and we hung on by our fingernails to win.

Not totally shure if the goals from Warren were training ground routines - the big difference to me was the quality of the delivery. Can anyone describe the tactics employed at this game ?

 

Terry Butcher can

 

We humped the ball into the box, Gary Warren scored and we hung on by our fingernails to win.

Sorry IHE but I disagree it never felt like we were going to lose yesterday and Gary Warren was immense.

 

Not totally shure if the goals from Warren were training ground routines - the big difference to me was the quality of the delivery. Can anyone describe the tactics employed at this game ?

 

Terry Butcher can

 

We humped the ball into the box, Gary Warren scored and we hung on by our fingernails to win.

Sorry IHE but I disagree it never felt like we were going to lose yesterday and Gary Warren was immense.

 

I fully agree Gary Warren was immense ...........but I didn't feel safe till final whistle and I don't think I was alone .

I hope Shane doesn't look at this site - if he does it really must do something for his confidence. I seem to have seen plenty others hammering high and wide and missing 'sitters'

All our top strikers have had barren spells and often it takes a significant run in the side for things to click.  Billy is a classic example of that - pretty poor return last season but he's developed the confidence this season and is now setting club scoring records.

 

What should be disheartening for Shane is not the criticism some give on this forum, but the fact that he has never had a decent run in the side in a strikers role.  Yes, he has tended to sky a few but he has the confidence to hit the ball hard.  He has strength and can turn defenders well and has the makings of a very useful striker.  What he needs is the confidence that a run in the side will give and that little bit of extra composure which comes with that so that he gets his foot over the ball more.  If he does read this site he will know that there are a lot of folk who think he could be a very good striker indeed for ICT.

Roberts last week, Sutherland this week....who's turn next week?

 

From other comments, I agree with OCG...yesterday felt like we were solidly back into the situation where we were always going to score more than them.  I think we also looked as composed as we ever have in the final throws of the game, which have tended to contribute to some of the nerviest moments this season.  I certainly didn't find myself clock watching and praying for the whistle.

I thought we played quite well myself.  About ten times better than the Motherwell game and looked more like the team we were when we went on that great run of form.

Personally though Shane put in a great shift in when he replaced Billy. Chased every loose ball. Id go as far as saying he helped us seal the game, in a way in which Billy couldnt. He was a great out ball, big deal he missed a chance, Billy's missed plenty chances, and anyway he created the chance himself. Give the players a fecking break just once. Thats the second time ive seen Shane play up top off the bench this season, the first been against Aberdeen when he came on won a penalty, created a couple chances and then got injured, and thats the second time hes had a positive impact. wouldnt surprise me at all if we see Terry using him more often to ease pressure at the end of games. He was the best outball we had on saturday, with the pitch being poor and having to resort to the longball often. The highlights showed his miss but what they didnt show was the linking with A.Shinnie and Nick Ross, and the corners/throw ins he won. At this level players miss chances. Fact!

Roberts last week, Sutherland this week....who's turn next week?

 

Russell Duncan maybe.  He hasn't been slagged off on here for a while...

Looks like you might have missed the news on that one....he no longer plays for ICT!!!

big deal he missed a chance, Billy's missed plenty chances

 

A bad miss now and then is part and parcel of the job, but most attacking players do actually get it on or near the target a fair proportion of the time, even Tade!

 

I think Shane's a good footballer on the whole but for some reason his shooting has always been woeful, it really is barn door, coo's erse and banjo stuff. I've always assumed that's why Terry has tried to remould him as a winger. I sometimes wonder what he'd be like in the centre of midfield in the same mould as Liam Keogh when he was at his best.

Had Shane gone 2 steps on, he would have won another penalty plus a for the Hearts defender...but hey, we won!!!

Can i just ask, was Danny Wilson eligible on Saturday