Aberdeen -V- ICT : matchday thread

[ICTPaisley]

We are the only team to score against the pars this season. 3 goals as well! So we can score we just havent been good enough. They are in 3rd and we are in 12th. A bit of luck and we could get off the bottom. It's not looking good so far though.

[RiG]

Another very poor first half performance coupled with lack of finishing cost us any chance of salvaging anything from that game. We were very shoddy in the first half with many misplaced passes and important players like Hayes not getting into the game. Foran was very isolated up front until later on in the game and we weren't helped by another diabolical referring error.

Aberdeen started much the better of the two teams knocking the ball about well and getting in behind our static defence. Vernon had a cracking chance early in the game but he headed over from inside the six yard box. We were struggling to contain Magennis and I was delighted when he went off later in the game. Hogg and Golobart couldn't handle his strength and pace and it was from his powerful run that Aberdeen took the lead. He just barged through the defence and set up Milson who had a simple finish. I missed their second as I was looking at my phone but when I looked up I saw Golobart on the floor and Vernon was heading for goal. He easily beat Esson and Aberdeen were two goals up without barely breaking a sweat. Aberdeen lashed another effort past Essons post into the side netting as they started to dominate.

We were nowhere to be seen as most of our passes went astray and we resorted to aimlessly punting the ball forward where Foran received no help from the midfield. Tansey and Morrison were missing and Andrew Shinnie was very poor. Foran did have one excellent run when he was brought down and the ball found it's way to Hayes who shot at goal and found the net when Crawford Allan suddenly decided to pull play back and give us a free kick despite the fact that Hayes had gone on to score.

The second half was much better from an ICT point of view. Andrew Shinnie went off early into the second half to be replaced by Doran and ICT started to stretch the Aberdeen defence a bit more as we played with additional width. With Hayes playing in behind Foran we suddenly had someone with pace to race onto Foran's knockdowns and we had some good chances to get a goal back. Foran was one on one with the keeper but took too long to shot and Hayes and Doran also went through on goal as well but both took too long to get shots away and Aberdeen continued to repel ICTs efforts.

We did grab a goal back when Foran managed to reach a poorly executed throw in / pass back and beat the keeper to the ball. Gavin Morrison had a cracking effort well held by the Aberdeen goalie as we looked to grab an equaliser. As we did however we left ourselves very exposed at the back and Aberdeen became dangerous on the counter. Sutherland came on and looked threatening for us whilst Megginson, who had come on for Magennis, could have scored but for some reason chose to throw himself in a heap instead of chasing the ball he had knocked past Hogg. Golobart was also getting into trouble when playing the ball out from defence which brought additional pressures on us. By the end both sides were playing without a midfield as the ball went from one end to the other but there were no further goals.

A real game of two halves. Aberdeen were well worth their lead at half time but by the end I think they will have been glad to have heard the whistle as we had them under the cosh for most of the second half. ICT however need to start finishing off these chances that we are creating and cut out the errors that are costing us goals. Very easy to say that of course...

[jaggy]

Can anyone suggest where these goals are going to come from. With the long ball hoof up the park, and nobody on the end to put them away this tactic, even at this early stage of the campaign isn't working. I'm trying not to be negative and remain optimistic, but finding it more difficult as each week goes by. We are 5 games into the season, at what point can we no longer use, we are waiting for the team to gel. I understand our injuries and suspension issues but I feel by the time we get it together the gap will prove difficult to close. I will continue to support, go to every home game( because I've paid for my season ticket), somebody please give me some grounds for optimism.

[ICTPaisley]

What is the point in changing the entire team to struggle at the bottom of the league waiting on them to gel. Last season we had a team capable of achieving top 6. We may get going but by then it'll be too late and everyone will be out of contract again come the summer.

[tm4tj]

It's more of a challenge this way.

[hislopsoffsideagain]

RiG is spot on.

Our first half performance was abysmal beyond words. We were better in the second half, but I think that's more a reflection on how mediocre Aberdeen are. I've been trying to stay positive but its difficult after this result.

Thoughts on the team...

