After a weekend off we are back in action in a couple of nights with a long trip to Queen of the South. One of the best away day trips has been ruined because of COVID-19 and the SPFL moving it to a Friday night for coverage on a TV channel that almost no one watches but don't let that get you down and tune in to the BBC Scotland channel from 19:30 on Friday to see us take on the Doonhamers. 

A really impressive win over early season "surprise" package Raith Rovers coupled with a number of players coming back from injury means confidence will surely be high ahead of this one. Queens are a shambles of a team thrown together last minute in a similar manner as we were at the start of the 17/18 season. That said, they've not performed that badly so it's not going to be an easy game but hopefully it's one we can win and keep up our remarkable run of results in Dumfries where we haven't lost since 2004! The last time we lost there Busted, one of the great UK heavy metal bands of the early noughties, were number one.

No need for streaming info although after 30 seconds of listening to Leanne Crichton and Jonathan Sutherland you may even be desperate enough for our commentator to take over...

Edited December 2, 20205 yr by RiG

Well, that was a joy to watch. There was a little too much last-ditch defending for my liking at 1-0, but we were the better team in the first half and absolutely turned the screw in the second. According to the BBC, QOS didn't even have a shot on target.

 

I particularly love the way the forwards are swapping positions and causing havoc with their movement. It was the same against Raith and is a sign of a very well-coached team, I think. It was also clear that we had a plan for how we we could hurt QOS, so more kudos to Robbo.

 

Its unreal to think Kennedy and MacGregor are still only 18. Hopefully the amount of action Kennedy is getting will convince Rangers to let us keep him past January because he is some winger. Putting a 36 year old emergency full-back up against him just seemed cruel. I thought last season was too early for MacGregor but he clearly belongs now. That finish was stunning, especially given the ball sat up in front of him.

 

Great stuff lads. Bring on Dundee!

29 minutes ago, hislopsoffsideagain said:

I particularly love the way the forwards are swapping positions and causing havoc with their movement. It was the same against Raith and is a sign of a very well-coached team, I think.

Yes, I nearly wrote something very similar a couple of weeks ago.  There is an eagerness, a freshness, about the team that hasn't been there for a season or two.  We press forward in numbers, and play close-passing football - we're not just lobbing hopeful balls at a lone striker.  As you say, we have a number of players who move around up front, and who can all score.  This season I don't think that we are going to have a leading scorer way out in front of the others.  We will have a number of players pretty much all on the same tally.

I do still think that the defence needs firming up, though.  I never have complete confidence in them, especially when they face a tricky player like Dobbie, who gave them some frights last night.

I want PINK !  Wish it was Xmas.

Excellent result after a good team performance, including a few stand-outs in pink...but...

QoTS were pretty gash tbh, if we had got the second goal quicker the wheels might have come off before half time.

Let's look forward to more encouraging displays like that, but reserve judgement til after the next round of fixtures - and the visits of hearts & dunfermline. 

51 minutes ago, hislopsoffsideagain said:

Well, that was a joy to watch. There was a little too much last-ditch defending for my liking at 1-0, but we were the better team in the first half and absolutely turned the screw in the second. According to the BBC, QOS didn't even have a shot on target.

<snip>

 

Great stuff lads. Bring on Dundee!

Couldn’t agree more. Some of the quick passing was great to see.  Dundee will be a stiffer test although they’re not firing too well either. Need to see what happens in the return games with Pars and Hearts before getting carried away. Let’s face it, QoS are hopeless and Johnston appeared like a manager just waiting for the sack.

Nice to see Father Jack making a guest appearance at half time though.

Robbo continues to perform miracles by building a new side every season. Although Kennedy is an outstanding talent I was glad to see Robbo take him off as he was starting to showboat. For that reason I was picking Roddy as MoM so not sure whether it’s a good or a bad thing to find Billy Dodds agreeing.

Still have mixed feelings about Storey. At least without White we’re trying to play it on the deck and his sheer pace just panics defenders. A finisher with a bit of composure would have had 4 though. I was excited when we signed Keatings but although he’s mucked in I’m still a bit underwhelmed. Toddy likewise.

