hislopsoffsideagain
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Everything posted by hislopsoffsideagain
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Sigh. It's not the first time this season that Butcher has slagged off the players, promised wholesale changes and then kept almost all the same lineup. What does Nick Ross have to do to get a game? Good to have Doran back on the bench at last. Winnall's absence from the matchday squad suggests he doesn't have a future at the club.
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This is how things currently sit, in my opinion - this is what I think Butcher will do, mind, not what I would do! UNDER CONTRACT FOR NEXT SEASON Richie Foran Andy Shinnie Nick Ross Gavin Morrison Shane Sutherland Graeme Shinnie Aaron Doran Josh Meekings LIKELY TO STAY Ryan Esson - surely will get a new deal Owain Tudur Jones - has expressed a willingness to stay Chris Hogg - it was stated in January that he will be offered a new contract Greg Tansey - Butcher seems to think the sun shines out of his rear end Gregory Tade - has probably done enough to warrant another year Billy McKay - appears to be first choice centre forward at the moment Kenny Gillet - solid, hard working and can play at left back or centre back UNLIKELY TO STAY Ross Tokely - think he will go the way of Munro and Duncan, however well he does Jonny Hayes - surely will get a better offer from a better club than us Sam Winnall - Butcher doesn't seem to rate him so loan unlikely to be extended Steve Williams - hasn't established himself in the team while on loan FUTURE UNCLEAR Thomas Piermayr - in and out of the team Jonny Tuffey - likely to be offered new deal, but may want first team football elsewhere David Proctor - a long servant to the club, but certainly not a first choice any more Roman Golobart - there may well be a chance to extend his loan, though I doubt we could sign him permanently Claude Gnakpa - Butcher talked highly of him but has so far flattered to deceive
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As regards whether Butcher has a good eye for a player, here are his signings by transfer window according to Wikipedia and Soccerbase. Apologies for those I've missed. I've listed Foran, Cox, Hayes, Duff (controversial, I know!), Gillet, Hogg, Andy Shinnie and loanees Golobart and Davis as hits. That's not very many, considering it's been three years... January 2009 (Gatheussi, Morais and Mihadjuks were all Brewster signings) Richie Foran - HIT at least until this season, now club captain Eric Odhiambo - JURY OUT hugely inconsistent but certainly got a few goals. Now playing for Denizlispor in Turkey Summer 2009 Nauris Bulvitis (loan) - JURY OUT a regular at centre back in div 1 but loan not extended beyond end of season. Now back in Latvia playing for Spartak Jurmala Lee Cox - HIT only 18 when signed but a regular in midfield for two seasons. Left in January 2012 for Swindon Town for about £50,000 Robert Eagle - MISS flattered to deceive in midfield. Now playing for Lowestoft Town Stuart Golabek - JURY OUT clearly not as good as he was in his first spell, but was solid enough at left back Jonny Hayes - HIT even in the SPL, he is still our biggest attacking threat Dani Sanchez - JURY OUT infuriating at times, but definitely showed flashes of ability. Now at Wellington Phoenix in the Aussie A-League Dan Stratford - MISS mediocre midfield player. Back in the USA playing for West Virginia University Stuart Duff (loan in November 2010) - JURY OUT only played a few games before returning to Aberdeen Summer 2010 Gil Blumenshtein - MISS hopeless Israeli midfielder with more hair than ability. Now playing for Hapoel Ramat HaSharon back in Israel Stuart Duff - HIT solid but unspectacular midfield player who gave us versatility and depth. Now playing for Kazakhstan side Kairat Kenny Gillet - HIT missed much of last season injured but has looked good for the most part this year Chris Innes - JURY OUT experienced reserve centre back, but clearly past his best. Now at Arbroath Kevin McCann (loan) - JURY OUT started really well but injury-prone. Now at Livingston Jonny Tuffey - JURY OUT certainly a good backup keeper to have around but has played only a handful of games January 2011 Aaron Doran (loan later made permanent) - JURY OUT looked great initially, but injured for the majority of this season Chris Hogg - HIT when fit, our best centre-back. Cruciate injury has kept him out since November Alex MacDonald (loan) - MISS - just one goal and no better than anyone else we had available Summer 2011 Tom Aldred (loan) - MISS struggled in his first few games, then threw a hissy fit when dropped Aiden Chippendale (loan) - MISS didn't look anything special and his loan wasn't extended past January David Davis (loan) - HIT added drive quality to our midfield - now a first team regular at Wolves! Roman Golobart (loan) - HIT some dreadful blunders but several MOTM performances and in the running for CTO's player of the year Billy McKay - JURY OUT might come good, but 1 goal in 18 games is a woeful return Josh Meekings - JURY OUT a lot of naive defending but he is still young. Long throws are useful! Thomas Piermayr - JURY OUT decent in patches, but rash at times and picks up a lot of bookings Andy Shinnie - HIT after a hideous start he was in stunning form when he broke his foot Gregory Tade - JURY OUT nine goals are a plus but is either very good or very bad Greg Tansey - JURY OUT a regular in the team but so far has not lived up to expectations (except when playing Dunfermline) Owain Tudur Jones - JURY OUT cursed by injury this season January 2012 Claude Gnakpa - JURY OUT a few bright flashes but rarely looks bothered Steve Williams (loan) - JURY OUT looked good initially but made scapegoat for Rangers hammering and out of favour since Sam Winnall (loan) - JURY OUT but has barely got a chance since joining
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Someone give tm4tj a hug!