Esson-great save in second half. Blameless for the goals. I feel so sorry for him just now,considering what he has to put up with from the players in front of him.

Piermayr-constantly dragged out of position. Frequently beaten for pace.

Golobart-should not have been thrown in so quickly. Unforgiveable blunder for the second goal.

Hogg-best of the back four, but that isn't saying much

G. Shinnie-didn't get tight enough to Fyvie. Used the ball poorly.

Tansey-worked hard but his flicks and touches didn't come off.

Morrison-had a cracking shot in the second half but was bosses by Aberdeen's midfield.

Ross-very quiet. Lacked the confidence to run at players. Didn't look like he wanted the ball.

Hayes-was trying too hard. Got no service in the first half. Wasteful in the second. To his credit he kept trying to get involved.

A. Shinnie-absolutely awful. Terrible first touch. Slow. Kept giving the ball away. I've never seen a player trip over the ball so often.

Foran-put in a shift. Missed a glorious chance for an equalizer. Good on the deck but won few headers

[Proctor]

I've been saying it for weeks. I'm sure this wont be the last time I'll say it. WE NEED ANOTHER STRIKER, A POACHER! even if its someone on loan. I'm sure TB can see it. We can't rely on Tade, Sutherland (he has promise but he is too young) and MacKay when he gets back. We haven't even see MacKay play.

[bauhaus]

Ooh so many pesimists. We will pick up, our luck must change, and at the moment the injuries are not long long term like Hamilton suffered last season. However one nagging doubt is the refs, have they been instructed to give us bad decisions because ICT stood up to the Old firm and the SFA over the 10 ten SPL !!!! It appears they are following instructions so far, but will be really concerned if the Arabs start getting the same treatment.

Saw Toks sending off now. One of the best saving tackles you will see, should have been overturned without question. SFA out to get Tel for being outspoken?

[givmeaccccc]

We've got two ex-International defenders as coaches and have the worst defensive record in the league by a mile. What on earth do they do in training? This is a crisis.

[Ronaldo]

I'm convinced we'll give Kilmarnock a doing and everyone will be happy again.

[PaderbornCaley]

That was depressing. First half was shambolic again. After the 2nd goal, I could see numerous ICT players arguing with each other. When Butcher and Foran told us in pre-season to be patient as they need time to gel, did they predict that after game 5 we would still not have gelled? Whats the acceptable time limit for a new tem to gel?

However, we played well in the second half and to echo other posters, we're missing a striker. Plenty of attacks, but at times it was almost as if some of the players are scared to shoot. I'm still confident that the win will come very soon and we will improve performances. The problem we have this season is that there are no other obvious choices for relegation. There's no Gretna's, Livi's, Accies - teams that were adrift early doors, so if we don't sort it out soon we will be in a periolous position and finding oursleves with a mountain to climb. Aberdeen didn't look great either and we could / should have probably taken a point after our second half performance. We are still in it and no need to panic yet. Keep calm and carry on!

[madsooz]

Thought the team selection today bordered on the bizarre. And to throw Golobart straight in like that when he was clearly unfit and just arrived was ridiculous IMO. Even when Shane came on he was played wide right, Tade got all of three minutes. . . . I could go on.

Butcher has to shoulder some of the blame for that despite a much improved second half.

Worried? Oh yes. Panicking? Not quite yet.

[lukemackay]

he only made 3 changes personally thought bringing morrison in was a good move good charlie adam type player holds in the middle of the park and can pick a pass he had a good game

golobart despite giving the goal away actually looked pretty solid for most of the game

andrew shinnie looks like hes gonna need time at times he managed to link the midfeild and foran touch wasnt great but showed glimpses of what sort of player he is dont judge him yet

could see the new pass and move style terrys trying to implement for the first time this season at times and the only way is up so bring on killie

Edited August 20, 2011 by lukemackay

[Caleyjag]

That was the typical game of two halves...we were shockingly bad in the first half and after they scored their second I seriously feared a tanking. Why did our team require a rollicking before it got going? Having said that I felt we could have played for another twenty minutes and not scored, it was that type of afternoon. To echo other posters we desparately need a striker and like CapitalCaley I could also see our players arguing with each other and its not nice to see, Richie especially is not short in letting other players know when he isn't happy.

We were robbed of a goal by the ref, and their wall was never ten yards back. Again though would we have deserved it? Answer is probably no. Lots of work to be done by Terry and Mo. This now makes the Ayr game even bigger for us, we need to win that (well) to boost confidence in the team otherwise I fear a long hard season ahead.

On a slightly more serious note....I don't know what the circumstances were but one of our supporters required medical assistance just before the game started. Hope whoever it was it is ok now.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Caleyjag

[Renegade]

I wonder if the problem is that Butcher still doesn't know his best team yet. Players who have previously started every game like Tade dropping to the bench and players like Morrison and Andrew Shinnie who barely featured at all start the game. To me that says he's still not sure who to play and I think that's a problem. All the games so far, all the training, all the friendly matches - he should of known weeks ago - and certainly chopping and changing things in this manner, will help no-one - particularly him.

[starchief]

I think the dropping of Tade was to reinforce a midfield, as we have no Proctor, Cox or Tudur-Jones in the defensive mid, so went for a more solid 5 across.

Although we've not won yet, there have been games where we've done very well, just not done quite enough. It's easy to say, get a striker in, but who? We've lost a Championship level striker, yet couldn't persuade one to choose ICT over Accrington Stanley (even for more money). So who do we go for? Do we compete with Dunfermline for Barrowman? Bringing in a 20-goal striker ain't easy.

We've got an injury/suspension crisis at the moment but no need for panic. Get a couple of players back and I think we've got a real team here. Certainly better than the likes of Dunfermline or Hibs and equal to the likes of Killie, Aberdeen etc. Significant losses were Munro, Duncan and Rooney. Munro has been replaced I believe, as would have Duncan, except for injuries. Rooney? Not easy. But who's cheap and available, yet would guarantee goals?

[Georgeios]

Just a thought.... Foran is not a striker...

[hislopsoffsideagain]

We played 5 in midfield - yet Aberdeen walked through us in the first half playing 4-4-2. Our resurgence in the match came after Doran came on and gave us a bit more width.

I thought this was a game for Tade - Aberdeen's backline were short of confidence and bound to be nervous, whilst his best moment as a Raith player was a winning goal in a cup game at Pittodrie.

[Renegade]

Just a thought.... Foran is not a striker...

Technically he is - just not really a goal scoring one.

[CaleyD]

Apart from that one error by Golobart I thought he gave a pretty solid performance, although I think the pace of the game had taken it's toll by the end as he looked on his last legs in the final 10 minutes. Was some signs of why he has also played as a centre forward because he likes to play football, and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. He may be young, but a couple of times today he showed he had a wise head when....one instance in particular in the first half when the situation was almost carbon copy of events last week that saw Tokely red carded. However, instead of fully executing the challenge he took it just far enough to have the Aberdeen player expecting it and forced an extra touch, but he stayed on his feet and was quickly able to recover and see the situation safe. I was also deliberately watching him and he never missed his target with a pass all day.

Gavin Morrison was probably my ICT motm. He was obviously sent out there to play the holding midfielder roll today and he did exactly that and was soaking up a fair bit of pressure and got a few hard knocks as a result. New instructions then came from the bench for him to start pushing forward more and not long after he was unlucky with a great shot from distance...the lad can fair ping a ball.

Tansey is the man who's not doing it for me in the centre of the park. He has a great engine on him and covers miles all over the place during a game, but it all seems like a lot of puff for not much product...looking forward to getting Cox back.

As has already been said, we saw some periods of play today that showed the type of game Butcher is trying to bring to the team. Unfortunately with so many injuries and Butcher not having his first picks out there for executing that plan on the park we struggled to fully execute it. It looked to me like players were positioned to suit a game plan (some of them quite bizarrely) as opposed to us having a game plan to suit the players. Whether that's a sign of inability to adapt, blind determination to prove a system can work or whether it's being willing to take the short term pain for long term gain is open to debate and will be for a while yet until things clearly go one way or the other for us.

