Whats with the pre semi-final nerves?

[Doofer]

Having read a number of threads on the website there seems to be a common trend that peolpe are a bit nervous about sundays match. But i cant understand why? We are higher in the league (by a long way) we have the better players, better goals scored, fewer goals conceded so why are so many people so nervous? I can understand that fans dont want to see their team lose at the semi final stange again but it looks although fans are quite aprehensive. This has all seem to have come around after it was anounced that stevenson was eligilbe to play. Before this the confidence on here was a lot higher. 1 player is not going to win the game for a team. I am confident of a good performance and a comfortable win ( assuming yogi players our best players) 

 

C'MON THE CALEY JAGS!!!!!!!!

[Kingsmills]

The nerves are justified on a number of counts. There is no getting away from our dreadful semi final record. Hearts, like last year have been gifted what is virtually a home tie. Hearts have hit a run of form just at the right time whereas we are on our worst run of form for two seasons.

 

Am I nervous about Sunday ? You bet I am.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

I don't think the apprehension is much to do with Stevenson.  It is just that, apart from against Aberdeen, we have been fairly poor in recent weeks, whereas Hearts are coming on to their game

 

Coupled with the nagging fear that history might repeat itself and that we'll throw it away again.

 

Let's hope it will turn out all right on the day.  I think ICT really needs a win here to get our season back on track.  I thought we'd done that at Aberdeen, but the Killie game raised doubts again.

[PerfICT]

There'd be something amiss if we weren't nervous. We have the chance to go to a major final, so it is right to be nervous. It is 90 (or 120) minutes of cup football, so anything is possible. I think what we're all struggling to get to terms with is the unusual feeling of being the favourites (at least in some people's minds). Nerves/excitement is what it's all about (the alternative would be playing Hibs at home in a league match). Enjoy the adrenaline ride!

Edited January 30, 2014 by PerfICT

[RiG]

The nerves are justified on a number of counts. There is no getting away from our dreadful semi final record. Hearts, like last year have been gifted what is virtually a home tie. Hearts have hit a run of form just at the right time whereas we are on our worst run of form for two seasons.

 

Am I nervous about Sunday ? You bet I am.

 

Both teams are on the same run of form going into this game (based on the last 8 matches) with eight points from a possible twenty four.

[Kingsmills]

Hearts undefeated in the last three and with back to back wins.

 

Their most recent form is better than ours.

[PerfICT]

Form is irrelevant - it's who turns up and harnesses their nerves best on the day that will win.....

[TheKarl]

I'm nervous, purely upon the prospect of missing out, yet again.

Either team or any player can have a great day just as easy as a terrible one. Look at Danny Williams for example.. way the game flows could easily allow him to replicate what he did against Aberdeen that came out of the blue. Brill could have a Partick moment all over again, you never know.

Just hoping it's a far better feeling day this time around come FT. 'Mon the Caley!

[KingBeastie]

I'm not confident about it at all.  Our recent form has been poor.  I don't think we play our best 11 a lot, due to whatever reasons.

We very often bottled the big games under Gonzo, something I am confident that Hughes and Latapy will remedy, I just don't feel confident that we'll get the result we all want in this game.

 

I'll be more than delighted to be proved wrong though.

[Huisdean]

I don't think we have been really poor in the last few games, first half against Aberdeen and game against Kilmarnock excepted and, even then we have created chances in both those games and in the other as well. Perhaps the luck we carried earlier in the season has started to even itself out.

Yogi has to stress the positives to the players and the players have to want this, which I think they really do. Realistically, this may be the only chance these players have of ever reaching a cup final so they have to go for it. I also think the players who played in the semi last year will have learned from that experience. However we are talking about football and as we all know, anything can happen.

Let's not worry about Heart's recent form though, get ICT to give it their best shot and I am confident we can do it this time.

[Sneckboy]

It's a bit harsh to say we've bottled our 4 previous attempts to reach a major final. (Although a National competition, the Challenge Cup is not classed as a 'major')

Our Scottish Cup semi finals were, at the time, against teams from a higher league. Big spending, top 6, administration bound, Dundee. We were unlucky and deserved a replay... Dunfermline were a top 6 SPL team and although I wasn't at Pittodrie for the replay, was at Hampden and I really thought we were the better team and were going to 'hold on' for a famous win!

