Tonight is really as big a game as Saturday’s.

We must win or our league season is over.

I hope we get a similar crowd to the numbers who went to Glasgow and support the players to another win.

I hope no one is assuming we will win. It will be a tough match with the same prize at stake for both teams.

I just hope our recent attitude and form continue and we get the win that keeps our league season going.

Come on ICT!

 

Hard luck Caley.....couldnt keep the run going. Great league. From a spectating point of view I am glad we are still in it but........the irony is .....we need out. Well done to all the winners and hard lines to all the losers. We need to hold on to players now. That is key.

And we are off to Hampden again..............

2 minutes ago, Matt Shaw said:

Tbf we've started strong last 2 seasons and just throw it away at Xmas

The ICT way

2 minutes ago, WYNESS101 said:

The ICT way

Can we add high balls to a striker that isn't know for his aerial prowess to the ICT way?

Another game of hoofball. Better in 2nd half to an extent.  New Manager for the final and into next season. 

Edited May 5, 20233 yr by Duke of Inverness

1 minute ago, Duke of Inverness said:

Another game of hoofball. Better in 2nd half to an extent.  New Manage for the final and into next season. 

Realistically, who would we get / want? I think it might time for a wholesale change of the backroom staff

Just now, Matt Shaw said:

Realistically, who would we get / want? I think it might time for a wholesale change of the backroom staff

I’m fine with Dodds for one more year. 

1 minute ago, ICTPAISLEY said:

I’m fine with Dodds for one more year. 

Cup final or not.

We need a massive overhaul in the summer...yes that means Esson, Wilson and Kel. Maybe changing managers isn't the issue with the club but having the same backroom staff is?

6th place is such a disappointment after that amazing run built our hopes up -  followed by 1 point from our final 2 league games, yet still be just 3 points off second place. So many what ifs…

2 minutes ago, ICTPAISLEY said:

I’m fine with Dodds for one more year. 

If we snuck into the playoffs then I'd give a year extension with the expectation that if we're not looking like title challengers by Xmas he's gone. To me, he's not shown to be a great tactician (too many we either start poorly or go for route 1 with Billy Mckay up top) or even a good man manager (bust ups with squad morale plummeting in both seasons)

3 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

6th place is such a disappointment after that amazing run built our hopes up -  followed by 1 point from our final 2 league games, yet still be just 3 points off second place. So many what ifs…

Imagine we could actually beat Hamilton on a regular basis ...

First half instantly forgettable. Lacked confidence, drive ,desire.Good subs for second half and with them came the fight and desire led by Carson. Much improved half and unlucky with some shots.Standside linesman had a shocker with their first goal off side and denying us a clear corner five mins from end. Not sure about offside for our second.

Shaw and Henderson are in a league of their own followed by  Carson and Deas.Harper had a decent game.

I just cannot comment on highballs forward to their number5.We have been doing it all season.

When all said and done we have a final to look forward to and debt written off.

Edited May 5, 20233 yr by Douglas Mackenzie

 I will start off with - How the feck do you start off without the original starters from the Semi Final - we have been employing the tippy tappy from the back for most of the season which the large majority of teams also employ - I dont like it and would prefer the Pele approach - but that sadly is in the past. It was unfortunately a game too far = I suspect Allardice and especially Welsh were knackered. And to end with - I actually think that a month off could be to our advantage. We would have been on our knees if we got through the play offs. This could still end up as the seasons of all seasons. And now a lot of things can be sorted out behind the scenes. And lets just pause to reflect on what we have accomplished in the last couple of months. I now would suggest that Dodds and Robbo have their swansongs at the top, at Hampden - bow out and let some new blood in at the helm. 

At least we have a cup final to put some lipstick on another pig of a season 🤷‍♂️

5 minutes ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

I now would suggest that Dodds and Robbo have their swansongs at the top, at Hampden - bow out and let some new blood in at the helm. 

I'm inclined to agree, but the new blood would have to hit the ground running!   Cup Final 3rd June.  League Cup starts 15th July.  In between you have holidays and then pre-season training, plus transfer activity.  Will be a busy time, whoever is in charge.

