matchday thread Inverness CT -V- Hamilton

[Row S]

Yes we were absolutely shocking today and allowed Hamilton to bully and cheat us, aided by Steven MacLean. Perhaps if we had Storey and Foran on at half time the result might have been so different. I can't understand why Roberts was hooked as he looked the most likely to score if given the ball in the box. Liam Hughes was pants as was Vigurs (again) with Polworth just behind them in poor displays. I thought Wedderburn did okay but I'd have preferred him in midfield and Draper in defence.

Okay, so we are making things so difficult for ourselves but win the next three games and our season can be salvaged. Lose them and I fear it will be well and truly over. So come on guys get a feckn grip and get back on track!

[hislopsoffsideagain]

I can't remember the last time I left a game so demoralized.

Both teams were utterly hopeless - the difference between the two was that it was us who made the blunder that gifted them a goal. We only ever seem to concede goals either from set pieces or from giving the ball away within 30 yards of our own goal.  It would be nice if opponents actually had to work a bit to score against us.

Once they got in front, Accies were properly cynical - lots of niggly fouls, lots of injury feigning, unbelievable time wasting.  Good for them.  They're fighting for every point because they're worried about going down.  Our lot need to realize that they're in a scrap to avoid eleventh as well - they don't seem to have twigged yet.

Yes, we were short of players today, but it's not as if we were playing kids.  These guys are all seasoned professionals, and too many of them were **** poor today.  I'd give Williams and Horner pass marks for effort, and Fon Williams didn't do anything wrong.  The others were rotten.

My faith in Yogi was badly shaken today.  The tactical plan was poor from the off - Wedderburn was constantly outmanoeuvered and outmuscled by Carlton Morris, a rubbish striker who has scored three goals against us this season and just one in his other twenty-four games.  Draper in defence would have been far more sensible.  Playing Hughes up front was laughable in the first half, as we kept punting the ball over his head; when he made it stick, he never got any support unless Roberts was racing up to support him.

In the second half, when the game was open (and far more conducive to our passing play) we instead subbed off Roberts and brought on Foran to play up front...and spent the last half hour punting straight long balls.  We had been on top when they scored, for god's sake.  Of all the times to ditch your principles, this was the worst by a mile.

When we eventually got Storey on, we stuck him out wide where he couldn't get into the game.

It was also embarrassing to see Yogi berating the stand-side linesman when they scored - because of a throw-in he gave against us in their half a full 90 seconds earlier.  Firstly, it was the right decision (not that it stopped the folk around me giving said linesman dog's abuse for the rest of the game) and secondly, it had nothing to do with the goal we conceded.  Pretty pathetic.  As for the laugh and joke he was having with the Accies dugout with a few minutes still to play, well I'd prefer he was concentrating on us!

Not good.  Not good at all.  There's a lot for us to worry about.

[Ronaldo]

I thought Lewis Horner had a pretty decent game today, for what it's worth......

 

 

[givmeaccccc]

 A devastating result for us today. How I wish we had players with guts like Hamilton. Hamilton ain't pretty on the eye but at this time in the season they will win ugly whilst we try and weave nice little patterns in our own half. We have zero penetration going forward and it mystifies me how Hughes can't see this.

Seeing Ritchie back and looking hungry, fit, lean and mean is the only positive from today. Horner our best player today for me and even although we must have let half of the kids in Inverness in for free we had a very decent crowd of 3,500. Such a shame the team couldn't lift their game for tomorrow's fans.

[bauhaus]

1 hour ago, Yngwie said:

According to the BBC match report stats, in our last 3 games we have mustered a grand total of 3 shots on target, ie 1 per game. None of these games were against good or in-form teams. I know this is telling us nothing we don't really know already, but it's a pretty disgraceful stat all the same.

Sounds like we are turning into the Man Utd of the North. All about possession, and nice passing to each other with no penetration and no shots on target.But we play football the right way. Why dont the players realise it doesnt always work and we would rather see some up and at them sometimes, at least seeing them give it a proper go. On this form our games before the split dont look too easy!

I hope we do beat Hibs, even if its penalties after extra time, cause players may start playing for their semi final place a bit more. 

Hope Richie Foran can drive us forward a bit more, if he doesn't get a reaction from playing. I would start him against Hibs, and see if he can give 60-70 minutes of his full on style

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Even the Red Dotter gave up as the posts continued to be negative.

[AlexJones]

Think some of the comments are harsh to say the least. Form has been poor as of late but the lads did not deserve to lose today. When you see the way we absolutely battered Hamilton in the last half hour, it reminds everyone what we're capable of. The trouble is, it takes going behind for us to get out of second gear. We need to eschew the ineffective, self-defeating possession game for fixtures like this and adapt the direct, aggressive, assertive approach that we saw in the final 20 minutes. Horses for courses. 

[cif73]

2 hours ago, Yngwie said:

According to the BBC match report stats, in our last 3 games we have mustered a grand total of 3 shots on target, ie 1 per game. None of these games were against good or in-form teams. I know this is telling us nothing we don't really know already, but it's a pretty disgraceful stat all the same.

