The inquest

[Yngwie]

Whilst there will be a lot of disappointment and criticism about the performance and result today, it was always going to be a "big ask" to get an away win against a good team, on a dodgy pitch, without 3 of our key midfielders.

 

The damage was really done in previous games - Raven getting sent off after 10 minutes in Perth to gift them a win, and then us throwing it away against Dundee Utd last weekend. We were 1-0 up at the start of the 2nd half, at home against the worst team in the top 6, who had nothing to play for, and were fielding a load of youngsters, and their top scorer in defence.  That was the real chance that we blew.

 

If you go into the split in 3rd place then lose 4 of your 5 post-split games, you can't expect to retain 3rd place. Ultimately we didn't deserve Europe. Close but not quite enough.

 

Still a great season though, onwards and upwards.  And we'll get to do a proper pre-season without the distraction of European fixtures!

[starchief]

Todays result was down to Taylor and Devine not being able to make a telling pass. Doran and, to an extent, AShinnie looked bright on the odd ocassion they got the ball but a midfield of two fullbacks and a touch player reserve just was asking too much.

I just cant criticise the midfield for not being good enough passers to be regular midfielders. Just one of Draper, Foran or OTJ would have made the difference.

[Yngwie]

We also can't argue too much about the Euro spot going to a team that we failed to beat in 4 attempts.

[KennySim93]

Yes, it's very disappointing to miss out on Europe this season, but just remember out expectations before the start of the season were to avoid relegation and/or finish above Ross County! We've done both! Brilliant season. Look on the bright side everyone!

[gingerjaggy]

Cant really add any more we threw it away last week. Always difficult to win at Victoria park as it is very tight giving us very little width and of course a terrible surface. We knew it was like that before the game but we never got to grips with it and being understrength meant we were always against it. But i am proud to support ICT and with the season we have had it is hard to be overly upset. We have the core of the squad signed up and if we can get hold of a few more players in midfield and attack then i dont see why next season cant be similar if not better. Rangers wont be in again motherwell will be losing a lot of very good players, dundee utd are now reverting to cheap buys and kids, hearts are in financial turmoil, aberdeen and hibs also have to go cheap and kids so i cant see why we cant feature again. Shinnie maybe off but im sure we could find someone like him so lets right today off and get ready for another great season.

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Post split record: P 5 W 1 D 0 L 4 F 6 A 11 PTS 3

A bridge too far (no pun intended).

Butcher: "So that's it. We're not in Europe. It was County Away."

Malpas: "It was the single road getting to Dingwall."

Foran: "No, it was St.Johnstone Away."

McKay: "And Dundee Utd at Home."

Some bloke at a bar somewhere: "Doesn't matter what it was. When one man says to another, "I know what let's do today, let's play the defensive game and try not to lose."... everybody loses."

Ah well - here's to next season and the next step forward - Europe will have to wait (for now)

[Yngwie]

We only lost 10 games this season, but it was just 6 from our first 33, then 4 from the last 5. 

[Kirishima]

Poor Pepper, being hooked before half time is never good (wholly justified as it was). It was a half-squad really, out of position, young & rusty players, it was a big ask. RC bossed that game, and we just hoofed and hoofed.

But it's done and the positives have to be put to the forefront. If you'd said before the season started RC were to be in 5th place, we'd have been mightily worried. But alas, they are still in our shadow. The beach balls will be back, Derek

[kilda]

I Remember how much we have improved and don't think an inquest is required, it was good season by Terry and his team.   I was unhappy  with today's result but not with our season. Finishing  in the top six for the first time is a huge plus, remember how often we have just missed that. Most importantly we still have 'them' in our shadow.    It also leaves us with the core of a descent team and a realistic goal of a European place next time up. Knowing our management team as we do I am full of confidence for the future.

Overall then our best season yet and something left to aim for next season.    

[WYNESS101]

Poor Pepper, being hooked before half time is never good (wholly justified as it was)

He was injured. He was on the pitch at full time with crutches

[SMEE]

I think it could well be a long time before we find ourselves with a chance of landing european footie again. On the face of it, we have had a good season, but the bigger picture is, its more a case of a lot of teams coming down to our standard more than ICT raising their game. I fully expect Aberdire, Dundee Utd, Hibs and Hearts to be better teams next season (assuming Hearts dont get relegated)

[Kylef]

Glad to come on the forum and people still positive about our season on the whole, and what a season it has been. Today, or even the whole of the post split fixtures (bar Motherwell) where the damage was done aswell as not beating St Johnstone all season, won't take the gloss off the season for me.

