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hislopsoffsideagain

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  1. hislopsoffsideagain
    The first half was absolutely hideous - I felt embarrassed for some of the players. It wasn't until that absolutely stonking free kick from Tansey that we really got going. As Greg stepped up I confidently announced "this'll end up in the wall or in the stand like all his other free kicks this season" - I'm not disappointed that I was wrong though! After that we stroked the ball about really well, especially with Jones pulling the strings. Much of our play in the final third was pretty disappointing though - of the attacking players, I thought only Jonny had a particularly good game. I was far more impressed with our back four, who looked very slick. Piermayr had an excellent game I thought, though I don't know if it will have been enough to earn him a new deal. I was pleased to see how keen Graeme Shinnie was to get forward from left back too. The big disappointment was Foran, who had a mare. As said above, Tansey had an excellent game yesterday, and I thought that when he was pushed further up the pitch in the last half-hour he looked very dangerous. The million dollar question: Do the back-to-back wins suggest we are heading in the right direction, or are they disguising the problems suggested by our horrendous form before then?
  2. hislopsoffsideagain
    I'll put together an article when I get the chance, but I thought it was worth making it public knowledge - ROMAN GOLOBART is the twelfth winner of the CaleyThistleOnline.com Player of the Year trophy! Congrats to Roman, who was man of the match in 9 different games and player of the month twice. After totting up the scores from the Dunfermline game, he has an unassailable 13 point lead over Graeme Shinnie. Well done Roman, hopefully you will be around next season to try and retain your title! :clapping: :clapping:
  3. hislopsoffsideagain
    Oh, Terry, at a time where many Inverness fans are becoming disillusioned with you, it really is not wise to come out with something like this...
  4. hislopsoffsideagain
    More information about "CTO Player of the Month - April"
    April 2012 will not go down as a vintage month in the history of Inverness Caley Thistle - only one point from four matches, with two defeats from winning positions and an utterly demoralising reverse to Aberdeen thanks to two own goals. But a few players will be able to take some positives away from those games. Winger Jonny Hayes, the website's player of the year during our 2009/10 promotion campaign, won his first player of the month award since October 2010. Hayes was voted man of the match during the defeat to Hibs, where he scored a somewhat fluky goal, and came second in the polling for the draw at St. Johnstone. He also managed third place in the loss to Kilmarnock despite being sent off! Considering all the rumours surrounding his future, this fan hopes that this will not be the Irishman's last player of the month award from CaleyThistleOnline. Hayes' 45 votes over the four matches were ten ahead of Roman Golobart and twenty-two clear of Aaron Doran, his nearest challengers. Golobart was the other winner this month, even though the Spaniard didn't play in the Kilmarnock match; he was the star performer in Perth and has extended his lead at the top of the overall standings to 13 points over Graeme Shinnie. Barring an incredible turnaround, Golobart will be the first on-loan player to win CaleyThistleOnline's Player of the year award. Though it tells you something about our season when our likely player of the year started only half the games, and scored a shedload of own goals...! Overall quantity of votes cast for each player in April: (Used to decide Player of the Month) Player 01/04 07/04 21/04 28/04 TOTAL Jonny Hayes 29 11 2 3 45 Roman Golobart 22 8 5 35 Aaron Doran 17 6 23 Greg Tansey 14 2 1 17 Billy McKay 8 1 7 16 Graeme Shinnie 5 3 3 11 Ross Tokely 6 4 1 11 Jonny Tuffey 2 4 5 11 Owain Tudur-Jones 6 5 11 Gregory Tade 3 6 9 Steve Williams 5 3 8 Shane Sutherland 7 7 Kenny Gillet 3 2 1 6 Josh Meekings 3 3 Richie Foran 1 1 2 Nick Ross 1 1 Player of the Year Points ~ Current Standings : 2011/12 (Player of Month also highlighted in monthly column) Player JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR TOTAL Roman Golobart 0 1 0 0 0 12 15 0 16 8 52 Graeme Shinnie 0 18 13 1 0 3 1 0 3 0 39 Richie Foran 3 5 0 0 0 8 6 9 0 0 31 Ross Tokely 0 6 0 4 8 3 0 0 8 0 29 Gregory Tade 0 8 8 4 1 1 1 0 3 0 26 Greg Tansey 5 5 0 5 0 0 6 3 1 1 26 Jonny Hayes 0 0 0 0 1 14 1 1 0 9 26 Ryan Esson 6 1 3 6 0 0 3 1 0 0 20 Kenny Gillet 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 10 1 0 20 David Davis 0 0 2 3 9 3 - - - - 17 Andrew Shinnie 0 0 0 10 5 0 1 0 0 0 16 Billy McKay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5 5 15 Aaron Doran 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 9 Steve Williams - - - - - - - 3 0 3 6 Nick Ross 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 5 Jonny Tuffey 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 4 Josh Meekings 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 Owain Tudur-Jones 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 Shane Sutherland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 Gavin Morrison 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Thomas Piermayr 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Chris Hogg 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
  5. hislopsoffsideagain
    If you have to pay to maintain integrity, then surely it isn't integrity? Scottish football is far too expensive as it is without requesting fans to contribute extra. On the other hand, I would happily pay a huge sum of money if it meant Rangers were playing at Borough Briggs next season.
