Eagle4Caley

Having got to the midpoint of the season, up to 6th in the table, what do people think 2016 will bring?

We are now in a post Ryan Christie, Marley Watkins, Shinnie Bros and Mckay era, a period that saw us in the top six three seasons running and with a Scottish Cup win and a League Cup final apperance, and our first sortie into Europe to boot.

It was a tough start to the season, with injuries, suspension, key players sold/not retained and little money for reinforcements....and irritably we've developed a knack for only playing 45mins and sitting deep on leads. Maybe that was inevitable, with a defence that has hardly been stable and new players taking time to blend in or just plain settle in. However considering what has happened at Dundee Utd, and also Motherwell (who finished 2nd in the league not so long ago) we may have done really well to avoid a potential meltdown!

Arguably December has been a pretty good month going unbeaten with plenty of goals scored albeit with draws snatched from potential defeats and wins (but we would have taken a draw at Aberdeen before the start!).... and winning at Hamilton despite initially losing the lead twice, is probably a sign of the never-give-up mentality coming back.

Good signs are the emergence of Polworth, Vincent still being fit, Devine developing as a solid defender. Williams has been a bit quiet recently (probaly suffering a bit as Mr Versatile in a shuffling line-up) but I expect him to push on. Tansey seems to be increasingly the rock that the team is built around, and Wedderburn now seems to have Yogi's confidence and seems to be putting in some performances. Fon-Williams has done well enough, although I am not convinced he has the fans confidence (am I wrong?) but it has to be a small boost that he could be going to the EUFA championship for Wales (albeit as an un-playing understudy to the mighty Wayne Hennessey)

Question marks are whether we can retain Storey (we clearly want to!) and whether the now-fit Roberts proves to be the real deal, likewise Lopez-Robles and Mbuyi-Mutombo have much to do to impress. Vigurs has provided some impetus in certain games, but seems a stop-gap. I feel over the close season we may be looking at new full backs, as much as I like Tremarco, I don't feel Yogi sees either him or Raven as long term (or have I got it wrong with Raven?)

A problem for us is that in reality with small crowds we have a very low income stream, and the SPFL as a package doesn't seem to generate much income, therefore player retention and recruitment is a bit of a lottery....I could see another sale in the summer being required to maintain rebuilding/regeneration, and the most valuable asset now is perhaps Meekings

My hopes for 2016 would see us achieve a top 6 finish for this season which I would consider a mighty achievement. Scottish Cup wise... in reality cups are a lottery, it needs two goalscoring sources to improve the odds, but I don't see us getting beyond two rounds, and would take the top six finish first and foremost. For the start of season 2016/17 I would like us to go into it with a decent goalscoring threat (and one not on loan!) and a couple of fast overlapping fullbacks.

Happy New Year to you all

Well you wouldn't want to leave early from a Caley match these days!

Polworth seems to have come of age, that's some hell of a winner

.... Up to sixth, just have to stay there now!

In Madrid at the mo, took a tour of the Bernabau....almost as impressive as the Tulloch Caledonian!

Strangely I felt this had the makings of a draw (or worse) last week....Mckay scoring what was almost the winner was totally in keeping with a rollercoaster season

I too am surprised that Raven can't see to get into the side....has there been some sort of falling out with Yogi?  and Meekings injured, was a nasty surprise

Given that we have been playing with what seems like a makeshift defense, and a makeshift attack, (with Storey fortunately, proving to be somewhat of a revelation) and arguably having not really replaced the two Shinnie brothers (yes I know Andrew has been gone a while), McKay, Watkins and now with Christie missing... a position two points off the top six, yet just 4 off the bottom two is perhaps unsurprising, ie. we are currently punching at or slightly below our weight

January will be interesting (and not probably not in a good way) with Christie gone, and Storey possibly too....Other than the obvious need to keep hold of Storey and get a decent back up or partner, it seems to me we need new full backs (2) and a charismatic leader in the middle. We probably have the money (wages and no fee)  for one player....and that could be just for Storey or his replacement!

Anyway having written off the game with 10mins to go, I did enjoy watching the Sky teleprinter suddenly pop up with an equaliser!

Happy Christmas everyone

Sounds like a typical Caley win this season good enough for 20mins to win the game, then a bit rubbish and hanging on, mind you that was a bit of our story last year, but were probably better for longer periods of each game and good had enough for the cup run. Interesting defensive line up at the moment, Raven/Tremarco not first choice full backs, will we be looking for a new RB come the summer. Good to see Vigurs on the score sheet,.... have we seen the last of Christie because of injury. If we can't retain Storey after his loan spell, life could get interesting again in the New Year

Anyway three points is three points, lets hope we don't gift Dundee Utd an early Christmas present next week, although somehow I can see it being 1-1 with Mckay getting on the scoresheet again

Yeah... can't be helped, the perils of having to plan in advance I guess, we've got something else we can do for today. Not sure if I will be able to make the re-arranged match, depends on how much notice I get to book flights . 

Bollox! Bollox! Flew in last night (interesting landing!) with eldest daughter for the weekend for her first game. Did I say Bollox!

Great news, no one panicked (well apart from some supporters!) and it's all come together, so important for the short to medium term

Now if Draper re-signs soon, we will be definitely be consolidating nicely.

Can we extend Storey's stay though? (or go one better?)

Job done...tickets ordered online, can relax now!

