DoofersDad

For all the praise being rightly heaped on the players after that astonishing match, I think it is reasonable to ask why, with such a good all round team performance, we didn't win the match comfortably in normal time against what was not the greatest of Hearts sides. From the start, things looked good. I thought Yogi had the team selection spot on and we started out very strongly. But things just didn't go our way. Had Draper taken his early opportunity I think that team would have over-run Hearts, but bit by bit it began to look as though it might not be our day. We were unable to convert our chances and it was evident that the referee was the joker in the pack. Robinson's foul on Mckay should have been a straight red but only a yellow was shown. The next yellow was for Watkins despite several worse fouls from Hearts players having gone unpunished. Hearts confidence grew and they came more and more into the match although we always looked the better side and the more likely to score. We then got the break with a wonder strike from Tansey and that really should have been that, But the referee intervened with the inexplicable sending off of Warren and Hearts got lucky with the resulting free kick which seemed to deflect off both Tansey and Draper to give Brill no chance. The rest is history. On another day and with a half decent referee, that starting eleven would have taken Hearts apart. The way the game unfolded and the incredible performance after going down to 9 men gives me a lovely warm glow and makes me really proud of the team, but what is also extremely pleasing is that yesterday shows we now have a very solid team that really should be able to compete with Aberdeen and Motherwell for 2nd and 3rd place. One thing that has been lacking is goals from midfield and if others can take a lead from Tansey and shoot from distance as if they mean it, we will score more from that quarter which, in turn will take the pressure off Billy. Yesterday was not just a remarkable football match which will last long in the memory, it was the day which demonstrated we now have a team, with Yogi at the helm, which will take us onward and upward.

I was thinking much the same despite the fact that towards the end I think he was beginning to really struggle. It is significant that at the death when Hearts should have been really pressing for the win and the ball was crossed from inside the box for McCallum to head over, there were 7 ICT outfield players in the box but only 5 Hearts players. So Billy and 5 Jambos outside the box. It was also significant that at the end of normal time, the Hearts players looked as though they had lost the game. OK so they would be gutted that Nick had nicked an equaliser, but with a numerical advantage of 10 against 8 outfield players it was still theirs to lose. They should have been getting to the manager quickly, eager for instructions as to how to take us apart in extra time. The difference in commitment and belief between the 2 sides was huge.

I imagine they'll be grateful.

Just as well we had already brought on 3 subs so that Yogi didn't have that difficult decision to make!

I think we should sell the video of that shoot out to Man Utd. Shinnie's was a poor kick but the other four were top class penalties with Tansey's being the pick of the bunch. I can't see Aberdeen wanting the final to go to penalties. Who will be our regular penalty taker now? Note that Vincent, who was our nominated penalty taker before getting injured, had been subbed after 90 minutes and couldn't take one.

Apparently 1300 have bought tickets but aren't going to the match

I think there can be a lot of merit in replacing the keeper for the shoot out and I would have favoured that last year but not this. Last year as I recall, Reguero got into the side as a result of an injury to Esson who had been playing well. Requero had taken his chance well but looked unconvincing at penalties. This year I don't think Esson was as sharp early season and nor do I think Brill has shown a weakness at penalties. However, my main reason for favouring keeping Brill on the park is that by the time the game comes to that, one way or another I would have expected us to have used all our subs to have put fresh legs on the pitch to win the game. Whatever the starting line up, there will be players just as good on the bench, so if we are not winning, we need to use them.

