Fans patience is running out

 

After another massive slump, this time against Morton, we are all but done with the Championship for another season. Partick are next up for us at the Caledonian Stadium on Wednesday night for a 7:45pm kick-off. I don't see many fans saying they are really looking forward to the next game.

MATCH INFO/TICKETS/STREAMING

Can we save our season? It has become alarmingly apparent that something is seriously wrong at the club. We can't buy a win at the moment. That's now seven games without a win or four points from a possible twenty-one since December 11th. That's the statistics that gets teams relegated and managers sacked. We seem to be at the crossroads and if something doesn't change soon, then we better get used to being in the Championship for the foreseeable future. On the plus side, there is still plenty games left to get back on track, unfortunately at this moment in time, that looks unlikely to happen. Our body language is a big giveaway and it looks like we have been found out.

Venue - Head 2 Head

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	21	9	5	7	33	30	+3
Away	20	5	6	9	21	28	-7
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	41	14	11	16	54	58	-4

Last 10 Competitive Meetings with Partick

0 - 0 (A)

3 - 1 (H)

1 - 3 (A)

1 - 3 (H)

2 - 1 (A)

1 - 2 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

3 - 2 (H)

1 - 1 (A)

0 - 0

The two games played this season already coincided with some of our better performances. Much has gone wrong since then and I'm not sure we can turn that around overnight.

Summary from 3-1 win in September: 

The run goes on - Partick Thistle came North with high hopes of ending Inverness' great start to the campaign in the knowledge that they have been scoring at the rate of three goals per game apart from Arbroath where they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Red Lichties.

Billy Dodds had food for thought after the cup win over Buckie last week where Billy Mckay and Lewis Jamieson staked their claims for a start after scoring performances over the Highland League side. They started on the bench as he went with the tried and tested so far this season. Ian McCall had old enemy Brian Graham up front with Zac Rudden on the bench and watch out for defender Tunji Akinola who packs a punch with his feet.

After a difficult first half, Inverness ran out comfortable winners against Partick Thistle in a second half goal blitz. The visitors dominated the first forty-five and Scott Tiffoney drilled the opener out of nothing as the defence backed off. Manny Duku was denied by a combination of keeper and post but it was Partick that should have scored a second, however Mark Ridgers did well to deny Brian Graham. Harsh talking at the break saw Inverness come out for the second half with the bit between the teeth and Kirk Broadfoot was the unlikely hero as his twenty yard shot evaded the outstretched fingertips of the keeper to level the score. Shane Sutherland did well to drill in the second from an angle after the keeper fluffed his lines allowing Shane to slot in from twenty yards. The third was a peach as Duku stepped over the ball and Aaron Doran fired high into the net for a brilliant goal and game over. That's five wins out of five and the run goes on...

The reverse fixture at Partick saw us emerge with a thoroughly deserved win at 0-0 . According to many Partick fans we were the best thing since sliced bread. How wrong were they...

Caley Jags pay the penalty: Partick Thistle survived to earn a point after the woodwork saved them twice and keeper Jamie Sneddon denied Sean Welsh from the spot after guessing the right way. Inverness were well on top but it's only a point which means Killie pull further away at the top. Performance of the day was from Arbroath who came from two down to beat Dunfermline Athletic 4-2. Despite not getting the win that was easily one of our best performances of recent weeks and I would have taken a point before the game but given how it played out it was definitely 2 points dropped.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1.	Arbroath	23	12	8	3	36	16	44
2.	Kilmarnock	23	12	4	7	28	16	40
3.	Inverness CT	24	10	8	6	30	20	38
4.	Raith Rovers	25	9	11	5	34	27	38
5.	Partick Thistle	21	10	6	5	34	19	36
6.	Hamilton Ac.	24	6	8	10	25	38	26
7.	Morton	23	5	9	9	27	33	24
8.	Dunfermline	24	4	11	9	23	38	23
9.	Ayr United	24	5	8	11	21	37	23
10.	Q.O.S.	23	4	7	12	24	38	19

Wednesday Night Fixtures all 19:45

Arbroath v Hamilton

  Inverness CT v Partick Thistle

Kilmarnock v Ayr United

 

Last time out we were a complete omnishambles (a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.) Sounds about right as we plumbed the depths to go down meekly to a less than average Morton side where Lewis Strapp scored the winner. No wins in our last seven games (LLDDDDL) Shocking statistics.

Particks last game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, the previous game was a 1-0 win over Ayr United giving them (PWWDD) since the turn of the year. The other win was against Airdrie in the Scottish Cup (1-0).

Latest Team News

We will still be without Allardice, Devine, MacGregor, Doran and possibly Walsh. Having only brought in forwards in the window, it was obvious to all what would happen, except our management team. We are performing like headless chickens at the moment.

Partick will no doubt have thug player and cheat Brian Graham up front. 

 

View full article

 

A lot of route one stuff im afraid - have we lost the ability to play through the midfield?

12 hours ago, caley100 said:

Only got home at 1 1      Halftime highlights i notice their first was an OG!    Awful marking for second, Our defence is shocking!    at least we are level!!

Is this the case? shows on bbc as a Thug Graham hat-trick.

That bugger doesn't deserve the matchball.

WTF is it with us and injuries. Five missing tonight, possibly all would have been starting.

Allardice - out for rest of season

Devine - another month probably

Doran - week or two?

