Game on......................

Reigning SPL Champions and current leaders in the title race, Glasgow Rangers, will be at the  Tulloch Caledonian Stadium for this Saturdays early kick off (12:45).  Rangers bowed out of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw in Turkey saw them fail to qualify for the latter stages, but they won the consolation prize of a place in the Europa League of 32.  Walter Smith is adamant that the Ataturk Stadium in Bursa was his last attempt at the Champions League as he looks to wind down his managerial career.  At domestic level, and fresh from their Champions League encounter with Turkish champions Bursaspor, Rangers will be looking to exact some form of revenge for the points dropped in Glasgow, when Inverness scored a late leveller to secure a draw at Ibrox, after recovering from a defensive first half to put Rangers on the back foot in the second period.

Apart from Alloa and Peterhead, every other Scottish club had last weekend off as a blanket of snow covered the landscape and caused chaos with travel plans up and down the country.  The SPL took the precaution to postpone all games in midweek to alleviate the problems and given the Arctic like conditions which still prevail, this was probably the right call at the time, although many grounds would have been playable had the green light been given to go ahead with the fixtures.  The blank weekend and wintery weather has meant no outdoor training for the Highlanders, although they did make use of the indoor facility at Dingwall to keep the players on their toes, but nothing compares to match sharpness.  Butcher was underwhelmed by the SPL call off''s and considering the Caley Jags were looking to continue their impressive recent form, his frustration was understandable. 

The latest news on the weather front is that the efforts to clear the pitch at Inverness has been successful and the match will go ahead unless the weather deteriorates severely.  Unfortunately the games at Parkhead and Tannadice have already been postponed, citing police advice on the grounds of safety as the reason for the early call-offs.  The fate of the game at New Douglas Park between Hamilton and Hibernian will be decided by a pitch inspection on Friday.  A number of SFL games have also fallen victim to the conditions.

Head to Head

These two clubs have played each other 16 times since ICT stepped up to the SPL.  Overall, Rangers have won 8 times, ICT 3 times with the other 5 games being drawn.  As is the way with Inverness, we have fared better away from home with 2 wins and 4 draws yielding a healthy 10  points, with Rangers gaining 13 points by virtue of an extra victory.  The Gers are leading the goal scoring at Ibrox by 12 goals to 6, with a 5-0 trouncing being a major factor in this.  All the goals in that game came in the first half with Kris Boyd scoring a 14 minute hat-trick by the 28th minute of a one sided half.  Two of the main characters that day are no longer at their respective clubs, Boyd and Brewster.  But, it's the home form that has been the major disappointment for Inverness with only 1 win and a draw out of 7 attempts.  The draw was achieved at our surrogate home in Aberdeen as Graeme Bayne scored the opener for Inverness in the third minute before Prso equalised for Rangers early in the second half.  This incidentally was Craig Brewster's first point as manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the 5th of December 2004.  In December 2006, Charlie Christie went one better as a thunderous John Rankin volley on the run nestled high behind McGregor to seal a marvellous comeback for the home side against Paul le Guen's Rangers.  Nacho Novo had scored from the spot before Darren 'machine' Dods equalised just before half time.  Inverness pressed hard for the winner and Rankin had rattled a post before his stunning injury time strike lit up the chill December evening.  A goal fit to win any game, and he proved it was no fluke by repeating the feat against Falkirk the week after, possibly even bettering it.

Recent Form

Inverness are having their best first phase in the SPL ever.  Sitting fourth today having amassed a credible 25 points from 15 games, thanks mainly to the remarkable away record of 5 wins and 3 draws, and of course, zero defeats.  The home form has been erratic but a decisive victory over Hibernian could be the turning point in the fortunes at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.  2 wins, 4 defeats and a draw have frustrated Butcher and Malpas, not to mention the home support who can get edgy at the best of times.  They don't come much tougher than the current SPL Champions and it is a big ask to continue the form that saw Hibs sent packing, but confidence is growing and the team are itching to get on with the task after last weeks enforced lay off.