  6. hislopsoffsideagain
    You forgot the mascot at half time!
  7. hislopsoffsideagain
    What a hideous game, between two utterly dreadful teams. Steve Paterson's ICT side from a decade ago would have walked all over both these sides. This was the sort of match which makes me think that, in the event of a goalless draw, neither team should get any points. I feel ashamed that we felt the need to take the ball to the corner flag at the end, rather than go for a winner - there are 2 games left for goodness sake, it wasn't the last match of the season. So little happened that the BBC highlights will have to show the minutes silence and the mascot's outstanding half-time antics just to make up a full 5 minutes of action. I can't even say that we were set up to play negatively and go for a draw - we're not well organised enough to manage that. It was the same plan as last week, and the week before that, and the week before that...they say a fool is a man who makes the same mistakes over and over again, but expects different results. Well, the punting high balls at a 5'8" centre forward hasn't worked all season, but we were at it again. Doran and Shinnie looked like they had instructions to get to the byline and cross high balls - to our 5'8" centre forward who had to win a header against to 6ft-plus centre backs. I'm pretty sure that we weren't playing on a potato patch tonight, but you'd have though otherwise given the abysmal first touches and rotten passing on display for the most part. Foran had a shocker; Tansey played one beautiful Hollywood pass to release McKay in the second half, but that hardly made up for all the much shorter passes he gave straight to opposing players. Graeme Shinnie, like every other time he has played as a wide midfielder this season, looked like a defender who doesn't know how to play as a wide midfielder. Bizarrely, our Plan B in the first half appeared to be to punt high balls at him instead of McKay! I thought Nick Ross at least showed some good touches, and I was disappointed when he was subbed. I felt McKay offered very little, and Tade caused the defenders more hassle in 3 minutes than McKay did in 87. Our defence were solid enough, but still managed to gift a few chances. None of the back four looked comfortable on the ball for a second, and when Dunfermline pressed high up the pitch we gave the ball away very cheaply. Ryan Esson probably gets my MOTM, simply on the grounds that his handling was assured. So that's one win in fourteen, and no wins in our last eight home games since 21st January. At least this season is over for us. But I've yet to see any reason why next season won't be just as bad if big changes aren't made.
  8. hislopsoffsideagain
    Yesterday was the first home game I've missed all season...I went down south with a mate to watch Bolton v Swansea. Sounds like I made the right decision! I normally go to four or five English matches a season, it's increasingly tempting to double that number instead of renewing my season ticket. I phoned my parents to ask for their take on the performance - that's the first time I've ever heard my mother swear.
  9. hislopsoffsideagain
    Butcher really talked up Gnakpa when he was signed and I think raised our expectations far too highly; he then of course looked very slick on his debut vs St. Mirren as well. But I saw him playing at centre forward at East End Park when he was dreadful, and Butcher seems to have given up on him quickly. A shame.
