THE MATCHDAY THREAD Discuss ICT & other games in this thread as they happen Inverness CT -V- FC Astra Giurgiu PREVIEW 16th July @ 7:45PM Caledonian Stadium Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Go to the Chatroom Media Coverage AUDIO BBC Live Commentary (BBC) [UK/VPN Only]   TEXT ESPN BBC SKY Sporting Life   VIDEO SPFL YouTube Channel ICT Official YouTube Channel     TEAM LINEUPS Tweets by @ICTFC Tweets by @ICTFC

Edited July 16, 20159 yr by Scotty

Was a strange line up New Goalkeeper and Roberts on the Bench  and why did it take to the 80th minute before we mad a substitution - maybe someone who was there can tell us

according to BBC we had 56% possession  more shots and more on target

Both subs were the right ones, but should've been made earlier (Meekings was enforced).

I must add that's the first time I've seen Wedderburn.. Fk me, what a size on the guy!!! He was actually decent in the first half, but drifted out of the game completely in the 2nd. 

One thing we will beat them on is number of away fans.I reckon they had about 30 there tonight?

We waited so long to make a substitution because there was no point throwing the kitchen sink once we went 1-0 down. One goal for us would've changed little as we would still have had to score next week, whereas if we had gambled we could have been out of the tie if they scored again.

We were very solid tonight but just didn't get in behind them enough, partly because they were very happy to sit back and partly because the legs weren't there up front. Lopez won't be a lone striker for us - we need someone with pace to play alongside him, or even in front of him. I thought Doran was disappointing tonight but Christie acquitted himself very well despite the obvious "attention" he was getting from the opposition.

I don't agree with throwing Fon Williams in for this one in theory, but perhaps Esson was carrying a knock that we didn't know about - Hughes said on the radio that he had to go the chairman to beg him to sign another keeper last week because Esson had picked up a knock and we only had youths in reserve.

It's certainly all to play for next week. I think Astra were playing within themselves a bit and will be a bit stronger at home, but as long as we keep it tight at the back we have a good chance.

 

Budescu's right foot is something special when he's capable of this (I've never seen a goal like this before)

 A pity we couldn't see the match in TV or online. Looking forward for the 2nd leg.

Thought we were the better team. We played well but just couldn't finish in the box. I thought Roberts should have started so we could have that extra bit of goal threat. Astra really didn't threaten our goal that much so it was disappointing to lose from a free kick with what would have been a goal less draw. Very frustrating to lose the way we did

Edited July 16, 20159 yr by lightlamp2

The better team lost. Wasn't impressed by Astra at all. They looked like a bottom 6 team to be honest. In retrospect, we gave them far too much respect. If we were really on our game, and fully match fit, I could see us absolutely thumping them. They definitely deserve a doing in the second leg after the way they conducted themselves tonight.

Edited July 16, 20159 yr by AlexJones

Obviously disappointing that the home fans had nothing to cheer tonight.  Hope that the folk travelling to Romania next week get something to make the trip worthwhile, over and above the beer, banter and camaraderie.

I hear that Esson was fit and not carrying an injury, so having witnessed the game, I think it was an appalling decision not to play him.  Honestly, if you had seen one particular moment in the second half when our new keeper played the ball across the goal... I've rarely seen such a lucky escape!

 

Roberts came on and got booked within no time, Foran didn't have the fairytale comeback that we so dearly wished for.  Astra lived up to all of the stereotypes of dirty European team - they were falling over like clowns.  Mortally wounded clowns, who recovered in no time, I hasten to add.  A harsh lesson in international football.

 

Wedderburn looked far better in middle of park than at left back and Williams did a brilliant job at left back, very reminiscent of Shinnie.

 

All to play for next week!

Disappointing result. Don't think we deserved to lose, but we need some bite up front. 

Seemed a strange decision to throw Fon Wiiliams in for this one, seemed OK, but I think he'd probably like to face the free kick again. He also had a Jamie MacDonald moment in the first half, but fortunately he pushed it away hard enough to beat the on rushing attacker. I thought he'd made a good save near the end, but I think it actually hit the post  

Warren snd Devine played pretty well together at the back, although Devine gave the keeper a nasty, bouncy back pass to deal with. Meekings seemed off the pace, particularly after his performances at right back at the end of last season. Williams had a decent game at left back. 