I'm still working out an 'excuse' for the Hearts game last year! Okay, I'll give you that one! It was certainly there for the taking. We bottled it!

 

 

[Govan Jaggie]

I'm not confident about it at all.  Our recent form has been poor.  I don't think we play our best 11 a lot, due to whatever reasons.

We very often bottled the big games under Gonzo, something I am confident that Hughes and Latapy will remedy, I just don't feel confident that we'll get the result we all want in this game.

 

I'll be more than delighted to be proved wrong though.

You taken over my mantel of club pessimist?

[KingBeastie]

You taken over my mantel of club pessimist?

 

Not at all, I'm just not feeling optimistic about this game is all.

[KingBeastie]

Sneckboy - I did not say we bottled all of our semi final appearances.  I said we bottled it in several big games under our previous manager.  This is all I meant by that.  It was no reference to our 2 Scottish Cup semi's.

To be more clear I'm talking about the last semi final, the relegation game v Falkirk and all of the games post split where we could have secured European football.

 

I'm basically having a sly pop at our the big fibber that used to manage us!  (shhhh!)

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

IHE and Doctor Smirnoff are available for Stress Management sessions outside the Iona Bar on Sunday morning. As poor old King Beastie appears to be suffering more than most I will provide him with a free massage.

[old caley girl]

IHE and Doctor Smirnoff are available for Stress Management sessions outside the Iona Bar on Sunday morning. As poor old King Beastie appears to be suffering more than most I will provide him with a free massage.

I will book an appointment. Stress management tho not massage ....lol

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Sorry I have a rule that I never break. As a heterosexual male I rarely engage in a tactile manner with men due to my professionally entrenched inner feminity.. I do find that I am 85% more successful with women when I combine "talking therapies" with effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement and vibration.

[old caley girl]

Sorry I have a rule that I never break. As a heterosexual male I rarely engage in a tactile manner with men due to my professionally entrenched inner feminity.. I do find that I am 85% more successful with women when I combine "talking therapies" with effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement and vibration.

Maybe I'd better cancel then......lol

[lizi]

IHE and Doctor Smirnoff are available for Stress Management sessions outside the Iona Bar on Sunday morning. As poor old King Beastie appears to be suffering more than most I will provide him with a free massage.

Please, IHE, I could do with the Stress Management AND a massage! Please, please!!

[lizi]

Sorry I have a rule that I never break. As a heterosexual male I rarely engage in a tactile manner with men due to my professionally entrenched inner feminity.. I do find that I am 85% more successful with women when I combine "talking therapies" with effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement and vibration.

I am away to Google what these words mean!!

[lizi]

Sorry I have a rule that I never break. As a heterosexual male I rarely engage in a tactile manner with men due to my professionally entrenched inner feminity.. I do find that I am 85% more successful with women when I combine "talking therapies" with effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement and vibration.

I am away to Google what these words mean!!

Google ok! I quite like the idea of "effleurage" but not the rest thank you.

[dougal]

Nerves are a good thing there would be something far wrong if we all thought it was a simple matter of turning up

We need to turn up respecting the opposition despite the fact that they nearly all are plooky kids, one thing for sure is for being so young they will have little or any fear but they will also be nervous and rightly so

Semi finals are usually about who starts better that way said nerves are eradicated quicker

Dougal

[Big G]

Nerves are a good thing there would be something far wrong if we all thought it was a simple matter of turning up

We need to turn up respecting the opposition despite the fact that they nearly all are plooky kids, one thing for sure is for being so young they will have little or any fear but they will also be nervous and rightly so

Semi finals are usually about who starts better that way said nerves are eradicated quicker

Dougal

Wow, I have read a post from Dougal without wanting to delete it. I totally agree with this

[Kingsmills]

I need to lie down. I too agree with Dougal !

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I can't believe it Dougal has booked in fer a petrissage so I can fit Lizi in fer a effleurage afterwards.