Defence versus attack at the top of the table

A96 duty this Tuesday night for a 19:45 kick off at Pittodrie Stadium, home of the once famous Aberdeen Football Club.

There has been a resurgence this season though, and a Jonny Hayes inspired Dons find themselves sitting just one point behind Celtic in second spot with 24 points. We are doing not so bad ourselves, handily placed just two points behind Aberdeen.

Both clubs recorded excellent away wins last weekend. The Dons upstaging high flying Hibernian after Niall McGinn scored from a Hayes cross and Inverness recording their first SPL win at Parkhead thanks to a Billy McKay goal after good work by Phillip Roberts.

Goals have been at a premium in Aberdeen. Only seven goals in seven games for the Dons, that's a goal a game, but less than that have been scored by the opposition, a meagre six goals against shows what the Dons new found success is built upon. In our favour, we have averaged two goals per game on our travels, but conceded twelve in seven contests. Aberdeen have only one loss at home and that was a couple of weeks ago to Celtic, with four draws and two wins. Inverness only show one away defeat at the hands of our nemesis, Motherwell, and three wins and three draws.

The table is congested from first right down to the relegation spot before any significant gap is shown where Dundee are finding it difficult despite their recent relative successes. A win for any club could see them leap a few places in the league, similarly defeat can see you drop by three or four places. There is no margin for error this season.

***Latest Team News***

Inverness midfielder Ross Draper has been back training along with keeper Ryan Esson but neither player will be thrust into action unnecessarily ahead of the derby cup game at Dingwall next weekend. Nick Ross and Simon King are nearing returns, but Chris Hogg remains out and you can read the update on his road to recovery blog at http://chrishoggthefightback.blogspot.co.uk/

Aberdeen's Isaac Osbourne has been added to the injury list, and along with Clark Robertson, Ryan Fraser and Gavin Rae are unlikely to feature. Gary Naysmith, Stephen Hughes, Ryan Jack and Rob Milsom are all sidelined through injury.

tm4tj Prediction:- Predicting the unpredictable is not easy as has been demonstrated by our last two results, but this one has a more familiar ring to it and I am looking for us to continue our scoring streak and the possibility of taking a point looks like the best option, so that's a scoring draw for me, 1-1.

Mon the Caley Jags