The biggest game of the season so far.

[CaleyTennis]

Well, now our attention can turn to our next big game against Hearts on Saturday.   This is one that we should be confident of, despite the last meeting, due to the current form of both teams. 

I'd go with a 4-5-1 for this one. 

Ridgers 

Rooney McHattie McKay/McCart Tremarco

Doran Chalmers Trafford Polworth Walsh 

White. 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by CaleyTennis

[Jack Waddington]

Wasn't Rooney booked against United for lobbing the ball away?

[bdu98196]

Based on the Edinburgh derby performance - Hearts will look for Mulraney as a creative spark, neutralise him for the 20 mins he gets involved in a game and stand firm on the typical Levein long ball approach and we can cause an upset. The Hearts style of play is very one dimensional and predictable so I'm sure that wont have gone unnoticed by Robbo.

[Satan]

Just as long as Ikpeazu doesn't bludgeon his way to goal , which I fear may happen, we have a chance. 

Absolutely no worries over Mulraney, saw enough of him underperforming here for 2 years.

[MorayJaggie]

Partick nearly did them over by tight marking  or allowing them space to move, pass etc. If we can do that then surely we can Nick a goal and the final.

[Satan]

Without Donaldson & Welsh we look fairly lightweight through the middle, also losing a good bit of experience with their absence .

Keeping it tight  would be hard work for our already jaded looking team but we can but hope - although I've never thought we could sit in and contain a team.

Not seen enough of Hearts recently to speculate on how they play - they have a big squad and seem to constantly change their 1st team lineups. 

[Gregor]

I actually think we have a great team spirit at the moment and just like Watford did yesterday the players desire and support from the fans can take us through.

 

Edited April 8, 2019 by Gregor

[Kingsmills]

14 hours ago, CaleyTennis said:

Well, now our attention can turn to our next big game against Hearts on Saturday.   This is one that we should be confident of, despite the last meeting, due to the current form of both teams. 

I'd go with a 4-5-1 for this one. 

Ridgers 

Rooney McHattie McKay/McCart Tremarco

Doran Chalmers Trafford Polworth Walsh 

White. 

 

Might be the most glamerous game of the season so far and one we are all looking forward to but I would take issue with it being the biggest.

For as long as we still have promotion in our sights, the league games are bigger and more important.

Getting to another major cup final would be wonderful and a fantastic achievement. However,, a third successive season out of the top division, this time without any parachute payment, could have very serious and long lasting consequences.

[+MrCaleyjag]

Hearts current style is to lump the ball long to Ikpeazu and hope he can keep a hold of it and bully his way through, they have been very one dimensional for most of the season even when Naismith was fit.

If we are to win then we have to contain him and be stronger in the air as well. I don't see Levein being able to change their style of play from anything other than they've been playing recently.

 

[Alan Simpson]

Hearts are a good side physical and strong as well important the midfield stands up to them and doesn't get bullied like they did by Draper ! Gotta try and keep on the front foot if not wel get outmuscled at the back by the big striker! Saying that wer on a bit of form got a funny feeling well actually sneak a win 

[wynthank15]

Two things are needed to give us a fighting chance:

1) Ensure Mulreaney cannot deliver into the box, put Tremarco on a man marking job whichever wing he decides to play on.

2) Ensure we win every second ball that's played up to Ikpeazu, we don't need to beat him in the air just cover the second ball.

I'm sure JR has already sussed these.

[jed5697]

If they play to their potential they are capable of getting a result. They have showed resilience and skill throughout this season and will require further evidence of this to outwit Hearts and Mr Levein. Hearts are coming off the back of two defeats so will probably want to get at us quickly. We cannot afford a slow start like the last county game. We have players who can produce some magic and take us to the final. 

[+MrCaleyjag]

21 hours ago, wynthank15 said:

Two things are needed to give us a fighting chance:

1) Ensure Mulreaney cannot deliver into the box, put Tremarco on a man marking job whichever wing he decides to play on.

2) Ensure we win every second ball that's played up to Ikpeazu, we don't need to beat him in the air just cover the second ball.

I'm sure JR has already sussed these.

Hit Mulraney within the first 5mins and he'll sh*te it and go into hiding, push him onto his weaker foot and the ball is there to be won.

With Ikpeazu, let him pick up the ball deeper then press him into making a mistake, his strength is his power in winning the ball, when he is too far away from goal to power through he's not as effective. Saying that we would need to push higher up as a team unit for that to work.

It would also be foolish to focus on these two players alone, we need to be solid as a team and move together, press tight and higher up and when we can hit them on the break.

[ictchris]

As much as I'd love to beat Hearts, I don't think we will.  We have a pretty decent first XI but take a couple of players out of it and we are pretty thin.  Hearts are an uninspiring team but they are solid, they will be properly organised and I think they'll probably be able to hurt us with Izpeazu especially.  Also, going forward I'm not sure we have enough to hurt Hearts.

Basically, if Hearts play as they usually do I'd expect them to win.  For us to win we'll need season-best performance from quite a few of our players, we'll need guys coming into the back four to have outstanding games, we'll need our attackers to play better than they have against anyone this season.  It's a tall order.