The midfield confused me. Wedderburn, Draper and Tansey are all too similar in style. Thought Wedderburn did ok, Draper had a stinker, not least conceding that cheap free kick. Tansey just did what he does, but slightly further forward, and I'm not sure why he was MoM - certainly wasn't for his ridiculous dive in the first half. Doran was probably our biggest goal threat, with a scuffed shot in the first half, a placed shot that the keeper saved just inside his post and a more powerful shot that I thought the keeper had let go through him for a moment. Christie had a decent game. 

Up front, Lopez's best work was done outside the box - not what you need from you striker. He had one good chance, but the shot lacked conviction. 

The subs didn't get long enough to judge, but it was good to see Foran back. 

On the basis of tonight, we are not out of this tie by any means. With a bit more sharpness we might have done something with some of the balls into the box. 

However, we need to make more effective use of width, as we spent too much time trying to play through the middle, which isn't going to work. 

The he one down side was that we reverted to passing the ball sideways for long periods again. It was a bit like the second half of season 2013-14 again at times. At the start of the second half, when we started to move the ball forward with a bit of pace, we looked like we might cause some problems. 

I thought the ref had a decent game. Certainly not over officious, and didn't buy the worst of the Romanian play acting. 

Land I reckon there were 25 away fans - I counted them during a bit of dying-swan routine near the end. 

Only question if we add more players before the next week will they be eligible? 

As long as they haven't already played in this year's competition,  I think they're okay.

I reckon they had about 30 there tonight?

Nearer 40 from where I was but might be counting stewards.

Only question if we add more players before the next week will they be eligible? 

As long as they haven't already played in this year's competition,  I think they're okay.

I reckon they had about 30 there tonight?

Nearer 40 from where I was but might be counting stewards.

Does that include the sad County fans in that section? 

Good atmosphere tonight, hopefully the UEFA rep didn't hear the racist chanting though - if he did we deserve our punishment.

Maybe Yogi has good reason to believe Fon Williams is a better keeper than Esson but I think it was a mistake playing him simply because there will not have been enough time for him and the defenders to get to know each other and develop an understanding.  There was poor communication between him and the defence on a few occasions and not just at the crucial free kick.  A couple of back passes were played to his left as though instinctively the defender thought it was Esson in goal. 

Not sure that Lopez offers us a great deal upfront.  He seems to have good control and has quick feet, but he won little if anything in the air and his movement was limited.  He had one good chance but shot tamely straight at the keeper.  Hopefully he will show up better when he gets to know the way the team plays a bit more.

Good to see Foran back but did he actually touch the ball?  The North Stand gave him a great ovation when he came on but at the end he seemed to storm off the park without acknowledging the crowd in the North Stand and with barely a word for opponents or team mates alike.  What was that all about?

Overall though we were the better side and for a first game of the season against a different style of opponent and with new faces in the side plus a bit of rearrangement to do, it was a pretty decent performance.  Astra are no great shakes and we are still very much in the tie.  We do need to get at them though in order to create more chances and we need to strike the ball with conviction when the chances do come our way. 

 

Good atmosphere tonight, hopefully the UEFA rep didn't hear the racist chanting though - if he did we deserve our punishment.

what racist chanting? 

Good atmosphere tonight, hopefully the UEFA rep didn't hear the racist chanting though - if he did we deserve our punishment.

what racist chanting? 

Dirty gypsy ******** is not a very clever thing to be singing against a Romanian team.

Good atmosphere tonight, hopefully the UEFA rep didn't hear the racist chanting though - if he did we deserve our punishment.

Racist chanting?  I think you are mistaken.  I heard no racist chanting but I did hear the Astra players referred to as tipsy  because they kept falling over as if they were drunk. 

Wedderburn looked ok, didnt waste much and fine on the ball with some good chances, unlike Draper who was a liablity and gave another free kick away which cost us, think he will be worried once Wedd gets up to speed.