MacGregor - who knows

Walsh - does it really matter

Aye, looks like Duffy's shins

 

CTO Report

 

I think we all agree that last night was better than Saturday,but that would not be hard to achieve. I thought we played much better the second half although the defence looked shaky throughout. As I said previously,Pearson looks good and Chalmers has legs,but cannot finish - a bit like Storey.I have to confess I am always critical of Sutherland and I always say he cannot jump and cannot head the ball and rarely scores, considering what he did for Peterhead and Elgin. Blow me last night, he actually jumped and headed the ball and scored!! For some reason he reminds me of White as he used to be as frustrating.Anyway I have learned now to expect the unexpected with Inverness and when all said and done we look just like an average Championship team with hopes of one day climbing the ladder to the Premiership. If that day ever happens we need a clear out just like County did and we would have to build a whole new squad, keeping only some of these players. 

Edited February 10, 20224 yr by Douglas Mackenzie

100% OG, Duffy knocks it in off Ridgers. Difficult ball to deal with so I’m not blaming Duffy at all for that, but based on his overall performance and other recent ones I very much look forward to Devine returning.

Think Tokely would walk straight back in as full back.

 

Attendance: 1781 😐

 

1 hour ago, WYNESS101 said:

Attendance: 1781 😐

 

I wonder how many of that rather fictitious number were moaning during lockdown about not getting to the games?

2 hours ago, WYNESS101 said:

Attendance: 1781 😐

 

Do they include PPV spectators in that?

It was the "freezing midweek night in February" that I mentioned at the start of the season, when wondering how long they would continue with PPV - and what effect it would have on actual attendance.

Both me and my wife are season tickets holders and one of the reasons was to sit at home and watch the game in comfort at 82 would you freeze your balls of at the game, so anyone moaning about attendances should think about we are not all teenagers,another draw back is parking since they closed the home parking ,the other     away parking spaces are limited and certainly not for the fainted hearted and by the way I can’t afford a £60 fine for parking in the street 

Fair play to the noisy and sizeable contingent from Partick who turned up on cold Wednesday night in February.

31 minutes ago, forresjags said:

Fair play to the noisy and sizeable contingent from Partick who turned up on cold Wednesday night in February.

They were almost outnumbering us.

10 hours ago, Satan said:

A lot of route one stuff im afraid - have we lost the ability to play through the midfield?

Particularly in the first half but we did seem to mix it up more after half time.

We are at our best when we keep it down and move it quickly and with an outlet like Pearson we should now be able to punish teams.

The club’s report:

https://ictfc.com/match-report-ictfc-3-3-partick-thistle-09-02-2022

7 hours ago, WYNESS101 said:

Attendance: 1781 😐

 

More like 81

11 hours ago, forresjags said:

Think Tokely would walk straight back in as full back.

 

For sure!   I wonder if Dodds and co noticed how all three Partick goals were from the full back area? Carson getting totally skinned twice, and a ridiculously late Deas tackle for the pen.   We need proper full backs, and soon.

Fair point, but Carson has previously been superb in that position, puzzling that he’s not so impressive there now.

10 hours ago, Yngwie said:

Fair point, but Carson has previously been superb in that position, puzzling that he’s not so impressive there now.

Just speculation but has he been affected (understandably) by personal issues this season? 

I was tearing my hair out in the last quarter when Carson sent in 3 successive crosses from the right none of which were anywhere near where the had to be . It is a really poor element of our game

5 hours ago, old caley girl said:

Just speculation but has he been affected (understandably) by personal issues this season? 

He’s only human so it would not surprise me.

 

2 hours ago, Naelifts said:

I was tearing my hair out in the last quarter when Carson sent in 3 successive crosses from the right none of which were anywhere near where the had to be . It is a really poor element of our game

But he delivered a cracker of a cross for Mckay’s goal.

Like many of our team, I think low confidence is an issue. Hopefully Wednesday evening has helped in that regard.

On communication, they have been giving updates on the progress of Devine and Doran, whilst we know Allardice is out for the season. It would be good if they gave some indication of how long MacGregor and Walsh will be out for. In MacGregor’s case in particular, he has been missing for some time with silence from the club.

Edited February 11, 20224 yr by Robert

Couple of championship fixtures scheduled for tomorrow. Mon the Pars

Full Time

Killie 2-1 Pars - Pars miss first half penalty

Morton 2-1 Queens

On 2/11/2022 at 3:06 PM, Robert said:

He’s only human so it would not surprise me.

 

But he delivered a cracker of a cross for Mckay’s goal.

Like many of our team, I think low confidence is an issue. Hopefully Wednesday evening has helped in that regard.

On communication, they have been giving updates on the progress of Devine and Doran, whilst we know Allardice is out for the season. It would be good if they gave some indication of how long MacGregor and Walsh will be out for. In MacGregor’s case in particular, he has been missing for some time with silence from the club.

When you look at the players out, that's a pretty big miss, Obviously Doran needs to be fully fit to influence games, MacGregor was almost as influential as Daniel Mackay last season, popping up all over the place, and Devine out leaves us shuffling the defence, Allardice being out is just massive.

The plus side seems to be Pearson, with Mckay back. The fact that Samuels has a contract suggests that the Club see him as having potential, are we seeing it on the pitch. I was rather hoping that Duffy would be more worthy of being an ever-present leaving Carson to move further upfield, along with Harper showing more of the promise of last season.

We are operating on a thin squad at the moment, but if Arbroath can do what they are doing, that should give us the motivation. We are still not cut adrift from automatic promotion, and Kilmarnock still not dominating the division...that said Partick with all their games in hand are a threat

Hopefully the weekend break coupled to a positive comeback against Thistle will help us out of the mid-winter malaise

I don't think Covid can stop me and the wife coming up for the Arbroath game in a months time, really excited about this match and have a good vibe that we can win it! But then I am the eternal optimist.