starchief

I'd counted on us being 2nd as it was only Ross County we had the game in hand with.  Easy 3 points.  This is a disaster.

 

What about Farid El Alagui?  Fallen out of favour at Brentford apparently.  Proven goalscorer in Division One at Falkirk, and offers something to Mckay.  Don't know if he'd come here, but he'd be a good signing I think.

That's a good shout!

 

Can't see him being satisfied sitting on the bench, which is where he would be unless McKay is dropped (!) or a complete change in the formation that got us to 2nd (which is a risk that might be immediatley rescinded leaving one or other on the bench).

I agree with the conclusion (just not good enough anymore) but why is he a bigot?  The Celtic fans hate him as he was a Catholic that went to a Protestant side.  I can see bigotry in there but not from Novo's end.

Draw away to the Saints.  Decent but not incredible.

Terrible first half against the Dons, with an admirable 2nd.  Mixed.

1-0 loss to Celtic to an early goal. Well, they haven't lost all season.  I tend to take results against Celtic with a pinch of salt, be they a win, massive loss or draw.  They're out of everyone's league (...in a manner of speaking...).  No matter the result, it is completely up to how Celtic play.

Overall: bare pass to marginal fail.  Displays ability but loses concentration at times.  Shows the potential to do better.

I'd still like to see us bring Rory back.

No other striker is scoring 'coz none (quite rightly) get the chance.  Brining in another experienced striker means someone that costs more to sit on the bench...unless Billy is dropped.  In this form, no way!

I wonder about Raven in midfield?  He's a decent crosser, so having that passing ability along with his tackling strength might just work better than G.Shinnie in midfield.

We should win our game in hand (never guaranteed of course), so 2nd is still a realistic possibility all being equal.

Losing both Draper and Foran, along with Vincent was always going to be tough.  We could really do with one for the Celtic game.  Hope Yogi's got some tactics up his sleeve.  Don't think Celtic are particularly strong in any areas, nor especially weak.  Tough one to decide upon, although I suspect Hughes will not change anything.

 

Butcher's gone.  He left us.

 

(and we lost 4-0 to St Johnstone under his guidance - a much worse result than a draw with Aberdeen)

 

Hartley was nothing more than a possibility. Seems strange hero-worshipping someone with no connection to the club that gave no indication of a desire to be here.

 

I'm dubious about Hughes but I'll wait and see.

Oh right I'm a hero worshiper -look at Hartleys record as a player plus 25 caps for Scotland -back to back promotions -took Aberdeen to penalties and is in the top half of the championship with his part timers -yes he was my choice and I do think Hartley got cold feet after meeting the board .

 

So you start a thread on how great Hartley is and have him as an icon, yet he's never played for us and, according to your information, would probably have turned down an offer had it been forthcoming.  You would prefer ICT to offer Hartley the job so we could celebrate being turned down?  Where is the advantage in that?

I would have preferred Hartley too but my first choice was Jimmy Calderwood.  Given that he isn't and never has been the manager (or a player) for ICT, I'd find it a bit weird to have him as an icon and point out how much I like someone with no connection to the club.  Especially if I had information he didn't want to join us anyway.

I suspect there's a majority on here that doesn't expect great things from Yogi.  But this is the reality.  I hope he proves me wrong. I'd hope everyone with a liking for ICT does but I'm not too sure.

Butcher's gone.  He left us.

(and we lost 4-0 to St Johnstone under his guidance - a much worse result than a draw with Aberdeen)

Hartley was nothing more than a possibility. Seems strange hero-worshipping someone with no connection to the club that gave no indication of a desire to be here.

I'm dubious about Hughes but I'll wait and see.

 

 

Could not agree more -Hughes is an embarrassment and will set cally back years IMO -4 nill down to a team that could not beat or score against a championship side - writing is in the wall already .

And that team is currently above everyone but Celtic (inevitably) and Dundee United (via goal difference).  That's a ridiculous comment to pull out one bad result in a good season for Aberdeen.  Says more about you* than it does about the manager.

 

 

*as does the spelling of 'cally' - I find that suspicious.  There's something curious about your posts that tells me you have an agenda over and above simple success for ICT.

Eh I wish caley thistle nothing but success and for you to suggest anything else sums you up . This is an open forum so I'm allowed an opinion just like you are . The current league position is down to butcher and that's just a fact so get real and mark my words .

 

Why, what does it say about me? Only that I'm suspicious of the things you've said.  Here's some examples that just seem a bit weird to me....

Why do you still have a pic of Paul Hartley as your icon?  He's never played for ICT.  There was consideration for the manager's job but is that really a connection?  There's no guarantee he'd even accept that offer if it was forthcoming. You said yourself his staff said he'd dodged a bullet.  How do you know this? What did it mean?