... but on a positive our backwards, sidewards number of passes completed is off the charts high 

Edited March 12, 2016 by cif73

[quizzer]

Went into the game fearing the worst, bluntly it was a pretty dire game and not of the quality which you would expect to see in the top flight division of any country.  

As has been said before, we're lucky that there are other teams in our league who are equally bad/worse and although I'm fearful of our survival, there's certainly hope.  I genuinely thought Richie was miles away from fitness given that he wasn't put on at all during our last couple of games but it looks like he's back, and the timing couldn't be better.  Definitely gives us a glimmer of hope.

Hughes evidently played up front simply on the basis that he's a very tall chap, and on that basis I don't want to be critical of his abilities, but he should never have ended the game there when we had Foran, Storey and Roberts as options.  Didn't look threatening at any point of the game, but I don't doubt that he's got a lot to offer IF played in the correct position.

Our makeshift defence did ok (in relation to my expectations anyway).  Admittedly they were barely tested.  And they conceded more than Hamilton's did...

The timewasting and injury feigning antics were attrotious, summed up by Canning waving wildly to Imrie to go to the far touchline - moment later the subs board went up, no surprise that the number 7 was on it to come of...

Great tribute to Ross from the fans, including the Hamilton ones.

[RiG]

1 hour ago, AlexJones said:

Think some of the comments are harsh to say the least. Form has been poor as of late but the lads did not deserve to lose today. When you see the way we absolutely battered Hamilton in the last half hour, it reminds everyone what we're capable of. The trouble is, it takes going behind for us to get out of second gear. We need to eschew the ineffective, self-defeating possession game for fixtures like this and adapt the direct, aggressive, assertive approach that we saw in the final 20 minutes. Horses for courses. 

One shot on target? 

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

1 hour ago, AlexJones said:

Think some of the comments are harsh to say the least. Form has been poor as of late but the lads did not deserve to lose today. When you see the way we absolutely battered Hamilton in the last half hour, it reminds everyone what we're capable of. The trouble is, it takes going behind for us to get out of second gear. We need to eschew the ineffective, self-defeating possession game for fixtures like this and adapt the direct, aggressive, assertive approach that we saw in the final 20 minutes. Horses for courses. 

And the $1,000,000 question must be " Why can't we eschew the ineffective, self-defeating possession game for the remaining fixtures and adapt the direct, aggressive, assertive approach that we saw in the final 20 minutes against Hamilton - and Hibs in the cup" ?  We do not appear to come to until we are feckin behind !!

[ictbob]

Bring back butcher!

[Renegade]

No chance. 

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

My fear is Yogi can't motivate the boys for games against bottom 6 teams , against the top teams we do ok but struggle against the lesser lights .

[Huisdean]

17 hours ago, RiG said:

One shot on target? 

 

19 hours ago, AlexJones said:

Think some of the comments are harsh to say the least. Form has been poor as of late but the lads did not deserve to lose today. When you see the way we absolutely battered Hamilton in the last half hour, it reminds everyone what we're capable of. The trouble is, it takes going behind for us to get out of second gear. We need to eschew the ineffective, self-defeating possession game for fixtures like this and adapt the direct, aggressive, assertive approach that we saw in the final 20 minutes. Horses for courses. 

Totally agree Alex. While stats may say only 1 shot on target, plenty off target due to very poor shooting but at least we were trying. Over the piece, we were by far the better team and did try to create things. I thought we were a lot more direct and using width especially through Williams in the second half and the sideways passing was much less in evidence today. Baffled by those who think the team lacked fight, it was definitely there but this was one of those days, we carried no luck and deserved something from the game. We have played worse and won. Really need to scrape a result from somewhere now and the game against County would be just the place to start.

As for the poster who said Hughes was wrongly complaining about the throw in, he wasn't and there were several decisions that the officials got wrong on the stand side all afternoon although nothing major. As for Hughes joking and laughing with the Hamilton bench with a few minutes to go, I sit right behind the away dug out and don't recall seeing that, a case of someone having an unwarranted dig at Yogi.

As for Hamilton, every time I have seen them they are an astonishingly dirty and unsporting team. Ref was conned into Devine's booking by the Hamilton player, Morris I think, rolling about as if badly injured then up and running into the box for the free kick. Kurtaj was another who dived at every challenge and won free kicks. As for Imrie, don't get me started. While some of Hamilton's antics amy be called streetwise, I hope we never follow there example.

[CaleyMax]

22 hours ago, AlexJones said:

Think some of the comments are harsh to say the least. Form has been poor as of late but the lads did not deserve to lose today. When you see the way we absolutely battered Hamilton in the last half hour, it reminds everyone what we're capable of. The trouble is, it takes going behind for us to get out of second gear. We need to eschew the ineffective, self-defeating possession game for fixtures like this and adapt the direct, aggressive, assertive approach that we saw in the final 20 minutes. Horses for courses. 

