Matchday Thread Ross County -V- ICT

[PaderbornCaley]

I thought we improved in the second half but overall County probably deserved the win. Doran put in a great shift as did Raven. Dissapointed but still happy with the season in general. We fell short at the last hurdle but thank you Terry, the rest of the management team and all the players for our best ever season! Roll on the next one!!!

I must say thank you to County for allowing the Highland Marchers on to the pitch. We were in the Jail End pre match. Surreal experience but great banter. Thanks to the County fans who made us welcome and the great reception we got from the ICT fans.

I cannot wait for the next Highland Derby. The greatest derby in Scotland!

[+bughtmaster]

I'm not going to read all the posts as I should imagine it is more depressing and negative comments from the dark glasses brigade.

 

Suffice it for me to say that the script was not written in our favour.

 

The season is over, we attained our main aims Highest SPL finish and above RC.

 

I can understand Terry's comments: As a club we are not yet really ready for Europe. We are still learning the ropes but it was a magnificent run that got us where we are and I really enjoyed that.

 

Perhaps next season we will take another step up the ladder, it is unfortunate losing so many outstanding players 'cause had they stayed, imo, we would  achieve what has been unreachable this season. 

Faith in  the M. Team though I look forward to the new faces and the variations in tactics that they will bring to our side

 

Sad now it is close season but await the new season with fresh anticipation.

Come on ICT 

[Renegade]

I'm not going to read all the posts as I should imagine it is more depressing and negative comments from the dark glasses brigade.

 

Incorrect.  Most people are calling it as it is.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Renegade

[+DoofersDad]

Bit of a stange day and rather mixed emotions.  I am not as down as last week and I suppose, at the end of the day, that means a place in Europe would have been the icing on the cake but finishing above County was what really mattered to me.  OK. I know, that's a pretty negative attidude - but I'm a fan of my team and the bragging rights over the local rivals are the number one priority.

 

I was baffled by the team selection.  It was a real blow to lose OTJ to injury on top of Foran and Draper to suspension and I was astonished that in the circumstances neither Ross or Sutherland started.  County were always going to close us down quickly and Pepper in particular really struggled.  I have been feeling a bit sorry for him as he made some promising contributions as a sub early in the season but has hardly had a look in since.  To then throw him in the deep end in such a high pressure match without the support of the more experienced players was a big ask and I'm afraid he was not up to it today. 

 

For me, the match was set up for Sutherland.  Because of the size and state of the pitch and County's pressing game, often the only option was the old hoof up the park which gave poor Billy no chance again.  We needed Sutherland's bigger physical prescence up front.  He was, as usual, played wide when he came on but neverthesless, we certainly looked a bit more of a threat when he belatedly came on.  Also, it looked as though G Shinnie had been told to stay back - surely it would have been better to have him in midfield with Taylor dropping to left back.

 

But credit to County.  They were far the better side on the day and they will feel they deserved to win by a bigger margin. 

 

Biggest plus point today (not that there were many) was the crowd.  A really good atmosphere and just great to see so many stay for so long and make so much noise after the game.  It was a great send off for the team and competely overshadowed the appreciation the County players got (and make no mistake, they have had a superb season).  I left the ground some 15 to 20 minutes after the final whistle and could still hear the Inverness supporters in the ground as I crossed the Railway Bridge.  Well done, lads, brilliant stuff! 

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Not actually reado a nothing else and going to the bar - but that was a feckin disgrace and the ONLY player that was worth it was Andy Shinnie. Lets feckin face it Butcher fecked it. His tactics today were feckin abysmal and then he takes centre feckin stage and acclaims that we are 4th and the Tinks are 5th. ****.

[Bluesman]

Ah well, no in-betweens, we are either great (v Motherwell) or mince (last two games) it appears...

 

What's with Roy McGregor on telly and the tiny wee dark glasses - bit pervy

 

Did my eyes deceive me or did DA actually start to applaud ICT fans at the end?

 

Great support today, the fans did the team proud (prefer it the other way round) 

[caley100]

Probably, but his omission was due to injury, a knock in training.

Aye aye, thats the story - OTJ is off         today was feckin PYSH, absolute FECKIN PYSH,   to start with Pepper, Taylor and Devine in midfield was criminal, a feckin disgrace of a selection by Butcher, and yet he milks the crowd at the end - *****

 

Ross should have started, as should have Shane, at least they were match fit which is more than can be said for the 3 misfits that started.   I am gutted with the performance today, truly let the fans down big style.

 

This was a huge let down to an amazing support today, they deserved better.

[WYNESS101]

Did my eyes deceive me or did DA actually start to applaud ICT fans at the end?

 

 

Yeah he did clap to us just like TB did the same to the county fans. Even ivan Sproule clapped us

[caley100]

I thought we improved in the second half but overall County probably deserved the win. Doran put in a great shift as did Raven. Dissapointed but still happy with the season in general. We fell short at the last hurdle but thank you Terry, the rest of the management team and all the players for our best ever season! Roll on the next one!!!

I must say thank you to County for allowing the Highland Marchers on to the pitch. We were in the Jail End pre match. Surreal experience but great banter. Thanks to the County fans who made us welcome and the great reception we got from the ICT fans.

I cannot wait for the next Highland Derby. The greatest derby in Scotland!

What game did you watch? Doran was feckin awful, as was Raven - their passing & distribution was pathetic,looked like they were in holiday mode, i hope they get some practice in before next season.

[caley100]

 

 

 

Pepper later appeared on crutches but I'm not sure what's happened to him.

 

Terry might know something about that...

 

broke his toe

 

What, did he trip on the way to the shower?

[davie]

 

 

 

 

Pepper later appeared on crutches but I'm not sure what's happened to him.

 

Terry might know something about that...

 

broke his toe

 

What, did he trip on the way to the shower?

 

Mate, much as I don't want to grace this with a reply, someone trod on his foot, brok his toe. simple.

[Doofer]

Firstly i would like to start by saying what a tremendous season we have had. The club has exceeded all expectations i think. If we had been offer 4th spot, to be above county and a cup semi final at the start of the season we would all have taken that there and then no questions asked. To miss out on Europe on the last day is gutting but the season as a whole has been a resounding success and the team and the fans should be very proud.

 

As for the game itself today, where do i begin? As i was watching the game on the tv (in a pub with no sound) i cant comment on the atmosphere but heard it was pretty special, especially at the end of the match. The game itself was an absalute shocker from an ICT POV. Second to everything, no creativity, dodgy defending, playing hoof ball to a short striker, very inexperienced midfield (why did TB not start with ross and/or sutherland?) the list goes on. One of the poorest perfomances i have seen for ICT if i'm honest. It looked as if they didnt want to win the match and you would be forgiven to thinking that it was county going for europe and not us. In the latter stages of the game i was laughing to myself because it was comical to watch how bad we were.

 

All in all it was a bad day at the office for us but a successful season so overall, i am a happy ICT fan

[Sneckboy]

Great season for Inverness. I cant find any reason to be despondent. However I find it a bit odd that some people consider it a 'successful' season if we finish ahead of Ross County! Surely we're a big enough club now, with nothing to prove to anyone. Must we preoccupy ourselves with what they're doing? I would far rather finish 3rd behind a County side who are runners-up to Celtic than finish 4th ahead of a 5th placed County. Anybody who disagrees is effectively saying they'd rather finish 4th than 3rd! But there will be some... To me, this parochial attitude smacks of small-mindedness and old Highland League-esque bragging rights. Both clubs have moved on to bigger things. We've 'cut each others throats' this season, denying European football for the Highlands - much to the delight of the central belt brigade.  

[HeScoresWhenHeWants]

Why would u want County to finish 2nd and us third than them not getting Europe and us aswell?!

[+Fraz]

Short story- Not great really, we had virtually no midfield for much of the game and it wasn't easy to watch due to County controlling much of it. Not a totally unsurprising result but ho hum. We didn't create much of anything in the final third and can't complain about the result. Cracking atmosphere aside from being offered a fight from a young fan who thought I was slighting him when in fact I was shouting at our midfield (this was resolved at half time after a chat and hands were shook no probs). Great voice for about 45 mins after the game, also good to see where some former players hearts remain lol ..

 

[Renegade]

Here's a rather left-field idea; I know he's leaving, but should we have recalled Gavin Morrison and played him in midfield?  Surely he'd have been better than Devine in there and is at least more natural in that position.

[+Fraz]

Here's a rather left-field idea; I know he's leaving, but should we have recalled Gavin Morrison and played him in midfield?  Surely he'd have been better than Devine in there and is at least more natural in that position.

 

He actually said on Twitter that he wished he had been playing today.

Edited May 20, 2013 by fraz

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Good post from Doofers Dad - it was a good season but it could have/ should have been a great season. Butcher's tactical naievity was shown yesterday. To be fair to him he had a very weakened squad but he basically fecked it up and tried to redeem himself by being Coco the Clown after the final whistle.

[gordieict]

Very poor performance, felt for young Pepper when he was hooked after 30 mins he did look lost. Would have bitten your hand of to finish 4th at the start of the season but now its a season of what could have been. 

[+bughtmaster]

Like I thought and  said lots of depressing posts in there but glad there are some realistic ones too !!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Thank you - I am always realistic.

[tm4tj]

 

That is all.

[Rainbow]

Anybody who disagrees is effectively saying they'd rather finish 4th than 3rd!

 

Well, actually here in Germany the Nuremberg fans have the saying better 5th than 4th, but that's because in their local dialect fourth is pronouced like the word for the supporters of the local rival Greuther Furth   

[starchief]

to start with Pepper, Taylor and Devine in midfield was criminal, a feckin disgrace of a selection by Butcher, and yet he milks the crowd at the end - *****

 

Ross should have started, as should have Shane, at least they were match fit which is more than can be said for the 3 misfits that started. 

Ross played for most of the match.  Didn't see him make much difference.  Sutherland?  When has he ever played there?

[Ronaldo]

Look guys this is the way I sees it.

 

I am very dissapointed that we lost yesterday by just turning up and going through the motions and hoping we would win, don't make me laugh.The writing was on the wall here yesterday. 

 

I know we were missing some key players but I just wish TB had tried something else. like stick our two tallest players up front and lump the ball up to them and maybe get a knockdown to someone. You couldn't try to play football on that pitch it didn't suit us.

 

Having to watch our goalie hoof the ball up to Billy surrounded by four large defenders hurt me to watch, without any apportion of blame to him he would have concerned them more had he stayed in bed. Scott Boyd had a cigar in his mouth for 90 mins yesterday.