ictchris

In the last five seasons fourth place in the Championship has had an average of 56 points. We've currently got 30 points from 23 games. If we go the rest of the season on that points per game rate we'll get 46 points. However, we had a terrible start to the season. So if you take our form since the first quarter of the season (24 points from 14 games), we'll finish on 52 points. I think that'll probably be enough to get fourth. We are entering an absolutely crucial part of the season though - our next three league games are Dundee Utd (h), Dunfermline (a) and Morton (h), depending on this Crusaders pish. I think we really to win two of those games minimum to really put ourselves in the driving seat for a play off, especailly the games against Morton and the Pars, two of our direct play-off rivals.

That was a pretty odd game. We started Trafford and played him with Seedorf and Chalmers in midfield and started really well, we made all the running and, as I see a Falkirk fan noted, Oakley dominating the home centre halves. We didn’t create that much though and slowly Falkirk came back into the game, forcing Ridgers into a good save before Mulroney had his meltdown. It was utterly bizarre, he conceded a foul and got booked then immediately went through Longridge before kicking out at someone a few seconds later. He literally got booked twice in two minutes and walked off, it was like he wanted to get sent off. Really odd. After that we were really up against it. We organised to a kind of 4-3-1-1 but it was clear that we were going to be sitting back. Not much use in giving away stupid penalties if that’s your game plan but that’s what we did, both looked really daft fouls from Seedorf. We also gave away a string of free kicks around our own area through the game and didn’t offer a thing going forward. A really depressing showing. There was a momentary bright spot when we subbed in a couple of young lads and they combined for a good goal - Jack Brown picked the ball up in midfield, made a strong run and played it to Daniel Mckay, who held off the defender, made space and finished well., our best attack of the whole day. Overall, deserved win for Falkirk and one we need to write off as a bad afternoon and get back to our prior form.

Robertson said a few weeks ago that he was targeting three signings in the window, although he said that he wasn't going for midfielders. We've signed Austin and no-one else.

We need to go for an innovative 4-0-6 formation. Constant long balls up to a front line of Doran, Baird, Austin, Oakley, Bell and Mulraney.

I just looked up the HFL v SPFL results in the Scottish cup for the three seasons before this one, HFL have done a lot better this season than previously. HFL wins - 3 HFL goals - 16 Draws - 2 SPFL wins - 14 SPFL goals - 40

East Fife played Brora Rangers a few years back in the Challenge Cup and needed a late winner from our own Nathan Austin to go through - I doubt any clubs in the lower end of the league are in any doubt as to how good the well funded Highland League clubs are. East Fife also have Kyle Wilkie, who played a season in the HFL for Nairn. In this season's Scottish cup the HFL v SPFL record is as follows HFL wins - 4 HFL goals - 8 SPFL wins - 2 SPFL goals - 8 (Keith 0 Clyde 3 / Airdrie 2 Cove 3 / Buckie 2 Brechin 3 /Formartine 1 Forfar 0 / Stranraer 0 Brora 1 / East Fife 0 Brora 1) Here's hoping Fraserburgh add to the HFL win tally on the 31st.

