Caley Stan

May i be the first to take a shot :) Latviaman, are you reading the other threads? There are plenty of folk calling for Butcher's head just there has been since the County game. They think things won't get any better but others think they might. We're 7 games into a new (very open and unpedictable) league with a new squad. Give them a decent crack at it before you start calling for heads.

Aye, but we had our chance to sign him and waited too long. Here's an old thread that covers the story: Buchanan Wants Caley Chance He took his goals very well. I didn't see much threat from either team until the first goal which came from a corner moments after i had praised our defending of set pieces since Butcher took over. I won't say much else about this game because the whole first half was a daze - from hearing the line-up to watching Partick slice us open for the third, the whole experience was surreal. I have no idea what to expect from ICT this season because we have performed so differently on each occasion that i've seen us play. I suppose that's to be expected from such a new and inexperienced team but what i've seen on the road suggests we have potential and once things settle down we may find some consistency. For that reason, calls for Butcher's head are premature.

Things don't sound so bad when you put it like that. Although i missed Airdrie, i've been to the other 5 league games (3 decent away performaces and 2 very poor home ones) and still haven't decided if this side is capable of making a challenge. My expectations are not especially high - i'd like to see us finishing in the top 3 and challenging for as long as we are able. The return of Imrie and Odhiambo should make a difference and i see a lot of promise in Cox, Sanchez and Hayes. Butcher deserves a certain amount of respect and understanding for the way he has handled such a massive turnaround in playing staff - it needed doing. However, that's not to say he gets his team selections right. He's stuck with the same midfield 4 since Imrie's injury and whenever i see it emerge from the tunnel i just think - inexperienced, lightweight, tidy enough on the ball bur never going to win a battle of wills. Butcher conceded almost as much in today's P&J: I think the answer should be obvious then. In the nicest possible way, give a wee rest to the ones who are struggling most (Stratford and Eagle) and bring in a bit of steely experience for the Partick game. If we sort the midfield out and find a bit of home form then i don't think we'll be too far away.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO

I'm happy. While i don't have a problem with Butcher doing both jobs, i think it was important that he made it clear that the club came first on this occasion.

For me, this is the first major conflict that Terry has had between his two jobs. Scotland travel to Japan for a friendly on October 10th - the same day that ICT entertain QoS and three days before we travel to face Raith Rovers. I would like to see Terry stay to prepare us for these important league games. They must take precedence over an international friendly. What do other folk think? Mods might want to add a poll. I don't know how.

That'll be no bother. We might even manage a pint in Ryries. This fixture works out well for me too. Looking forward to Starks - i've seen us score a lot of goals there.

We were - that's why Sandshoes had such a good game.

Spot on. I didn't look across the line either so i couldn't comment except to say that the control was sublime and finish clinical. A word on Dani's work rate which seems to have been a topic of discussion recently. Lazy stereotyping perhaps? Sanchez didn't stop running today, he dropped deep primarily to pick up the ball but wasn't afraid to close players down when we didn't have it. He looked like a real player today. MotM.

Very excited. I think Foran and Odhiambo has a good ring to it - like Wyness and Ritchie, or Stewart and McLean......

Kenny Miller is not a natural goalscorer but i thought he was excellent last night doing what he does best - playing on his own up front, chasing defenders down, making runs down the channels and competing for every ball. I'll remember Kenny for those things and his cracking shot that hit the bar rather than his miss I had a great time at Hampden last night, the atmosphere was great and the performance from every member of the team was good. I think we're a centre-half or two away from being a decent team and i'm sure we'll qualify for the next Euros - hopefully under George Burley.

Is this your justification for wanting Butcher out? You don't like that fact that his signing aren't local? Did you notice that he signed a certain Mr Golabek from Laurel Avenue last week? Our captain is also a Dalneigh boy and in Russell and Roy we have a combined service to ICT of 18 years sitting on the bench. I believe the sub goalie is from the dark side of the bridge and Shinne, Ross and Sutherland have all come through the youth system. Are names like Ross and Sutherland local enough for you? There's more local flavour in this squad than in most. I think that the vocal minority who are having a dig at Butcher just now are all folk who didn't want him in the first place. As CaleyD has pointed out, they seem more concerned with being proved right than with success for ICT, and on the evidence of the argument above, they are clutching at straws.