Rangers had a run out in midweek against Bursaspor, and their SPL form has seen them top the division at the moment.  A fantastic opening run of 9 straight league wins came to an end at Ibrox as Inverness took the first points from Walter Smith's side this season in the 1-1 draw.  The defensive first half plan from Inverness kept the score down to 1-0 courtesy of an Edu error ridden half volley.  Inverness took the game to Rangers in the second half and could easily have secured all three points but for an incredible McGregor save from Richie Forans downward header.  As it was, substitute Eric Odhiambo secured a point as he poked home the equaliser with nine minutes left, no more than ICT deserved.  Since we broke the sequence, Hibs have been to Ibrox and stunned everyone with a tremendous 0-3 humbling of the Gers, but 37 points from 14 games has them looking down the table at the rest of the clubs.  Top scorers away from home with 19 goals and Kenny Miller firing on all cylinders, this will be a stern test for Butchers charges.

Team News

Inverness are slowly shortening the long term crocks list.  McCann, Gillet, Proctor and Innes are the ones causing most concern, although most of these guys would be seen as squad players as opposed to shoe in first choice options.  Only Gillet would be knocking on the door for a start, but given the assured displays from young Graeme Shinnie, he may have to bide his time when he is free from injury.  Both Shinnie and Ross have recently signed on again and that is excellent news for the Caley Jags fans.  Ryan Esson is one of our most consistent performers and he will be an important player against the leagues most prolific side away from home.  Stuart Duff looks composed in the right full back berth and Ross Tokely and Grant Munro are forming a formidable centre back pairing.  The midfield minders of Cox and Duncan will surely start against Rangers, both of these guys did exceptionally well at Parkhead a couple of weeks ago, protecting the back four and prepared to attack when required.  The providers of Hayes, Ross and Foran may well have to do a bit more defensive work than normal, but no one will roll up the sleeves more and relish this task than captain Richie Foran.  Jonny Hayes' pace will be an asset on a heavy pitch and U21 cap Nick Ross gets stronger with every game played.  This may well leave Adam Rooney a touch isolated, but again, this is a role he has grown into and his upper body strength has seen him out-muscle some startled defenders in the SPL. 

Rangers completed their Champions League duty with a draw at Bursaspor.  Kenny Miller scoring a spectacular left footer on the turn to show why he is leading scorer in Scotland at the moment, although Rooney may have something to say about that.  In goal, McGregor has shown that he is the number 1 for Scotland this season with some outstanding saves, notably denying Foran at Ibrox.  David Weir continues to defy the age barrier and his experience has been vital for Rangers at times this year.  Madjid Bougherra will give the defence a more accomplished look about it and his pace is beneficial at both ends of the park.  Former Killie youngster Steven Naismith has realised his potential and looks to have benefited from his move to the Glasgow club.  Another consistent performer for the champions since he joined them has been ex-Fulham player Steven Davis.  The Irish international playmaker was in fine form in the last encounter at Ibrox in the first half before Inverness managed to stifle his surges forward.  With Papac and Edu struggling for fitness it looks as though Kyle Hutton could continue to help out.

tm4tj Prediction

With the home form causing concern, this could be a difficult one to predict.  Rangers look to be heading towards another SPL title while Inverness will be looking to stay in the top six for the first time.  With Terry Butcher stating his allegiance to Inverness for the immediate future, this should give the players and fans a lift and hopefully keep the home form on the right track.  Defeat would not be a disaster given ICT's solid start to the season, but we are capable of taking something from this one.  An unchanged and willing squad will give everything for the cause and I am going to take the soft option and go for a scoring draw.

I will also predict that Mark Wright will not be invited into hospitality after his claims last week against the good name of ICT fans; on yer bike Essex boy.

***Latest News***

Inverness look set to start with same side that drew 2-2 at Celtic to keep the undefeated away league record going.  David Proctor has gone from 'bambi' to bovine.  He has been receiving calfs blood injections in an effort to finally clear up his recurring hamstring problems.  Gillet, Innes and loan star McCann also miss this one.

Rangers have doubts over Edu, Lafferty and Papac, although Papac will return to the squad after suffering concussion against Hibs.  He has been having headaches since the 3-0 defeat; I'm no surprised.  Bougherra came through the game in Turkey without any reaction, and Whittaker looks set to take over from Foster, should Smith decide to change it.

Hamilton v Hibs game now off due to pitch deemed unplayable at New Douglas Park.

Craig Brown and Archie Knox look set to be announced as new Aberdeen management team after they resigned from their position at Motherwell.

Killies Russian born midfielder Alexei Eremenko has won the SPL player of the month award for November.  The impressive Eremenko has shown excellent distribution skills and is highly rated down Kilmarnock way.  He is on loan from Ukranian club FC Metalist Kharkiv, via Finnish club FF Jaro.