[caleyboy]

13 minutes ago, ictchris said:

As much as I'd love to beat Hearts, I don't think we will.  We have a pretty decent first XI but take a couple of players out of it and we are pretty thin.  Hearts are an uninspiring team but they are solid, they will be properly organised and I think they'll probably be able to hurt us with Izpeazu especially.  Also, going forward I'm not sure we have enough to hurt Hearts.

Basically, if Hearts play as they usually do I'd expect them to win.  For us to win we'll need season-best performance from quite a few of our players, we'll need guys coming into the back four to have outstanding games, we'll need our attackers to play better than they have against anyone this season.  It's a tall order.

a tall order yes but it's the Cup so anything can happen

[ictchris]

I've not been to many games this season but this is how I'd see us lining up.

Does anyone know if McCart is injured or was rested on Saturday?  If McCart is fit I'd expect something like this

------------------ Ridgers-----------------

--Rooney--Mckay--McCart--Tremarco--

------------Chalmers---Trafford-----------

--Doran-------Polworth--------Walsh---

-----------------White----------------------

If McCart isn't fit then I'd expect Tremarco to move to centre back and, er, Kevin McHattie to play left back, although he played centre half there for at least part of the game on Saturday apparently.

We could also have Polworth sit back and have more of a 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 and play on the break.  I'd expect us to be a bit more reactive, we are better against higher up teams in our division and away from home.  We do lack a bit of pace in our team, Walsh is the only player you'd say is quick and White is a target man rather than someone who is going to stretch Hearts with runs.

[+DoofersDad]

I don't expect us to win, but I think we can win.  The great thing about the cup is that it is not necessarily the best teams who get to the later stages or even win it.  It is the side who gets the breaks and who up their game for the 2 or 3 games which really matter. In 2014-15 we both got the breaks and upped our game for the semi-final against Celtic but otherwise struggled against lower ranked sides - yet we still won the cup! This season we needed a replay to get past Edinburgh City but then upped our game against 2 sides above us in the league.  Hearts will be firm favourites to win, and in a season when the Scottish Cup would seem to be their most likely route to European football, there will be huge expectation for them to win.  All the pressure will be on them.  If they don't have the game comfortable relatively early they will get more and more anxious.  The stage is set for an upset!  

However, let's not get too upset if the reality is that we get blown away.  At the start of the season, getting into the semis would have been a distant dream.  With the club's financial situation there have had to be significant cuts to the playing budget and Robbo and his team have done brilliantly to both get us into the play off positions in the league and to get to the semi-final of the Scottish Cup. Come what may, let's just enjoy an unexpected trip to Hampden and cheer our lads on to the end.  They deserve no less.

[RiG]

Bunch of Jessies. We will win this game easily, Hearts are an utter gang.

[Gregor]

4 hours ago, ictchris said:

As much as I'd love to beat Hearts, I don't think we will.  We have a pretty decent first XI but take a couple of players out of it and we are pretty thin.  Hearts are an uninspiring team but they are solid, they will be properly organised and I think they'll probably be able to hurt us with Izpeazu especially.  Also, going forward I'm not sure we have enough to hurt Hearts.

Basically, if Hearts play as they usually do I'd expect them to win.  For us to win we'll need season-best performance from quite a few of our players, we'll need guys coming into the back four to have outstanding games, we'll need our attackers to play better than they have against anyone this season.  It's a tall order.

Thats a bit of a depressing post

Cmon I tbink we have a great chance to have a real go at them.

Hearts struggled against Partick and many of their own fans think they are s###.

But then again you dont think too highly of your own team

Couple of wee omens about our Scottish cup run

Jordan White is the current top scorer left in competition with 6 goals only second overall to Dobbie on 7

Joe Chalmers has just won goal of the the last round.

So cmon its not all doom and gloom.

Lets make some noise and support the boys.

Edited April 10, 2019 by Gregor

[Scarlet Pimple]

1.  "Bunch of Jessies"----Ha! Ha! Ha!

2.  "It's a tall order"  ------ So was "D -Day"  !

[Kingsmills]

We are firmly underdogs. Over the years we have often excelled in that situation. Nothing to lose, nothing to fear.

Going to be another great day out in the Hampden sunshine whatever happens.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

As a seer I am unfortunately not allowed to advise on any semi-final score or outcome. But I have booked rooms in Glasgow for May 25th.

[Scarlet Pimple]

IHE …..You a seer?

Wow! You must be also Welsh then 'cos if you turn "seer"  backwards and add Dai at the front you become  a Golfer. And , if you write golf backwards too, you get a flog-ing . Why, you just can't win can you  ? 

I'm only hoping that you see a fine victory on Saturday ahead of us all as we wait with bated breath for the result. Phew" I'm already wiping the sweat off my brow the noo.

[WYNESS101]

On 4/8/2019 at 7:56 AM, Jack Waddington said:

Wasn't Rooney booked against United for lobbing the ball away?

Yes

[+snorbens_caleyman]

9 hours ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

IHE …..You a seer?

Wow! You must be also Welsh then 'cos if you turn "seer"  backwards and add Dai at the front you become  a Golfer.

And if you put the first two letters after the second two, you become one of IHE's former avatars.