Leaderboard

I think he's much like the signings we made in the summer of 2017 (Ellsdon, Zschuschan et al), just signed to fill a spot in the squad. Our recruitment this summer was rushed, probably because our budgets weren't set until very late and there was uncertainty around the manager. It's obvious that if we hadn't made the cup final then Dodds wouldn't have been given a new deal and even though he was he was on a shoogly peg. The recruitment in the last few years has been really poor, espeically permanent signings. Since 2021 here are all the players we've signed permanently: Anthony MacDonald, Michael Gardyne, Tom Walsh, Manny Duku, Billy Mckay, Kirk Broadfoot, Austin Samuels, Max Ram, Steven Boyd, Nathan Shaw, George Oakley, Zak Delaney, Ryan Barrett, Jake Davidson, Charlie Gilmour, Adam Brooks, Luis Longstaff, David Wotherspoon, Harry Lodovica, Cillian Sheridan. Of those how many have been our best players? How many have even been regular starters? Billy Mckay and Nathan Shaw are probably the only two who fit both criteria. Wotherspoon as well but he's on a very short term deal and will be away soon. I think Gilmour looks pretty good but none of the others we've signed who are still at the club look like the sort of guys who are first on the team sheet. We have had some success in the loan market - Max Anderson and Morgan Boyes seem like good additions this year and Jay Henderson, Daniel Mckay, Logan Chalmers and Sam pearson were all decent. Overall we need a complete reset in how we bring in players.

Actually it was a quite a happy bus home with a lot of laughs! We forgot about the result, had our quizmaster extraordinaire with his footie questions, then a singsong. Home before 10pm so - all ready for Ayr on Saturday - we are nothing if not resilient!

Ayr away game on Saturday is crucial (as they all are to be fair) but if we lose that....we have the Arabs [H] and Raith [A] to follow. As it stands and judging by current form, I think we're looking at three straight defeats. If we do manage to kidnap good players to come and play for Inverness CT I doubt there will be much time for them to settle in. No doubt in my mind that this is a battle for survival and not just the Championship.

Boy we are a mess and the blame lies with Robbo/Dodds they signed these players but Board are also responsible letting them do so for so long .We have to give Dunc a fair chance and pray he can save this season because that is where we are is all about survival in this league . Worrying times and attendances will only keep falling with that displays

He was getting pelters from the away fans at various points in the game. Can't really complain when he gives a little back.

I get the doom and gloom, and have been critical of our recent performances. But let’s turn the clock back to 26 September. We were bottom of the league with 1 point from 6 games and had failed miserably in the League Cup and Challenge Cup. Fast forward to 3 January. We’ve climbed to 8th place and have 18 points from 19 games, with Big Dunc having got 17 points from 13 games. There is progress, but not as much as we’d all have liked, but where would we be now if we’d not brought him in? This season is now all about survival in this league and hopefully laying foundations for a successful 2024/25 campaign. A bit of a run in the Scottish Cup would be a welcome bonus. We need to see who we can bring in this month and the impact they have. We may see some players depart and probably a lot will leave in the summer with a large part of the squad out of contract then. We will start to see what the Manager can bring to the club as the squad changes and hopefully we see enough positive signs to give us confidence we are on the right lines, and that we can build a competitive squad during the close season. It is early days but we also need to see improved performances on the pitch, much more intent when attacking, and good results that ease the current relegation worries.

Was it just coincidence that Welsh started and Mckay didn't, but that when Welsh was subbed at HT, Mckay just happens to be brought on as a replacement for Davidson at the same time? Are there some issues around the captaincy? We are in desperate need of good leadership on the park. Regardless of whether we can bring in 2 or 3 new players, the key thing is to get to the current squad to play with greater purpose and cohesion. A good captain will be an example on the park and will demand the appropriate response from his team-mates. I'm not seeing any real leadership on the park this season and that needs to change.

That starting line-up feels like the manager was sending a message to the board. Very much a subtext of 'look at what i have to work with, sort it out'.