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As for those folk who keep saying "who would we get to replace Butcher? We can't do better than him" - look at St Johnstone who dared to give the untried Owen Coyle a chance (did very well, moved on to better things), replaced him with the novice Derek McInnes (did very well, moved on to better things), then came up with rookie Steve Lomas who seems to be doing all right... ...of course the risk is that for every Derek Adams (taking County to the SPL) there is a Scott Leitch (who took County to the second division). But Butcher increasingly resembles an old dog who can't learn new tricks. His 'let's get it up 'em' style appears increasingly obsolete in a modern world where the successful coaches are the ones who know how to set a team up.tactically, and who do enough research to know that, if you press our back line high up the pitch, we'll spend 90 minutes punting high balls at our 5'7" striker instead.
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I'm not massively up for managers slagging off individual players - what does it do to confidence? Especially since Gillet has been as good as anyone this season, Tokely had come off two excellent performances against Aberdeen and St Johnstone (and for me is still a full-back filling in at centre-half), and Meekings is a young boy still learning his trade. As regards Meekings, Butcher has more experienced options (Proctor, Piermayr and Tokely himself) but keeps picking Josh, so the buck stops with the boss. If Butcher feels the need to criticize individuals then why not start with those a bit more deserving of the criticism, such as our esteemed undroppable captain, the esteemed undroppable Tansey, or the esteemed undroppable McKay? The latter in particular is clearly so bereft of confidence anyway that you couldn't make him any less effective in front of goal by whinging about him to the media. Or, how about for once TB says "I picked those defenders that couldn't defend worth a damn, those midfielders who can't run, can't tackle and can't pass, and those forwards who couldn't hit a cow's backside with a banjo, so the buck stops with me"?
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Is it true that Butcher wouldn't speak to the media after the game? Presumably he's trying to work out how to explain to the press that this defeat, like all of our defeats, is everyone else's fault but his. And, of course, he'll tell them that he's going to make 42 changes to the starting lineup for next week.
