PerfICT

Hughes is a genius....for going back to the tried and tested shape. BBC say well deserved lead and we're creating chances again. C'mon - finish the job!

It's NOT a narrow pitch! Well, relatively. Depends what you call narrow..it's the same width as Caledonian Stadium! We'll have that argument elsewhere. It will still be my excuse tonight. Not sure how he's going to play the midfield, but glad to see an option of width.

Wow - wingers?! Hope we were all right about tactics, then, otherwise humble pie for me! Although, I still think this is a narrow pitch, so I've got my excuse sorted....

Why? Flood light failure again?

Must not lose tonight: Adams will have a field-day, claiming RC are Real or Bayern. JH has talked the talk, so he'd better now walk the walk or he's set us up for ridicule... Good luck guys - hope you're not lonely up there tonight!

Are we allowed to bring in Iniesta and Messi?

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/philosophical-hughes-will-not-bow-to-pressure.23878492?utm_source=www.heraldscotland.com&utm_medium=RSS%20Feed&utm_campaign=Scottish%20Premier%20League%20News Disgruntled is right!

Sacked? He should be taken away by the men in white coats for his own safety! That BBC article will come back to bite him again and again. :frustrated01: :frustrated01: The point about Barcelona is that their style cannot be emulated by anybody else (and I'm talking world class teams here) because, for it to work, you need the very best players in the world to turn the tippy-tappy into a goalscoring opportunity. Others that have tried it have failed because they don't have Iniesta, Xavi and Messi. Every single player has to have exceptional vision and there has to be complete trust that a player can receive a pass under pressure and not give it away - the mistakes we've made over the last few games proves that we are nowhere near that level and never will be. If there is an element of Barca football that we might want to emulate, it is the pressing game. There is nothing more productive than winning the ball in the top third of the pitch, but it requires every single person in the team doing a pressing job: one lazy player and it doesn't work. Barca (or perhaps Bayern) are the world's best at what they do without the ball - force the long ball or, better, win it off the defence and you've won.

Hughes on MFR tonight - still on about "educating the players". No sign of backing down and reverting to a winning formula....arrogance beyond belief

...don't know what happened to formatting there - figures are: position in table, total and mean attendance.

Team Total Average 1 Celtic 748,926 46,807 2 Heart of Midlothian 226,931 14,183 3 Aberdeen 195,357 13,023 4 Hibernian 170,618 10,663 5 Dundee United 118,296 7,393 6 Partick Thistle 80,394 5,024 7 Motherwell 79,146 4,946 8 St Mirren 65,315 4,354 9 Kilmarnock 67,193 4,199 10 Ross County 60,266 3,766 11 St Johnstone 62,476 3,675 12 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 56,824 3,551 Average attendances....I know Celtic's is a fantasy, but the rest are probably not far off the truth. A couple of months ago we were above RC and St J - a stack of midweek games have not helped our cause, but the likely scenario is that we will now certainly have the lowest attendaces at the end of the season. Missing out on a ~5k attendance for a match against Celtic will have an impact.

Terrifying.

No idea what Jose Hughes will do. Taking into account the narrow pitch, ironically a 4-4-1-1 might be the best option there. I'd go: Brill or Esson Raven Meekings Warren Tremarco Watkins Draper Tansey Shinnie Christie Mckay

As I predicted in the a few weeks ago! Shame we hadn't still been in the hunt for Europe because home games against Aberdeen, St J and DUFC might have worked in our favour. As it is, we can't win at home anyway (or away!), so it would have been better to get the cash from a bigger gate against Celtic. P!sh!

yes!

