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Inverness CT -V- Kilmarnock


Scotty

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I believe since Xmas we have had the squad to survive and improve. Richie's constant hashing around and lack of any visible strategy or settled style of play is demoralising for fans. Goodness knows what it is like for the players. He just doesn't appear to learn from previous games, every one is like the lottery with the revolving doors of selection and tactics.

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There were a few signs of life early in the second half, but ultimately we were hanging on at the end - three great saves from OFW kept us level.  That's now 1 win from the last 18 league games, which is almost half a season's worth.

Our tactics left us up against it from the word go.  What manager thinks it is a good idea to play five of his starting eleven out of position - Raven, Brad Mckay, Laing, Draper and Cole (who is not an inverted winger, for the love of goodness).  I'm sorry, but that's just idiocy.

Laing was redundant as a defensive midfielder - Killie simply kept going wide and bypassing him, whilst he offered nothing in possession.  We've been so much better in recent weeks with Draper playing deeper and offering a physical presence and proper protection, allowing Tansey to concentrate on getting on the ball and making things happen.  Inexplicably, Foran played Draper further forward so we had no control in midfield at all.  Thus the ball was just punted over Tansey's head again and again and again.  That's even though Killie rarely pressed our centre-backs.

Draper as a second striker just doesn't work.  He's not that good in the air, nor is he particularly good at holding up the ball.  Just because the guy is big doesn't mean he can play as a target man.  

Mckay is so isolated it's unreal.  Either concentate on trying to dominate possession (which we would have done today with Polworth/Draper/Tansey as our midfield three) so he gets decent service, or play a proper target man alongside him.  Ostracizing Alex Fisher at this point is a remarkable piece of self-harm on Foran's part.

I refuse to believe that we couldn't compensate for Tremarco's absence more effectively than using three different players at left-back.  Brad Mckay probably isn't good enough for this level in his best position (centre-back) but at right-back he's proven himself to be dreadful.  Subbing him was an act of mercy.  Foran showed his 'tactical genius' by switching the full-backs in the first half after Jones had roasted Mckay for the umpteenth time...only for Killie to immediately switch Jones to the other flank so he could skin him a few times more.  Well, duh.  It's incredible that Foran couldn't see that coming a mile off.  We were lucky no more damage was done before Mckay was hooked.

It's hard to know if its lack of confidence, or lack of faith in the plan (or both) but most of the players really didn't want to be on the ball today.  I lost count of the number of times that our players chose to head or punt a ball away even with no opponent within 10 yards of them.

We look like a team that has already been relegated, not one who still has a fighting chance of staying up.

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My first and probs last game of this season and well I'm not sure where I can see us beat the drop. The players are good enough but I think when Richie said at the start of the season that the football will be more direct, they take it to literally. We are a better side than lumping it to draper but that's what happened but when we got it down that's when we created the best chances. I thought Tansey was top notch and although I'm disappointed he is leaving his commitment to keeping us can't be questioned like some seem to think. We concede silly goals and unfortunately we don't create enough chances to make it more likely we will win. Billy's shot was saved well but had we created more, then that save may have not been as crucial. A point may have been fair but at this stage we need wins and one a day where we had other games in our favour we have lost out which could be huge. If we end up in the play offs I think we still have enough quality to stay up but ATM we are just battling to play for our right to stay up let alone stay up. Wasn't the worst performance ever but ultimately not good enough and matches are running out 

Edited by gingerjaggy
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That. Was. Dreadful.

You can set up as many different formations as you like but if you only have one tactic, punt and hope for the best, then you don't have a chance.

As someone said, we were hanging on towards the end and lucky to escape with a point.

Foran cuts a frustrated figure and I do feel sorry for him. But I just can't see where a win is going to come from let alone the 3 or 4 minimum that we need. At best and with a lot of luck we'll get the playoffs. But at the moment, and it's no more than we have deserved this season, it looks like certain relegation. 

 

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Not at all IHE and idiotic to suggest.

Today proved that we don't have the personnel to play a 5 at the back and even Foran saw it wasn't working and changed it to a back 4 putting Laing into midfield which was baffling and moving Draper up front. I think Brad Mackay was injured which is why McNaughton came on and he had a pretty good game. Draper probably had one of his worst games in recent times and struggled to pass to his own team. Had we got the second goal our play did deserve, and that was due to their keeper, then we would not have needed Fon Williams to make the saves he did. We really should have put the game to bed before Kilmarnock's late rally bit it really wasn't for want of trying. Not our best performance but certainly not our worst.