Let’s be open and honest here. Big backing crowd, lovely night for football, big game and we didn’t turn up.

The better team won hands down. You can’t play the way we did in the first half and expect anything more than what we got for our 45 minutes. From goalkeeper to front line we could not do the simplest of thing (like control the ball). Ayr were simply competent, but that was more than enough to overcome our efforts and comfortably see them through the game. 
 

Samuels was the difference that changed our fortunes. Still don’t understand why Shaw wasn’t on the left wing from the start, but it’s a moot point now.

‘Fortune favours the brave’. A quote you couldn’t find in the home dressing room tonight! 
 

Good luck to Ayr in there playoffs

 

We looked like winning it after equalizing and had a bit of momentum. Wasn't to be. Hopefully all the decisions towards the end 're Samuels- was it a penalty?- was it a goal? Are correct ? Bring on the tic 

Did we deserve to lose, absolutely not, did we deserve to win, probably just about, should we have had a draw, most certainly. 

Poor team performance for most of the game with Allardice, Devine and Deas poor. Disagree with you Johndo on not changing the winning cup team as this game was made for Carson and Samuels as well but the tactical genius that is Billy Dodds got the team selection wrong again. This defeat is really hard to take as Ayr were poor as well and won't go any further in the play offs. They were there for the taking but we let ourselves down. 

I have to say that Ayr were also helped by poor officiating. Billy was clearly fouled in the build up to Ayrs second goal, as he was most of the game but that clown of a referee refused to give the fouls. Stand side linesman was also poor with debatable call for Ayr's first goal and also for Samuels goal as I'm convinced it came off an Ayr player. 

31 minutes ago, WYNESS101 said:

Cup final or not.

We need a massive overhaul in the summer...yes that means Esson, Wilson and Kel. Maybe changing managers isn't the issue with the club but having the same backroom staff is?

Bingo! I fully agree with this. 

Who was the guy that Dodds took such exception  to near the end? Had a right old ding dong. Dodds was clearly  raging with him. Couldn't  make out what was said sadly.

Edited May 5, 20233 yr by robbylad
Misspellings

Tepid, slow, negative especially in the first half. Sums up our season,followed by desperation of hoof (Dodds) ball.

The irony hooking Devine to continue playing high balls into a box with Billy & Samuels when we could have at least trued Danny up there for target.

Few guy around me getting proper worked up about Harper never pushing on and playing back.......can't blame the guy for playing the strategy put in place by the manager.

A real disappointing end to the league season after all the excitement, and expectation of the last couple of months.

Let's hope we can get the enthusiasm back in time for the Cup Final.  Onwards and upwards.

Super Caley go ballistic may live again

1 hour ago, FrontRow said:

Wrong team selection there. Why keep the buzz bomb on the bench. Carson should have started in the middle to help dominate and drive the team on. 

Couldn't agree more with you, Dodds picked the same side that beat Falkirk, and we didn't play particularly well in that game, although we scored the three goals, I really thought he'd freshen the team up, and that Carson would have played from the start, and although I think Shaw is the find of the season, he's not suited to play behind the striker, when he was switched to the left in the second half what a difference it made. I thought we looked like a tired team tonight, and we really need to cut out the needless passing across the back four, and then back to Ridgers, it's pointless. 

1 hour ago, mazza20 said:

Realistically, who would we get / want? I think it might time for a wholesale change of the backroom staff

Yes, I don't think I can sit through another season watching Dodds brand of Hoofball again.

2 minutes ago, Jaggernaut said:

Yes, I don't think I can sit through another season watching Dodds brand of Hoofball again.

If we have to do it, can we at least get a target man?

1 hour ago, WYNESS101 said:

Cup final or not.

We need a massive overhaul in the summer...yes that means Esson, Wilson and Kel. Maybe changing managers isn't the issue with the club but having the same backroom staff is?

Totally agree. Needs a complete overhaul and fresh approach