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Inverness CT -V- Partick Thistle - Preview


tm4tj

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Fans patience is running out

 

After another massive slump, this time against Morton, we are all but done with the Championship for another season. Partick are next up for us at the Caledonian Stadium on Wednesday night for a 7:45pm kick-off. I don't see many fans saying they are really looking forward to the next game.

MATCH INFO/TICKETS/STREAMING

Can we save our season? It has become alarmingly apparent that something is seriously wrong at the club. We can't buy a win at the moment. That's now seven games without a win or four points from a possible twenty-one since December 11th. That's the statistics that gets teams relegated and managers sacked. We seem to be at the crossroads and if something doesn't change soon, then we better get used to being in the Championship for the foreseeable future. On the plus side, there is still plenty games left to get back on track, unfortunately at this moment in time, that looks unlikely to happen. Our body language is a big giveaway and it looks like we have been found out.

Venue - Head 2 Head Pld Won Drn Lst For Agst + / -
Home 21 9 5 7 33 30 +3
Away 20 5 6 9 21 28 -7
Neutral 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 41 14 11 16 54 58 -4
Last 10 Competitive Meetings with Partick
draw.png
0 - 0
(A)
win.png
3 - 1
(H)
loss.png
1 - 3
(A)
loss.png
1 - 3
(H)
win.png
2 - 1
(A)
loss.png
1 - 2
(H)
win.png
1 - 0
(A)
win.png
3 - 2
(H)
draw.png
1 - 1
(A)
draw.png
0 - 0

The two games played this season already coincided with some of our better performances. Much has gone wrong since then and I'm not sure we can turn that around overnight.

Summary from 3-1 win in September: 

The run goes on - Partick Thistle came North with high hopes of ending Inverness' great start to the campaign in the knowledge that they have been scoring at the rate of three goals per game apart from Arbroath where they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Red Lichties.

Billy Dodds had food for thought after the cup win over Buckie last week where Billy Mckay and Lewis Jamieson staked their claims for a start after scoring performances over the Highland League side. They started on the bench as he went with the tried and tested so far this season. Ian McCall had old enemy Brian Graham up front with Zac Rudden on the bench and watch out for defender Tunji Akinola who packs a punch with his feet.

After a difficult first half, Inverness ran out comfortable winners against Partick Thistle in a second half goal blitz. The visitors dominated the first forty-five and Scott Tiffoney drilled the opener out of nothing as the defence backed off. Manny Duku was denied by a combination of keeper and post but it was Partick that should have scored a second, however Mark Ridgers did well to deny Brian Graham. Harsh talking at the break saw Inverness come out for the second half with the bit between the teeth and Kirk Broadfoot was the unlikely hero as his twenty yard shot evaded the outstretched fingertips of the keeper to level the score. Shane Sutherland did well to drill in the second from an angle after the keeper fluffed his lines allowing Shane to slot in from twenty yards. The third was a peach as Duku stepped over the ball and Aaron Doran fired high into the net for a brilliant goal and game over. That's five wins out of five and the run goes on...

The reverse fixture at Partick saw us emerge with a thoroughly deserved win at 0-0 :lol:. According to many Partick fans we were the best thing since sliced bread. How wrong were they...

Caley Jags pay the penalty: Partick Thistle survived to earn a point after the woodwork saved them twice and keeper Jamie Sneddon denied Sean Welsh from the spot after guessing the right way. Inverness were well on top but it's only a point which means Killie pull further away at the top. Performance of the day was from Arbroath who came from two down to beat Dunfermline Athletic 4-2. Despite not getting the win that was easily one of our best performances of recent weeks and I would have taken a point before the game but given how it played out it was definitely 2 points dropped.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts
 
1. Arbroath 23 12 8 3 36 16 44
2. Kilmarnock 23 12 4 7 28 16 40
3. Inverness CT 24 10 8 6 30 20 38
4. Raith Rovers 25 9 11 5 34 27 38
5. Partick Thistle 21 10 6 5 34 19 36
6. Hamilton Ac. 24 6 8 10 25 38 26
7. Morton 23 5 9 9 27 33 24
8. Dunfermline 24 4 11 9 23 38 23
9. Ayr United 24 5 8 11 21 37 23
10. Q.O.S. 23 4 7 12 24 38 19

Wednesday Night Fixtures all 19:45

Arbroath v Hamilton

  Inverness CT v Partick Thistle

Kilmarnock v Ayr United

 

Last time out we were a complete omnishambles (a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations.) Sounds about right as we plumbed the depths to go down meekly to a less than average Morton side where Lewis Strapp scored the winner. No wins in our last seven games (LLDDDDL) Shocking statistics.

