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  • RossP
    RossP

    Inverness CT v Dundee United - SPFL

      Teaser Paragraph:

    Bring along a friend for a fiver

     

     

    A tough home fixture this weekend as Inverness prepare to face the Arabs in what promises to be an entertaining game for only a fiver (if you have a friend). They are the second top scorers in the division although they have conceded four more than Inverness. Based on that we should be looking at goals this Saturday.

    Dundee United can be a handful when they are in full flow as we have witnessed before, circa the 0-5 cup thrashing meted out less than a year ago. On closer inspection, we shot ourselves in the foot that day with some comedy defending and ended the game with nine men. Not a good idea playing the free scoring United. Strangely enough, Willie Collum was referee that day as well, he was the man in the middle last weekend where he booked eight and sent off Ryan Christie. We are spared that ignominy against United as Kevin Clancy is the man in charge come 3:00pm on Saturday. Let's hope he allows the game to flow better than the stop start affair last weekend and the fans can enjoy a footballing extravaganza instead of an ego trip for the man in the middle. He has not refereed us yet this season, but he did dish out seven yellow cards last Friday in the Hamilton Aberdeen game.

    Ach well, you pays your money, you takes your chance!

     

    As the heading says, bring along a friend for a fiver. Here's a wee fun quiz ahead of the Arabfest...........

     



    RossP has scoured the internet and has scribed this preview for us

     

    It’s second against third this weekend, with both teams keen to catch Hamilton Accies who are currently marching towards Champions League football in style. There will be plenty of interest in this game from fans and media alike, but unfortunately it’ll be due to the front page stories that have this week clouded Dundee United’s solid start to the season. I will avoid talking about those issues though by focusing on the game in hand. Inverness will look to attack from the very start, to strike a blow to United’s good form and keep pundits talking about how we are punching above our weight. A win would also give us some revenge for United knocking us out of the Scottish Cup last season.

     

    Previous meetings/current form

    As a betting man, I’ll be putting my money on there being goals in this game. In the last 27 meetings between the sides there has only been one 0-0 draw, with 15 of those games having both teams scoring. United are currently the second highest scorers in the division with goals being spread around the team, indicating that it will be a tough ask to get a clean sheet. Despite their lofty position in the league table, their players and fans have spoken openly about the below par performances that they are putting on the pitch. Their recent 1-0 win at home to Partick Thistle was a particular worry for the team, where they were very fortunate to escape with three points. Both teams flooded their midfield which perhaps nullified any creative, free flowing football and that unfortunately could be the order of the day on Saturday as well, given our likely formation.

     

    Inverness have also been inconsistent with performances since our fantastic early season form dipped. A defeat to Aberdeen and draw to Ross County preceded last weekend’s 1-0 win away to a toothless St Mirren. We were perhaps unlucky not to be further ahead at the break with several chances dropping to a hardworking (but currently goal shy) Billy Mckay. The second half saw one of our best defensive displays, with the organised two banks of four restricting the Buddies to wayward long range efforts. That result was essential considering the magnitude of getting results from this weekend’s game and our next game against Celtic.

     

    Dangermen

    Nadir Ciftci  is a player who likes to take a game by the scruff of the neck to influence it… just ask Graeme Shinnie in last year’s League Cup win! There is plenty of evidence to suggest he is a player who could be perceived as lazy or petulant, but the moments of brilliance he’s shown on the pitch since joining in 2013 have lit up the SPFL. His close control and ability to hold the ball up as a lone striker has allowed United to play with a very attacking midfield who are all capable of scoring goals. Highland lads Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay Steven are offered a lot of space when Ciftci is marked closely and with Chris Erskine and Ryan Dow, they have contributed to most of their team’s goals in recent seasons.

     

    John Rankin in between his jobs as a Herbalife salesman, PFA Scotland chairman and football commentator has been outstanding with Paul Paton at the centre of Dundee United’s midfield. As an ex-Inverness and Ross County player we are well aware of his abilities to spread play quickly up the pitch, in addition to being able to score the odd spectacular long range effort, but it has been in his latter years that his defensive abilities have shone. ‘Mopping up’ in front of his defenders and giving the ball to the more attacking players ahead of him has given his team a counter attacking, direct style that has suited their blend of pace and skill. He will be operating in the area of the pitch that Ryan Christie would have played, so perhaps Hughes will consider going with a two man attack to either move Rankin further back or give him licence to wander further forward, which would then create spaces for us to utilise.

     

    Latest team news

    Inverness Caledonian Thistle like last previous weeks are only missing club captain Richie Foran through injury. This weekend will see Ryan Christie and Ross Draper miss out however, due to suspension. John Hughes will have plenty to ponder over who to utilise to replace the creativity of the former and the battling qualities of the latter. I would like to see Vincent or Polworth brought into the Draper position – however I fully expect Hughes to move Williams or Shinnie into that role, perhaps in an effort to match the running of Stuart Armstrong. I have longed for a return to the side for local lad Nick Ross who is one of the best passers in the team and Saturday’s game provides an excellent opportunity for him to have an impact. Again though, I anticipate Hughes moving one of our wider players, like Doran, into the Christie role. ***Update on availability is that Ross Draper has not quite passed the bookings threshold, not for the want of trying some might say, but he will be available for selection this weekend.

     

    Dundee United are hopeful that Hull City loanee Conor Townsend, John Souttar and Mario Balati will all return to the squad following injury layoffs. Paul Paton and Mark Wilson have both been ruled out whilst the club carries out an internal investigation into their recent off the pitch antics. At least Stuart Armstrong is getting some practice for the law degree that he is currently studying…

     

     

    RossP Prediction: For ICT to get anything from this game we are going to have to put on one of our strongest defensive performances of the season. The direct running of Dow, GMS, Armstrong and Ciftci is one of the league’s most prolific attacking forces and will provide a strong test for the likes of Raven and Shinnie, who have struggled with similar attacking style recently against Partick Thistle. This may be the game that Hughes changes our formation to a 4-4-2, to force the Dundee United defence of former ICT trialist Callum Morris and recent signing Jarosław Fojut deeper than they would like to be. I would like to see us pepper Radosław Cierniak’s goal with shots and crosses, as it will be through his poor handling that we will have our greatest opportunity to score. Polworth and Tansey are vital to this tactic with their long range shooting accuracy and I could see Billy Mckay getting back on the goal trail tapping home any scraps in the box. In terms of a result, I can see us being backed into the ropes for much of the game, but should we get the first goal I can see that being a big body blow to Dundee United’s chances of getting back into the game – hence my prediction of a 2-1 win with us conceding from an attack late on in the lane. Game, I mean game.  




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