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That was an utter embarrassment. Hibs fans won't be able to believe their luck. They were hopeless, disorganized and couldn't put two passes together - so what does that say about us? I'm sure there will be plenty of apologists who come on and say "we had all the possession", "we created chances", "we've had lots of players injured" - these excuses don't wash with me. Our two goals today were a penalty (which looked a bit soft from my view) and a fluke. McKay has played 1,182 minutes of football this season, all at centre forward, and scored one goal. It's more than 1,000 minutes since he last scored. I don't give a damn if he runs a lot and his link-up play is good - it clearly isn't helping the team. He may work harder than big lugs like Garry O'Connor, or Scott Vernon (Aberdeen), or Paul Heffernan (Kilmarnock), or Steven Thompson (St Mirren)...but these guys have all scored far more goals. Tade had a mare on Wednesday, and picked up where he left off; his touch was dreadful and, like McKay, he too made an arse of a one-on-one. Our midfield were pretty dreadful today aside from Hayes (who, apart from a good ten minutes at the start, did little else until his moment of good fortune). I'm sick of watching Tansey apologize to teammates a dozen times a game for giving the ball away cheaply. Foran looked slow and his touch was rotten. These guys have started 28 and 31 league games respectively - what do they have to do to get dropped? Gavin Morrison couldn't be any worse than they are. Graeme Shinnie looked like what he was - a full-back who was out of position. As for the defence...well, watching that would have left Alan Hansen contemplating suicide. Tokely just decided to watch and admire Hanlon's run and free header for their first. Neither of our two left-backs could stop their winger crossing for the second - and O'Connor was given all the time in the world to score. As for the third, Meekings and Tokely just stood off and watched, and even then Griffiths' shot should have been better dealt with by Tuffey. I thought Golobart did all right, but is it possible for a defender to be MOTM when his team have conceded three? As soon as we concede a goal now, we cave in and our manager does not know what to do to turn things around. He has no plan B. His substitutions are bizarre - even though we were losing, he still took 79 mins to make one sub - and then brought two guys on in injury time. What is the point of that? It is clear to see there are no tactics - he simply chooses eleven players and a formation and leaves them to get on with it. There is no organization, and I don't believe there is much motivation either. Few, if any of the ICT team look like they want to be out there playing football. So our last 9 games read as one win, three draws and five defeats, 6 scored, 16 conceded. Remember the end of the 2007-08 season, when we only won three of the last sixteen under Brewster? Watching Caley then felt a lot like watching them right now does. And remember what happened the season after that...
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Because I was born in Inverness and my dad (a Thistle fan - I still have their last away strip) was quite determined that I would never support an Old Firm team. I tend to hold some contempt for folk who do not support their local team. That said, I will move heaven and earth to make sure any child of mine is born somewhere with a decent team - Manchester, Milan, Barcelona...
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Butcher has got into the habit recently of getting into arguments with members of the crowd behind his dugout. I get the distinct feeling that his failure to make a change for so long was sheer bloody-mindedness at the fact that everyone in the ten rows behind him kept pointing out that substitutions were needed!
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After thinking for a while, I've managed to come up with 3 positives from that game... - Tokely was flipping brilliant - Tuffey looked assured in goal again - It was a nice night and I got some fresh air Everything else was absolutely dreadful. The penalty looked soft to me, and I thought the ref had a poor game, but I don't think we warranted anything from the match. It's particularly frustrating as St J weren't particularly special, but they kept the ball, looked organized and always posed a goal threat. I thoroughly dislike Sandaza (surely he should have got a second yellow for that dive/deliberate handball combo?) but I'd kill to have him in our team. How come they could get him and Sheridan, and we've only got the willing but goalshy McKay - who spurned three excellent chances tonight - and bloody Tade, who was trying in more than one sense of the word tonight. After he missed that early sitter he could do nothing right. I felt we were second best in every area from the off - it was as if that tremendous performance at Pittodrie had never happened. Our midfield, so good against Aberdeen, was rank rotten. I've been a big champion of Jones, but he was far too slow and kept getting dispossessed. Why Tansey gets a game is beyond me. Foran has the right attitude, but not the quality - you could say the same of Sutherland as well. I suppose our defence is at least a bit more solid, though Piermayr kept giving the ball away. Shinnie had a hard time in the first half but certainly improved in the second. This is another game which could be used in evidence against our management. Lomas had done his homework - press us high up the pitch and we quickly revert to punting high balls at McKay. Yet it was 70 minutes before Butcher made a sub - and 10 minutes before that he changed to 4-4-2, sticking Tansey on the right wing, which seemed to make us even worse. Too many times this season the tactics have been wrong, and by the time the manager changes them it's too late. Anyway, after being briefly perked up by last weekend's result, I am descending back into depression. I've a 1 litre tub of Mackies Honeycomb Ice Cream in the freezer that's going to get demolished tonight...