Now that we have retained a lot of the squad for next season, and no doubt big Tel unearthing another rough diamond or two again, I can't wait for next season.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Kylef

[BornCaley]

To be honest we lost our Euro trip last week! 

 

I'm still very happy with our season and thanks to Butch, Malps & Marsella! They put together a great team!

 

We should be all proud!

[SMEE]

As far as my last post goes, yeah, we have done well this season. We can only beat what is put in front of us. BUT.....i would say....this seasons SPL standard has been pretty unremarkable. As poor a stanrd in the whole league as i can remember there having been, since pre "Souness Revolution" yrs

 

I think we will be doing amazing to emulate this seasons feat in the future

[kilda]

What we have achieved this season is nothing short of magic.  We are a small town, City, team and this season has been our best ever in our short history, we have come a long way in a short time. We don't have the finances of any of the teams we have finished above but we still finished above them.

 

We have comprehensively stuck it to our closest rivals for years and again this season have lost only one game in six to them. That one on a midden of a pitch with a much reduced player pool. I have a hard time understanding the negative comments. i understand that we are a little disappointed with today's result  but nothing can, in my mind, take away from our best season ever. 

 

Can we not just thank the team for how well they have done and stop the negative comments.  Well done the team and thanks to you all for all your efforts.

[Ayeseetee]

good season not a great match but our away support was fantastic 70% stayed a sung until we got thrown out and terrys wee speech at the team bus "we will be back" made it worth the trip

I will upload a video of our support going mental in an empty golbal warming stadium when I get home @ 6ish

[starchief]

Let us also remember, we finished above not only the County rivals but also the big spending Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen and Dundee United. We have come a long way when people are disappointed we didnt beat the Terrors.

Squad mainly intact for next season, with only AShinnie needing a quality replacement that might be a tough shift to find. A great season for both ICT and Scottish fitba. Cant wait for next.

[Renegade]

We never rise to the occasion and haven't done so for years.  The relegation game in 2010; one goal would have kept us up and we blew it.  The Challenge Cup Final; 2-0 up and cruising at half time and end up getting beat 3-2.  The League Cup Semi-Final earlier in the season; 1-0 up against ten man Hearts, miss an open goal and end up going out.  

 

Last week was the hammer blow I think.  We really should have had Dundee United with all those chances and going into Dingwall, I thought the best chance we had of getting it, was a Motherwell win.  When Saints scored I knew we'd had it.  

 

On the plus side, apart from A.Shinnie and Reguero going, we have the bulk of the squad signed up for next season (unlike County!) and a few new players should see us through.  On today's performance we never deserved Europe, and our form in 2013 is rather when you compare it to the end of 2012.  I hope we haven't blown it for good, but I still can't wait for next season to get started.

[Kingsmills]

An inquest into the second half of the season is indeed required. I don't subscribe to the view that this has been a great season irrespective of what has happened in recent weeks or months.

 

While it is true that we have achieved our highest ever league position and that the vast majority of us would have been content with that at the begining of the season, the fact is, considering the position we had put ourselves in at the turn of the year, the season must be considered a disappointing anticlimax.

 

At the winter shut down we were well placed for either second or third in the league, in the semi final of the League Cup and still in the Scottish Cup with a reasonably favourable draw against a Killie side who were hardly setting the heather on fire.

 

Since then we went out of the League Cup, despite taking the lead, to a Hearts side who were in the course of imploding both on and off the pitch and who showed just how mediocre they were by losing in the final to a side who were battling relegation until the third last game of the season. We tamely lost to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup.

 

In the league since the split, we have been woeful. We capitulated in the second half at Parkhead. We were always second best against St Johnstone even before being reduced to ten men, we very nearly throw away a three goal lead against Motherwell and were only saved by Ojamaa's sending off. Last week we contrived to lose in the last minute against a Dundee United side who could hardly muster a e recognised defender despite taking the lead and dominating possession. A United side, I may add, that didn't gain a single other point post split.

 

Today, we were almost always second best, A Ross County side even more ravaged by injury than we were by injury and suspension looked like the side chasing European glory while our lot looked like they were the ones who had little to play for.

 

I do genuinely believe that we have assembled a very competent group of fairly young players and am pleased that we are retaining the bulk of the squad for the next campaign but there is something missing. We lack mettle (bottle if you like) I don't know where you get that from but we desperately need to find it otherwise our otherwise committed and talented players are always likely to stumble whenever they have sight of the finishing post.

