Jump to content

Ross County in the Cup


Recommended Posts

10 minutes ago, Dick Dastardly said:

I think Ross are better than last season playoff and we are not as good. I don’t hold out high hopes.

Dools is usually very conservative with any changes to the starting 11, and I don’t see this game being any different. Might be some suspensions after last week 

All of last week's cards will not count for the cup. Don't think we have any suspensions to carry over from last season's Scottish cup. Iirc O'Reilly played for Raith Rovers against Dunfermline so he will be cup tied.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps if there were replays I'd be a bit more confident. A draw over 90 mins may have not been that optimistic. Think tho' we'll really struggle to get a result. Feel we need more pace in the side. That lack of pace has been noticeable against the two clubs above us in the league so assume County will be much the same.

I'm thinking Doolan may change things a bit tho' I doubt there'll be wholesale changes. Perhaps we'll go to a slightly more defensive formation. O'Reilly is indeed cup tied.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A game against Ross County in Dingwall that has the possibility of extra-time and penalties? I fear we may have seen this before 

Can't make the game due to other commitments however even if I was available and being paid to attend, that I could contemplate going back to Dingwall so soon.

I had hoped that McBeth might get a start to see if he was the answer to shoring up our week midfield however I hear he is cup-tied. With O'Reilly also not available the only real chance to experiment is if we play 2 up front which I can't see Doolan starting with. 

With us being unlikely to win the league but pretty assured of a playoff spot the cup becomes something we could pay a bit more attention to. Shame its such a poor draw.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Dick Dastardly said:

Very rare for any manager to drop the captain if fit and available. Not unknown, but rare

I would see it not as a dropping, but as a change of role for this specific game. A fully energised Brian Graham at the business end of the game would be a tremendous asset. Whether we were trying to equalise or to defend a lead his role and inspiration could be vital. If he has started the game he will be flagging by that time. Bring him on at halftime and he might still have to play his usual 75 minutes and he would be around for the penalties (where he seems to have re-discovered the scoring art) as well.

I think I have convinced myself, but like you, I sense that Dools will conclude otherwise!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Dick Dastardly said:

Very rare for any manager to drop the captain if fit and available. Not unknown, but rare

It's a cup game and Brian's "other team" have a big game the next day. So, who knows? Not even on the bus?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, scotty said:

It's a cup game and Brian's "other team" have a big game the next day. So, who knows? Not even on the bus?

He had a match with PTFCW team the same day we played Rangers, last season I'm sure.

His priority for now is the first team, so he'll certainly be available for selection on that score.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We rarely beat teams above us in the cup, indeed cups going back to the 80s when we were largely a second tier team.

I still fondly remember the victory away at Love Street when we beat St Mirren 3 - 1. Apart from that, were Dundee a Premier league team when we beat them, to get to the cup semi-final?

I'd be surprised if we have beaten  a team higher up the leagues more than a handful of times since we became a team who spent as much time out of the top flight as in it.

However, on the face of it this should be a team we are looking to beat. The perennial question is how we do that? Doolan will have a gameplan and hopefully that works better than the our visit to Hearts in the summer. 

If BBG is playing, he's fine with hold up play and flick ons but if left isolated doesn't have the pace to threaten the opposition defence. As in other games, this allows the opposition to commit another player forward. So another perennial problem, which Dools suffered from too, is finding a player or system to support him.

The players who experienced that collapse last June, will be looking to win and will need no motivation. Hopefully that spirit can see us through to the next round.

It won't make up for THAT day in Dingwall but may exorcise some ghosts for players and fans alike.

Also any funds from another game will not be budgeted for so will be useful on the financial side.

TL:DR

Don't know if I could face ANOTHER penalty shootout up there so I'll go for a hard fought 2 - 1 win for the Jags over the Stags.

OLAS For we made a promise...

Edited by jagfox
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, JeanieD said:

Will it be on?

On balance it looks like "Yes", as weather appears slightly better for tomorrow. I really hope that whatever is decided, it is decided quickly today or at crack of dawn tomorrow to save unnecessary and uncertain travelling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Jimmy McD said:

It's a cup tie , anything can happen and sometimes it does, I would like to see us go up there be positive, I would like to start with Ricco and Tomi upfront, give it a try..

Totally agree with this. We should go with 2 up front and force RC to keep 3 defenders back.

Do we know who will be refereeing the game? 

If its Nick Walsh I wouldn't even bother travelling.

Here's hoping that on this occasion we have an 'honest' game of football.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, exiledjag said:

Totally agree with this. We should go with 2 up front and force RC to keep 3 defenders back.

Do we know who will be refereeing the game? 

If its Nick Walsh I wouldn't even bother travelling.

Here's hoping that on this occasion we have an 'honest' game of football.

Ref is David Dickinson.... can't think he can be any  worse than Walsh and at least its not Collum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, exiledjag said:

Do we know who will be refereeing the game? 

If its Nick Walsh I wouldn't even bother travelling.

Here's hoping that on this occasion we have an 'honest' game of football.

 

16 minutes ago, fifexile said:

Ref is David Dickinson.... can't think he can be any  worse than Walsh and at least its not Collum.

Is he no yon antiques fella? Don't know about "honest". Sure he done a stretch in Strangeways

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, fifexile said:

Ref is David Dickinson.... can't think he can be any  worse than Walsh and at least its not Collum.

I seem to remember him having a stinker at Firhill maybe last season (Cove?) but so many of them are very poor just now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...