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Just back. I've been hyper-critical of recent performances so I think it's only fair that this time I give oodles of credit to the players for a really gutsy display. It did no harm to our chances that Aberdeen were absolutely hopeless today - even with the extra man they forced Tuffey into only one half-decent save in the second half. It was a significant change in shape from recent weeks - the addition of Jones very much turned it into a 4-3-3/4-5-1. Tansey played a bit further forward than OTJ and Foran but not to the extend that Nick Ross or Andy Shinnie normally would. I thought that the extra midfielder meant we were far better in possession than in recent games, and there was little sign of high balls being punted at McKay, thank goodness. We were hugely superior in the first half, especially after the goal. Tade legged it from one flank to another, played McKay through, and with the goalie hideously out of position McKay took it round him and cut it back cleverly from the by-line for Tade to stick into an empty net. A really well-worked goal, I thought. Foran was denied a second by a goalline clearance, and Tade and McKay were causing all sorts of problems. The main concern at half-time was that we only had one goal to show for our dominance - Aberdeen couldn't be any worse than in the first half. After Meekings was sent off (no complaints - two blatant and foolish bookings), Butcher gambled on packing the pitch with defensive players and hanging on - it wasn't pretty but it worked well. Tade actually should have had another after a defensive blunder, but scuffed it wide with only the goalie to beat. But our backline dealt with everything that was thrown at them. There were no lucky breaks for the Dons, and they didn't deserve any. I lost count of how often Golobart headed the ball in the last 10 minutes. The Spaniard had one or two 'moments' but otherwise I thought he was sensational. That was Rossco's best performance in ages too, and Graeme Shinnie had a superb game. I'm really pleased for Tuffers, who oozed confidence and had a couple of really good punches. Even those guys who didn't play brilliantly put in heroic shifts. Tade and Foran in particular looked like they were going to keel over at the end. McKay also deserves an honourable mention - he had a super game but had to be hooked after Meekings was sent off. I can't be bothered going looking for negatives. That was a superb result and a display of real character from the ICT boys today - well done!
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<style type="text/css"> <!-- .style21 {color: #FFFFFF} --> </style> <p>February was a month without a win for Caley Thistle, but there's at least a crumb of comfort for Kenny Gillet - the French defender won his second consecutive Player of The Month award.</p><p> </p><p>The results might not have been great, but Gillet started February as he had left off at the end of the previous month, with displays that saw him voted as the team's best player in both the cup and league defeats by Celtic. His total of 50 votes was 7 ahead of second placed Richie Foran (who was voted best player in the away draw with Dunfermline), with Nick Ross third.</p><p> </p><p>As for the overall standings, it's hard not to start wondering if any of the players want to win the overall Player of the Year award!</p><p> </p><p>Graeme Shinnie has been top of the table since August, but his lead has been gradually whittled down - not surprising, since he has earned only 4 points since mid-October. Foran has crept up into second place, while third placed Roman Golobart is still in with a big shout with his return from injury imminent.</p> <br /><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="85%"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#FF0000"> <td colspan="6"><span class="style16 style21">Overall quantity of votes cast for each player in February: (<em>Used to decide Player of the Month</em>)</span></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"> <td><strong>Player</strong></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>04/02</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>11/01</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>18/01</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>26/01</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>TOTAL</strong></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#000099"> <td><span class="style4 style21">Kenny Gillet</span></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">23</span></div></td> <td><div class="style21" align="center">7</div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">7</span></div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">13</span></div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">50</span></div></td> </tr><tr> <td>Richie Foran</td> <td><div align="center">16</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">17</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">43</div></td></tr><tr> <td>Nick Ross</td> <td><div align="center">21</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">12</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">38</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Billy McKay</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">27</div></td> <td><div align="center">29</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Greg Tansey</td> <td><div align="center">10</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">25</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ryan Esson</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">19</div></td> <td><div align="center">24</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Steve Williams</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">17</div></td> <td><div align="center">17</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jonny Hayes</td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">16</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>David Proctor</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">14</div></td> <td><div align="center">15</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Graeme Shinnie</td> <td><div align="center">9</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">15</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Owain Tudur-Jones</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">10</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">12</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jonny Tuffey</td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Claude Gnakpa</td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Shane Sutherland</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gregory Tade</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Josh Meekings</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="85%"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#FF0000"> <td colspan="10"><span class="style16 style21">Player of the Year Points ~ Current Standings : 2011/12 (<em>Player of Month also highlighted in monthly column</em>)</span></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#CCCCCC"> <td>Player</td> <td><div align="center"><strong>JUL</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>AUG</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>SEP</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>OCT</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>NOV</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>DEC</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>JAN</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>FEB</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>TOTAL</strong></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Graeme Shinnie</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">18</div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">13</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">36</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Richie Foran</td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">9</div></td> <td><div align="center">31</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Roman Golobart</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">12</div></td> <td><div align="center">15</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">28</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Greg Tansey</td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">24</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gregory Tade</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">23</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ross Tokely</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">8</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">21</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ryan Esson</td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">20</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Kenny Gillet</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">8</div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center"> <p>10</p> </div></td> <td><div align="center">19</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jonny Hayes</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">14</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">17</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><em>David Davis</em></td> <td><div align="center"><em>0</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>0</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>2</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>3</em></div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center"><em>9</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>3</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>-</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>-</em></div></td> <td><div align="center"><em>17</em></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Andrew Shinnie</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">10</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">16</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Billy McKay</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Nick Ross</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jonny Tuffey</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Josh Meekings</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gavin Morrison</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Thomas Piermayr</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Owain Tudur-Jones</td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Steve Williams</td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">-</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Chris Hogg</td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Aaron Doran</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> </tr> </tbody></table> -
Don't know if this has been picked up on by someone else, but from the pictures on Alba, isn't Golobart offside when he equalizes? McKay flicks it goalwards and Golobart is standing right on the line with no defenders or the goalkeeper obviously playing him on? Not that I'm complaining, mind...about time we had some luck...
