tm4tj

The Bhoy's are back in town The games are coming thick and fast now and hot on the heels of our midweek trip to Pittodrie comes the visit of treble chasing Celtic to the Highlands in the prequel to next Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final. Both sides played in midweek with Inverness losing once more, this time to Aberdeen at Pittodrie. That's only one win in eight games for Inverness and no signs as to where our next points are coming from. Only Hamilton, Dundee United and St Mirren can boast worse runs than us. Celtic kept on track for the treble by beating Partick Thistle 2-0 and are well on their way to retaining the title. The enormity of the season appears to have caught up with Inverness as we can't buy a win just now. The only team we have beaten in our last eight games has been Championship bound St Mirren who have suddenly become the Premiership whipping boys. That's just seven points from a possible twenty-four and a measely nine goals scored, just over one per game. Playing without a recognised striker does not help the cause, but such is the plight of those that can't afford to buy their way out of trouble. Celtic come North on the back of five straight wins without conceding, and the League Cup already in the trophy cabinet at Parkhead. The league table says it all really. 63 goals scored and only 14 against from 30 games has the Bhoys in a league of their own. They can be beaten though and St Johnstone did just that six weeks ago, but it took a stunning goal from Danny Swanson to do that. The two previous games this season show a win apiece, but we are now in reverse gear while Celtic are at full throttle. Eoghann O'Connell helped us out with an own goal back in August and a John Guidetti strike reversed the scoreline at the beginning of November. August seems like a long time ago now, and it would take a brave man to bet against Celtic slipping up, and given our recent form then it could be a tough week to be an Inverness fan. Ronny Deila has been singing the praises of the Caley Jags boss this season. However, as the games keep coming, our sparkling start to the campaign has been overtaken by some rather tentative football. Given our resources, it's hardly surprising, and without the option of a Billy Mckay, the wheels seem to have come off. How is the bench at Wigan by the way? Carl Tremarco missed the Pittodrie trip with an arm injury and Richie Foran is still being rebuilt. Dean Brill has been on the bench recently and many would like to see him start, however Esson is not the real problem here. Maybe Yogi is keeping his attacking options for the cup game; I wish! Ronny Deila has a wealth of talent to choose from, therefore any missing players will not impact on his side unfortunately. Scott Brown could return after suspension and Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong are available for league duty, but will miss next weeks cup game. Charlie Mulgrew and Mikael Lustig remain sidelined. tm4tj prediction:- It pains me to say it, but I can't see past a convincing win for the visitors. Like them or not, but they are head and shoulders above the rest of the division and get stronger as the season progresses when all around them stumble towards the summer break. Our lack of goals is getting frustrating and given the way Hughes sets the team out I can't see that changing this season now. It may seem to be a tad pessimistic, but I am only going by recent results and they are not showing us in a good light. A goal for us would be a bonus, but can we stop the green machine in full flow? I'm not holding my breath on this one.

