starchief

Five minutes to go, 2 goals to get, a penalty box striker finally comes on. Way too negative. Had to twist, rather than stick. Always Smith's problem.

Just crazy Smith still hasn't thought of bringing on a natural goalscorer like Healy. Instead, he'd rather push Bougherra up 'just in case' he's needed in defence. You're going out man! Have some risk about you. Lizi - you don't need to be a Rangers fan to want the Scottish team to win in Europe.

Rangers need to change it in the 2nd half. Two goals needed. Bet Walter will still play it tight. I'd haul off Edu (never been a fan) and Foster for Diouf and Naismith. Healy would also be on after 15 mins for Wylde probably if they don't get an early goal. I expect Smith to bring on Diouf for Foster or Wylde, then with about 10 mins to go, still 1-0 down, another sub, then be content at only losing 1-0/drawing 1-1, rather than the all-or-nothing it is.

Remember you can listen online via http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6305553.stm (just search for BBC Sportsound) I'm guessing Esson Duff - Tokely - Hogg - Munro Ross - Duncan - Cox - Foran Rooney - Sutherland Wonder if there's any tactical tricks. Doesn't sound like we've taken much account of Celtic's strength if not. Mind you, if we can get at them, they might crumble. Let's hope.

These are the kind of posts I'd like to see more of (even when I don't totally agree - don't think Hayes and Doran can track back enough, even when 100% fit).

I meant Foran instead of Sutherland. Dunno why I didn't put it?

I know most fans won't like it but it's long ball time - not through desperation though. Izaguirre and Wilson are both good full-backs, so can't expect too much from them. The odd break. Players like Brown, Kayal and Commons are good players, so we really need to hang back there. Where we can move is, especially with Majstorovic out, muscling in on, presumably Rogne and Mulgrew. They can batter them into submission. I'd play 4-3-1-2: Tuffey Tokely - Hogg - Innes/Munro - Gillet/Munro Duff - Cox - Duncan Hayes (free role) Rooney - Sutherland The midfield 3 to protect. Get it up to the front two via long ball. Hayes picking up the stray ball and running at the defence, wherever he feels comfortable. All going to plan, then Doran replaces Hayes after an hour.

a lot of aid is buying influence and future investments, whether that's in Libya, China or Japan. The UK has cut back substantially on just giving money (in fact, it's near impossible for most companies/charities) but will provide funds for humanitarian project work (such as those listed by DoofersDad). Political aid would be a better term as politics is at the heart of UK aid*. Don't think we send money as a government and get nothing in return. That's charitable aid (which isn't entirely divorced from politics either). Political aid / charitable aid - both very different things. Diferent reasons, different sources, different outcomes. *which IMO isn't necessarily a bad thing

McGregor Caldwell Hutton - Berra - McManus - Bardsley Morrison - Fletcher - Adam Commons Miller I think Brown and Fletcher are too similar to play together - it's one or t'other. Dorrans and Bannan could easily come in for either Morrison and Adam. Not a lot in it. I've put in a back 5 as I think the FBs are best bombing forward and not getting too wrapped in their defensive duties. Whittaker could do well in that system too. Up front is easily the toughest. I wouldn't have had Commons in there normally but he's doing well. We'll see what happens in a few months time. I don't think we have a striker that's anywhere near world class. Steven Fletcher's been fairly poor this season, so it has to be Miller for having his best season.

You mean the guy who was captain of Hibs then the SPL player-of-the-year when Celtic won the title. Same player that got a lot of plaudits during their Champions League run, only to become captain of EPL club Wigan when he left. Yeah, must be a really terrible player... I guess you're basing it on Tony Mowbray's run, where the central defence was left to fend for themselves with no midfield support, so that Celtic could become 'the new Barcelona'. Name a single defender that did play well for Mowbray?

I think that would go down very well, especially with no Doran next season.

Pele for me (err, not the Brazilian one). Under Baltacha or some other been there/done it, lower SFL-happy manager, we could easily have become a Stirling Albion, continually rooting around the lower reaches. I think Steve did wonders on local players, cast-offs and inspired punts. On the field, Paterson changed us into something bigger and better than most of us had hoped. Better still, Steve and Jock shaking hands. On and off the field, they gave birth to an ICT team with ambition.

Doesn't look like a good result at first glance but I think it is. I agree with Wanderer. Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Dundee United are going to be top 4. DU were only behind as they had so many games in hand. Sure they probably won't win them all but don't see them stumbling enough to be out of the top 6. Killie won't last the season, whilst Motherwell are finding their feet. Any top 6 ambitions will come from them. And if we finish above Aberdeen, that's been an amazing season.

I'm sure you say that every year about Tokely. From what I see and read, he doesn't appear to be as criticised as Proctor, Duff, Munro or Innes. So, another year for me. IIRC, he's already got another year as his contract was for 1 year + another if he played enough games (which I'm sure he will). No particular desire for Odi to remain, Gil needs to do something special when he comes back to prove himself. Let's hope he does but it's not looking great. As for Sanchez, probably, but depends on who else we can get. As long as Gillet can recover, definitely another contract.

