RiG

Hurrah! Someone else notices it! :001:

I wouldn't say I am a Niculae critic compared to one or two other posters on here but I can't fathom how he tried harder than anyone else on Saturday. One infuriating moment came when Proctor cut across goal from the right and was looking to shoot but Niculae stood right in front of him and ended up forcing Proctor even further wide before he lost the ball. Perhaps a simple communication issue?

We passed the ball? :017: :004:

This has to be sarcasm! We haven't played good football in a long while now.

Maybe playing behind the lone striker isn't his best position and he is most suited to playing on the right or indeed in the middle of the park like he did at County?

Does it feel good to have gotten that out? :003:

I don't see why. Who knows what he was reacting to. The substitution or the performance (team or personal). Only if people know then we could say "yeah he needs to sharpen up". If, for example, it was merely displeasure at the events of the game up until that point then I'd be a little surprised if someone like Black didn't shown their annoyance at how things had gone because that seems to be the player he is (though it might be better done in the dressing room.) However, if he was annoyed at being subbed and threw a hissy fit at being taken off then that is a different matter.

I mind when Motherwell destroyed us earlier this season, the one with Tokelys punch at McGarry, and Brewster claimed we produced some fantastic passing football. I wonder what he sees that the fans don't at times. Against Hibs recently we apparently created some excellent chances. I must've missed them because we really didn't test Makalamity as much as Brewster seemed to think we did. Otherwise we would have won!

Okay he threw it to someone then. I have no idea who the person was. Could have been the water boy for all I know about what ICT coaching staff look like. I could see him throw his shirt to the ground/doctor from the North Stand. The doctor then picked it up and attempted to give it back to him. Black shrugged him off and continued down the tunnel. After that I have no idea what happened but at least the chronology of events is clearer.

You tell me. He didn't seem to be much of a problem to certain posters when we were on a good run in November/December.

He had already taken his top off by the time he had gone off the pitch. He then threw it to the ground/kitman who then tried to give it back as he started to walk down the tunnel but Black shrugged him off.

Do you have a link to this out of interest? I can accept that managers will defend players but surely Brewster cannot defend some of the mince that has been on show recently? Fact is, after yesterdays result, we are, on current form, the worst team in the league. 8 points from 33 or something like that? Horrible stuff.

Patti - 7? :010:

Just watched the highlights. First one reflects badly on Fraser who started to come but then stopped and then couldn't make up his mind. Second goal was simply fantastic play from Nade. Third showed the short back pass from Black and then a wee bit of ping pong football between Fraser, Munro and a Hearts player before Elliot lofted the ball over Fraser.

Not a chance. I don't think there was anyone ICT player significantly superior than another one yesterday. I think it's because certain posters persist in bringing into every discussion on the forum.

Think I mentioned that to jay_7 yesterday. It is surprising just how little pace we have in our team. Rankin wasn't exactly blistering but he could certainly "scamper". The XI that took the filed yesterday wouldn't fare to well over 100m I wouldn't have thought. As players like Agathe showed if you have pace you can be mince at a lot of other things as your speed buys you a few extra seconds in the game.

1) That's highly debatable indeed. Our best player this season has easily been Cowie and I would agree with you regarding that but I really don't think Duncan has been the 2nd best. I would say perhaps Fraser. But that's overall. Even in terms of midfielders I would actually put Rankin ahead of him despite him not even being at ICT any more. 2) I don't think a single ICT player was "far better than anyone" especially in the example you give. 3) :015: Aye you're quite right. Thank God Duncan never backchats with refs and collects bookings for dissent and has to be hauled away by team mates! 4) :015: His reading of the game isn't that good with yesterdays hilariously late lunge at Nade exemplifying this. Would have been hysterical if he had made contact. Nade would have landed in the Moray Firth.

Very much so. Particularly the 2nd. It was an excellent goal. Stewart is rubbish. He wouldn't have added much more to the Hearts team. Where has Kingston been?

Not listened to the post match comments but the following is on the BBC site. Seems fair enough. *click*

Some decent noise indeed early on :003: Don't blame you for being more subdued later on though!

Niculae had pushed the ball between 2 defenders and out of his reach. He was never going to get it and tumbled to the ground in an over dramatic fashion. I don't think it was a penalty but if Freeland was thinking about it then he was put off by Niculaes dying swan actions.

I thought against Hibs it was more 4 - 4 - 1 - 1? I would like to see Cowie go back to the right where he has been so effective for us this season. Not sure he does it as well playing behind the striker.

Elliot hadn't scored a goal in a league game in 2 years before yesterday and Nade has been atrocious all season. Yet they were made to look world class against us :007:

I just don't think some posters are surprised. Prior to the game yesterday we were the 2nd worst form team in the division. Gretna were better than us for goodness sake with only the form of Kilmarnock being worse than our own. Personally, while I thought we had a chance against Hearts, after going a couple of goals down there was no way we would get back into it. Too many of the same mistakes are being made and I personally think a couple of key players are being played out of position. Furthermore, with one or two players who were key to our earlier good run frozen out or transferred, we don't have access to the same "weaponry" that allowed us to go on such a good run.

I think we are on the same wavelength here Chris.