League Cup derby
After their dismal performance in the Premiership at the weekend, Inverness take on Ross County in the League Cup quarter final on Tuesday night and the fans will be hoping for some entertainment in this tie to make up for the non event against St Johnstone.
County will go in to this game as favourites given their current status in the league and Inverness' continued struggle against injuries this season. Both sides had poor results on Saturday with Inverness failing to turn up against St Johnstone and losing to a last minute penalty. County had a tougher task at Tynecastle and lost 2-0 to Hearts. There were some similarities in these defeats. Both sides lost against ten men and both sides played poorly. Inverness could not muster one decent attempt but County at least forced the Hearts keeper to work harder.
I would like to put the last couple of results down to misfortune, but it's beginning to look a bit deeper than that as we have struggled to create much of note in 180 minutes of football. That's a worry for the fans as we pass the ball around the back line but our inability to open up defences is becoming quite alarming. Miles Storey looked a forlorn figure as he was bereft of supply, and the worrying thing is that won't encourage him to stay here longer than he needs to.
We will be better known as Injuries R Us after this season. Our sick list is still the envy of most hospitals and it is crippling our ability to perform at a high level. With enough players out to field another team we will do well to sustain any interest in this competition beyond this round and our league position will remain in doubt until we get sufficient players back on the park. Ross Draper is still doubtful to add to the woes and that was an area of the park that we never got to grip with against St Johnstone.
Jim McIntyre will have virtually an unchanged squad to choose from. That means that Scott Fox is still out along with midfielder Rocco Quinn.
tm4tj prediction:- I know the Highlands are still ours at the moment after our recent derby win, but that just papered over the cracks. Defeats by Kilmarnock and St Johnstone have shown us up as relegation candidates at the moment and unless we can get more bodies back in action I don't see that changing overnight. Liam Boyce will be the main threat to our defenders and although they lost the last derby, they certainly created enough to suggest that they will not be overawed in this encounter. I can't see past an away win and County into the next round. I'll be pleasantly surprised if we get through, but we have a long way to go to get back to full strength. Worrying times indeed and the need for the club to get a manager tied to a contract is unsettling everybody.
I'm afraid it's all doom and gloom for the immediate future, but it's wonderful what a derby win can do for your confidence. Here's hoping.
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