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pffff hey immortal cowbender , you're a real keyboard warrior show some respect dude

Yes, Yes - I feckin knew that - and it is unfortunate that I am a wee bit under scrutiny at the mo - as I have a feckin great reply but will resist !!

Interesting. Similar to the system that Argentina played in the World Cup. It can only work for us if we have a genuine playmaker to link between the defensive midfielders and the strikers. I haven't seen Blumenshtein so i don't know if he's that type of player. Eric certainly isn't. If he plays behind Rooney this season then it will be to chase long balls and flick-ons. Has anything happened in pre-season to suggest that we won't be playing 4-2-3-1 again? It's the sensible choice and the fact that Butcher hasn't bought a striker is telling. I think our 4-2-3-1 will look a lot like 4-6-0 in the SPL. There will be a lot of long balls and lot of moaning on here. Anyway, nice shape, Renegade - keep them coming. Yes Renegade is learning !! TBH Cox has become much more of a playmaker this season and in the games that I have watched it has been very encouraging that both Cox and Duncan have been using the short, easy pass in the middle of the park but Cox especially looking to ping out balls wide - which is the ploy that we need when Foran and Hayes return. The only problem with Renegade's team is Royster. Again I can see a certain degree of reasoning for todays games but not fer the future. The only person that I have misgivings about is Mccann as I feel that Proctor and even Rosscoe are better choices. That may be a bit harsh as I have only seen him as he was fitting in but he looks one paced to my seasoned eye !! As a few posters have noted - and I wholly agree - Gil is not a winger or a wide player - when he played off Sutherland he looked a real threat. But I can see the TB logic in trying him wide left as he is not the lazy Johnny Foreigner type - Gil is only too willing to track back and to tackle and to look for the easy ball. We really dont have anybody like that. But Gil gets the ball and almost immediately - and probably naturally - attempts to come inside on his right foot. There is no way that Eric can play that role and he does appear to be the favoured TB choice at the mo. But I also agree with you that Eric is not the real deal and he is too reliant on the hoof and pace whereas Gil has the positional sense, movement and touch. I would love to see how he would fare if he was paired with rooney and with Hayes and Foran on the flanks. As for the apparent Moderator exasperations - I would have felt that it was the usual annoying wind up - (obviously worked!!) - but the game is today and then it will be all over - Censure yesterday was a bit like looking forward to having sprouts with your Xmas dinner - only to be informed on Xmas Eve that you are having brocolli instead. :_header:

A pretty scary report and any Falkirk fans reading it must be crossing everything and praying to every God that they can 'do a Caley' this season... I'd imagine the majority of SFL clubs don't even dream of reaching the SPL any more as they are struggling to operate at their own level. The only way I can see the professional game surviving in this country is for the SPL to expand to 16 sides. If you add Falkirk, Dundee, Dunfermline and one from Partick, County and Queen of the South to the SPL mix and you probably have all the clubs in Scotland who can realistically survive as full time operations.

Agreed their fans were superb, our goal was well executed as you describe however the initial pass from Russell Duncan through to Ritchie was worthy of a goal. As for Eric, he has been immense in his substitute outings these last two saturdays and in my opinion could be a real surprise package for us in the SPL this year. Bring it on, I'm really looking forward to the new season and think there is nothing to fear in the Premier division.