I've had exactly the same experience...ring Hearts,  ring ICT, ring back Hearts, ring ICT again (who will call me back on Monday)

I can organise flights, rent a flat for the weekend, book tickets to the Zoo and other visitor attractions...all nice an easy, But to buy two bleedy tickets to a football match, not so!

1 hour ago, Ten4 said:

Roseburn Stand end - a lot of Hearts games have been sell outs this season so pre purchasing might make sense

Thanks, I think I will.

Anyone know if the club are going to be selling away tickets for Hearts or do we go direct to Hearts, as their site is showing our match is now available for purchase  (if so where do the away fans go?).... Flying up from London with my eldest daughter and like to get things sorted in good time

0-3 Inverness...I'm bloody loving this! Well done Vigurs!  And on the day when I booked flights for the home match against Hamilton in March (and with my trip for the away match to Hearts just weeks away) So happy...now close this out! Who needs Yogi on the touchline!

Overall a s#it weekend for me football-wise....losing to a last minute penalty is real gutting, but from comments on here it looks like we were pretty poor.....strange how we can have three good wins on the trot and then two poor performances. Thats football I guess!

Fanastic result, without our star player (Christie) in the team and made all the more fun I suspect for many, with our friends in the 'East' getting stuffed 1-5 (who'd of seen that, especially with their new international full back in the team!). Sounds like we fully deserved the win even if we had the mandatory 'squeaking bum' time at the end. Getting Vincent back fit is (almost) as big a deal as having Storey scoring. Given his previous record I didn't expect Storey to do as well as he is, so it shows how much of a gamble some signings are and how they work out of not......We are looking quite settled now, but the second half of the season could still be interesting, if Storey's loan isn't extended, and with Christie gone.....lets hope that Mutumbo, Lopez and Roberts (remember him?) develop some form that makes those potential losses less heavy. Glad to hear Polworth having a good game

Palace up to third with a great victory, so a classic double win weekend

Who give's a monkey's for the Rugby World Cup anyway!

This!

What a great result! Sounds thoroughly deserved.

That's five games without defeat including the cup.....Storey appears to be a real round peg in a round hole up here, and Vincent staying fit

Bench really light, I understand Tremarco picked up a knock midweek, but Lopez and Foran?

Hats off to Yogi, who has steadied the ship after the early season troubles....an interesting comparison to that of the late Dundee Utd manager. We are still running on a super thin squad at the moment, so fingers crossed no more injuries (or suspensions!) for a while

Given County's form this season, next weeks game will be a toughie.....but if we can reproduce the same performance albeit without Christie we could extend our unbeaten run

A point away last season at Dundee Utd would seem a good point, despite Utd being off-colour this season, coming back from a goal down and what sounds like an 'iffy' first half still sounds like a good point....we seem to have stabilised a bit with Meekings/Vincent/Tremarco back (although the next two fixtures look toughies!). Love to here views on Storey's performance yesterday. And will Mutumbo walk straight back into the side?

Was the 6 man sub bench purely down to a late ingury to Vigurs? I wondered who this bloke Richard Foran on the team sheet was briefly! I wonder if he can get enough match fitness  back to stick the winner past County (which could be the highlight of the season)

Speroni had a testimonial at the end of last season....against Dundee, and they brought 2000 fans down with them, and they are definitely bonkers!

In fact MOTD didn't show half the stuff! we more than matched City in the first half, although they certainly came in to the game more second half...but we were going for the win right to the end so their goal was a sickener. Also annoying was MOTD spent time on Dann's tackle on Aguero because Pellegrini suggested a red card should have been shown yet totally ignored Mangela's tackle from behind on Puncheon in the 2nd half which was definitely worse (and should have been a red not a yellow, but perhaps I'm biased!)...but there you go.

Yes...that was a great result. I see West Ham as our closest London rivals in terms of squad and performances over the past few years, once they get in to the Olympic statdium that will take them up a notch in terms of support and prestige I reckon (there is a view down here that West Ham have got a rather unfair hand up by the authorities in their desperation to find a permanent use for that stadium....be nice if Palace got some of that money for redeveloping our 'atmospheric' stadium)

West Ham play The 'Toon' today so hope they give them a going over!

Fantastic result....second half sounded better than first, first match back for Vincent and he gets a goal....thats 2 in 2 now! 

And welcome to Miles Storey...always good to score on your debut

Meekings back, and apparently Hearts had not one shot on target?

Vigurs influential?

Certainly a good way to start the weekend!

Ok Right....the player profile website I was looking at obviously not updated...funny how footballers seem so keen on Turkey whereas Syrians can't wait to get out.....

Blimey...the last first team game (if that's what you can call it) this lad played in was a YEAR ago for Welling Utd. He could be the next Ryan Christie....but I don't see him playing many games for us.

It's staggering that Edward Ofere doesn't have a team, and yet what ICT were offering him wasn't enough to stay...what were we offering...Scotch Pies?

Be interesting to see the teams' accounts for the previous season...we must have made a serious loss.

Lets be fair to the lad, he is a young man who has just joined what is without doubt the biggest team in Scotland, earned a tidy increase in salary and a good chance of playing in the Champions League next season, he is going to sound excited, he may well have said 'obviously grateful to ICT for the break' etc etc, but this may not have be reported that's all. He played a major part in our best ever season, one that we may not repeat for some time, and now another side has offered him a massive break. In the end it's the way football is.