PerfICT

Higdon! A Hughes old boy that relegated us. He owes us one!

Scotsman quote: "4.25pm: It is rumoured Inverness are trying to put the kibosh on Greg Tansey’s move to Aberdeen by refusing to let the player speak to his potential new club. Aberdeen have reportedly triggered a release clause with an offer of £200,000, but they must get the deal done before 11pm to sign the player before the window closes. Inverness want to keep Tansey until the end of the season at least, and could be looking to stall the deal by any means possible. Read more: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/transfer-deadline-day-live-blog-osman-sow-to-china-morgaro-gomis-to-motherwell-rangers-bid-for-o-halloran-accepted-1-4017151#ixzz3yw9CHyOj Follow us: @TheScotsman on Twitter | TheScotsmanNewspaper on Facebook" Surely not possible to do that?

OK, this season is imploding, if this is confirmed. We still haven't recovered from BMck leaving at this time last season and again, it looks like we'll gain financially, but lose out on the field. By the time we next play (coincidentally, against Aberdeen), we could easily be in (or close to) the play-off spot thanks to other teams having played games in-between times. Cash in the bank will count for nought if we're in the Championship. Michael Higdon has been released by Sheffield United - he used to score regularly at TCS, maybe we could soften the blow with getting him in?

Not sure what to believe TBH. The story seems reasonably credible, except, if Tansey has a release clasue and Aberdeen meet it, I would imagine it's impossible for ICt to stand in the way of negotiations, unless the player himself doesn't want to go (which I'd love to think is the case, but doubt given the likely wage rise).

Duped!

If this turns out to be correct, what does it mean? did Abdn fall short of the asking price or did Tansey not want to move? If the latter, he is immediately elevated to God staus IMO.

Yup - funny how that particular street only seems to run in one direction! No McLean isn't really a defensive midfielder, but he has been playing quite deep for Abdn. Of course, they've also been playing Shinnie in there, but I can see why they would be interested in Tansey, given that it would free both of these up to play in their more natural positions. Can't blame him if he goes (for the wages) and I doubt we'd do all that well financially out of the deal. grrrrr.

...funnily enough, I wondered if that might be an option! Looking at their midfielders, Flood, Jack, Robson and McLean is all they have in the defensive area, so I can see why Tansey might fit, particularly as Robson doesn't seem to get a look in these days. Draper and Robson? Not sure! Maybe it could work....

...and let's not forget, he's one of our few players signed for next season!!

I think it's fair to say that Tansey hasn't had his best season this year, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't be in most supporters' first XI. Midfield is one area where we do have cover, but I really hope this isn't the case because he was starting to get back to his best and we all know what he's capable of. Fingers crossed that this is guff...

...Tansey story seems to be gathering pace! What a shambles if we lose another key player on deadline day, with no time to replace. I thought we might at least escape this transfer window without losing any players. I hate the transfer window!!

Agree with SP. This was an excellent piece by Josh Meekings - he has responded in a very mature way, making his thoughts clear, but without having a pop at JH in the process. Move on...nothing more to see here.

Weather today and forecast for tonight and tomorrow not great. The ground is sodden and there's snow and sleat forecast overnight - winds are still strong. Rain tomorrow morning too, so I reckon there is a serious risk that it will be off.

Probably why they're called Ass refs!

I'm sure that's it Alternative Maryhill. I haven't seen him play at all, but he got decent reviews in pre-season. Just eager to see something different from the same old, same old. Different doesn't necessarily turn out to be better, but you don't know until you try!

Excellent news about Draper and Esson. We at least now have the "core four" of Warren, Meekings, Draper and Tansey to build around. I'm presuming that Esson will continue on his coaching path, but I doubt we'll keep both Fon Williams and Brill TBH. Goalkeeper and strikers next, then we have the spine of the team for next season.

It's just a half-@rsed compromise, which suits nobody. An aspect of "summer football" is introduced in the guise of the league cup reorganisation, compensated for by 3 weeks' break for premiership clubs in January. Show some b@lls spfl and either go for the summer option or leave it where it is for all the reasons thaat Sneckboy indicates!

It is fair for Yogi to bemoan the loss of players like roberts and Doran to injury and Christie to Celtic. HOWEVER, the complaint only hold water if, when these players are available, he plays them! Doran rarely got a start under JH and Roberts is keeping the bench warm - is it just that he doesn't actually value width and creativity? Further fuel to this fire was his public denouncement of Mutombo's "showboating": one man's showboating is another's creativity and attempt to actually beat an oppentn with skill. I'm no supporter of flash for the sake of it, but I crave seeing an ICT player skinning a defender with skill and/or pace this season - the message seems to be that these tactics are banned in preference for passing a team to death??

Absolutely nailed it, AJ. Attack wide and defend narrow. Press high and hard, winning the ball back within 7 sec of losing it. Fast transition from defence into attack. Unless you adopt the whole game plan and have a highly talented group of footballers + Messi to do the unpredictable and beat people, the style is very predictable and so easy to play against. Just sit deep, wait for the mistake in the defensive third and strike fast on the counter. PT, St J and Stirling have all sussed this. Ironically, I think we're more likely to get a result against Hearts and Aberdeen because they'll have more of a go and force us to be more counter-attacking. As I said yesterday, I go to football matches to be entertained. In Yogi's defence, a slick passing move with a tap in for Storey can be that, but so can a fantastic piece of skill by a winger to skin a full back or a last ditch tackle by Warren to save a goal. 90 minutes of square passes across the defence with insufficient movement and width ahead of them is truly tedious and has lost us any chance of recruiting new supporters on the back of the cup success last year.

Hats off to the club for trying everything to get punters through the turnstiles - it appears to work! Shame that the product on show at the moment won't result in any return business.

This is just dull, turgid cr@p. Football is an entertainment business and whatever our football is at the moment, it's not entertaining. If Man U fans are bored with the football at Old Trafford, they should try suffering 90 min at Inverness. Sorry to be so negative, but all my optimism after the win at New Year has been sucked out of me! Width, pace and goals, please!

My guess is - and it is only a guess - that the comments were aimed at neither Doran nor Meekings (both of whom have had quite serious knee injuries (very serious in Doran's case) - perhaps more aimed at the likes of Tremarco and Vincent who seem to nip and out of the squad with niggles?

mmm. Just watched the "highlights" - not great. Second goal was a peach, though - Draper's run was fantastic and a clever finish by Vigurs. Mutombo's was a good strike, but I'm not sure aout the keeper. I agree with some of the earlier posts about a lack of movement, rather than a lack of desire to get the ball forward. The instruction clearly is "if nothing's on, just keep the ball", which I don't have a problem with. What is an issue is that nothing will ever be on if players don't move - either to create a hole or to run into space. If Draper, Vincent and Storey are the only ones making effective runs, the options are limited, so we keep the ball and play it across and back. Take one or two of these players out of the team through injury or suspension and we're really toiling...

We'll need a much better performance on Saturday. Another chance to break away from DU and Hamilton, who had a shocker tonight! Glad to hear Mutombo delivered tonight - he's flattered to deceive until now, but it would be great to have other options up front. How did Roberts do (yellow card aside)? I presume some of those yellows will translate into suspensions (e.g. Vigurs?)

Would love to see Roberts get a run out to give us some width and pace. A front 4 of Roberts (maybe - not seen him yet), Mutombo or Vincent, Storey and Williams would be my preference!