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I quite often pop along to Victoria Park if Caley are away and County are at home. Munro is a very good bet for the first division's Player of The Year award. Each time I've seen County play this season he has simply strolled through the game. It's a lower standard than what he would have faced this season with us, of course. But I would expect him to do a decent job in the SPL this season. Certainly County fans that I've spoken to tell me they love him. I've never been terribly sold on Vigurs, even when he was with us. Admittedly he's scored in both the last two home games, including an absolutely brilliant free kick against Partick. But he certainly has his share of poor performances and still seems lightweight at times. I'm not convinced he can make the step up to the SPL.
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Point total compared with previous seasons
hislopsoffsideagain replied to hislopsoffsideagain's topic in Caley Thistle
Well... More goals conceded at this point in an SPL season than in any previous campaigns. A worse goal difference at this point in an SPL season than in any previous campaigns. Fewer wins at this point in an SPL season than in any previous campaigns. If this season's team were in a league table with the ICT side which were relegated in 2008-09, we would be below them on goal difference. That can't be a good thing, can it? -
I was geeky enough to waste 20 minutes working out how many points we had after 29 games in each of our previous SPL seasons... P W D L F A PTS GD 2004-05 29 8 9 12 34 39 33 -5 2005-06 29 9 13 7 41 33 40 +8 2006-07 29 8 10 11 31 37 34 -6 2007-08 29 10 3 16 35 48 33 -13 2008-09 29 8 4 17 29 45 28 -16 2010-11 29 9 9 11 38 37 36 +1 2011-12 29 7 7 15 33 50 28 -17 Comes as a bit of a shock to discover we have the same number of points at this stage as the year we went down, and a worse goal difference to boot! Thank the lord for Dunfermline...
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I achieved the dubious honour of getting a rollicking from Malpas today, after criticizing the Tade-Gnakpa substitution. If he takes offence to me shouting "You must be joking", then goodness knows how he would cope with more vociferous and abusive and less forgiving home supports than ours. I suppose we weren't any worse than against Rangers and Dundee United, but we were pretty dreadful again, particularly in the second half. A draw against a threadbare Killie side is nothing to celebrate, in my opinion. We started the game well but for the umpteenth game in a row we failed miserably in the final third. The freak own goal from Golobart knocked the stuffing out of us, and I thought we were rotten for long periods in the second half. How TB chose to hook Tade, who was unique amongst the attacking players in that he looked like he gave a damn, instead of the lacklustre McKay, the invisible Sutherland and the atrocious Winn-feck-all is beyond me, and since Gnakpa was absolutely brutal when he came on, I feel justified in my criticism. About the only thing the boss got right today was throwing on Nick Ross, who provided an element of flair that we didn't have. What does Tudur Jones have to do to get a game? Tansey was utterly awful again, Foran ran a lot but achieved little, yet Jones, in a game tailor-made for a player who could put a foot on the ball and pass it around, was left kicking his heels until being brought on pointlessly in the 92nd minute. Depressingly the only player who looked comfortable on the ball in the entire team was not a forward, nor a midfielder, but Roman Golobart. After the own goal, his attitude and application were commendable. Killie must be kicking themselves. They played for 1-0 and got caught out, yet when they started attacking again after our equalizer they created chances at will. If they had given it a go for 90 minutes they would have won with something to spare. We needed at least a point today to stop the rot, but this result doesn't even begin to paper over the cracks. The same problems are still there, but this Kilmarnock team failed to take advantage of them. As said above, this now has to be seen now as one point nearer to safety.