Already posted Apparently nobody has any thoughts on it all

Tough choices. Had the players who played so well against Aberdeen also played well against Kilmarnock, then the team would probably have picked itself - but they didn't. That's maybe a blessing in disguise because I think that would not be our best team for this game. In making his selection there are a few factors Yogi needs to consider:- Cup success is all Hearts have to play for this season - they will be 100% up for this. They will be in our faces trying to stop us playing pretty football. The game will go to extra time if all square after 90 minutes. We have a number of players returning from injury who may struggle over 90 minutes and would certainly struggle over 120. We need to prepare for a hard combative match and whilst we should look to win in normal time we need to prepare for 120. I would play Tremarco at left back and keep Shinnie in midfield. The solidity of Vincent and Draper in midfiled will allow Raven and Shinnie to drive forward allowing Doran and Watkins more options. Vincent perhaps is the most likely not to last the pace but draper can drop back and Tansey come into the attacking midfield role. Either Greenhalgh or Williams could come on for Watkins and would provide effective fresh legs if needed. I think this would be a hard team for Hearts to break down but one that will be dangerous on the break. We need to get at them early and get our noses in front. I think Tansey will prove a great signing and whilst I would personally like to see him start, I can't see that happening if he didn't get on at all yesterday. Brill Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco Vincent Shinnie Doran Draper Watkins Mckay Subs. Esson, Devine, Tansey, Williams, Greenhalgh

All I'll say is that Yogi's man mangement skills will be put to the test when speaking to the guys he decides to leave out. There will be 4 or 5 who will be either left out or dropped but who don't desrve to be.

I think this simply illustrates that Yogi has a sense of humour.

How about this for something different? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25852634 I think this could be really good. The idea of forming a strategic alliance with one of the other sides and then betraying that alliance to pop a goal past them when the opportunity arises seems fascinating. If it was played to any extent, the format of it presumably would prevent any side dominating. The possibilities seem endless. Don't think it could ever replace proper football but it certainly sounds far more interesting than some other contrived sports - such as American "football".

That'll be Welbeck and Jones confirmed for the England World Cup squad then!

Looks like Man U need to practice penalties. Even though Sunderland managed to miss 3 of their 5, Utd missed 4! Quite astonishing and surely a new low for Utd. When was the last time as many as 7 of the first 10 penalties were missed in a shoot out I wonder?

Brill should stay - direct flights to Luton from Dalcross.

Yes. I think a rotation system where the players take it in turn to get suspended would work quite well.

It doesn't bother me whether Stevenson plays or whether Hearts manage to manipulate the system and get new players in, the fact is we are a much better side than them and as long as we focus on playing to our strengths we will win. Hearts have the poorest record in the league even with Stevenson in the side. And if they did get an influx of new players in they would be struggling to be organised enough to be able to stop us doing what we do so well. Many of the players in our side will have experienced the disappointment of last season and will want revenge. The determination they have will be transferred to those new to the team and as long as we are disciplined we should win reasonably comfortably. What happens at Tynecastle in the next few days is irrelevant and I am sure Yogi won't let the team get sidetracked by that. All that matters is that we are properly prepared on the day and play to our potential.

Considering we were once in that league dont you think the description is a bit condescending and unfair to the many part time teams that make up the Scottish league system. Fair comment. Having got into rant mode it was an inappropriate choice of word. "Part time" would have been far more appropriate. In that context it is interesting to consider that lads in the Forfar team would have been more likely to be working in the hotel before the match than relaxing in it.

This kind of thing (from the brochure): ELEMIS ADVANCED PERFORMANCE FACIAL FOR MEN Urban Cleanse Facial · 70 mins - £65.00 For oil rich skin. Therapeutic-grade products are used to eliminate blocked pores, neutralise impurities and accelerate skin repair. Leaves skin clear and squeaky clean. ELEMIS ADVANCED ANTI-AGEING FACIAL FOR MEN Skin IQ + Facial · 70 mins - £65.00 For stressed dehydrated and challenged skins. An anti-ageing treatment with Time Defence Wrinkle Delay and Time Defence Eye Reviver. Ideal to combat the harsh effects of daily shaving, pollution and urban living. Must be the only thing at that club that is squeaky clean.

