PerfICT

Was it an opportunity missed, or an opportunity gained. At least we gave ourselves the opportunity to win the trophy, unlike all but one other team. I am happy enough with our progress, but that is the key word, we need to progress. I suppose my "opportunity missed" comes from the fact that, in the absence of one of the ugly sisters for a few years, the chances of silverware and Euro opportunities are higher. Ironically, next season is likely to be the best opportunity of all (without SEVCO, Hearts and......Hibs?!), so let's take it! If Motherwell are good enough for 2nd, so are we!!!

So, fifth and a cup final - an excellent season, all things considered! .....I just wish I could shake this nagging feeling of an opportunity missed!!!! I'm going to go away and have a scratch at some of the stats, but a few interesting ones will be in there: 100% ability to not lose games that we scored first in; 100% failure to win games we conceded first in; number of clean sheets; number of 4-0 or more humpings; 100% failure to score from free kicks round the box; poor penalty conversion rate etc etc.

One thing is for certain: Hibs will have no cash to bankroll Butcher's recruits after a clear out. Compo for ICT + Fenlon, finishing ~6 places lower than budgeted for, loss of Hearts local derby all adds up to a large chunk of additional debt (even if they stay up). Relegation and a spell in championship would spell real financial woes. TB (if not run out of town) will need to dig in the conference again: I bet that isn't what he expected!

OK, so classy was too strong a word, but I stand by my point that NR is not suited to the Scot Prem because of the outdated style of football being played. As for Redknapp's comment - I think he was confusing size with athleticism: I bet he wouldn't turn down Naymar, Stehrling or Messi if he'd had the chance - too small???? - yeh, right! What I agree with you on is the "tenacity, guile, speed intelligence" suggestion: I'd argue that NR is an intelligent player - what he really lacks is pace. That said, he undoubtedly changed the semi-final in our favour because of his ball retention and thought (long before his goal) - at least some of the qualities you suggested were there at Tynecastle...

OK, guys, so I wasn't actually saying that this was a real option - just that the design doesn't help either the viewing or the atmosphere!

A good point made above about the generation of football that we live in. I'm afraid Scotland continues to be left behind the rest of the footballing world - the new generation is all about pace, vision and movement, but we're still stuck in the last century where brute force is preferred. Unfortunately, a team in isolation can't change this (Hughes thinks he can, but will get his fingers burnt doing so) and we will therefore continue to languish in the C league in Europe until the doctrine that is preached at the youngest youth level is actually carried through to the older teams in the youth set-ups and eventually the first teams. My view at the moment is that the right things are taught at the youngest levels and then it's back to old-school football later because the results business means getting the ball away from your own goal and as close as possible to the opponents' as quickly as possible to avoid defeat. In short, Nick Ross might well be a casualty of the Scottish game because he's too classy!

Apparently deserved a draw, but can't keep gifting goals! MUST beat St J for a strong finish. Distressing.

57% possession and only a couple of long range shots to show for it: what does that tell us?

....in 6th just now

Terry and Mo, down you go.....Terry and Mo, down you go!

Would just like to see them shifted 10 m closer to the pitch and for the gradient of the seating increased by about 30 degrees so that the view and atmosphere is improved substantially!

Exactly....Naymar = 9 stone! Modern football has changed - even in Scotland there is a place for the likes of Gauld who is hardly a man-mountain. From what I've heard about Nick Ross from former youth team-mates, he's well aware of his lack of bulk and works relentlessly on it, but some guys are just not meant to be "Hulk". Muck mor of a problem for Ross is where to play him. He's not a holding midfielder or winger: I nwas disappointed that he wasn't groomed to take A Shinnie's place at 10 because his touch and vision would best fit in there. Now he has Christie to contend with for that spot!

....and we're not Kilmarnock...

......as I said earlier in the thread - this is Yogi's "project Barca" and he will not be swayed, despite all the evidence (e.g. that playing more direct against County actually worked). Don't forget, the Great Man will "educate" the team and all of us and it will come good... Positively sh!te

I think my worry now is that Hughes has taken ICT on as his "project" to prove to everybody that the Barca philosophy can be successfully employed in a Scottish context. Because he has now nailed his colours to the mast publicly, he's backed himself into a corner and will stubbornly stick to the "philosophy" whatever the results are telling him. We have now conceded countless goals from being caught in possession in the defensive third (another example was the penalty for Celtic on Saturday) - we do not have the players to play this style of game! My only hope is that he quietly sweeps the Barca thing under the carpet and gets back to playing football in the right areas of the pitch. Unfortunately, I don't think he will and we will be in a great deal of trouble next year! A real shame for a great team of players, playing in a successful style.... NO NEED TO CHANGE IT!

Embarrassing. Taking points off Celtic is a tough task, but the ones who have done it (including us!) have been set up in a solid formation and have worked their @rses off. Sounds like neither happened today. After that result, our last 3 games are looking unwinnable and 6th more likely than 4th or even 5th. That's big bucks down the tubes....

Damage limitation time, I'm afraid

2-0 to Hearts at half time. Anyone got a grim reaper costume?

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! So, amidst all the comment on "mismangement" and "learned our lesson" rhetoric there's a "McCoist's budget for next year will be unaffected" snippet....! Granted, we don't know what his budget had been set out, but given the eye-boggling amounts of cash flushed down the pan on promotion to the championship, you'd imagine there'd be no budget at all for McCoist this year. Ah no - they'll magic up another £30 M from nowhere and spend uncontrollably again .....with a view to winning the premiership by 2017 So entertaining!

Probably wrong, but I reckon 0, 12, 14, 15 are the only ones out at this stage....

I'm so loving this! The image of Butcher in that hideous mac and flatcap like some seedy old man is still uncomfortably fresh in the memory. His exit was graceless and a Hibs relegation would be just the sweetest reverse of fortune. I might even be reduced to supporting Dross County when Butcher is in Dungwall! Come on Kilmarnock, St M, PT, Hearts and.........County?!

Shinnie in SPFL team of the year: so well deserved! I'm sure we could argue that other ICT players should have been in the frame, but if it were to be only one, GS would have been the one for me!

Outplayed for a spell in the first half but nevertheless created 2 great chances for Billy. 2nd half was much more open and we could have nicked it (or lost it!) Vincent was nowhere tonight and Christie once again made a difference. Warren was brilliant and Draper broke the play up well. Billy worked his socks off and made the most of scraps. Tansey not at his best but the rest were solid. Opportunity missed, but probably a fair result.

8 points. WLDDW

Let's just concentrate on trying to get 4th rather than 6th.....que sera, sera! Europe did not help St J last year, bit it would be an adventure (and a milestone)!