bdu98196

Start of season expectation should be the treble Realistic - 1 good cup run (semi or better) Top 6 based on the lack of real quality in the SPFL with teams missing, if we start looking at being relegation candicates with the squad we have (not budget) then we are doomed when the 3 'big' teams return.

Not trying to be argumentitive, but who said that was Yogis job for the summer? People on here, some fans perhaps but have the club, management or board ever come out and said this or any other objectives - if they havent then how can we speculate what Yogi was asked to do this summer? I'm no Yogi fanboy, but I'm willing to give the guy a chance now heading into a new season with the time spent on how he wants us to play and the plaers he wants to use. As I posted before transfer window isnt closing yet so why panic.

A lot of work was done in the latter half of last season securing the services of our established players where for the first time in a long time we went into the summer with a secure 11 in place. Some of these players were fresh intakes last year and have proven well and others been influencial in getting us consecutive Top 6 and soild cup runs. The fact we only consider the requirement for an additional striker the bit of business needed then we shouldnt panic too much yet. There is still time in the window and there will still be available players who may have been holding out for a 'bigger' deal that ICT can offer who may yet come in as their time and options reduce. If we can bring in back up or even solid competition for Billy then its been a successful 6 months in terms of securing a squad. The released players never did enough to show they were going to contribute so are perhaps not a big loss plus we have some good youth coming along. I'd rather be where we are this season than doing a County/Motherwell/Dundee who have brought in a large number of players hoping they gel.

I'd like County on the first game of the season as there may be less chance of them getting it postponed or abandoned keeping us waiting til January when Uncle Roy brings out the panic signing chequebook..................

Marius Nicluae

Agree with most posts, its strikers we need. I have faith in Hughes, afterall he found Stokes when he was at Falkirk. I'd look at players that have something to prove as ICT always have. Tony Watt seems out favour at Celtic and is a bit of a problem character but could be worth a punt on loan, Andy Shinnie is one we know and has failed to make it down south, I posted in Jan we should have tried to take him on load and stand by that. What about Rory MacAllister, scores in the lower league for fun, he wasnt hugely successful earlier in his career but now he is a more mature and confident player so might be worth another shot in the higher leagues?

Ah the great idea of 10k+ seater stadia, where teams spent millions they never had to fulfil a criteria and end up with 60% of their seats empty every week, in the hope that they may have 4 sell outs per year when the OF came to visit and it would all look aesthetically pleasing on TV. Perhaps its worth considering the status of many of these clubs now who are still in huge debts and fighting at the lower leagues as they cannot sustain player wages due to still servicing the debt that 10k seater stadia created. At least now its based on what a club needs and can sustain - yes stadiums may not all look pretty like the Dnglish ones on TV, but at least ths clubs are striving to survive within their means and invest in the playing squad, would rather see the best quality squad on the park possible than sit somewhere nice watching dross. Just my view though.

But its an away game?

Just read the BBC article - everyone is laughing at us, we have gone from fighting against the odds to get respect and recognition for the club this season against the central belt bias to now have this tosh in the media undoing all that work and making our club look like its led by a baffon.

I don't want to see us qualify for Europe even if we could do it through 4th, as that would be seen as success and while the players deserve it for the first half of the season, I fear it would 'paper' over the cracks that have appeared since Hughes has come in. Our form and displays have been awful and the 'togetherness' seems to be evaporating. Maybe the bar of expectation has risen after the first half of the season, but on current form we are relgation fodder - a team of good players don't become bad overnight - we are trying to put square pegs into round holes at best.

That was then, now in times of crisis maybe he is the man to take the helm. Loosing games is fine, players tired is fine, loss of form is fine, but the way we are playing is awful. We have gone from top of the league with a team full of players who were together to no what looks like a group of strangers with major confidence issues. We were 1st/2nd for a long time, great cup run and these guys were on a high, that now seems like so long ago the players are looking like relegation candidates - what has happened to the confidence? Hughes has come in and tried to change the style of play yet resign all the players from the previous regime? Why? If he doesnt want wingers then why resign them? He was a defender, yet we now cant defend even though we had one of the best records in the SPFL prior to his arrival. We dont use wingers or creative players, yet his assistant was creative and took players on - all we do is padd around between back 4 and midfield with nothing moving forwards. Guys like Ross and Doran who can create are dropped, Billy never gets the ball other than punted up to him, the full backs no longer try to overlap - I'm no expert in football management but the record since Jan shows its no working. I am worried now that Hughes is going to be stubborn about his way of playing he will not acknowledge the fact it isnt working and slowly kill the confidence of the players and fans. Yes top 6 and a cup final is all good and great for the club, but this is the legacy of the last management team - we were there through player determination (cup semi) and other clubs not picking up as many points as they could, This should all be a lot better and more positive.

