Who needs summer football


The winter break has come and gone, we are still in second place, and what better way to kick off 2013 than a home game against Aberdeen.  Winter break, I hear you say.  It's been like the bloody Caribbean in Inverness this first week, T shirts at 10:00pm at night, almost like a girls night out in Geordie land.  It looks as though Michael Fish might be the SPL's meteorological advisor as the snow has arrived just in time for the restart of the footie season.

Mind you, the monotony of the mundane winter break was broken when Butcher almost went from Tinks to Tykes, but his heart ruled his head and he remains manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The January sales have seen Inverness sign on 20 year old Danny Devine after the Northern Irish defender was freed by parent club Fleetwood, and decided against extending his stay at Wrexham where he had been farmed out to for three months.

Aberdeen, have lost Andrew Considine for the season through injury.  The 25 year old defender broke his leg in the 3-1 victory over Dundee and has since undergone surgery.  Craig Brown has lost one player but welcomes back to training Ryan Jack from a similar injury.

Huddersfield Town are interested in Ryan Fraser, but not as interested as Bournemouth who look to be favourites for his signature. The young winger has had a magnificent season for the Dons since breaking into the squad on a regular basis and has earned the unwanted tag of the most fouled player in the SPL.

Since we last played the Dons five games ago, we have remained unbeaten gaining nine points during that run.  Wins over Hibs and Dundee, with draws against United, St Johnstone and St Mirren.  We also ended our run of scoring in every game this season, drawing a blank at Perth.  Aberdeen have seven points from six fixtures since then, beating Dundee and St Johnstone, but losing out to Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Hearts whilst drawing their last outing at home to the Arabs.  Aberdeen  have quietly gone about their business and have crept into fifth place in the SPL to sit just three points adrift of Inverness in second spot.

The Dons have potential match winners in Niall McGinn who has scored 14 league goals this season and none other than our very own ex-player Jonny Hayes who can produce something out of nothing to change a game. Joe Shaughnessy, the young Irish defender who has just been named young player of the month for December is enjoying a steady run in the side and has extended his contract until 2015.

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***Latest Team News***

Inverness defender Chris Hogg will resume full training on Monday after his lengthy lay off with a horrific knee injury that sidelined him for over a year. We just need to get Simon King fighting fit and that will be a clean bill of health for the squad. Josh Meekings has recovered and will rejoin the squad having missed the last two games.  Danny Devine could make the bench after his move North.  Jason Oswell has left the Inverness camp after making only two subs apearances for the Caley Jags, mainly due to the form of strikers Billy McKay and Andrew Shinnie.  Andy Shinnie has to make the next move in the contract talks with Inverness according to the manager.  A contract has been offered and Inverness await a decision from the Scotland international midfielder.

Aberdeen will be without Andrew Considine who has suffered a broken leg. Hughes, Milsom, and Osbourne are fit again and will be added to the squad, but Clark, Jack and Naismith will miss out.  Ryan Fraser has played his last game for the Dons after signing for Bournemouth on a three and a half year contract believed to be around £400K.  Good luck to the much fouled youngster who has a bright future ahead of him.

tm4tj Prediction:- It's hard to tell how teams react to these enforced lay-offs as it often disrupts the continuity of the performances.  We have slowed up a little in our last two games, coming from behind twice to draw with the Buddies in a tough Boxing Day spectacle, and a tense no scoring draw at Perth with Billy McKay drawing a blank in both games.  These games can be nervy affairs and neither side will want to lose ground in the race for best of the rest which has me leaning towards a goalless draw.  However, the Butcher bounce could tilt it in our favour and we might just sneak a narrow but welcome three points. 

:ictscarf: