INVERNESS CTOUR first defeat under the new manager, although disappointing, was no disgrace against a good Motherwell side. Not so a long ago if we'd have gone a goal down we would have given the game up. We now show a lot more
fight and determination to dig ourselves out this hole that was dug by the previous management team.
Unfortunately we gifted 'Well two goals and found ourselves chasing the game. We were also trying to do this with, in my opinion, one of the country's worst officials in charge.
The free-kick that led to the first goal should never have been given but that's the way your luck goes when you're at the foot of the table.
Tonight we head for Ibrox and the sweat beads are already starting to appear at the thought of what happened there the last time we went.
Dave 'Gringo' Wilsonwww.caleythistleonline.comHEARTSTHE painful reality about Saturday's defeat to Hearts is that I could so easily cut and paste large segments of all the Fanzone pieces post-Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final and they'd be perfectly relevant! Started brightly; sustained pressure; poor finishing; sucker punch … yadda yadda yadda.
Hearts were completely there for the taking, yet (again) we lacked that killer instinct in front of goal that, come season's end, differentiates the winners from the also-rans.
United aren't the finished article yet as a team but encouraging signs are still all there despite recent form and Craig Levein has done wonders with a minimal budget. Let's just start converting good play and style into actual points on the board … please.
Hamish Mackintosh
www.dundeeunited-mad.co.ukHEARTSAFTER the disappointment of the draw at home to St Mirren, our Europa League aspirations were provided a huge boost by Saturday's victory. There is still a long way to go, but the recent victories over our closest rivals have helped us open a nice little gap in third place.
It was always going to require a gritty performance to take anything off United, but with our relative experience in midfield and growing team spirit, this was exactly the sort of game that the squad must relish.
It is the games at home to the weaker sides where we may struggle to pick up enough points in the run-in. Using Mrowiec up front betrays our ongoing problems in the striking department. Tonight's game against Motherwell will be a real test for us, and it would be a great opportunity for Elliot to prove a lot of people wrong.
Sandy LeonardRANGERSA GOOD performance on Saturday saw Ferguson getting back towards his best form, ably supported by the impressive Edu. The young American gives us another option at a crucial time of the season, something of a boost when one remembers this time last season we had Dailly and Faye as the Plan B guys.
The only disappointment was the margin of victory. It really should have been a few more and we allowed Celtic to claw back some of the goal difference.
ICT at home in the league tonight before Hamilton yet again in the cup. Black mark against the club for not cutting prices for that one to under a tenner for a game which is live on terrestrial TV. The credit crunch affects fans, so how about giving us a hand?
David Edgar
www.rangerssupporterstrust.co.ukST MIRRENTHERE was one positive on Saturday – at least we didn't suffer a club-record defeat. It was an absolute nightmare, ruining our goal difference and devastating our confidence, while making us all dread going into work on Monday morning.
Once again we suffered a debatable decision against Celtic and while we'd probably still have lost with 11 men, it wouldn't have been so heavily. However, that doesn't excuse us going with a solitary striker when we're up against the Old Firm. This has rarely worked – usually it has to be abandoned because we concede an early goal.
At least other results didn't damage us too badly as our current run suggests we're going to be battling relegation. Still this weekend is the Scottish Cup and a chance for revenge against Celtic. Maybe we'll finally get a kind referee.
Stuart Gillespiewww.stmirren-mad.co.ukHAMILTONAT first glance, Saturday's single-goal defeat by Rangers was another indication of the progress being made by Accies this first season. However, the harsh truth is that it was only the misfiring Rangers forwards that prevented a heavy defeat. Accies produced one of their least inspired performances of the season.
Accies have been used to their players being linked with moves to bigger clubs and on Saturday it was Brian Easton's turn to be under the spotlight. The full-back did well but if any club wants him then they'll have to dig deep. He has all the potential to represent his country at full international level and Accies won't let him go on the cheap.
Tonight we entertain a troubled Hibs side with the chance to get ahead of them in the league if we win.
Gilbert Mowat
KILMARNOCKA POINT from Pittodrie is no mean feat. Young Tim Clancy fitted in well as the defence managed to keep a clean sheet for once.
I think it would only be fair for JJ to keep the same back four for tonight's match against Celtic, and not start changing the formation to suit the opposition as we so often seem to do when it comes to facing one of the Old Firm.
He's said himself often that we've tried everything against them and nothing seems to work, so let's just play our own game and let them worry about us.
Who knows what would happen if we just treat it like any other game? I can't imagine they'll have the same support as they used to bring and they may just be over-confident after their trouncing of St Mirren.
Barry Richmondwww.killiefc.com MOTHERWELLSATURDAY was pleasing not just for extending our unbeaten run, but also the welcome return of Brian McLean, who has had no shortage of bad luck in his career so far. His injuries over the last few seasons have been remarkable, and being hurt so badly in a pre-season friendly this summer must have been awful for him.
While he may not always be a first choice player in our side, he offers good cover at centre back and can also stand in on the right. He did very well on Saturday given it was his first game back. We now turn our attention to Hearts in midweek and it is great to see how optimistic our manager is just now. He might want the win to chase third, but everyone else will be happy with another point en route to securing our top six place first of all.
Derek Wilsonwww.firparkcorner.comCELTICI AM glad to see my stinging words of rebuke last week had the desired effect on the midfield with all seven goals on Saturday coming from midfielders. Naka and Crosas were outstanding and Skoosh Broon looked back to his tiger-ish best. Not only were seven goals scored, but we were creating plenty of chances for our forward line to fluff as well. This is what we've been crying out for. Not winning games by seven goals, but by playing fast, flowing football and creating chances.
The doomsayers may say: "Aye, but it was against ten men", but look at how we struggled against Hamilton when they had ten men earlier this season when it took a rare shot on target from Eddie Munster (Hartley) to win the game. I am taking only positives from Saturday.
Dave DevineFALKIRKA POINT at Easter Road was far better for the Bairns than it was for the Hibees, who looked more out of sorts the longer the game went on – they were lucky to take the point from a Falkirk side who showed a quantum leap in form compared to last week's game against Hamilton.
The biggest difference was in midfield, where Arnau Riera and Paddy Cregg looked lively and vital, while Burton O'Brien, so out of touch last week, turned in a classy performance.
Up front Michael Higdon rattled the bar and Lee Bullen should have burst the net, while Scott Arfield and Steve Lovell both came close.
On Saturday all roads lead north to Inverness for the cup quarter-final and a chance to make a quick return to Hampden. I think it may go to a replay but I do fancy our chances.
Brian Guthriewww.bairnstrust.comABERDEENLAST weekend saw an unlikely character in a ridiculous costume clumsily bumbling around a stage to the astonishment of most onlookers. Then, only hours after referee Dougie McDonald's performance at Pittodrie, Jo Brand did something similar on Let's Dance for Comic Relief. Except hers was entertaining.
It's easy to see why the quality of Scottish football is currently up for debate, when referees consistently allow hatchet men to boot skilful players like Sone Aluko up in the air for 90 minutes with no punishment.
A big cup-tie on Saturday will hopefully take us some way to forgetting the horrors of last season. With Reds likely to outnumber the home crowd at Jimmy Calderwood's old ground, the team will not be short of support.
Craig Stewartwww.aberdeen-mad.co.ukHIBSHOW appropriate that the first song to pop up on my iPod when I switched it on during the Falkirk match was Boredom by the Buzzcocks. If Mixu seriously believes that Hibs 'controlled' that second half on Saturday, then it's time to call for the straitjacket and wheel him away.
The abandonment of any midfield in favour of four forwards in a mangled mess of a formation has sent the Hibs support into a slumbering coma, incapable of even venting their frustration. The messageboards are almost at one with their belief that the time has come for a change in management, yet the board seem steadfast in their support for Mixu.
If Mixu is to save his skin then a vast improvement has to be seen against Hamilton tonight, from both the players and manager.
Eddie Henderson www.hibs.net
The full article contains 1736 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