[sheepslagger]

AT the start it was get "above County "and thats enough.  We re 4th.!!!!  Would have bitten your arm, not to mention any other appendage you may have, if 4th place was mentioned back in August. 

 

That team, with maybe a couple of additions, and Billy back to his predatory ways, will come on leaps and bounds next year.

 

I m looking forward to the new season. Got my 2 season tickets. 

 

Europe................. next year. 

 

Say No to Camp Nou...for now.

[Yngwie]

An inquest into the second half of the season is indeed required. I don't subscribe to the view that this has been a great season irrespective of what has happened in recent weeks or months.

 

While it is true that we have achieved our highest ever league position and that the vast majority of us would have been content with that at the begining of the season, the fact is, considering the position we had put ourselves in at the turn of the year, the season must be considered a disappointing anticlimax.

 

At the winter shut down we were well placed for either second or third in the league, in the semi final of the League Cup and still in the Scottish Cup with a reasonably favourable draw against a Killie side who were hardly setting the heather on fire.

 

Since then we went out of the League Cup, despite taking the lead, to a Hearts side who were in the course of imploding both on and off the pitch and who showed just how mediocre they were by losing in the final to a side who were battling relegation until the third last game of the season. We tamely lost to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup.

 

In the league since the split, we have been woeful. We capitulated in the second half at Parkhead. We were always second best against St Johnstone even before being reduced to ten men, we very nearly throw away a three goal lead against Motherwell and were only saved by Ojamaa's sending off. Last week we contrived to lose in the last minute against a Dundee United side who could hardly muster a e recognised defender despite taking the lead and dominating possession. A United side, I may add, that didn't gain a single other point post split.

 

Today, we were almost always second best, A Ross County side even more ravaged by injury than we were by injury and suspension looked like the side chasing European glory while our lot looked like they were the ones who had little to play for.

 

I do genuinely believe that we have assembled a very competent group of fairly young players and am pleased that we are retaining the bulk of the squad for the next campaign but there is something missing. We lack mettle (bottle if you like) I don't know where you get that from but we desperately need to find it otherwise our otherwise committed and talented players are always likely to stumble whenever they have sight of the finishing post.

 

Ironically, our season was an absolute dream until Terry did what we all wanted and turned down Barnsley!

 

2nd in the league, League Cup semi coming up, and still in the Scottish Cup. If Terry had gone, would the incoming manager have failed on all 3 fronts? We'll never know.

[HeScoresWhenHeWants]

I'm so proud to be saying I'm a jaggie tonight. Although we lost to our near neighbours and didn't play well atall IMO, I still think everyone should understand that, yes we were in a great position for Europe and probably won't get that close again, but at the start of the season, we all thought that the team wasn't good enough and were going to be in a relegation battle. But as Terry said on the radio, if u were to say that we were going to score 64 goals this season and finish 4th we would of snapped your hand of for it. It has been an incredible achievement this season, I'm gutted that St Johnstone got that final place considering that we had been there since November time, but at the end of the day they had more points than us. We should off secured it last week against a DU team who got abosoulutly dubbed by Celtic but hey ho, Top Six is what we've all been waiting for for the last 9 years, and we have finished ahead of County! Wonderful season just guttering today but proud to support Caley tonight :D

[CaleyTom]

I would have accpted 4th ( or any top 6) at start of season especially after our poor start, and yes accept that it is therfore a good season so well done to all at the club

 

My only concern is that we will become a nearly did it

we nearly reacheched League cup final

nearly got Europe ( although think this could  have been an expensive jolly )

 

not to mentioned earlier  our loss to falkirk 4 years ago

 

overall we have had a great season above what most of us would have expected but what do we need to get that extra step

 

but we were above the shadow  although they have so much money they are happy to chear a result that will leave then in 5th

[Yngwie]

If you think we've had a bad day, our old SPL sparring partners Dunfermline have just been relegated for the 2nd consecutive season.

[davie]

As far as my last post goes, yeah, we have done well this season. We can only beat what is put in front of us. BUT.....i would say....this seasons SPL standard has been pretty unremarkable. As poor a stanrd in the whole league as i can remember there having been, since pre "Souness Revolution" yrs

 

I think we will be doing amazing to emulate this seasons feat in the future

This makes my blood boil. This ICT team has improved immeasurably this year and has eclipsed teams like Aberdeen and dundee United and It's because the other teams are poor? really? We have improved because we brought in better players, played better football and beat teams that were previously able to match us simply because we had got better in a league where the football has been of a better standard than many previous years. And if you could tell me what this "souness revolution" was, I'd be happy.