Caley Stan

Even if Black was one bad tackle away from being sent off (which i don't agree he was), it was still worth leaving him on simply because he was the best player on the park. So many great footballers have hot heads - think Cantona, Maradona, Gazza, Rooney - i don't remember these guys getting hooked every time they got booked. 

Ian Black was outstanding today. In the second half he really started to run the show and with 15 minutes to go, i  felt that with Blackie pulling the strings, we had a great chance to go on and get something from the game.

Then, Charlie goes and hooks him. I just read on BBC that he was substituted "for his own good".  Charlie goes on to to suggest that refs are punishing Blackie because of his reputation - well isn't that exactly what he did by taking him off while he was at the top of his game. Ian Black did not look like he was going to lose the head today, he looked like he was going to win us the game.

Two and a half months ago, he did something very stupid against Falkirk. I'd like to ask ask CC the very same question he asks of the refs: Are we going to hold that against him for the rest of his days?

The train line between Gasgow and Killy is fecked and the journey takes a wee bit longer than usual.

A bus runs from Central to Crossmyloof (seriously), where it connects with the train to Killy.

CENTRAL:          1225    1325

CROSSMYLOOF: 1240    1340

KILLY:                1342    1441

Maybe the bus is quicker, i dunno.

I never thought i would say this but i was genuinely worried when i saw that on the BBC website.

Bayne has had a great season and deserves a lot of credit for proving his critics wrong.

Why should we play 4-5-1? The formation we play has served us well since we've been in the SPL (especially against the bigger teams) and changing it for such a big game would very risky.

If Blackie comes back then it should be as a straight swap for Duncan. 

Rory is very lucky that we've got nobody to come in for him. I'd love to see Barry given a go through the middle but we've got nobody to take his place on the right. It would also be great to see Blackie come back in to the centre of midfield but Charlie can't really drop Russell or Roy given their consistency over the last six weeks.

So i say reluctantly, same team as Saturday. 

It has been confirmed that tickets for the Caley end will be available from the Hearts ticket office before kick-off.

When it looked like Dodds was going to leave last summer, Charlie considered moving to a back three and even went so far as to speak to Bobby Mann about coming back. This suggests that he feels, like many others, that a partnership of Munro and Caff is simply not strong enough for the SPL.

I think we need to spend the money we got for Brown on a big, strong,  no-nonsense, centre half. 

Went to see Hibs last night. They played Jones and Hogg at the back and neither looked comfortable in the first half. Dargo must start to expose these donkeys for what they are. Let's go for it:

                                    FRASER

    TOKELY          DODS        MUNRO      HASTINGS

          WILSON            BLACK          RANKIN

                                WYNESS

                        DARGO          BAYNE         

Denzil is a Caley Thistle legend. He had a difficult 2006 with form and injuries but his brilliant performances against Rangers and St. Mirren suggest that 2007 could be the year of Denzil.

We must learn to see him not just as a goalscorer but as the man who makes us play attractive, attacking football. With Denzil and Dargo up front we can reach the top 6.

The most disappointing thing today was that we made no attempt to play football.

Not once did Wyness receive a ball to his feet and he spent most of the game chasing lost causes and jumping up for headers he was never going to win. Rory was nowhere to be seen.

We have to be happy with a draw because we created very little while Dunfermline sliced us open a couple of times in the first ten minutes only for Brown and Dodds to come to the rescue.

As for the subs, i agree with Mantis that Black and Wyness should've stayed on the park, and maybe we could've created something through those two once they were reduced to ten men.

One more thing, and i'm sure it'll be discussed a lot more - Black's reaction to being subbed.

He walked off with his top off and exchanged angry words with the bench. I heard on the radio that he had tried to go straight to the dressing room before being 'persuaded' to watch the rest of the game.

we were robbed that day

I would agree that this our first truly important game since we entered the SPL.

That makes it hugely exciting as well. I've not looked forward to game this much for some time.

Dunfermline have been sh1te for years and if we attack them they will crumble.

I predict a comfortable win and the start of a of a run that will leave us safe by the end of January. 

We shouldn't drop Dargo just for missing a penalty. Nor should be play the three strikers together, the Killie midfield would walk over us if we did that. Dargo and Wyness up front please. Not just on Saturday but for a good run of games.

I agree with Caley 100. Let's give Wyness a run of games with Dargo.

People seem to overlook just how much running Dargo does for us. He gives his all every week, and while things aren't going his way in front of goal we just have have to be patient. I don't think that Dargo should be the one to make way when Charlie makes substitutions because he is a proven goalscorer and Bayne simply isn't. Dargo stated in the summer that he prefers to play with Wyness. I hope he gets the chance to do that for a few weeks running.

Hart played on the left wing when we destroyed them last year and set up two of the goals by running at full-backs and cutting the ball back. I'd have hime on the right on Saturday though, because i think Barry needs a couple of games out of the team.

                        BROWN

TOKELY        CAFF      MUNRO ©      HASTINGS

HART            BLACK      DUNCAN          RANKIN

                DARGO            WYNESS

Charlie didn't say that he was pleased to contain Hearts for so long in the game, he said he was pleased that we pressed them back for so long the game. Metalgecko, you haven't heard him properly.

We played very well against Hearts and against Aberdeen and it's only right that Charlie should give credit to the team when they play well.

Harry Chibber. Spot On.

Last nights highlights flattered Hibs. But how many time did we see Hastings running back behind Whittaker as the Hibs full-back pushed forward. I agree that Roy must shoulder some of the blame for this, but where the **** does Hastings go when he gets caught out of position because he doesn't offer anything going forward.

DJS makes a good point. We have great depth in midfield. I'm not sure Charlie knows what his best midfield is and i'm sure Morgan will have a part to play at some stage this season. He has probabably suffered from the fact that we are obliged to have two youngsters on the bench.

Is he playing in the reserves?

Hastings was poor yesterday. He gets caught out of position too often and his clearances are diabolical. 

We need to strengthen in the left-back area and i hope Charlie does that after Christmas.

Hastings can go back to Dingwall, though i don't think he'll be doubling his wages this time.

I didn't think Hibs so good until they scored. Before that they had seen a lot of the ball without creating a great deal. The game was very open for spells, with Barry choosing not to chase back too often as Hibs tend to leave three up. If Dargo had scored before half time, or if McBain hadn't fluffed his one on one then we could be looking back on another great away victory at Easter Road.

I'm still concerned about the midfield though. Rankin goes missing too often and Roy isn't playing well.

Well done to Duncan though, who was pretty solid. 

Just phoned the ticket office and students will have to pay the full price.

Student concessions only apply to home fans.

The woman on the phone was a *****, let's get it up them.

Duncan played well on Monday night, but Blackie offers so much more and has to come back.