As mentioned numerous times, the Antwerp fans were brilliant. Great moment to see the four kilted fans complete with Scottish wigs parade along the front of the main stand, and on passing the away dugout,(Antwerp), gesticulated to the coach in a manner which we all regognised, the familiar welcome to Scotland from ra boys an'at. Decent game, better than the style clash on Tuesday and a draw just about right. We probably just shaded it although the goal apiece was fair do's. Slack marking at the far post allowed a free header and questions will be asked. Where were Gillet and/or Proc. Goal was well taken though by Kevin Oris. The man of the match for me was either Eric or Foran. They did more in the few minutes that they were on the pitch than Ross, Bloomy and Sanchez have done in two games. Our equaliser can be described in three touches since Richie Foran enters the arena almost under cover. 1st Touch..........Foran skins the defender. 2nd Touch..........Foran gets scythed down. 3rd Touch..........Foran sends keeper the wrong way, perfect introduction to the game. Esson had one tremondous reflex save from a Proctor sliced block! Eric has looked electric in the last two games and must be a shoe in for the SPL opener. Rossco was once again superb. McCann and Gillet accomplished. Proctor living the dream. Rocky Cox and Rocky Duncan are as tough as they get in the engine room. Rooney once again ploughed his lone furrow to no avail, but once again the wide boys disappointed. Sanchez, Bloomy and Ross did not set the heather on fire although Ross did put in an industrious shift. What a difference when Eric and Foran came on, and young Shane Sutherland, he brought out an acrobatic save from the Belgian's keeper Kevin Wauthy. Foran threaded through a number of inch perfect passes for Eric to run onto and with a bit more luck might have produced a goal. Some long balls and some neat play, some of the long balls being almost Mannesque by definition, popped over the top for the strikers to run onto, others were threaded through the eye of a bent needle by the brilliance of Richie Foran. So, talking points of the day were the FANtastic and vocal Antwerp support who put our pretend support to shame and Richie Foran, one of the main reasons we were promoted.

I didn't think these two contributed much this afternoon. Correction.... I don't think they contributed anything this afternoon. despite doing little in the first half I think Blumanshtein played better in the second half and had some very good set pieces however want to see a lot more from him. I think it'll take him a while to get used to our system and whats being asked of him Sanchez was pretty anonymous today but i think that is because he's not a wide player.

County 0-2 up and Dundee down to 9 men....

Game a lot more open in second half Run from Rooney from out wide. Beat defender but shot straight at keeper Antwerp still making noise Antwerp just score. No 10. Free header from a corner. Poor marking. 0-1 Antwerp

Straight swap. Odi playing in hole Gil has looked a lot better second half. Good run, beat his man and exceptional pass for Odi through one on one but touch is too heavy.

County 0-1 up

How fitting and nice that this is the first thread in a very long time that there is almost unity between the posts. I agree with all of what is said. I really dont think that Roy will get a regular run in the team but he would be on my bench every week. I too would have blooded him as a left back a long time ago and if Gillet does not come up to standard or falls injured - McBain would be my first choice. Respect to Royster. :_thumbup:

Hi Highlanders (How I love that part of Schotland :021: ) I'm one of the hundreds, not to come over to Iverness this year (**** the job!) We've got a generally young team to play against (numeral 22 years old!) Especially have an eye at number 2 (central defender and black one), he's not technical very good, but he's very good in heading duels. His name is Thomas Phibel. Watch him! Our first supps did arrived normaly yesterday, so don't get nervous about them ( they could be a little bit noisy :107: ! I hope our team,R.A.F.C., and supps, gets a good result at your ground and it'll be a very fairy and a very good lead up to the next season :022: ! Cheers mates!!!:_thumbup:

What utter nonsense!! I take it you've never seen Foran and Hayes playing before? These guys are very talented players. They are the types of player who will win matches for their team irrespective of their "match fitness". If TB leaves these two out for the Celtic game, citing lack of match fitness as a reason, then he's a bl0ody idiot. Foran took precisely 60 seconds today to blast the lack of match fitness theory right out the window. Jonny Hayes is also more than capable of doing the exact same thing.

Maybe they should give you the job, English obviously isn't your first language...

No chance of that happening, he's hopeless now!

The team shown is for 2009/10. He's definitely there. Montrose ALBA cup match report where Dennis got a brace. Complain to the club - call the Stadium and ask for Gonzo or Fozzy.

Let us not forget - The decision making of what particular group of individuals initially tore the club apart, lost the support of the fans and the players - and put us in a position half way through a season that made the prospect of relegation a present under our feckin Xmas trees - and did they have the humility to apologise - NO but they did attempt to project the blame and fall on the back of appointing the Messiah - a decision which was clearly influenced by the waving of hundreds of highland shoes in the outskirts of Glasgow. They may have improved and learned some lessons but Butcher and the players are the reason that we are where we are - I hope the SPL environment does not serve to highlight the muppetry of ICT again.

pffff hey immortal cowbender , you're a real keyboard warrior show some respect dude Hey I caught myself some raw Belgian fish.