Gable Endies Trip North

 

A week is a long time in the changing faces of Caley Thistle. Montrose are the visitors this weekend as news of a Savage intervention overpowered the extra sensory perceptions of fantasy that were wafting around the Caledonian Stadium as if they were going out of fashion. Not since the early days of LSD have we been subjected to such psychedelia and hallucinatory fables that we were experiencing at the moment as philanthropist or fantasist Ketamine McWannabe attempted to pull the wool over the eyes of those we once trusted to lead our club in search of the holy graill. He did manage to bluff his way through a few clowns, but sense and sensibility will now take over as the prodigal son, Alan Savage, returns to stabilise the club. The club motto is 'Pride of the Highlands'. It was about to be altered to 'Laughing Stock of the North'. But wait! There is a God afterall, his name is Savage, Alan Savage. Was it written in the stars...

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Match/Ticket Info

Savage Intervention

Supporters Trust

Forensic Audit topic on CTO

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On hearing the news, the fans turned a Whiter Shade of Pale:

We skipped the light fandango, turned some cartwheels across the floor, I was feeling kind of seasick, when the crowd called out for more. The room was humming harder, and the ceiling flew away when I called out for another drink the waiter brought a tray... 

Apologies for the lack of Football information on the preview this week. Unfortunately a lot has happened in a very short space of time and it's difficult to keep abreast of the situation as it changes everytime you log in to the laptop. What we do know is that Alan Savage will conduct a 'forensic review' of all that is concerning the club in these difficult times. Scotty has started a topic on CTO to discuss this. Scot Gardiner has been shown the door and with Alan Savage at the helm we can be assured that all will be upfront and integrity will return. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg and the deeper they dive, the more we will know about our plight. We are not out of the woods by any means, but it is the first positive step forward in what will be a long arduous trek after years of self inflicted decline from within. 

 

Last Time Out

Inverness lost out again at Annan as they did on League Cup duty when a Tommy Goss penalty was the difference between the two sides. Goss also scored the only goal in the League Cup game. A disappointing result on the back of a 1-1 draw against Dumbarton in the League opener at the Caledonian stadium. Danny Devine opening our account on half time but a resurgent Son's perked up after the break and got a deserved equaliser. Billy Mckay makes his 300th appearance for Inverness tomorrow. What a legend sitting on 112 goals. Note to Dunc. Billy is a striker, so let's see him strike please.

 

 

Montrose have drawn their opening two fixtures in the League. A 1-1 draw at home to Kelty was followed by a goalless draw at Arbroath. Craig Brown scored the goal on the hour against Kelty who hit back soon after through Cunningham. Surprise surprise, but Michael Gardyne was sent off after an hour against Arbroath and will be suspended for the trip North.

We will find Montrose a stubborn team and our last encounters with them saw us scrape through the play-offs at the end of last season. That's sort of irrelevant now with our playing staff decimated and morale at rock bottom.

<<<That was their starting XI against Arbroath last week. No massive squad changes from last term but Gardyne suspended.

In: Ben MacIver-Redwood, forward (Stirling University); Craig Smith, defender (Heriot-Watt University).

Loan in: Blair McKenzie, defender (Aberdeen); Callum Hannah, defender (Raith Rovers).

Out: Liam Callaghan, midfielder (Arbroath); Ben Hermiston, forward (Deveronvale, undisclosed); Craig Batchelor, forward.

 

 

35 minutes ago, IcyT said:

It was interesting to read in the P&J that Christie and Savage had a chat with DF and agreed that he has a good squad capable of attacking football. I hope it was emphasised that attacking football is what the fans want and what is needed to get promoted - as DF didn’t seem to get it or is just one of those stubborn idiots who digs in to try to show he’s right and can get it going on his own terms. We’ll see today, I guess.

I just hope he was listening to some good advice.

Genuinely feeling upbeat about going to a game for the first time in ages and it has nothing to do with any expectations for what may happen on the park.

15 hours ago, STFU said:

https://ictfc.com/safety-message-to-supporters-and-other-stadium-users/

'ICTFC takes a zero-tolerance position in respect of unacceptable conduct and any behaviour that could tarnish the clubs reputation'

Even at this stage I don't think the club are in any position to be warning fans about tarnishing the clubs reputation. Pots and kettles.

Was any of this statement really needed?

It’s absolutely meaningless and a hollow sound bite. The club’s security is a laughing joke!🤡

Martin Mackinnon on the bench. Emergency loan from Clach. Assume Newman is injured.

As the only striker starting, surely Mckay will be playing up front!

Looking forward to this and hope for a positive, attacking performance.

Half time. A tough watch so far! 

Thought we've been decent so far apart from the goal.

C'mon Caley, they are down to ten men!

Can’t fault the team for effort, but tactically we are going to struggle under Ferguson.

So pedestrian in the transition from defence to attack, allowing Montrose to organise themselves adequately prior to us finally getting into their final third.