Like most, I can see what we are trying to achieve, and we get to see a bit more of it each week (despite injuries etc), so no panic here yet. Not writing off a top 6 by any means, but anyone who thought we were going to change the team so drastically and waltz easily to a top 6 this season is a little deluded. I very much see it as 1 step back to (hopefully) take 2 steps forward. If we do that in a single season...great, if it takes two...I can live with that.

As for comments about breaking up a team from last season that was capable of top 6....well, they clearly weren't capable as we failed to achieve it and some of those players had failed to achieve it on numerous occasions. We had persevered with "just about good enough" for long enough and change was needed in order to advance. As none of us have the ability to see the future, only time will tell whether or not the plan set in motion is right or wrong.

Bring on Killie....

[CaleyD]

In regards to the gentleman who took unwell at the game today, I believe he responded well to treatment (he appeared to be suffering some kind of anaphylactic reaction) and was being held overnight in hospital purely for observation reasons.

Kudos to those within our own support who were quick to identify that the gentleman was in trouble, give assistance and accompany him to the hospital to ensure he was ok.

[+Fraz]

Apart from that one error by Golobart I thought he gave a pretty solid performance, although I think the pace of the game had taken it's toll by the end as he looked on his last legs in the final 10 minutes. Was some signs of why he has also played as a centre forward because he likes to play football, and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. He may be young, but a couple of times today he showed he had a wise head when....one instance in particular in the first half when the situation was almost carbon copy of events last week that saw Tokely red carded. However, instead of fully executing the challenge he took it just far enough to have the Aberdeen player expecting it and forced an extra touch, but he stayed on his feet and was quickly able to recover and see the situation safe. I was also deliberately watching him and he never missed his target with a pass all day.

Gavin Morrison was probably my ICT motm. He was obviously sent out there to play the holding midfielder roll today and he did exactly that and was soaking up a fair bit of pressure and got a few hard knocks as a result. New instructions then came from the bench for him to start pushing forward more and not long after he was unlucky with a great shot from distance...the lad can fair ping a ball.

Tansey is the man who's not doing it for me in the centre of the park. He has a great engine on him and covers miles all over the place during a game, but it all seems like a lot of puff for not much product...looking forward to getting Cox back.

As has already been said, we saw some periods of play today that showed the type of game Butcher is trying to bring to the team. Unfortunately with so many injuries and Butcher not having his first picks out there for executing that plan on the park we struggled to fully execute it. It looked to me like players were positioned to suit a game plan (some of them quite bizarrely) as opposed to us having a game plan to suit the players. Whether that's a sign of inability to adapt, blind determination to prove a system can work or whether it's being willing to take the short term pain for long term gain is open to debate and will be for a while yet until things clearly go one way or the other for us.

Like most, I can see what we are trying to achieve, and we get to see a bit more of it each week (despite injuries etc), so no panic here yet. Not writing off a top 6 by any means, but anyone who thought we were going to change the team so drastically and waltz easily to a top 6 this season is a little deluded. I very much see it as 1 step back to (hopefully) take 2 steps forward. If we do that in a single season...great, if it takes two...I can live with that.

As for comments about breaking up a team from last season that was capable of top 6....well, they clearly weren't capable as we failed to achieve it and some of those players had failed to achieve it on numerous occasions. We had persevered with "just about good enough" for long enough and change was needed in order to advance. As none of us have the ability to see the future, only time will tell whether or not the plan set in motion is right or wrong.

Bring on Killie....

With that logic I can only assume that Foran, Hayes, Esson, Tokley, Ross and Doran (oh and Hogg) should be dropped as thay were all part of a team that failed last season. Therefore if we achieve any less than 7th place this season will it be an abject failure in (TB's) and others eyes? Maybe I'm the only negative guy in Inverness! (perhaps living in Glasgow for too long!) Dont get me wrong but I'd love nothing more than to make top 6 but on current evidence (as you say we can't see the future) things are not looking too hot.