Agree 100%

[Scarlet Pimple]

Somebody said somewhere.."Bring back Butcher" ..... Unfair and counter productive.

No chance anyway and , after the way in which he left for Hibs, if he did ever grace the  seats at this stadium half the remaining fans would quit.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I wouldn't rule a Butcher return out as long as the intense psychotherapy has been successful.

[Kingsmills]

Those fans who think that results like Saturday are mainly due to bad luck or missing key players are extremely complacent and in danger of sleep walking into the Championship.

It's true that we are not always lucky and, for whatever reason, we have had more than our fair share of injuries but these are minor factors in our poor form. Far and away the biggest factor is the manager's blind adherence to his preferred form of football which is not only generally ineffective but not exactly entertaining to watch.

Just how many times this season have we footered about for seventy minutes achieving very little before, usually out of necessity when we are behind, playing more directly and with more urgently and immediately looking far more dangerous as well as being more entertaining. Sometimes we get away with it like Easter Road last week but far more often like the League Cup Quarter final and Hamilton on Saturday it is a case of too little too late.

There is no doubt that we are now in a play off battle at the very least. I believe we have the players with the ability and attitude to get us out of it but only if we set out to play each minute of our remaining league matches in the style we are clearly best at. Yogi needs to be less one dimensional and appreciate that teams have long since worked out that by pressing us quickly they can almost completely negate his 'passing game'. Time now to do from the first whistle what we tend to do only in the last quarter or so.

[old caley girl]

2 hours ago, Kingsmills said:

Those fans who think that results like Saturday are mainly due to bad luck or missing key players are extremely complacent and in danger of sleep walking into the Championship.

It's true that we are not always lucky and, for whatever reason, we have had more than our fair share of injuries but these are minor factors in our poor form. Far and away the biggest factor is the manager's blind adherence to his preferred form of football which is not only generally ineffective but not exactly entertaining to watch.

Just how many times this season have we footered about for seventy minutes achieving very little before, usually out of necessity when we are behind, playing more directly and with more urgently and immediately looking far more dangerous as well as being more entertaining. Sometimes we get away with it like Easter Road last week but far more often like the League Cup Quarter final and Hamilton on Saturday it is a case of too little too late.

There is no doubt that we are now in a play off battle at the very least. I believe we have the players with the ability and attitude to get us out of it but only if we set out to play each minute of our remaining league matches in the style we are clearly best at. Yogi needs to be less one dimensional and appreciate that teams have long since worked out that by pressing us quickly they can almost completely negate his 'passing game'. Time now to do from the first whistle what we tend to do only in the last quarter or so.

So you really think that the number of injuries at present isnt affecting our form? Even some playing on Sat were not fully fit but having to do their bit for the cause. Luck is also not going our way at the moment as far as I can see. Having a fit Richie Foran is a start and hearing that Josh Meekings and James Vincent very close to coming back. Personally I think the International break cant come soon enough and hopefully by then the walking wounded will be returning. Then we can regroup and push on.

Edited March 14, 2016 by old caley girl
typing error

[ictbob]

At least butcher new a goal scorer when he seen one.

[Kingsmills]

1 hour ago, ictbob said:

At least butcher new a goal scorer when he seen one.

....and a new goal scorer is exactly what we could do with now....

[caleyboy]

Totally agree but I think you would need to speak to the wee lad from Lochaber about that one. 

[Huisdean]

8 hours ago, Kingsmills said:

Those fans who think that results like Saturday are mainly due to bad luck or missing key players are extremely complacent and in danger of sleep walking into the Championship.

It's true that we are not always lucky and, for whatever reason, we have had more than our fair share of injuries but these are minor factors in our poor form. Far and away the biggest factor is the manager's blind adherence to his preferred form of football which is not only generally ineffective but not exactly entertaining to watch.

Just how many times this season have we footered about for seventy minutes achieving very little before, usually out of necessity when we are behind, playing more directly and with more urgently and immediately looking far more dangerous as well as being more entertaining. Sometimes we get away with it like Easter Road last week but far more often like the League Cup Quarter final and Hamilton on Saturday it is a case of too little too late.

There is no doubt that we are now in a play off battle at the very least. I believe we have the players with the ability and attitude to get us out of it but only if we set out to play each minute of our remaining league matches in the style we are clearly best at. Yogi needs to be less one dimensional and appreciate that teams have long since worked out that by pressing us quickly they can almost completely negate his 'passing game'. Time now to do from the first whistle what we tend to do only in the last quarter or so.

I am certainly not complacent but I totally disagree that we footered about for 70 minutes on Saturday. Not the greatest performance admittedly but we were more direct than in previous games and there was not a great deal of the tippy tappy football that we have witnessed previously. The fight and ability is there amongst the players but we need that little bit of luck to spark us (just like County's winning goal yesterday).

[tm4tj]

http://caleythistleonline.com/index.html/reports-2015-16/inverness-ct-v-hamilton-report-r1358/

see for yourself, video footage from Caley Jags TV added to report