I’m disappointed in Toddy - he was a favourite in Inverness but his behaviour in front of the Inverness fans today, he let himself down. There was no need. Boooo

Ayr will be getting a few pelters for getting beat 3-0 by Morton. Would imagine they will be well fired up (to use an Ayrshire phrase) for Saturday. So all players at ICT will be required to step up and produce a good performance; more fired up than them. Re the Airdrie game: it’s not a good look trying to keep it tight and play other formations to then lose 2-0 . If you get away with your point or more fair enough but we all probably knew where it was heading as the g@me progressed. As the old saying goes the games come around quick so we have another go Saturday so let’s actually have a GO- fortune favours the brave…

Looking at our squad and likely starters, Carson is the most vocal and tries to motivate others. Devine is probably next. I like Welsh but he comes across as quite quiet on and off the park, and it is hard for a goalie or striker to be captain as they are not close to a lot of the action areas. Assuming there are no issues behind the scenes around the captaincy (I had assumed Mckay was simply standing in due to Welsh’s absence, whilst Devine seemed next in line if neither Welsh nor Mckay was starting) I’d give the position to Carson.

It was striking that in his interview before last nights game, he was talking about having already identified some players he wants to bring in and hoping the club will support him. If specific players have been identified, you would have thought that he would have informed the club of that and that the club would have told him whether or not he had their support. Even if no specific players had been identified, he should know the financial limit he has to work with. It sounds to me as though the players Dunc wants to bring in will cost more than the club have told them is available. It reminds me of the demands Yogi put on the club regarding new players and extended contracts for players he wanted to keep. Blinded by the euphoria of the Scottish Cup win, the club overstretched itself in meeting Yogi's demands. That debacle created a serious black hole in the club's finances from which, years later, we have still not even started to recover. I would like to think that the club have identified some funding which will help in strengthening the team and that the manager is accepting of what he has been told is available. I suspect the reality may be somewhat different.

I said it last week and still think that the saying 'Making a silk purse out of a sows ear' covers our problems.Realistically,we have no stand out stars in our team,we have men who are trying their best most of the time. Other than Spoony who have we got that we can rely on to lead the way? Mackay,Welsh,Devine,Carson maybe but thereafter alas... Shaw is at his best on the wing,running down the channel.Udjur is steady but really our recruitment over the years has come home to roost and we have the problem of playing in the championship 100 miles north of Perth,so who,being half decent wants to come.Somehow we have to make the prospect of playing for ICT more attractive and I thought the prospect of playing for big Dunc was a start.

Wotherspoon’s contract expires in mid January (the 14th has been mentioned) so it is likely Sheridan’s is the same. It is notable he has not got on the pitch in recent matches so it looks like he will be away when the contract expires.

I think Todorov's reactions were fair enough given the X-rated dog's abuse he was getting from the choir, and you could argue he was being respectful when he was subbed.

Anyone have a monkey why Sheridan was still in the teamsheet? Thought his contract was done with the bells? I beg we haven't signed him on til July or else we're done for

At this rate it will be automatic relegation! Wtf is playing without a striker all about ? Being a striker himself that should be 1 area he knows about . Substitutions and timing of them 2 can also be bewildering at times . As fir being sent off yet again . Things are bad enough without you being in the stands again . Personally want DF to do well so come on sort it out Big Dunc !

Only a couple of months until I next see the Peatbogs....

Two great performances by Scottish bands tonight. Tide Lines rocked it on BBC Alba and Skerryvore were as good on BBC Scotland. We’ve also watched both episodes of the Hoolie on BBC Alba tonight with great tributes to Runrig from those involved. Makes you proud to be Scottish.

I was up at the back of the stadium and well away from the “choir” so wasn’t aware of the abuse directed at Toddy. I was surprised at his reaction but now understand it. Incidentally I was nearly knocked to the ground by two members of the “choir” as they rushed out of the doors after the final whistle, only my walking stick stopped me from falling.

Hopefully Lodivica and Sheridan are on the way out. The more I think about the Lodivica signing the more bizarre I find it. I'd be suspicious that it's part of some kind of fraudulent scheme. He was hopeless on trial and had just signed for a new club yet we persevered with it anyway. Truly odd.

A long journey on the bus home tonight Lizi, not a happy bus