  10. hislopsoffsideagain
    Bear in mind that the arrival of Ross County at least guarantees two home sellout crowds a season - so, in terms of gate receipts, we wouldn't necessarily take a hit in the same way other clubs would. For what it's worth, I don't just want a liquidated Rangers demoted to division 3, I want them to have to go through the ignominy of reapplying against Spartans, Cove Rangers etc...mostly for the comedy value :lol:
  11. hislopsoffsideagain
    More information about "CTO Player of the Month - March"
    <style type="text/css"> <!-- .style21 {color: #FFFFFF} --> </style> <p>March was not a particularly enjoyable month for ICT players and fans; it brought us a superb win at Aberdeen, but also some disappointing defeats at Tannadice and at home to St Johnstone, as well as a draw with Kilmarnock. But Spanish defender Roman Golobart can take some positives from those games, in the form of three Man of the Match awards as he earned his second Player of the Month award of the season. In the process, Golobart has managed to displace Graeme Shinnie at the top of the overall leaderboard. Shinnie had been at the top of the pile since September but not any longer - with the season coming towards its end, our on-loan man from Wigan is in pole position to be CTO's Player of the Year! It was also a solid month for Ross Tokely, almost unanimous man of the match against St Johnstone, who picked up 43 votes to Golobart's 59 and moves up to fourth in the overall standings. There's life in the old dog yet! The lack of votes for the Dundee Utd game (understandable for a televised away game on a Monday night) meant that no fewer than six members of the squad picked up points for the Player of The Year standings, as per the CTO Player of the Year rules.</p> <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 March: (<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>05/03</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>10/03</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>24/03</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>28/03</strong></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>TOTAL</strong></div></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#000099"> <td><span class="style4 style21">Roman Golobart</span></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">6</span></div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">25</span></div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">14</span></div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">14</span></div></td> <td><div align="center"><span class="style21">59</span></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ross Tokely</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center">9</div></td> <td><div align="center">28</div></td> <td><div align="center">43</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Billy McKay</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">9</div></td> <td><div align="center">9</div></td> <td><div align="center">14</div></td> <td><div align="center">32</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Graeme Shinnie</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">10</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">7</div></td> <td><div align="center">21</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jonny Tuffey</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">15</div></td> <td><div align="center">19</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Greg Tansey</td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">7</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">10</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gregory Tade</td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">9</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Richie Foran</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">7</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Sam Winnall</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">7</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">7</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">5</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">6</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Nick Ross</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">4</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Josh Meekings</td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">5</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Shane Sutherland</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"></div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Ryan Esson</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Kenny Gillet</td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Claude Gnakpa</td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">2</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Thomas Piermayr</td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>&nbsp;</p><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="85%"> <tbody><tr bgcolor="#FF0000"> <td colspan="11"><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>MAR</strong></div> <div align="center"></div></td> <td><div align="center"><strong>TOTAL</strong></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 bgcolor="#FFFF00"><div align="center">16</div></td> <td><div align="center">44</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">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">39</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">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">31</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">8</div></td> <td><div align="center">29</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">3</div></td> <td><div align="center">26</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">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">25</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">0</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">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">20</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">0</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>-</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">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> <td><div align="center">10</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">0</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">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">1</div></td> <td><div align="center">4</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">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">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">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">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">3</div></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Shane Sutherland</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">0</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">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">0</div></td> <td><div align="center">1</div></td> </tr> </tbody></table>
  12. hislopsoffsideagain
    The first commandment of Butcher: Thou shalt never blame the manager in the event of defeat.
  13. hislopsoffsideagain
    Hayes hits the post. Apparently we are well on top. So what odds that St J score first?
  14. hislopsoffsideagain
    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.
  15. hislopsoffsideagain
    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
  16. hislopsoffsideagain
    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
  17. hislopsoffsideagain
    Someone give tm4tj a hug!
  18. hislopsoffsideagain
    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.
  19. hislopsoffsideagain
    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"?
  20. hislopsoffsideagain
    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.
  21. hislopsoffsideagain
    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...
  22. hislopsoffsideagain
    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...
  23. hislopsoffsideagain
    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!
  24. hislopsoffsideagain
    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...
  25. hislopsoffsideagain
    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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