Aberdeen V Inverness C.T.

[Guest]

 

Great win. If anyone could calculate the average age of our team today and compare it to Dundee Ushited's it would likely make for interesting reading.

 

Our starting line up had an average age of 23.7. United's was 26.

 

Our full squad today had an average age of 23.3. United's was 24.2

 

Cheers. Well, I fully expect our youngsters to start getting fawned over by the media in a similar manner to the praise United were getting a few weeks ago. Not.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Guest

[Ayeseetee]

Also interesting to note that stevie may is now joint top scorer with billy mckay with 15 goals each hopefully billy can score a few v killie next week!

Edited January 18, 2014 by Ayeseetee

[Kingsmills]

Best performance and result in the post Butcher era. The whole team played well. Williams had his best game to date even if he did fade a bit in the second half. Fantastic save from Brill who looked much more assured than of late.

 

Tansey looked the part when he came on and the manager will have a real headache in deciding who to omit once all our midfielders are fit and free of suspension.

 

Best of all was watching with Dons fans in hospitality where I failed to keep the broad grin off my face..

[LundavraJag]

Thought we were worth the 3 points by a country mile today when the score could and should have been even more. Cant wait to see Williams goal as i managed to miss it with no replays on my stream. Shinnie was outstanding today, the lad is class and came so close to bagging a goal he would have deserved. Defense were immense too, they didn't give Aberdeen a sniff and all i can remember is a couple of scrambles inside our box where they may have nicked something and there was Floods great volley. Just what the doctor ordered to kick start our euro push.

[cantankerousoldgit]

Danny's goal was great as was whole team performance. Looks like it was a shrewd move getting him signed up. Well done lads. We're right back in the challenge for European places thanks to a tremendous effort today.

[HumbersideDude]

The lack of 5.30 as live game on Alba, is because they want to edit a naughty song out of their "as live" broadcast.

[RiG]

I didn't think they would pick me up singing Miley Cyrus.

[RossP]

Loved it! Off to my Aberdeen local now with my ICT gear on.

Shinnie was absolutely immense today, simply incredible against two of the best CMs in the league. I was delighted to see him celebrate so much at the end as well.

Tiny gripe... how slow and knackered did Evans look despite only coming on in the last few mins!?

[Guest]

Fantastic result

[RiG]

Fantastic result against a team which I view to be the best in the rest of the league. I'm no fan of Hughes but even I have to say that was a very impressive showing so well done to him and the team.

 

Our goal was very well taken. A quick counter attack down the right ended with Doran knocking a ball across the goal. Mckay stretched for it but only managed to get a faint touch on the ball which luckily found its way to Williams at the back post who lashed it into the net off the bar.

 

Whilst Aberdeen had a number of chances they were all from set pieces and there were very few which were clear cut. ICT on the other hand seemed to be doing their best to try and keep the game close by not putting away the better chances which fell our way, particularly in the second half. Mckay and Shinnie passed up great chances to secure the game for us but Mckay pulled his shot wide after being played through, by Tansey I think, and Shinnie hit the bottom of the post with a lovely curling effort.

 

Aberdeen were at their most threatening from corners with Robson getting some really dangerous balls in on top of Brill with the conditions making it really hard to deal with high, lofted balls. Vernon Crespo should have done better in the first and I think Considine or Anderson also had a good chance from a header as well.

 

The defence was, at times, struggling to cope, and the midfield occasionally got over run but that can be expected with the players we have out. But the guys who did play today really put in a great shift (© John Hughes) and battled for every ball they could get near. Shinnie especially was fantastic in the middle of the park. MotM by an absolute mile with other great performances from Mckay and Williams who was a real live wire down the left hand side.Tait really struggled with him and had to be subbed off in the second half.

 

Tansey and Vincent came on and both offered us a bit of freshness to carry the ball away from defence. Indeed it was Tansey who was setting up some of our chances late on with some clever balls in behind the Dons defence. It might be interesting to try him in behind Mckay once Foran and Draper return and take up the CM slots.

 

All in all a great performance, despite some very nervy moments, and one that all of the ICT guys can be very proud of. Now for the long trip down to Killie...

[Zoid]

 Love it when we beat the Dons.

 

Yogi still no my first choice but after todays result im eating humble pie and warming to him.

League Cup anyone

[absent friend]

I suppose my overall reaction to the game was ..... bags of spirit/fight

This however does not detract from the good football on show, right through the team and the ability to stay calm in possession was superb BUT not good for my health!

If this is the managers doing ... all I can say is " what is the name of the English guy who left us and what is the name if his new team?"

I do realise that this could be a one-off but let's not be negative tonight.

[RiG]

Reminded me a lot of the game against Aberdeen almost two years ago when Meekings was sent off in the first half and we had to a lot of defending and soaking up pressure whilst defending a one goal lead.

[Kingsmills]

I suppose my overall reaction to the game was ..... bags of spirit/fight

This however does not detract from the good football on show, right through the team and the ability to stay calm in possession was superb BUT not good for my health!

If this is the managers doing ... all I can say is " what is the name of the English guy who left us and what is the name if his new team?"

I do realise that this could be a one-off but let's not be negative tonight.