I think that's a very good point. However, I think it is a question of timing for me. You've got to get the balance right between having the player contributing to the success of the side and selling them so that the club picks up a profit and you're not seen as holding up a player's career. In my view it is too soon to sell now although if the offer was significantly above the club's valuation they would be foolish to turn it down. It is such a gamble though. If he keeps scoring at his current rate his price goes up but if the goals dry up it goes down. Not too many players keep scoring well season after season, so there would be a strong temptation to cash in. Another factor here is what is in his contract. Players have all sorts of weird and wonderful things in contracts and it might be that he agreed to a longer term deal at a certain pay level provided that if an offer above a certain amount came in, he could go if he wanted. Contractual agreements can be the reason for otherwise strange decisions. I've voted for the million for this transfer window but I would expect the club to accept significantly less if Billy wanted away. Mind you, I would hope Billy would want to stay. We have very strong attacking midfield options and it is clear that the new manager wants to play an attacking style of football that plays to Billy's strengths. If he is going to score a hatful of goals anywhere, it is going to be here. He should stay put for a while and really make people sit up and take notice.

But are they? Before Terry and Mo went there they had 15 points from 13 games, Since then they have got just 13 from 10. Only 4 of those games have been against top 6 sides and they have got just 2 points from those 4 games. Their apparent marginal improvement may simply be that they have had 6 games against the bottom 5 during that period. The only teams they have beaten are the teams who occupied the bottom 3 places when Terry and Mo took over. They need to do a bit more than that to demonstrate an improvement.

Hibs currently lie 7th and I suspect that anything less than a top 6 finish will be seen as failure at Easter Road. Hibs entertain Celtic next week and one would expect them to lose. Then in February they have just two fixtures which could be crucial. Firstly they are at home to a resurgent County and then away at fellow strugglers Kilmarnock. Failure to win either of those would see them move into March without a win since a narrow derby win on January 2nd. I suspect that if that were to be the scenario, the natives would be starting to get more than a little restless.

Interesting to see the bizarre comment from Adams yesterday in trying to take as much personal credit as possible for County's surprisingly comfortable win against Dundee Utd. The BBC quotes him as saying "It takes a brave manager to do what I have done today and play six new players". Adams should reflect that the six new players have been brought in to address the mess created by his failure to put a decent side together. It is Adams' ineptitude which has forced his chairman to dig deeply into his pockets to finance a rescue act. Without this influx of players, County would be firmly rooted in 11th place and would be heading for the play-offs. Brave, my *rse! Had Adams not played the players the Chairman has financed he might well have been looking for another job next week.

Whilst things are looking up for us, they are also looking up for OTB. 10 points from 4 games in 2014 and Kiss is already their top scorer for the season after just 2 games. They were dross in 2013 but look much stronger now. It could be that the convenient floodlight failure earlier in the year and the apparent inability to have rearranged the match before now could come back to haunt us. It is good to have a couple of games in hand but we will do well to get more than a couple of points from games away at County and Motherwell, particularly if we have distractions of cup matches.

Shinnie would normally be our first choice left back but when Raven was out he played right back with Tremarco coming in at left back and he did well. With Raven back and the midfield missing Vincent, Foran and Draper, he has played in the midfield, again with Tremarco at left back. It should not be too long before all the missing midfield trio are available for selection and with the signing of Tansey together with improved showings recently from Polworth, Watkins and Williams , competition for midfield places is going to be fierce. To be honest, whilst I have always been impressed with Shinnie going forward, he does, at times seem vulnerable at the back. Last week I felt he was our MOTM against Dundee Utd and by all accounts he was excellent today. Tremarco seems pretty able at left back and I just wonder whether Shinnie should be played in the midfield role because I think that is where he is at his best. Of course, when other players are available there is the question of who misses out. If Shinnie was to keep a midfield role, who would lose out? Foran has now had quite a long lay off and I just wonder whether he will be able to get back to the level he has played at previously. Certainly, Foran is never going to match Shinnie's work rate and I wonder if Shinnie should take over Foran's midfield role - and the captaincy. Thoughts?