Dons looking to cement second place The best of the rest battle it out at Pittodrie on Wednesday night as the race to finalise Euro places hots up before the top-six kicks in. Inverness travel to Aberdeen eight points behind the Dons as both sides stutter their way towards the top-six games clear of fourth placed Dundee United. A home win would surely cement Aberdeens position in second place and defeat for Inverness would put the cat amongst the pigeons for the third Euro slot. Neither side were able to steal a march at the weekend with Aberdeen being held by our bogey boys Partick Thistle and Dundee coming North to take a point off us in a dour affair. It was 0-0 at Pittodrie with Derek McInnes relieved that Partick had not taken all three points given the opportunities they had. Inverness had to settle for a point with Dundee and Graeme Shinnie earned that point showing great tenacity to drive home the ball. The draw was the right result however, after David Clarkson had opened the scoring barely two minutes earlier, but it was clear to see Dundee's game plan was to keep us out with less emphasis on using their own ability to create something. It worked and 1-1 was the result. The sides have met twice already this season and Aberdeen have won both games. The first game in September saw Inverness level twice before Jonny Hayes scored what proved to be the winner in an even contest. The other scorers were Rooney and Logan for the Dons with Meekings and Watkins countering for Inverness. The return fixture in the Highlands was another tight tussle and Peter Pawlett scored the only goal. Despite being under the cosh for the rest of the game, Aberdeen held on for all three points. Inverness should have taken something from this game and had the better opportunities, but they paid the price for their inability to stick the ball in the net. Inverness have struggled to create recently since the departure of Billy Mckay. Marley the stop gap striker although scoring initially, has not filled that void. It's not his fault, but he is not the natural finisher we would have liked. He is a better provider and it's possible that big Edward Ofere will get a start at Pittodrie as he looked more threatening when he came off the bench against the Dark Blues. Nick Ross and Aaron Doran also showed up well and could start again. That would be tough on the likes of Danny Williams who has been one of our more consistent performers in recent weeks. Aberdeen are the new buyers in the Premier division snapping up players to bolster their squad when almost every other club are just breeding grounds. Adding Kenny Maclean and Andrew Driver to their squad will not do them any harm, and with the likes of Hayes, Rooney and soon to be Shinnie at Pittodrie then they are assembling a useful squad which looks like maintaining their high profile over the next couple of years. The Scottish weather takes it's toll on the pitches at this time of the season and going from soft surfaces to hard and bobbly ones in the space of a few weeks is not conducive to fluent passing moves, something we were able to implement earlier in the season. It is however the same for everybody, but it's a great leveller and we are being caught up in the kick and rush style more suited to council parks and pub leagues. John Hughes has a full squad to tinker with. Richie 'forever injured` Foran being the exception. I think he was born injured to be honest. It's possible that they are replacing him bit by bit and like the six million dollar man, maybe we can rebuild. We have the technology. Aye, if only he could run at 60mph........... Derek McInnes has a long term ansentee as well in the shape of Russell Anderson. Coincidentally, both are the current captains of their respective clubs. But apart from that he too has no other doubts, not even a suspension to interfere with his team selection. An audio interview with Yogi can be listened to on the official Inverness Caledonian Thistle facebook page right here https://www.facebook.com/ICTFC?fref=ts tm4tj prediction is predictable this week and I can see both sides stuttering to a no scoring draw at best. The last few weeks have brought out the worst of the season and points have gone abegging. There is plenty at stake, I hope someone tells the players because some of them look as though their season has ended already. Here's hoping we can end this winless sequence, but it looks like it could be another long night.

A visit from the dark side 　 　 Inverness play host to Dundee on Saturday after a timely International break which was badly needed. We have been running on empty and the break has given us the opportunity to recharge the batteries and get some zest back into our play. Last time out we succumbed once more to Partick Thistle after a late goal from Steven Lawless earned Partick all three points, with Inverness barely troubling their opponents. That's the third defeat of the season to the Firhill side who seem to have sussed us out big time. The dark blues last game was an encouraging draw with second placed Aberdeen which leaves them on the verge of a top-six place. Steven McGinn levelled after Adam Rooney had given the Dons an early advantage. Dundee's last visit to the Caledonian Stadium was an early season game played out on a midweek. Neither side managed a goal in that game, but we were victorious in the City of Discovery at the start of December. Inverness came from behind to win 2-1 after Greg Stewart had given Dundee a first half lead. Goals from Billy Mckay and Ryan Christie took the points North, but there was little between the sides. Willie Collum is the man in the middle for this game and that in itself should provide plenty of talking points. There's little between the sides in terms of scoring goals, but the Inverness defence has been stronger than Dundee's and that is the difference between 3rd in the league and 7th. Unfortunately we have run out of ideas of late and other teams are pushing on. Our policy of little change in pre-season has paid dividends though with our early season form getting us off to a flier, it's getting more difficult to maintain that poise as the teams below us gather round for the kill. Who's in and who's out? Inverness should have no main worries. Dean Brill has been back in the squad and could be ready to start. Richie Foran remains absent. Dundee have Gary Irvine, glorious Gary Harkins and Luka Tankulic out, but Greg Stewart and Jim McAlister will be in the squad. tm4tj prediction:- We don't do anything easy and our form of late has taken a nose dive. No wins in four for us while Dundee have won two of their last four. I'm not brimming with confidence over our lack of adventure and with goals at a premium for us then we will do well to take anything from the game. Maybe a share of the spoils would be about right given our mediocrity at the moment.