For a management team that is an ex-centre back and a creative midfield player we seem to have a poor defence prone to errors and lack any creativity or cutting edge going up the park. Hard to see how 2 members of management known for these traits are failing to apply that to the team?

He is well down the midfield pecking order sadly and with Christie and Polworth in addition to the established members and guys like Ross & Doran on the bench then its hard to see where Pepper will get game time. He should have broken into the squad or been ever present on the bench by now, shame cos I liked what I saw from him last year but to play and develop in his career a move is probably the best option for him.

Exactly, if Hughes wants to change the style or play we had which was fast paced counter attack down the wings and soaking up pressure, to some kind of tippy tappy football with multipule touches and players in fear of driving forwards or shooting, then why did he sign up the whole team so early in his tenure? This now leaves us with a squad of quality that got us into 1st in the league for 8 games and held 2nd a long time plus a cup final who are being expected to play in a style they do not suit and still get the same results. Must be frustrating for all.

Brill Raven, Devine, Warren, Shinnie Draper, Polworth Doran, Christie, Ross McKay Draper & Polworth sit infront of the defence, Christie has a free role behind McKay, Ross and Doran play slightly wider and we allow Raven and Shinnie to overlap ..................Like we did earlier in the season - When we used to WIN games.

Brill Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie Draper Tansey Doran Vincent Ross Mckay Get back to how we played earlier in the year with some width looking to Aaron and Nick to have Raven and Shinnie overlap them. Draper and Tansey holding roles infront of the defence and on the performance from Sat I agree Foran needs a rest, if anything as he sees we are struggling he is trying too hard and risking sending off too often.

Not sure he should be sacked but definitely the results need to improve. He needs more time but I do worry - we have seen all the players sign extended contracts which is great news, yet he has tried to change the style of play from what we had and made top 6 and sat top of the spfl for 8 games. Now we move the ball slowly, never try to make the killer balls to billy, avoid wingers and overall have players lacking confidence in what was a solid defence and nobody wants to ever take a shot. Its all a worry where we will go moving forwards.

Brill Raven - Devine - Meekings - Shinnie Doran- Polworth - Foran - Ross Vincent McKay Brill has to play, keepers need confidence and dropping him won't help especially with Esson not having had any first team time this year. The back four has to the the final starting line up and we need Foran back in the midfield with Draper & Tansey missing, hopefully Doran & Ross can provide some of the creativity we seem to have lacked in the last few games too.

Double? Mathematically we can still do the treble - just lol.

Ticket sales may be deemed disappointing, but for me the key thing is that all or as many of the 3500 regular die hards that turn up every week get to go and savour this, anything more is a bonus, afterall even if we win how many of these extra fans will start going regularly? For some I'm sure its just the qudos of saying they were there that has made them buy tickets and that's the same for both sets of fans.

I'm very pleased with his signing and contribution thus far, he gives us an option by sitting in alongside Draper letting Foran play upfront and support Billy which is an area we are really lacking. if anything having him has helped Draper too as I feel he has become a bit stronger and more aggressive playing in the Foran mould and letting Tansey be a bit more creative.

Give it another 3 wks and whether BBC Scotland & Sportscene and the National press like it or not they will hopefully have to talk, write and acknowledge the success of ICT. All this press behaviour is doing nothing but firing up not only the fans, but the players and the whole club and with the level of sprirt shown in the squad its working in our favour. #TogetherNess.

Was gonna hold off and just go to see us in the Scottish cup final but suppose better attend both if we're doing the double.

Remember the tradition when teams and players would record a cup song and then turn out in special cup final suits. After the xmas song the team did get the boys onto one for this.

Can we buy tickets 2moro same as the dons fans?