It just strikes me as though there's an agenda beyond being a simple fan.

Could not agree more -Hughes is an embarrassment and will set cally back years IMO -4 nill down to a team that could not beat or score against a championship side - writing is in the wall already .

 

And that team is currently above everyone but Celtic (inevitably) and Dundee United (via goal difference).  That's a ridiculous comment to pull out one bad result in a good season for Aberdeen.  Says more about you* than it does about the manager.

*as does the spelling of 'cally' - I find that suspicious.  There's something curious about your posts that tells me you have an agenda over and above simple success for ICT.

I didn't want Hughes but can't we wait for him to fail, rather than constant sniping before this has happened.  After all, a number were expecting very poor things from Butcher but he proved them wrong.  There's no changing that Yogi is the manager in the short-term at least.  Let's give him the benefit of the doubt in the meantime.

Nah, it's Tim Sherwood

.....only kidding, that would be ridiculous.

Depends if he chooses right.  Rooney did well when he came on for Brum, yet never got a chance to prove himself.  I think he had a decent record at Brum and Swindon for someone who could only come off the bench.  6 first team starts, plus 12 subs = 4 goals at BC, then 11 starts, plus 18 subs = 9 at Swindon.  Considering some of the subs appearenaces would be for only a few minutes, he really deserved better.  Got to have a manager that believes in him.

Stuart MacDonald (the ex-Celtic striker) has got an inferior record and is no more a creative player than Adam, yet, because he cost more, he's still getting a chance in a good Championship club.  Connor Sammon the same.  Not a big name as an ex-Celt but cost a pretty penny and has a manager that believes in him.  Rooney really got a bum deal at Brum.  Mind you, he did get to experience the beauty spots of Ladywood and Swindon, so it's not all bad news!

Got to win this one and should do if you look at our positions.  Don't change a winning side is my mantra, so after the Dons result, time to get back to our best 11 (bar injury).

Brill

Raven   Meekings   Warren   Tremarco

Ross   Draper   Shinnie

Watkins (or Doran)

Agdestein   Mackay

Could even be a 4-4-2 as that would be a pretty fluid line-up.  Polworth would be an obvious choice to replace Foran but both Tremarco and Shinnie should be in the team, Ross is a more natural right-midfield than Liam and Draper has to play.  Just no room for Polworth for me.

Playing Watkins and Doran (or Greenhalgh if Watkins isn't available) might be a nice 4-3-3 but I'd like to see what a two up front can do.

I heard someone say on Radio Scotland, ask a Celtic fan who'd they rather have, Pukki or McKay?  Shows his value.

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

Ryan Esson!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan Esson!

Excellent, if surprising.  Would have stayed the #1 but for injury.  Could easily go somewhere else for first team playing.  Great we have a terrific back-up that can provide experience.

When will Hughes make wholesale changes to the side?!?!?  It's clear from the expert analyses that we have no chance of coming second or even third - that's obviously Dundee United and Aberdeen - so can we get rid of all our failing players to at least stand a chance of getting into the top six?

Ridiculous 'analysis' to ignore the team clearly in front.

Had to laugh at the Green Brigade describing themselves as 'non-sectarian' as they hold aloft a Bobby Sands/IRA tribute.

Having grown up thataway, I see no difference between Celtic and Rangers fans.  The club may have been more open, religion-wise (if religion is the word) but the supporters were still violent thugs, supporting paramilitaries.  Celtic were far behind Rangers in distancing themselves from that bigotry too.  Not saying the Gers stamped it out - quite obviously not.  But the calls against were much greater, mostly due to the Champions League and Murray having no truck with that background.

Considering we are only 2nd in the league, with a game in hand and on the verge of a cup final, with a chance in the other, I think it's time to ditch the current tactics and personnel.  It's clearly not working.

It would appear the Hartley camp coincide red him to have dodged a bullet .

Let's just leave it at that .

I have no idea what that means.

...which he does through the mysterious power of laying on hands.  Funny, I normally get a complete 180 degrees reaction

If it's true that Hartley didn't want to move up, then let's retitle this thread Alex Ferguson.  He would have been a great manager if only the board had been able to overlook his retirement.  If Hartley wasn't full-time, then it would not have worked.  Or are you seriously saying we should have allowed a manager to live four hours away and just come up occasionally?  Togetherness is at the heart of ICTs good run.  Not someone that didn't want to leave Glasgow (let's see what happens if England comes calling).

A draw away is a decent, if not great, result.  No need to be so negative already.