Finally a word on the officials today who were truly dreadful. Bobby Madden penalised any sort of contact by our players, some even with no contact, yet let Mckay be fouled all afternoon by Boyd. Penalty looked soft but difficult to see where I sit but Madden gave it instantly. If he gives that, then he must give some of the fouls on Billy but he didn't. The simulation by Jones was so blatant yet only a warning while he told Mulreaney he dived when blatantly fouled. Had he given the foul, he would have to send Dicker off but Madden bottled it completely. How Kris Boyd gets away with his tactics of simply not challenging for the ball then waiting to get the foul he plays for is beyond me. The referees poor performance could have cost us dear as several free kicks given to Kilmarnock in good areas that were patently not free kicks. The treatment of Mulreaney by Kilmarnock was poor, and also aided by the ref as several poor tackles made on him that largely went unpunished. Would not be surprised to see Mulreaney out injured again as a result.

Poor result for us with the way the other results went but genuinely didn't think we deserved this result and more than merited a win but luck is definitely not going our way.

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I still feel we have enough in the squad, but the tactics have been the real let down all season. There were very few positives today, but McNaughton was excellent when he came on, even though he is nowhere near being a wing back - we don't have anybody who can play that role! Not sure what the formation was for the last half hour: Draper was playing as a striker, Tansey was given far too much ground to cover in centre mid. Where was Laing playing? CDM? What about Cole - he was quite effective until the team lost shape.

Square pegs in round holes (or no holes!) all over the place. I have no idea what our best team for Aberdeen will be, but sadly, nor does Richie.

 

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13 minutes ago, Sir C the 3rd said:

That. Was. Dreadful.

You can set up as many different formations as you like but if you only have one tactic, punt and hope for the best, then you don't have a chance.

As someone said, we were hanging on towards the end and lucky to escape with a point.

Foran cuts a frustrated figure and I do feel sorry for him. But I just can't see where a win is going to come from let alone the 3 or 4 minimum that we need. At best and with a lot of luck we'll get the playoffs. But at the moment, and it's no more than we have deserved this season, it looks like certain relegation. 

 

Have to disagree on this. That was not the only tactic we used but as time went on, we needed to try and win somehow so every tactic had to be followed. The key today was getting the second goal, same as the County game but we couldn't get it. We were the better team today and nobody will convince me otherwise. Sure at the end, we were hanging on a bit but we were chasing the game for a winner so had to take some risks which I don't think is being appreciated. The pressure Kilmarnock had was what we had for large parts of the game, no more no less. I agree we need some luck, which we simply are not getting at the moment but we are certainly not relegated yet.

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9 minutes ago, Huisdean said:

Not at all IHE and idiotic to suggest.

Today proved that we don't have the personnel to play a 5 at the back and even Foran saw it wasn't working and changed it to a back 4 putting Laing into midfield which was baffling and moving Draper up front. I think Brad Mackay was injured which is why McNaughton came on and he had a pretty good game. Draper probably had one of his worst games in recent times and struggled to pass to his own team. Had we got the second goal our play did deserve, and that was due to their keeper, then we would not have needed Fon Williams to make the saves he did. We really should have put the game to bed before Kilmarnock's late rally bit it really wasn't for want of trying. Not our best performance but certainly not our worst.

Finally a word on the officials today who were truly dreadful. Bobby Madden penalised any sort of contact by our players, some even with no contact, yet let Mckay be fouled all afternoon by Boyd. Penalty looked soft but difficult to see where I sit but Madden gave it instantly. If he gives that, then he must give some of the fouls on Billy but he didn't. The simulation by Jones was so blatant yet only a warning while he told Mulreaney he dived when blatantly fouled. Had he given the foul, he would have to send Dicker off but Madden bottled it completely. How Kris Boyd gets away with his tactics of simply not challenging for the ball then waiting to get the foul he plays for is beyond me. The referees poor performance could have cost us dear as several free kicks given to Kilmarnock in good areas that were patently not free kicks. The treatment of Mulreaney by Kilmarnock was poor, and also aided by the ref as several poor tackles made on him that largely went unpunished. Would not be surprised to see Mulreaney out injured again as a result.

Poor result for us with the way the other results went but genuinely didn't think we deserved this result and more than merited a win but luck is definitely not going our way.

Madden was a disgrace, but having said that it was a penalty all day long. 

The really disappointing thing is that Kilmarnock are no better than us. Unfortunately we don't seem to know how to win games. In theory, we can still get ourselves out of this mess, but it is difficult to see how we can get the wins we need. 

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Absolutely brutal again today huff and puff with no end product . This was a game for the taking but yet again Foran decided to isolate Billy's Mackay by going one up . We can't buy a win yet he chops and changes formations but stubbornly refuses to  use either of the 3 front players we have Ebbe Fisher or Boden why the feck is this. FFS we need to try something different , time is running out a draw and not losing is not an option anymore.