PS - IMO we need a poacher / target man ASAP but then maybe I don't understand our new passing game we have.

[+Tree]

With that logic I can only assume that Foran, Hayes, Esson, Tokley, Ross and Doran (oh and Hogg) should be dropped as thay were all part of a team that failed last season. Therefore if we achieve any less than 7th place this season will it be an abject failure in (TB's) and others eyes? Maybe I'm the only negative guy in Inverness! (perhaps living in Glasgow for too long!) Dont get me wrong but I'd love nothing more than to make top 6 but on current evidence (as you say we can't see the future) things are not looking too hot.

PS - IMO we need a poacher / target man ASAP but then maybe I don't understand our new passing game we have.

It is probably my failing, however I do not understand your logic.

The whole point of the changes made since last season is to look at moving the club forward over the coming years. Whether we end up higher or lower this season is in many ways academic as long as there is progress being made by what is an exceptionally young team with a view to improved positions over the coming season.

The injuries which have happened have had a significant adverse effect in that a different team is having to play each week. This is not helpful for getting players to gel with the rest of the team.

I still look back to the fact that we were good for the early and end parts of last season and had relegation form for the middle two quarters. This gave a big hint that some changes were needed and the Manager has broadly turned to younger untried players (at SPl level), but whom offer greater potential than some of the players last season.

If we had money to spend then we could buy in the finished article. We simply don't and as a result a number of the players are brought in on the basis that they will develop over time (think back as to how many people thought Tokely, Duncan & co would be able to hack it at SPL level when we first got promoted?).

It would of course be nice if they could 'click' next week before we drop too far off the pace

[+Fraz]

With that logic I can only assume that Foran, Hayes, Esson, Tokley, Ross and Doran (oh and Hogg) should be dropped as thay were all part of a team that failed last season. Therefore if we achieve any less than 7th place this season will it be an abject failure in (TB's) and others eyes? Maybe I'm the only negative guy in Inverness! (perhaps living in Glasgow for too long!) Dont get me wrong but I'd love nothing more than to make top 6 but on current evidence (as you say we can't see the future) things are not looking too hot.

PS - IMO we need a poacher / target man ASAP but then maybe I don't understand our new passing game we have.

It is probably my failing, however I do not understand your logic.

The whole point of the changes made since last season is to look at moving the club forward over the coming years. Whether we end up higher or lower this season is in many ways academic as long as there is progress being made by what is an exceptionally young team with a view to improved positions over the coming season.

The injuries which have happened have had a significant adverse effect in that a different team is having to play each week. This is not helpful for getting players to gel with the rest of the team.

I still look back to the fact that we were good for the early and end parts of last season and had relegation form for the middle two quarters. This gave a big hint that some changes were needed and the Manager has broadly turned to younger untried players (at SPl level), but whom offer greater potential than some of the players last season.

If we had money to spend then we could buy in the finished article. We simply don't and as a result a number of the players are brought in on the basis that they will develop over time (think back as to how many people thought Tokely, Duncan & co would be able to hack it at SPL level when we first got promoted?).

It would of course be nice if they could 'click' next week before we drop too far off the pace

Maybe for you our league position the season is academic but my wife and I paid several hundred pounds THIS SEASON so I care about the results THIS SEASON but maybe that's just my crazy thinking. Perhaps I could extrapolate results from seasons past and future but all I care about is 2011/2012 just now.

Again I can only apologigse from my lack of optimism but I don't agree about our 'spending' point that we could 'buy' the finished article and I reckon throwing cash at things ain't always a good answer. For ICT I believe a strong team spirt and 'one for all and all for one' attitute has done us no harm. Obviously injuries are not helping but how may more games do you give until we need a striker?. As I have said before I hope the Killie game is gravy and we kick ass, but on current evidence but I'm really worried as to where consistant goals will come from.

[Alex MacLeod]

Many different comments and viewpoints but, for me, there is one that everyone seems to miss. Generally a bad team is one that cant string two good games together. Our problem is we cant string two good halves together. It shouldn't take a rollicking at half time for players to come out and perform. They should be doing it from the start.