Aye, that team seems to be doing the rounds tonight. Just like Burley to throw in a wee surprise. Can't complain though, with that line-up and the news that the Dutch will field their 3rd choice keeper, i'd like to revise my prediction: 5-1 to Scotland. As Ronnie Browne says so well - C'MON!

Of course you can birdog. I was just trying to point out to BEE123 that comparisons between Butcher's time at Brentford and his time here are not relevant at this point.

Yip, it sounds like Craig Brewster. Since Butcher took over the line-up has been very settled and nobody has complained about his subs. The vast majority of our fans think we have improved under his stewardship and want to see him in charge for the rest of the season. Come back then and we can talk about it.

I'd go 4-5-1: -----------------GORDON------------------------ HUTTON----WEIR---CALDWELL---WHITTAKER -------------HARTLEY---FLETCHER-------------- MALONEY----------BROWN----------FLETCHER ---------------------MILLLER---------------------- I'm sure Burley will be tempted to find a place for McManus or Alexander but i hope he doesn't - this the best 11 left in the squad and it falls into a very solid formation. Prediction: 4-1 Scotland

Captain Pugwash

In fairness Renegade, it's good that you point it out because we can't take anything for granted when it comes to your teams. As for the set pieces, Foran comes back to defend them because his head seems to have some kind of magnetic appeal for high balls. We haven't lost many goals from set pieces since Butcher took over which is impressive because we were plagued by them for 18 months after Dods left.

a.m., the commentators were very enthusiastic about the contribution of Stratford in the first half. I found this interesting as he's been getting a lot of stick from the home fans. What did you think?

Butcher made mistakes in the post-split matches - we all recognise that. However, the overall feeling at the end of the season was that the appointment of Butcher and Maplas had a positive impact on the team, that our results improved significantly and that we were very close to staying up. 99% of the ICT fans i spoke to at the end of season felt that Butcher deserved the chance to manage us in the First Division. Now he's got that chance and he's building a new team. It has potential and it's too early to judge whether it can challenge for the title. That's what i'm thinking about and i don't understand why some people feel the need to dwell on disagreements over team selection in games that took place four months ago when we had a different team in a different league.

This was a pleasant surprise. It was great to have that level of coverage. Des McKeown, Bill Leckie and Richard Gordon were very enthusiastic about our new signings (particularly Sanchez and Stratford) in the first half but they will have seen the second that consistency is going to be our problem with so many new and inexperienced players. Despite that, there seems to be a consensus among the pundits that we are going to challenge Dundee. I hope they're right.

Grantyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm starting to get excited about this. It mind sound ridiculous but if there's even a glimmer of hope of Scotland qualifying then i'll be right up for it. Here's my stupidly optimistic gung-ho team: ---------------------GORDON---------------------- HUTTON----MCMANUS-----WEIR-----WHITTAKER MALONEY----BROWN-----FLETCHER---MCFADDEN ---------------MILLER-------FLETCHER------------ I believe that these are the best 11 players in the squad but obviously that team's a bit top heavy. Burley's more likely to go with something like this: ---------------------GORDON---------------------- HUTTON-----MCMANUS-----WEIR-----DAVIDSON --------------------ALEXANDER--------------------- BROWN------------FLETCHER----------MALONEY --------------------MCFADDEN-------------------- ----------------------MILLER------------------------ Prediction: 4-1 Scotland

The distinction between 'fit' and 'match fit' comes about because no matter how good a player's physical condition is, there is no substitute for playing first team games. Dani Sanchez may well have gone running every morning and spent every afternoon in the gym for the last 12 months but if he hasn't been playing first team football then it will take him time get into the right rhythm. Give him some time.

He was good at Dens where he had more space to make runs and showed signs of forming a good partnership with Foran. He`made good runs, dropping deep or wide to receive the ball and his goal came from a Foran flick-on when Sanchez went beyond him and finished well. In the other three league games we haven't had enough of a grip in midfield to spark periods of pressure so it's difficult to pin the blame on either of the strikers. I don't think this is the time to make judgements on any of the new signings, call them tubes or question their work-rate. Give them time.