Not slagging off Devine but he had a couple of mistakes and so I thought Deas had a better game. Devine is a decent leader on the park though. Defensively we’ve looked very composed and solid this season which is in complete contrast to what many of us expected.

We’ve got carried away before only to find injuries, suspensions, egos and defensive howlers destroying our season (C*ll D*n*lds*n anyone? ) but it’s refreshing to see ICT playing attractive attacking football for the first time since... searches memory banks...

 

While it was a class game, the only downside I saw was Shane Sutherland. He wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible. It just seemed like he was a touch too slow on the ball and quite a few of his shots were dragged wide. Him and Miles, it felt like they were a touch jealous of being shown up by the weans, so had a swing when they probably could've worked it into a more open position, and it's either horrifically off target or square into a defender. Not saying he should be dropped, but we need to dispel the saying and teach an old dog new tricks.

ICT excellent I am a happy man. 

1 hour ago, Jack Waddington said:

While it was a class game, the only downside I saw was Shane Sutherland. He wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible. It just seemed like he was a touch too slow on the ball and quite a few of his shots were dragged wide. Him and Miles, it felt like they were a touch jealous of being shown up by the weans, so had a swing when they probably could've worked it into a more open position, and it's either horrifically off target or square into a defender. Not saying he should be dropped, but we need to dispel the saying and teach an old dog new tricks.

I’d have swapped him and Storey at half time so he would be through the middle and Storey wide, but still allowing all the four to interchange. He’s got goals in him and hopefully we will see that.

The only downside for me from the match is today’s hangover.....

 

Yes. Very good. Agree with Mantis that Kennedy was starting to annoy me with his tricks and selfishness before he got pulled. He must stay grounded. Many reasons to be uplifted by that performance but we need a goal scorer and, let's be honest, QoS were awful

33 minutes ago, Naelifts said:

Yes. Very good. Agree with Mantis that Kennedy was starting to annoy me with his tricks and selfishness before he got pulled. He must stay grounded. Many reasons to be uplifted by that performance but we need a goal scorer and, let's be honest, QoS were awful

Totally agree about Kennedy. He had a good game but was very selfish on several occasions when passing to other players was the better option instead of shooting. He is only young though so hopefully he will learn. Very similar traits to Ryan Christie in my opinion. 

I think Kennedy  is a breath of fresh air   a real crowd pleaser  you can't keep player's like that in check

Best ICT performance I have seen for ages : created lots of chances, good closing down / winning possession back and lots more.

Keep playing like that and 2nd is the lowest we'll finish.

 

 

7 hours ago, the cat said:

I think Kennedy  is a breath of fresh air   a real crowd pleaser  you can't keep player's like that in check

Crowd pleasers are all very well but we can't afford that luxury just now.

The lad clearly has talent, cutting out the show boating will benefit both him and us for as long as he is pulling on our shirt.

Playing to the cameras?

https://ictfc.com/match-report-qots-0-3-ictfc-04-12-2020

Leave Kennedy alone before we knock all the football out of him. He is able to beat any defender in this league and is a fantastic wee player. If we take this trait out of him he will become just another player who can't get past the defender without turning back on himself. Keep going son and stop reading the negative reports on here.

ps Robert. Can't be bothered looking back for the post, but it was Brad Mckay that crossed for MacGregor's goal. Credit where it's due, he finds it difficult to get any on here from many fans.

On 12/4/2020 at 8:51 PM, Robert said:

MacGregor! 2-0. Great pass from Deas, header on from Sutherland, cross by Mckay and 20 yard finish by MacGregor 

For tm4tj, I gave him the credit on Friday and it was his long throw that led to the third goal. I think the BBC gave Sutherland the assist for the second for some reason.

As I said on the POTM thread, Mckay was a contender for my top three. 

Edited December 6, 20205 yr by Robert

Beating a defender once ,twice or three times is one thing...setting up teammates & scoring is another,  the boys good but still has lots to learn.

...Just waiting for the 'tanner ball' description to resurface🤣

Cheers Robert, thought you originally had Deas crossing, never looked back to see what it said.