What a loathsome man. Take your pick. Either of them will do. Season-long bans all round.

Wasn't Duff tried at LB a couple of weeks ago but was so poor, he lasted half an hour. I don't see that back four as any better (and probably not any worse) as the back 4 picked.

We might not have a regular RB, but Tokely, Proctor, Duff and, when he was at Leicester, Cox can all play that position. Merits can be debated but I can't say it's a problem position. Certainly no worse than van Zanten at StM or Hay at Killie, for instance. Golly and McBain though... Not too sure what's going on there. Obvious players for the problem LB position, so dunno why they're not being played. Maybe they're on a lower wage than would be expected but the Board thinks their experience is vital to bringing on youngsters. Almost P/T coaches I guess. Pure speculation mind you.

Having either Gillet or Shinnie back would help in the LB position Munro is getting slated for. Presumably Golly's just not got it anymore for Munro to have to get back there. Can't blame Butcher for that. How many players can we have for one position? We don't have a top six central midfielder. They're difficult to find. Duncan, Cox, Duff, Ross, Sanchez, Blumanshtein - all bottom six/SFL1, in my opinion (some hope for Ross mind you). Butcher's fault? I don't see how. I'm sure he'd love one. It's been the missing piece of the jigsaw since Black left, but where could we find a ready made replacement for no fee and low wages? Get one in and it's a game changer. Tactics. Well, I think there might be something in there. 4-2-3-1 was so successful away from home because it's a counter-attacking style. That's also what made it so bad at home, when we were more likely to attack/dominate. I'd be in favour of having a home and away system. It seems we pretty much have one system for all, then change that wholesale for another. I don't agree that Butcher was dismissed from Coventry for the long-ball. I think it was more political, with Ron Atkinson (a big cheese then) giving his interest. The club then invested a lot of money (Butcher IIRC made a profit) for not a lot of results. Sure, they played a more attacking style but spent the money on players that could do that, plus ended up no better off (in fact, worse off). At the end up, if we finish one better than any of Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd or Motherwell, then ICT have far exceeded my expectations for this season. I see Killie (flying high I know), St Mirren, St J and Accies as our mini-league. Finishing anywhere in the top 3 of that is a good season for a newly promoted club.

4-2-3-1 is a good away system. The problem is playing that system at home, when trying to dominate. I'd be in favour of varying it.

I don't think the fans need to roll over if they don't like it. Only they can change the decision through direct action like protests, walk-outs boycotts, forsaking their club for ICT, Killie and (was it St J?). Fraser though has done his best it would seem. He's try to persuade the other clubs to go for an expanded league. He failed. That option is now gone. Only the fans can resurrect that, not ICT's board. Now, Fraser has the option of deciding on a 12 team league with split or a 10 team league. There is no other option available to him. I don't see much honour in applying the veto as all it does is make a lot of enemies with little in return (unless you favour a 12 team league). From what I've read, ICT's done their best to try for a bigger league. No blame attached to the board. Perhaps the fans could learn about democratic uprisings and autocratic rulers from Tunisia and Egypt. Only mass protests could change their mind. The three rebel clubs fought and lost.

I thought the BBC was supposed to be a news channel. Instead, we get these ridiculous stories of Aberdeen beating high-flying Killie by 5 goals to nil, plus ICT winning at home. And who are these supposed goalscorers....Russell Duncan and Ross Tokely no less. If I wanted pretend stories, I'll read the Onion (or the Daily Mail)! It makes me wonder what other lies the meeja have been spreading....

As Edwyn Collins once said: rip it up and start again. There appears little way of progression in a meaningful manner. In fact, I'm not sure there is any way of satisfying a majority of clubs in any system.

I can't believe, with a record like Jimmy's, that he'd need to go bargain basement in SFL1. I thought an SPL, Championship or EPL1 team would have noticed his before and after at Aberdeen and Dunfermline and thought he was worth a punt (Killie did of course - I suspect JC might be regretting turning that down now)

At the time of the Gold Cup, he was interesting a lot of bigger clubs. I presume that's what was meant.

Here's how I would play it (although I think it will be Tokely at LB and Duff RB on the day): Esson Tokely Innes Hogg Duff<------------------------------->Doran Proctor -- Duncan Cox Foran Rooney With 3 at the back, and a couple of them a bit slow, we can put in a solid wall. That should be enough for fairly average attackers. Duff and Doran can bomb forward as much as possible (I'd never have them there for an away match mind you), knowing there's always cover for them. Proctor and Duncan to cover the full-backs. Bit of a long ball game unfortunately with Cox playing further forward, disrupting Saints time on the ball, hoping for some panic to give Foran/Rooney some chances (Foran just that little bit deeper than Rooney). Depsite the 3-at-the-back, it's still pretty attacking down the wings. The let down is no Ross, Sanchez or Blumanshtein for that attacking mid-role, hence the long ball.