Interesting start to the day with our selection, Trafford and Doran in for Polworth and Mulraney. Not sure why Polworth was dropped, maybe we expected to need to defend more in the centre of the park. Notwithstanding the changes, we started pretty well, moving the ball around and getting into good positions to get the ball into the box while not creating a great deal. Around the 15th minute we opened the scoring when a long throw on the right by Brad Mckay found its way to Doran, who fired home. From what I could see it was a bit of a defensive mix up from Dundee but a good finish from Doran, who had a great game. Following this, Dundee really took control though and dominated most of the rest of the half. They dominated midfield, with Trafford giving the ball away on a lot and Vigurs unable to really assert any control. Dundee carved out three fantastic chances in this period - one was blocked by a great tackle from Mckay, the other saved by Ridgers and the third headed into the bar by Trafford on the line. When half time came we were really just happy to get in with our lead intact but we should’ve doubled it right in the half when Doran slipped Oakley right through in goal. He should’ve done better but I thought he took it too wide and his effort was saved. It was good to get in at half time still ahead but that evaporated about a minute into the half -Dundee moved the ball well to the edge of th box and then the deflected shot beat Ridgers. A bit gutting but we came back well and a minute or so later Trafford crossed for Bell to force a fantastic save from theIr keeper, I’m stunned that he made it across to get a very well placed header. Dundee took the lead a few minutes later when Vigurs had a pass intercepted by O’Hara who ran it in and hit a low shot into the net. Vigurs has been dominating games in the Championship but the margin for error is less against better sides and he was punished for it. We rallied after this and pushed forward again. Trafford was subbed after a bad head knock in an accidental collision and Polworth came on to and had a couple of decent efforts. We managed to equalise when Calder made some decent running on the left, his cross was knocked into the air and Oakley reacted first to stab it home. We managed to create one final chance when Doran was almost out free in literally the last second of the game but he couldn’t get a meaningful shot away. For Dundee, I thought their midfield was excellent, O’Hara and Allen were influential and hurt us. The right back Kerr was also good. I thought Doran was our best player, he was threatening and popped up all over. We didn’t manage to establish dominance in midfield, Trafford didn’t do all that well and Vigurs, despite some good passes,, was a lot less in control than he is in the league and he got caught for the second Dundee goal. Donaldson was excellent again and Oakley took his goal well.

Liam Polworth continuing his contributions by assisting for Aaron Doran's goal on Saturday. The first two goals also both came from Polworth corners, which the QotS defence couldn't deal with. #contribution

Some strike from Chalmers. Pick that one out!

Smokin’ Joe Chalmers.

No goals or assists for Polworth on Tuesday night but still some good contributions - excellent through balls in the moves for the first two goals to Mulraney. He hit a similar pass for the second goal at Tannadice earlier this season, behind the full back to allow Mulraney to use his pace.

We've scored 34 goals in all competitions this season, Liam Polworth has scored or assisted 17, from a central midfield position. He can present himself any way he wants as long as he contributes like that.

Liam Polworth is the leading assist provider in the Scottish Championship so far this season, with nine. He has 14 overall for us this season (three in the league cup, two in the challenge cup). Next in that list is Vigurs, who has four overall, two in the league, one each in the league cup and challenge cup. Something to think about when discussing his contribution.

CaleyStan's team makes sense but could also be: -------------------------------Ridgers---------------------------------- -------------McKay----Donaldson---Warren------------------ Mulraney-------------------------------------------Chalmers----- ----------------Polworth--Vigurs---Trafford-------------------- ----------------------Doran-------Oakley----------------------------- the fact that Raven and Calder are on the bench says to me that we aren't going four at the back. Don't have a very good feeling about this one tbh.

He wasn't real. He was a made up player. His brief appearances were Brian Rice dressed up. His wages went into the kitty for the Christmas night out. Fake NewZschusschen, if you will.

One of the other 'Progressive' teams, the Forth Valley academy shared by Falkirk, Stenhousmuir and East Stirlingshire, could be in jeopardy after Falkirk announced they are stopping all investments in it from the end of this month. Falkirk have decided to stop funding the academy in order to focus on returning to the Premiership http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42426817 There's been a lot of talk about the 'Brentford model' around this decision - Brentford also abandoned their youth academy as part of an overall review of their football strategy. Here's a good article about their model - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2718752-brentfords-moneyball-way-to-beat-football-teams-with-huge-budgets Disbanding the youth system was just one aspect of Brentford's model and they've made changes across a number of years, rather than in the course of a couple of months. It does beg the question about the sustainability of running youth academies in lower league Scottish football.

I heard a rumour that Charles B grabbed the mike and gave the following speech

Every time you start a thread linking us with signing an ex player, someone drowns a baby otter. Stop killing otters.

Every time someone starts a thread about us re-signing a former player, a kitten dies.

http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Three-Caley-Thistle-shareholders-launch-stinging-broadside-ahead-of-clubs-AGM-14122017.htm This sounds fine...

Dundee away

I can't keep up with these modern rounds. Bring back the third round in the first week after January IMO.

When is the second round played?

Did we attempt to go for 'elite' level? I assume not as it involved significant expense in terms of facilities and recruitment.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man