Particks last game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, the previous game was a 1-0 win over Ayr United giving them (PWWDD) since the turn of the year. The other win was against Airdrie in the Scottish Cup (1-0).

Latest Team News

We will still be without Allardice, Devine, MacGregor, Doran and possibly Walsh. Having only brought in forwards in the window, it was obvious to all what would happen, except our management team. We are performing like headless chickens at the moment.

Partick will no doubt have thug player and cheat Brian Graham up front. 

 

View full article

 

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Last chance saloon to stay in the hunt for a play off place never mind the title in my view. If we slump again on Wednesday I won't be giving priority to attending home games between then and the end of the season. 

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It is a must win game for us, but can the team and management rise to meet the challenge? I have my doubts. The thing that is blaringly obvious to me is, that a team that is doing the business, for instance Arbroath, would run through a brick wall for the manager, sweat blood and leave nothing out on the pitch, and I just don't see that with us. If a team gets beat, but goes down fighting, you can take some comfort that they gave everything but were beaten fair and square. Desire, motivation and tactical awareness are severely lacking, and that rests with Billy Dodds to sort it out.

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The odd thing is that against Partick, especially under Jobbie, we seemed to struggle badly when Robbo was in charge. Yet Dodds seems to have had his number in all three meetings so far this season. The 3 - 1 victory early in the campaign was one of the better performances from ICT this season and the 0 - 0 draw down at Firhill was one of the most one sided draws you'll ever see.

Mindful of this I am actually feeling quite confident for tomorrow evening.

ICT 0 - 3 Partick Thistle.  

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I am not sure if I will make the game tomorrow as still not totally fit, so it may be the livestream again (which I thought was a good product on Saturday).

I’d not normally contemplate missing a game, but do I want to watch a repeat of recent performances whilst risking a relapse due to getting cold and, possibly, wet?

I am sure many will be having thoughts about whether to bother attending tomorrow’s game, which should be a concern to the club.

That said, if fit I know I will definitely be there to give my support, and hoping we suddenly show signs of being able to get our season back on track.

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1 hour ago, buckett said:

If only they could replicate what they apparently do on the training field, on Match-day!

Anyone else notice it's all the players fault? Whilst they are not blameless on Sat it was more than obvious they were under prepared and didn't have a clue what was expected. Seems like no responsibility coming from the coaching team at all. 

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44 minutes ago, old caley girl said:

Anyone else notice it's all the players fault? Whilst they are not blameless on Sat it was more than obvious they were under prepared and didn't have a clue what was expected. Seems like no responsibility coming from the coaching team at all. 

Players have to shoulder some of the blame for performance but if the manager and coaches have not set them up with tactics and a game plan then its on them just as much .... When you fail to prepare you prepare to fail !

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Just noticed that according to the countdown clock at ICTFC.com, there are 6 minutes to kickoff  :amazed:

Now, as a techie, I could understand a computer system running on GMT (UTC) all year round.   But not one running on BST during the winter :wtf:

 

Edit, 6 minutes later.  It went to 0, and nothing happened.  I refreshed the screen, and it now says our next fixture is at home to Ayr on the 19th.

Edited by snorbens_caleyman
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Wonder what the formation will be: 4 at the back, but width from Pearson and either Samuels or Sutherland and 2 up front?

Just the livestream for me again.

Hopefully we get a much better performance than Saturday and surprise all of us by getting a win. 

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I wonder if we will go four at the back with Carson, Duffy, Broadfoot and Deas. :shrug:

Bench is sparse, why we never bought defenders i'll never know. :shrug:

Does anyone know what is wring with Roddy MacGregor, or has he been kidnapped. :shrug:

Apprehension is a disease.

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Guessing it might be the 442 diamond we seemed to end the game with on Saturday. That may mean McAlear on the left / right. Yikes.

Ridgers
Carson Broadfoot Duffy Deas
Welsh
McAlear-----------------Pearson
Sutherland
Samuels Mckay

 

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