Here's where I've stood on the Hughes appointment throughout and why my attitude has changed: 1. Amazed that he was shortlisted, given some of the names supposedly (but probably not really) in the hat 2. Astonished that he was appointed for the same reason 3. Understanding of the board's decision after I heard his post-appointment interview - I could see how his enthusiasm and footballing philosophy, coupled with his willingness to embrace the club and community were attractive (especially if the rumours around Hartley's unwillingness to even move here are to be believed). In view of the other 2 candidates short-listed, I felt we'd got the best of a bad (short-listed) bunch. 4. Forgiving of our early form under him because we were already at the staryt of a slump when he came in and we had a real problem with suspensions and injuries in the holding midfield area, which he failed to solve 5. Forgiving of our form up until the league cup final because it was a distraction for players, management and supporters 6. Delighted that he was showing faith in the young players (Christie and Polworth) 6. Forgiving for the form in March due to fixture congestion:a small squad will always struggle with a succession of midweek + weekend games, but nevertheless.... 7. Confused by his midfield team selections. They have never been balanced, have consistently played guys out of position, when there are perfectly capable individuals available to play in those positions. 8. Frustrated by the lack of width and use of wingers. I now understand (as of yesterday) that he likes to play through the middle, but that is not what he said he'd do at the start which was along the lines of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! We do not have the players to play through the middle. 9. Infuriated by his pig-headedness in sticking to a philosophy that is not working and is simply not entertaining. 7 chances in 90 min is not enough for a top 6 team at home. The players we have need to play with width and on the counter-attack with fast, incisive passing. 10. Devastated that he's managed to take a team that worked fantastically well in a 4-2-3-1 system, to one that can no longer defend or create chances and is hamstrung into playing square and backward passes in the name of "possession". Possession football only really works if you've got Iniesta and Messi to make a killer pass or go past 2 or 3 defenders. We have Vincent and Mckay. 11. Depressed that I don't think he will learn from his mistakes, or indeed listen to anybody around him. It wasn't broken....but it sure is now! The best fix will be to go back to where we started, play on the counter, with width and pace. Doran (when fit), Watkins and Williams are all capable and Christie is a revelation. Mckay will score if he gets chances in the 6 yard box (needs crosses to do that!); Draper, Foran, Tansey are all good players in their right places and the defence and keeper were watertight for 6 months. Good players don't turn bad overnight. In summary, I really believe in giving a guy a chance........providing he is willing to learn from his mistakes. Highes isn't doing that and doesn't look like he will anytime soon, so he's in my last chance saloon, I'm afraid. Season tickets are at stake here!

OK, so the season is up and we need to think about the future. Billy hasn't got all that much left on his contract and we risk losing him on a pre-contract in January or next summer on a free. You might argue that he doesn't suit our current style (who does?!), so do we actively market him this summer and try to get some cash for him, keep him for next year in the knowledge that we'll lose him for nothing or break the bank to extend his contract?

I don't mind a guy with principles, but he has to recognise that it isn't working and let go of some of those principles in recognition of the evidence. This was a fantastic, solid at the back, goalscoring team before Christmas and now we're predictable, leaky at the back and creating few chances. It isn't entertaining and it isn't a winning formula. Unfortunately, supporters at Falkirk, Hibs, Hartlepool would suggest that Hughes will not alter his philosophy whatever the consequences, so.....I'm not optimistic. What a waste of a cracking season.

Narrow, ponderous, pedestrian, predictable, Mckay hardly got a touch (all from BBC). 7 chances over 90 min is not entertainment. More chances in last 20 than previous 70 coincided with Christie's arrival (delighted for him, but he should have started). The real problem is what to do for Friday? The one pitch where narrow is the way to go and he'll not know which way to turn. Wouldn't surprise me if he now goes with wingers on Friday, which won't be the thing to do there! Aaaaagh! So annoyed!

Should have been on from the start!

Reading BBC online comments brings tears to the eyes: everybody can see it.....except the manager. Depressing.

Lost the ability to defend. Lost the ability to attack with purpose. In anybody's book, JH has made one hell of an impact! Really disappointed.

BBC online: "forwards, you're going the wrong way, what's wrong with the penalty box from ICT fans" sounds a familiar tale. Given our record on comebacks this season, I suppose that is that. Please prove me wrong.

Still too many central midfielders and not the brave decision of going without Vincent and with Watkins and Williams. Shinnie in midfield is OK, dropping Brill is interesting.....

Saw the highlights - unfortunately can't defend Meekings in the red card event: Shinnie was close, but not close enough, so no point in appealing. Felt sorry for Mckay - thought it was a horror miss on the day, but seeing it on telly, the ball took a horrible bobble as he hit it - who knows what would have happened if that had gone in.... Let's get the team selection right for midweek (that would make a change!) and see where we get to. I've got to say, I think the Tuesday/Friday fixture schedule is an absolute farce!