Ryan M.O.M by a mile, Tansey was ok but not MOM,  Meekings was pretty poor at RB, we need Rave back there -  why did he not start?

Still in it, but we need to get into the Romainians next wk, the diving time wasting cheats....   

Williams didn't really have much too do since Astra rarely got into our box. As for the free kick. Lets be honest. Would Esson have saved that?

Only question if we add more players before the next week will they be eligible? 

No. The deadline was last Friday - although clubs are allowed to add one new player not registered by that cut-off. We've obviously added the new 'keeper, so that's it for this round!

Just remembered. the draw for Europa Q3 is tomorrow! Wonder who we'll 'potentially' get....

Really disappointed to have missed this, but was a shocked as anyone by the starting line-up. Throwing a brand new keeper in at the deep-end is always a risk - communication with the back 4 is a fundamental role for the keeper and takes time to develop. The only explanation for the Meekings right back decision is that Raven is still recovering from injury and wouldn't have lasted. Lopez starting ahead of Roberts exposes our biggest weakness (recognised by all) - no match-fit strikers. Presumably, Tremarco is also not fit to challenge Wedderburn for left back - there is no point in playing Wedderburn, Tansey and Draper in midfield - too similar. Sounds like Williams is the shout for left back, if you ask me.

 

All of that said, the performance sounded decent and there is still hope, despite committing the cardinal sin of conceding at home. I fear, however, that the away leg could be a very frustrating affair without an effective strikeforce.

Overall not bad for our first game in Europe.

could have been 2 down when they were through on goal but an incredibly poor finish saved us.

draper was shocking. Think he is still on hols.

meekings struggled badly and every time he was free on the right the ball went left.

lopez looks like with full fitness he could be v good for us. 

Good passing at points.

first competitive game so not terrible.

onwards to next week. Another week fitter and wiser....

 

 

Does that include the sad County fans in that section? 

RHS corner. I think you may be confusing latecomers with County fans. I once watched from the South Stand. First game in Inverness in SPL vs Dunfermline...

Williams didn't really have much too do since Astra rarely got into our box. As for the free kick. Lets be honest. Would Esson have saved that?

It was not a great free kick. On target, slightly right of the keeper, great height to save................ he did the rest. Maybe unsighted, he seemed slow to move to the ball, when he got there the ball seemed to go through his hand. Pretty soft if you ask me and from a needless free kick from Drapers rash challenge when two other defenders were waiting to block the runner.

According to eufa website we are in pot 4 for draw seeded teams include West Ham and Borussia Dortmund

Probably echoing a lot of what's been said before, but here goes...

 

We were unlucky to lose that.  Our performance was excellent, especially considering our lack of competitive games.  The passing in the first 15 minutes was particularly impressive, and their goal was a huge blow because it came well against the run of play.

 

I wish fans would show more patience with the passing game.  They pass sideways to keep possession and to create space - it's a far better idea than punting hopeful long balls.

 

The individual performances:

Fon Williams - I imagine he'll be fine with a game or two under his belt, but he looked rusty and my first instinct was that he should have kept that free kick out

Meekings - looked like a centre-back playing out of position.  Defended well.  Was willing to get forward but offered nothing in attack

Warren - Excellent, hard to remember him putting a foot wrong.  My MOTM

Devine - Does look dodgy in possession on occasion but played well

Williams - Needs to work on his positioning when we're defending, but he was a great outlet.  Give him a few more months to learn the position and he'll do very well

Wedderburn - Looks like he ate one of the subs for his pre-match meal.  Slow and ponderous, but actually decent in possession and broke up play quite well. He could be very useful once he gets up to fitness

Draper - Not a great performance. Unnecessarily gave away the free kick they scored from.  Gave the ball away too cheaply and too often.  We probably only need one of him or Wedderburn for league games - who would you choose?

Tansey - After a bright start, he struggled to have much influence until he dropped deeper later in the game. His set-piece delivery was good

Doran - Looks like he's been eating salad all summer.  Always looking for the ball and generally used it well

Christie - It never quite came off for him in the final third, but his touch was good and he covered the whole pitch looking for the ball

Lopez - Good with his back to goal, but will he score many? Can't really be judged until he is fully fit.