After sending off, we kept a back four against their one striker, and never once considered changing shape to really go for it. Had a fair few efforts on goal (especially from outside the box) but we didn’t carve them open nearly often enough. A disappointing draw in the end

New chairman. New CEO. New hope. Same manager…

The stats say we had 61% possession, and 17 shots at goal, nearly half on target, to their two. How did they escape with a point?

Glorious scenes at full time with Big Dunce on the pitch celebrating a 1-1 draw against 10 men. What a f@d !

Wonder where Dunc and Bollan got their coaching badges from ? Great what you can pick up nowadays . 

Crowd announced as 1902.  Hard to judge numbers where I was sitting in north stand but main stand was fuller than I've seen it in a long time and that number seems about right.

Good to see a match and half time draw sponsor.

Ferguson spent the whole game encouraging the team to get forward but as said above we weren't fast enough in doing so and we need to work on our counter attacks.  Also if the team have spent all their time to date playing a different way then it might time a game or two for confidence to grow with changing to a more direct approach.

Great to see us taking chances from outside the area but we kept slipping back into trying to walk the ball in.

Devine was off his game but I've not seen enough of him in the last 18 months to know if that was out of character.

Pass marks for most of the players and the keeper looked comfortable.  He also mixes it up a bit with distribution which was about the only thing I would have faulted Ridgers on.

Overall I wasn't disappointed with the performance but frustrated to not have taken more advantage of them being down to 10 men.

Edited August 17, 2024Aug 17 by STFU
Typo

16 minutes ago, The Long Man said:

The stats say we had 61% possession, and 17 shots at goal, nearly half on target, to their two. How did they escape with a point?

They scored with their first shot of the game and totally against the run of play.  Devine looked to be at fault but will wait for the highlights to be sure.

Devine still carrying a groin injury or something along that lines.

 

Devine’s been pretty solid generally but was a doubt so maybe he’s not fully fit?

I’d need to see the Montrose goal again as in real time it struck me as a poor one to concede. Other than corners, our goalie had nothing else to do.

Whilst we took on a few shots, principally through MacKinnon and Longstaff, we continue to overplay things too much and pass or try to play through the defence when a shot was on. We also continue to pull everyone back at corners so we don’t have an outlet for a quick break. If we can change those habits it would help greatly.

To the positives, MacKinnon continues to look a good player and he took his goal well. Longstaff was much better playing wide, whilst we improved after Strachan and MacLeod came on.

We should have won, but equally could have been in trouble at a quick Montrose break where Devine tried to foul the attacker but failed to stop him, and it took a great challenge by Savage to prevent the player being in on goal.

Definitely two points dropped and I hope this doesn’t become a pattern as not turning draws into wins cost us big style last season.

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts Table after today's draw with Montrose 1. Kelty Hearts 3 2 1 0 6 1 7 2. Q.O.S. 3 2 1 0 4 1 7 3. Annan Athletic 3 2 0 1 4 3 6 4. Alloa Athletic 3 1 2 0 4 3 5 5. Dumbarton 3 0 3 0 5 5 3 6. Montrose 3 0 3 0 2 2 3 7. Stenhousemuir 3 1 0 2 2 4 3 8. Inverness CT 3 0 2 1 2 3 2 9. Cove Rangers 3 0 1 2 3 6 1 10. Arbroath 3 0 1 2 1 5 1

Stating the obvious but 2 points from 9 is worrying,even at this early stage.

Need to braver in possession, first half was awful again no urgency. One shot from McKay in 45 mins was about it. Them getting a red had a huge bearing on the second half , basically gifted us back in it.

 

 

I thought the Montrose goal was well constructed with good penetrating passing before their centre forward Hester cut past Devine and slammed the ball past Dibaga. Faults with Devine allowing Hester to get past him to easily and Dibaga should have also have done better (all be it he had next to no shot to deal with earlier). 
I thought the team were miles sharper in the second half and on another day we could have won the game. Whatever was said at half time the difference was there to see by everyone. 
Progress in my mind. Just a case of taking the good points from the match and develop them to apply throughout the 90 mins.  
Good to see and hear the fans engaged again with the team and club. 
Came away more please than disappointed🤔

bc

Edited August 17, 2024Aug 17 by big cherly

6 minutes ago, forresjags said:

Stating the obvious but 2 points from 9 is worrying,even at this early stage.

Need to braver in possession, first half was awful again no urgency. One shot from McKay in 45 mins was about it. Them getting a red had a huge bearing on the second half , basically gifted us back in it.

 

 

There were shots from both Bray and Longstaff and Mckay had more than one in the first half from memory.

I get that some people have made their minds up on Ferguson and want him gone and I'm no fan of his either.  However today wasn't nearly as bad as comments from some are suggesting.

Keep it real.

1 hour ago, caley1 said:

Wonder where Dunc and Bollan got their coaching badges from ? Great what you can pick up nowadays . 

You can buy all sorts on Temu 

FFS we had an extra man for the whole second half against a part time team, who if it wasn't for Remy Savage would have stolen all 3 points.

 

 

8 minutes ago, MrCaleyjag said:

You can buy all sorts on Temu 

Shop like a billionaire. 

Even though you aren't.

Sounds like Gardiner.