 

No negativity at all. Even us Hughes sceptics are willing him to succeed and today is a sign he just might and with Latapy coming on board hopefully we will all be eating and relishing our humble pie soon.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Kingsmills

[Caley Mad In Berks]

In the cool light of late evening I' m reflecting on just how good that win was.  If I'm honest I expected us to lose today, as I suspect did many other ICT supporters. But now I can see that win as a stepping stone to a successful second half of the season. And that will be just reward for the fantastic start we made to this season.  It would have been difficult to watch us slowly drift down the league, even to 7th place or below.

 

But now, based solely on how we played today, I am optimistic that we will challenge for second spot.  A cup win, or two, is not out of the question either. At times today we played the best football I have seen us play since a spell against Killie at their place a couple of seasons ago when, for about 20 minutes, we were simply fantastic (even though we only won 2-1 in the end!).

 

Coupled with Latapy joining as assistant, Tansey rejoining and being terrific today, and maybe Hughes beginning to find his feet, I am all of a sudden hugely optimistic for the remainder of the season.  With a severely depleted team today (no Warren or Draper), our defence was simply immense.  In fact it will be a hard job for Hughes to decide who to drop to accommodate these two back into the starting line up. Nice problem for him to have.

 

What with Williams , at last, showing how well he can play, I say again, we have every chance of realising the potential that the first half of the season promised.

 

Roll on the next few weeks!

[Sneckboy]

Aberdeen taking their 4th corner and with devine and tremarco in defense we lack the height we are used to although none of the corners have threatened yet!

Not sure if that's necessarily correct as Devine is around the same height as Warren ,while Tremarco adds more height than Shinnie!

[+DoofersDad]

Whilst things are looking up for us, they are also looking up for OTB.  10 points from 4 games in 2014 and Kiss is already their top scorer for the season after just 2 games.  They were dross in 2013 but look much stronger now.  It could be that the convenient floodlight failure earlier in the year and the apparent inability to have rearranged the match before now could come back to haunt us.  It is good to have a couple of games in hand but we will do well to get more than a couple of points from games away at County and Motherwell, particularly if we have distractions of cup matches.

[old caley girl]

Whilst things are looking up for us, they are also looking up for OTB.  10 points from 4 games in 2014 and Kiss is already their top scorer for the season after just 2 games.  They were dross in 2013 but look much stronger now.  It could be that the convenient floodlight failure earlier in the year and the apparent inability to have rearranged the match before now could come back to haunt us.  It is good to have a couple of games in hand but we will do well to get more than a couple of points from games away at County and Motherwell, particularly if we have distractions of cup matches.

Let's worry about them when the time comes! Important 3 games coming up. A win next week would put us on 40 points. Then there's the cup games... Bting it on!

[Renegade]

I thought Shinnie put in one of his best ever performances for us.  Williams looked good as well.  A lot more confident and direct than in recent weeks.

[Kingsmills]

I thought Shinnie put in one of his best ever performances for us.  Williams looked good as well.  A lot more confident and direct than in recent weeks.

 

Wouldn't have said so a year ago but I think G Shinnie is a better player than his brother. A travesty he's not in the Scotland squad but a few more performances like that and Strachan will find it impossible to continue to overlook him.

[PerfICT]

What a result! A huge plus for Hughes and fully deserved according to Willie Miller on BBC! We need 9 or so more points from 12 games to likely confirm top 6. 'mon ICT!!

[ubern]

 

Aberdeen taking their 4th corner and with devine and tremarco in defense we lack the height we are used to although none of the corners have threatened yet!

Not sure if that's necessarily correct as Devine is around the same height as Warren ,while Tremarco adds more height than Shinnie!

 

 

When defending corners we were lacking our usual height and physical presence with no Draper, Foran or Warren and in the early stages it was worrying me. Thought it was very interesting in the CaleyJagsTV post-match interview Yogi was saying how they were really concerned about height difference between the teams and who would pick up who at corners and he contemplated leaving five players up the park when defending corners. I would be interested to see what the opposition team would do in that situation.

[RiG]

I thought Shinnie put in one of his best ever performances for us. Williams looked good as well. A lot more confident and direct than in recent weeks.

Wouldn't have said so a year ago but I think G Shinnie is a better player than his brother. A travesty he's not in the Scotland squad but a few more performances like that and Strachan will find it impossible to continue to overlook him.

They are / were both superb in their respective positions for us.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Note that there are still a few sitting on the fence regarding Yogi. Let just call them the Humpty Dumpties.   Butcher would NEVER have adapted the team and the system in the manner that Hughes has. I strongly suspect that he will adhere to some of the players. Tansey will have benefitted from his spell at Stevenage and may be the "buy" of the season. Williams has the skill and the touch. He just needs a run in the team and Doran may be the fall guy.

[Eagle4Caley]

What a result! TBH I wasn't expecting that given Aberdeen's recent form, but looks like perhaps our winter 'blip' might be over. Have watch some of the BBCAlba coverage on IPlayer and we looked like we played pretty well....Shinnie really growing into the midfield general role, also helped that Tremarco is very solid in LB. Doran looking dangerous as well, and great that Vincent is back. Still want a decent option for or to support Billy up front though.

 

Need to watch all 90mins later!

 

I was in a lounge at Palace after our 1-0 win, and got some puzzled looks when I 'wooped'  when ICT's result came up... made for a happy evening. Prospects of bring wife and eldest daughter up for games in the future!