Also wtf is the point of bringing on a player with only 3 mins to go ? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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You now really have to wonder what influence an unseemly scrap between two St Johnstone players at Hamilton may ultimately have on Caley Thistle's prospects of survival? It took Hamilton a long, long time to cash in on their two man advantage and maybe indeed that is some indication of their lack of capability. However they were not expected to beat St Johnstone and they now have three bonus points thanks to the St J players' indiscretion. This could have a huge influence on the final outcome - as of course will forthcoming ICT games  v Hamilton and Motherwell (who also got a bonus point)... and the final Highland Derby now also assumes enormous proportions. A festival of six pointers is in the offing I think.

 

Edited by Charles Bannerman
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I thought Mckay was limping just before the penalty, but it was a stone waller and a challenge that did not need to be made.

We did not deserve to go behind and after Billy's goal we had a couple of very decent efforts that drew saves from the Killie keeper, from Tansey and Cole.

Even probably fair enough at half time.

Fon Williams had at least three good saves, so whilst I feel it is a game we could and should have won, we could equally sell yave lost.

I was pleasantly surprised by MacNaughton at left back in the second half, and I thought McCart had a good game.

Raven and Warren did OK too, especially Raven.

Unlike some, I thought Laing was OK in a deep midfield role, but agree the Tansey, Polworth, Draper combination would have been better. I thought Tansey had a good game.

Cole had some moments first half, but King disappointed. Thank goodness for Mckay!

Results elsewhere went against us, and we need to turn draws into wins soon. Only one loss in seven sounds good, but it is only one win in seven.

Anything on Tuesday will be a bonus, before two really big games against St Johnstone and Motherwell. 

Edited by Robert
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Where in the world is Fisher?  Aside from Mckay, he's our best striker by miles.  This ostracisation by the manager has to end now.  It could have huge consequences both in terms of whether the club stays us and whether he'll still be in-charge next season.

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7 minutes ago, Charles Bannerman said:

You now really have to wonder what influence an unseemly scrap between two St Johnstone players at Hamilton may ultimately have on Caley Thistle's prospects of survival? It took Hamilton a long, long time to cash in on their two man advantage and maybe indeed that is some indication of their lack of capability. However they were not expected to beat St Johnstone and they now have three bonus points thanks to the St J players' indiscretion. This could have a huge influence on the final outcome - as of course will forthcoming ICT games  v Hamilton and Motherwell (who also got a bonus point)... and the final Highland Derby now also assumes enormous proportions. A festival of six pointers is in the offing I think.

 

What has that got to do with us not being good enough to beat a bang average Kilmarnock team .

We are bottom for a reason and it's got feck all to do with St Johnstone.

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Is Ritchie chopping and changing from choice or due to other reasons 

last Half dozen or so games we have  Draper and Tansey I think suspended

Macart cannot play due to loan deal

Tremarco, Vigurs,Cole,King and Mulrahney injured at various different times.!

so do we play the same players every week even if injured just to maintain the same team !!!!!!

 

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There have been times this season when we have lost but when I came away feeling that the team had played well and we had been entertained.  Not to day, I'm afraid.  Today we were the poorer of two poor teams  and whilst a win was far more important to us, Kilmarnock looked like the side which wanted it more.  I cannot agree with Foran's comment after the game when he said "I'm delighted with the players' attitude, passion, endeavour."  In general I think our attitude has been good this season but today I thought there were too many players who lacked the passion and endeavour.  There were players looking to give somebody else the ball even when they were in space to put pressure on Kilmarnock, there were too many players not going for the 50:50 balls and too many players not providing the movement required to open up Kilmarnock.  I was pleased to see Cole start but whilst he did a lot of good work there was simply too little support for him to create much. Kilmarnock were there for the taking and it is disappointing not to have taken the 3 points. 

Apart from Cole, I thought McNaughton was very good when he came on - he's a real class act, and Billy proved again that he might well be the difference between staying up or not.  MOTM for me though was probably OFW - a fact which tells it;s own story of the number of chances we allowed a poor Kilmarnock side.

Draper had one of his poorest games for us, and whilst I was glad to see King start, he was totally ineffective and perhaps should have been hooked sooner.  Brad Mckay was the villain of the piece though.  A stonewall penalty and he was very lucky a little later when the impressive Jones beat him in the box again but was skilful enough to skip over Mckay's awful challenge.  Had he not done so, it would have been another penalty and a red card.  

With Partick winning today I think they are as good as safe with 37 points.  I can't see Kilmarnock or an out of form Dundee catching them for top 6, but even if they did, there are 4 teams averaging less than a point a game and another couple of draws in their remaining 8 games would probably be enough.  I think it is now a case of "and then there were 6".

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