The Long Man

As Terry sez, penalites are a lottery, the game was lost when we missed great chances that we should have scored from.

As I understand it, the clubs rejected the 16 club league because it would only mean 30 league games and thus decrease revenue, which they can ill afford. They have tried to increase competition with what amounts to a play off league for relegation/promotion, and a 2 up 2 down will be healthier. Despite all the bleating I don't see it as a Rangers issue, as they will be in the same position on either scenario. It might work, but in the end it is a mirage to think that league construction will solve the underlying issues of Scottish football. Having said that, this is the best season for years, the demotion of Rangers has made the SPL much livelier, and it has given a shot in the arm to the 3rd div clubs. There must be a message there somewhere?

To be fair to them (oh alright), they did have drainage work done on their pitch on coming up to the SPL. Apparently not enough, but maybe where they are is against them. One thing for sure is that they are desperate for the game to go on. Missing 2 holiday fixtures will cost them a lot of money. So they will be trying to rail against the weather gods, whether it will do them any good is a different matter.

We definitely looked jaded today. SJ were very unimpressive, in the first 15 min it looked like it was only a matter of when we scored. But we huffed and puffed and blew nothing down. They flooded the midfield and pressed up towards the halfway line, resulting in a congestion zone where nobody could retain possession for a couple of kicks and niggle little fouls were awarded non-stop. We scrapped but no moves came off and we couldn't break down the back four who held resolute all day. We had a great chance early on which could have made a different game, but nothing really came off. A Shinnie looked tired, Foran invisible. Mackay shepherded by two markers wherever he went. We had one chance in the whole of the second half. Pity, because SJ looked feeble compared to Midden, if well drilled in how to kill a game. Essentially their plan was to lull us into a coma, and they nearly did. The youngsters who came on looked far livelier than anyone else, which only emphasised how low the batteries were in our first eleven.

A belter of a game, which could have gone either way, although in the end St Midden will feel that they let it slip through their fingers, hitting the woodwork twice, and a needless touch on a goalbound shot, which rendered it offside. Great to see a side away from home going for it, instead of sitting back and defending a draw, even if it left a few people with heart palpitations. It meant an almost cup tie thriller, end to end with both sides convinced they could win. Teal and A Shinnie were the two stars for either side, with their goalie Sanson making some extraordinary saves combing luck and skill in equal measure. Teal roasted G Shinnie alive all game, Midden feeding at him every opportunity to scamper down the game and supply a variety of dangerous crosses, one of which supplied their second goal. Shinnie will have nightmares about this lad who looked invaluable, Terry doing nothing to give Shinnie a bit of the help that he needed. Cooper had testing introduction - he lost the ball easily straightaway which led to their first goal. Whether his inexperience contributed to the way Midden were uncomfortably slicing through our defence I am not sure, as they were at the far end from us in the second half. But I will be very glad to get Meekings back. A Shinnie was outstanding, and was very unlucky not to score an amazing goal, as he wriggled free from the bye-line, beating several Midden defenders and cracking a powerful shot which Sanson got in the way of, rather than saved. BBC stats - Midden 55% possession to our 45%, which for me tells the tale of how well organised they were, but our 7 shots on target to their 2 also tells of how dangerous we are when we attack, and how unlucky we were not to score a third. But in the end, a great match, and a draw a fair result. Top entertainment.

IHE: oxymoron (plural oxymorons or oxymora) (rhetoric) A figure of speech in which two words with opposing meanings are used together intentionally for effect.   (general) A contradiction in terms. No, I don't see any either.

Epic game, with a fair result in the end. A strange symmetry - two cracking goals, two deflections, and two last gasp smash and grabs. What a prospect the replay is, under the lights with a great atmosphere. Cant' wait. Except i do believe that we will have the advantage, which is why Adams is greetin so badly.

Best thing to happen to Scottish football for ages. The most hilarious thing is reading the Rangers fans desperate attempts to occupy the moral high ground by claiming how they are helping div 3 at the same time as they gleefully boast that SPL clubs are going bankrupt because they 'need' the Gers related income. No, we're not, the SPL is much livelier now and a better competition, whilst the money spun off from Rangers was always far less than they fondly imagine. We don't need you, and it is far healthier and more fun without you. And no doubt there is more scandal and ignominy to emerge from the Green/Whyte leveraged takeover.Thanks.