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tm4tj is spot on. I'm not calling for TB's head, but the last few games have been staggeringly similar to the defeats we were suffering in late 2008, when Brewster was heading towards lame duck status. Not only are we getting beaten comfortably, we are also tedious to watch. I also badly want Alex MacLeod to tell me now why it was that Munro got chucked...
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Matchday Thread Matchday Thread: Dundee Utd -V- ICT
hislopsoffsideagain replied to Scotty's topic in Caley Thistle
I watched this game on SkyPlus since I was out this evening. I wish I had just gone to bed. I suppose Butcher will see it as an improvement. After all, we gave Rangers a three goal start last week; tonight we only gave our opponents a two goal start before we bothered to turn up. This match proves once and for all that our management team have no concept of tactics, nor a gameplan. For the umpteenth time this season we were absolutely annihilated in midfield. All our opponents know that, at the first sign of pressure, our defensive players will pump high balls towards McKay, who can't possibly win any of them. It's not coincidence that we have struggled since we lost Davis, who was always willing to take the ball into feet even with an opposing player shadowing him. Tansey is supposed to do that job, but he's not up to it - in fact he also struggles with passing, tackling and, looking at the second goal, with marking as well. As for the idea to start with Sutherland and Tade providing width, well the mind boggles. Sure, it's not a bad idea if you push them up against the full backs and play high balls at them, but we don't do that for some reason. Both wanted to drive inside, leaving space for an overlapping full-back...except our full-backs don't go forward. So we have no width, and therefore keep punting high balls at McKay. In the final third, there is zero finesse or flair. By God, we miss Andy Shinnie. Fair play to Meekings, who I thought dealt with Mackay-Steven relatively well. The big problem - AGAIN - was in the centre. I think Golobart lacked match sharpness. As for Tokely...I think it's fair to say that he will be put out to pasture this summer. He just isn't up to it anymore at this level. What particularly struck me tonight was the number of moronic free kicks we keep giving away. Other teams manage to make their little nudges and shirt tugs subtle, so why can't we? If an opposing player is stuck in the corner, unsure what to do with the ball, he can be assured that one of our guys will hurtle into him and gift him a free kick. Wise up, for goodness sake. So, in conclusion, we are in a complete and utter mess. This, for me, is the worst state we've been in since the last few months of Brew's second spell. We've definitely taken a step back this season - let's hope it only remains one step back, and things don't get worse. But I'm dreading Saturday. Surely, surely, Jones and Winnall can't be any worse than the mob we currently have on the pitch?- 74 replies
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Jonny Hayes is out tonight, I think - or at least he's suggesting so on twitter. I think he's tweaked a hamstring?
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Proctor relies on 6th sense P&J article
hislopsoffsideagain replied to 12th Man's topic in Caley Thistle
Watching Proc play this season, I'm not convinced his normal five senses are in full working order... -
Okay, plenty of difference of opinion here! Let's face it, we are all incredibly disappointed by today's result - if we weren't upset, we wouldn't be fans. But let's not start slagging each other off over this. We all want the same thing - for the team to score goals and win games. Let's focus on that, huh?
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How many changes can we make? I've gone for a relatively conservative four. Esson Piermayr Williams Gillet G.Shinnie Jones Foran Hayes Winnall Gnakpa McKay Subs: Tuffey, Tokely, Proctor, Tansey, Ross, Sutherland, Tade I would love to dump more members of the back four, but I'm horrified by the idea of Tokely or Proctor up against Russell. Piermayr has always looked solid when he's been in the side. Jones absolutely has to start this game, presumably at Tansey's expense. Winnall deserves a chance - he can't be any worse than the rest of them. Take your pick out of Gnakpa, Ross and Tade to play wide.
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Trust me, things are bad if RiG left early. He's the sort of fan who would sit through the worst Caley performance even if someone had attached electrodes to his nether regions.