On 12/5/2020 at 10:04 AM, hislopsoffsideagain said:

Its unreal to think Kennedy and MacGregor are still only 18. Hopefully the amount of action Kennedy is getting will convince Rangers to let us keep him past January because he is some winger. Putting a 36 year old emergency full-back up against him just seemed cruel. I thought last season was too early for MacGregor but he clearly belongs now. That finish was stunning, especially given the ball sat up in front of him.

He's rumoured to be on the verge of signing a new deal with Rangers which, probably, should be a good thing for us as he is unlikely to get into what looks like a title winning team at Ibrox and he will no longer be "in the shop window" so a full season of first team football might be just what he need. If so it can only benefit us. If he stays of course and doesn't go somewhere else! 

On 12/5/2020 at 11:26 AM, Jack Waddington said:

While it was a class game, the only downside I saw was Shane Sutherland. He wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible. It just seemed like he was a touch too slow on the ball and quite a few of his shots were dragged wide. Him and Miles, it felt like they were a touch jealous of being shown up by the weans, so had a swing when they probably could've worked it into a more open position, and it's either horrifically off target or square into a defender. Not saying he should be dropped, but we need to dispel the saying and teach an old dog new tricks.

All of Sutherland's success at Elgin (and Peterhead) has come from playing almost exclusively from playing through the middle of the pitch yet he is being asked to play wide right for us. I'd like to see him get a chance to play centrally to see what he can do there and have Doran on the right. But as mentioned earlier in the thread the front four move around a lot and take up different positions so during games Storey and Sutherland may switch for example if Keatings pushes further forward.

On 12/5/2020 at 1:03 PM, Naelifts said:

Yes. Very good. Agree with Mantis that Kennedy was starting to annoy me with his tricks and selfishness before he got pulled. He must stay grounded. Many reasons to be uplifted by that performance but we need a goal scorer and, let's be honest, QoS were awful

I think Kennedy is getting some pretty harsh treatment here. We were at least two or three goals up and Queens were going to do absolutely nothing. He's an exceptionally talented creative, flair players and that's the kind of stuff he will do to create chances. His drag over with the ball to go round Gibson was so good I had to chance my pants afterwards. Why not try and little cheeky flick or two? MacGregor performed an outrageous backheel through the legs of Gibson (I think) and no one seems to be criticising him for that. If there is one criticism that I think is fair of Kennedy it's that he perhaps tries to take on opposition players too many times. In the second half he wriggled into the box and looked to have a good chance to aim for the far post with a shot but instead he cut back inside again and was crowded out.

Edited December 7, 20205 yr by RiG

Decision making is developed from experience. Kennedy is playing at this level for the first time and is 18. Give him a chance to learn from his (minor) mistakes and make better decisions making him a better player that will play at a higher level than this. MacGregor also falls into this category

On 12/5/2020 at 8:11 AM, Eagle4Caley said:

Have to say that I much prefer watching Caley at the moment, than my English team Palace, who have been coached into relentlessly boring and defensive football by Hodgson despite have some great offensive talent....

Have you changed your mind after Sunday's result at the Hawthorns? 😀

Thoroughly enjoyed watching that fantastic team performance on Friday night, really cheered me up! Wouldn't want to see young Kennedy being shackled, it's talent and tricks like his that can lift a crowd and the game. IMO his performance in the first 20 minutes set the tone for rest of the game and sowed the seeds for the win.

Thought MacGregor, Deas and Devine all stood out in a great all-round team effort. More of the same please fellas 👍

On 12/5/2020 at 10:47 PM, Kingsmills said:

Crowd pleasers are all very well but we can't afford that luxury just now.

The lad clearly has talent, cutting out the show boating will benefit both him and us for as long as he is pulling on our shirt.

Restricting pure talent is what's wrong with Scottish  football. Let him play, it won't please some but I love watching his ability to beat opponents. 

Incredible that we live in a country where the ability to actually get the ball on the ground and dribble past opponents with ease as if the ball is attached to your boot with some string is frowned upon in favour of being really fit and running around a lot. 

Enjoy Kennedy while you can because he is destined for bigger and better things than ICT. At 18 he is arguably one of the best players in the league already and is perhaps the most exciting player we've been able to watch in many seasons.