Awful defending, giving Esson little chance to stop the deluge. How can Butcher justify replacing the likes of Munro and Tokely with King and Raven is a complete mystery. They looked like what they are - lower division players out of their depth. And has been pointed out, with no real cover in front of them, the Celtic forwards ran them ragged, and you felt could have scored at any time. Almost a training ground exercise for them. The positives were that we did at times try to pass it and built a few good moves in midfield, but couldn't find any way to make it count - the only difference was when Draper went forward at the end and showed poor McKay how to get in and do something. Pepper looks promising, with a nice assist for the second goal. But all of that is wasted when you have a defence who are so naive. Tactically we didn't look set up to any solid gameplan, unlike Adams outfit last week. Which is chastening, and depressing.

Justice done for the penalty that was never a penalty. Well done for resilience and not folding.

Nick Ross in the Herald's preview of the game: http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/ross-sets-his-goals-for-the-new-season.18555895

Well I think we want a manager for the future. TB doesn't strike me as that man, the loss of an entire team speaks volumes about his forward thinking. And no, it's not just about money.

The board let him?? The board are terrified of him. He runs the ship, so yes he carries the can for mistakes.

Every club in Scotland has economic problems. That isn't an excuse for a manager's decisions. If anything it sharpens the demands on a manager to deploy his limited resources effectively. Whatever economic restraints there are doesn't alter the fact that decisions have to be made, and every decision is a choice and part of a strategy. All the managers are acting under such conditions. The debate is whether TB is able to do it - he has muddled through last season with some ropey signings and tactics, so it is hardly surprising that there is a debate about what he brings to the club. The economic conditions are a challenge, but not a get-out-of-jail card where he is immune from criticism for making poor decisions. If we could only keep Ross if he accepted a drastic cut in wages, then I await TB's decision to take a pay cut for the sake of the club's survival. LOL

Oh, it most certainly did.

Very sad to hear this, not just about losing him when he could still do a job for us, but about the way the whole thing has been handled. Ross could have done a great job in transitioning from a player to a coach, instilling the ethos of the club in new recruits. That would be priceless. But as long as Butcher is the demagogue, there is no room for the kind of inspiration and continuity we so badly need. There is more to it than economics, Ross was flexible, Terry wasn't. He deserves a mammoth send-off and appreciation, although I suppose TB will be busy that night.

4-2-3-1 with a forward half the size of most central defenders, who we continually pump high balls up to.

Yes, I realise that, but even without the constant stream of injuries, Butcher never settles on a consistent plan or formation.

I can agree with a lot of that IHE. With Butcher I never get the sense that he is moving towards on objective, or has a clear tactical philosophy - it seems to be a constant meddling, changing, playing players out of position, misguided loyalties and grudges - occasionally it works, and then the next week it is back to square one. I find him exasperating, and questionable in his approach, and worry about the effect it has on players. Has any of our players ever given him a ringing endorsement?

It's true we struggle financially, but that doesn't excuse Butcher's random jumble sale/revolving doors philosophy. He is not helping, and his style of play is depressing fans. We were a better, more committed team not so long ago, when the finances weren't that much better.

Butcher is making the Brewster era look like the good old days.

Butcher, this ever changing carousel of second rate players scoured from the reserve squads of foreign leagues is getting me down. Give us a settled, organised team who can develop and play together. Fed up with it.

What a shocker. Saw Gordy at the Aberdeen game at Christmas and he was so glad to be back watching his team, the banter flying back and forth. He was hoping to be a regular again after the summer. A real warm-hearted gentle giant, Invernessian to the core, a Caley fan from Highland League days. He'll be sorely missed, and will always be remembered when we are at games in the future. Very. very sad.

No question, it would be Tade for me. He has more of an all-round game, especially outside the box, where he has that rare knack of being able to make things happen. He has great attitude, application and persistence. I would not like to be a defender against him. Rooney to me was more specialist, maybe more accurate, but I would take Tade in a head to head any day.

From the BBC: 1436: TEAMS FROM FIR PARK: MOTHERWELL: Randolph, Clancy, Hutchinson, Craigan, Hammell, Daley, Lasley, Hateley, Law, Higdon, Murphy. Subs: Bradley, Humphrey, Jennings, McHugh, Forbes, Page, Ojamaa. INVERNESS CT: Esson, Piermayr, Gillet, Golobart, Graeme Shinnie, Hayes, Cox, Tansey, Ross, Tade, McKay. Subs: Tuffey, Andrew Shinnie, Proctor, Morrison, Sutherland, Williams, Meekings. Referee: Bobby Madden