ALSY

Oh God, please don't say that. My companion at Dens on Saturday made the mistake of doing the old Danny Baker "Nothing could possibly go wrong now" after Eric scored on Saturday. Cue Brian Kerr... Glad Rooney is one of our players under contract. His goal tally is really going to start attracting attention now.

Rooney again. Please, please no repeat of Saturday...

Robbo's HT report suggests we can't afford to be complacent (not that we would be after Saturday) - sounds very even - but it's good to hear that Rooney is getting so many chances.

Yaas. Rooney. Get in.

Feckin Barrowman...

Radio Scotland - 94.0FM or Radio Nan Ghaidael(usually on the saturdays) dont know the frequency for it as i usually have it on either Sky or Freeview For weeknight Sportsound programmes the BBC Scotland frequencies split: Sportsound is always on 810 MW while the FM frequency stays with the regular music programmes. Sportsound is definitely scheduled for 6.10-10 pm tonight on 810 MW, but I don't know if it'll have open all mics or not.

Don't know what it says about my taste in football grounds, but Ayr is among my favourites. I also love Cliftonhill, but that is partially nostalgia as I saw my first ICT game there back in '96-'97. Nothing against the clubs, but I really dislike Hamilton's ground, and also Falkirk's. They're too functional and lacking in any real character (especially compared to Brockville in Falkirk's case) I'm sure they'd level the same accusation at TCS. For atmosphere and decent nearby pubs, the two Edinburgh grounds win it for me though: Tynecastle is probably the better of the two.

Over the piece we were easily the better team today and Dundee should feel lucky to get a point out of that. We caused our own undoing to some extent, though: Harkins may have got lucky with the deflection for the second, but he was given a ridiculous amount of time and space to take the ball in and compose himself for a shot. Some people around me were saying Esson was at fault for the first, but to me it just looked like a tremendous shot from Kerr; I'd need to see it again. The first half hour or so was fairly uneventful, apart from a good tip over the bar from Esson, but after that we took control and created far more chances. Foran showed far more intelligence and vision in his play than anyone else on the pitch and Rooney ran himself into the ground up front. Hayes also came onto a good game and showed a little more subtlety in his use of the ball today than I've seen before. Eric stuggled to get into the game for a long spell, but he did start to make a few effective contributions towards the end of the first half and had a hand in the first goal at the start of the second. Duncan also played well. I think we've got to start preparing ourselves mentally for the possibility of County winning the league, though: we've just done them a big favour, they keep grinding out the results and Dundee looked nothing special today. :)

Just about to piece the two halves of my skull together and head off to this one. I really hope the team make it worth it, because I have a horrible feeling I'm going to spew my ring trying to walk up the Hilltown...

Vetle Anderson

You're just trying to be controversial. The booing doesn't really help does it? It's interesting how you don't hear booing at the away matches. Perhaps this is a factor as to why the team perfoms better. You missed the hysterical @rsehole that was at the Killie cup game screaming foam-lipped, bug-eyed abuse at just about every touch from an ICT player. Apart from cretins like that, I tend not to condemn people for booing although I don't join in, but I can't help thinking it must usually be counter-productive - especially early on this season when it was a largely new team still finding its feet in a new league. Surely it's better to reserve booing so it makes a real impact on occasions when it's really warranted, such as, for example, during some of the performances around November-January 2008-09?

I was all set to accept I couldn't go - friend's wedding reception the night before, too much work to do over the weekend and no-one going from the usual crowd I travel with. Then I got a call last night from an occasional supporter who wants to go and now I'm in a dilemma. The trouble is, I kind of feel guilty when I miss an away game I could have made, even if I've got a decent reason for not going. Mug. Anyway, I'll decide on Saturday morning. Going to get the 12.41 if I go, though, and try to avoid the usual drunken shenanigans.

Ah. Thank you.

The radio were announcing it as McFadden last night. Has he had to drop out for some reason or is there an inconsistency in reporting?

But things run their courses. And it's not just that, the way this formation works is that at times Rooney's lost up front on his own and Foran isn't nearly as effective out on the wing. Go for the straight 4-4-2 and see how it goes. I remember thinking that last season and wishing Butcher would play him further forward, which, in the end, he did. As far as I recall, though, when Foran played up front earlier this season there was far too much of a tendency to resort to long ball pish and just assume that Foran would get on the end of everything. I think the team as a whole has been more effective since Foran's been on the wing. I take your point about Rooney sometimes looking isolated in the current system, but he's still doing his job fairly well. I'm not convinced the 4-2-3-1 has run its course yet; I'd be inclined to give Saturday's line-up another chance and hope the defence does its job a little better tomorrow.

Can't help thinking that any food served in the Norseman will be of the 'basic' variety...

Have a dram and chill mun Exactly. The SPL's pish anyway. And if we're staying down in the SFL we might as well give Ayr a helping hand to stay up, as it's a far preferable day out to Airdrie...

I agree completely, Don. He's been our most genuinely creative player this season (if not always the most effective) and, with that vision you refer to, has opened up attacks for us frequently in the dozen or so times I've seen him. Some people just can't seem to see any good in the guy: I can understand why they get frustrated with his profligate finishing, but to say he contributes nothing, as I've seen a few posters write? That seems very unfair, unless he's a completely different player at home than he is away from home. Mind you, what do I know? I also rate Duncan... :D

Almost certainly, unless any unforeseen problems with work come up. Glad to hear you're going - Arbroathawayday can't make it and I'd assumed none of the Edinburgh contingent would make it either. Meet up in Glasgow beforehand? Sounds like a plan. I'll phone you on Monday night to confirm. Is the nearest station to the ground is Gartsdyke? Cartsdyke, aye. Speak to you Monday.

Couldn't have gone a bit earlier could you :D It half worked! Frustrating score. On the basis of that there's no problem with the attitude but league-winning quality just isn't quite there.

I'm off to Morrison's. We play far better when I'm nowhere near the computer.

Jesus. Leave the room for half an hour and another three goals go in. Great to come back a first time, but can we do it again? That would be Pele-esque.

County one down. Go the wee Jags.

Oh no.

Feck sake. 0-1. He's gone with the same team I suggested on the 'Team for Ayr' thread. Oops...