SPL Fanzone

Published on Tuesday 24 February 2009 20:52

ABERDEEN MANY Aberdeen fans choked on their rowies when the news came through two seasons ago that we had re-signed Derek Young. The old adage about 'never coming back' has been true for players far, far better than Deek, so if he was never to reach the heights of his first stint at Pittodrie, how bad could he be?

The answer is 'nae as bad as we thought', especially as he was surely a stop-gap and at least gives his all on the pitch. However, there is still bewilderment at his latest two-year extension. Is this really progress?

Still, Deek was not to blame for gifting United their two goals in another brilliantly entertaining game on Saturday – that was the lauded Diamond and Mulgrew – so perhaps we should stop being so hard on him.

Craig Stewart

www.aberdeen-mad.co.uk

CELTIC

I AM astounded that a team could dominate a game as much as Celtic did on Sunday and still create so few chances. If it hadn't been for the state of the Fir Park pitch there would be daylight between us and Rangers.

Our midfield, considering Strachan's playing career, should be the lynch-pin of the team. Sadly, the coach seems unable to identify his ideal line-up and despite signing yet another midfielder in January he augmented it on Sunday with our best centre-half.

Our malaise appears to have started around the time we went out of Europe. I think the two are connected. Unless Gordon earns his corn and gets his players focused, the great financial results may be needed to cover the hole in the budget caused by the lack of Champions League football and a disenchanted support!

Dave Devine

DUNDEE UNITED

OVER the years United have had some good returns from visits to Pittodrie. Saturday looked like it would be no exception had it not been for the late Diamond equaliser that took a little of the shine off the day for Arabs but certainly didn't spoil a very entertaining tussle.

Sandaza was fed and he duly scored whilst Diamond could consider himself lucky to stay on the pitch due to being the last defender.

Also great to see David Robertson taking his goal with such aplomb as our midfield slowly rebuilds its confidence following a shaky few weeks.

Scott Robertson making a miraculously speedy recovery would be a wonderful, if unlikely, present before Hearts' visit to Tannadice on Saturday… three precious points at stake.

Hamish Mackintosh

www.united-mad.co.uk

FALKIRK

IT WAS not so much the defeat to Hamilton on Saturday that set the alarm bells ringing, but the manner in which the Bairns went down. After recent weeks when a fight and passion was evident throughout, the performance lacked everything I'd expect from a side locked in a relegation struggle.

Everyone involved must face the 12 remaining games with a single-minded determination to achieve a target points tally that should ensure I am still here next season reporting on the Bairns as an SPL club.

Thirty-four points is the highest total any club has departed the SPL with, however this season I see the target being higher, maybe 38-40. Start believing – there is still a long way to go on this year's roller coaster ride.

Brian Guthrie

www.bairnstrust.com

HAMILTON ACCIES

SCOTLAND'S form team got their mojo back on Saturday with a thoroughly deserved win at Falkirk. The comedy highlight of the season came with Chris Swailes's classic own goal, with Tomas Cerny bouncing about in despair like a child who's had his sweets taken away.

After that, it was obvious that Accies would win and, with Inverness doing better than the "dead cat bounce" that many predicted after Terry Butcher took over, the foot of the table has come to life. It's brilliant for the SPL that the promoted team hasn't been cannon fodder. Accies' success has put teams under pressure.

Of course, our next defeat could be just around the corner and we face Rangers on Saturday at New Douglas Park. Just so long as Chris Swailes looks up before hitting his next pass-back, we might have a fighting chance.

Gilbert Mowat

HEARTS

THE disappointment of a makeshift Hearts defence conceding a late goal on Saturday was lifted when the final scores from Pittodrie and the Caledonian Stadium were announced.

The natives of Edinburgh harbour had been making it known all week that defeat should mean the end of Mixu despite his assertions that Hibs were still challenging for third place and would get there playing his brand of hoofball.

In the season of lent, perhaps the Hibs support should give up criticism of their great leader. He certainly retains the support and confidence of the Hearts fans and should be allowed to get on with the job of leading Hibs into the bottom six and from there to the heady heights of SPL2.

Saturday's game at Tannadice is a big one in the race for third and I would urge all Hearts fans to get up there and support the team.

Broxburn Jambo

HIBERNIAN

ANOTHER trip to Inverness, another 'nil' and yet more statements from a manager who looks more out of his depth as the weeks go by.

In Hibs terms, losing at Inverness is nothing new. Losing at Inverness to a team rock-bottom of the SPL is another matter. Losing at Inverness to a rock-bottom team while displaying a total lack of cohesion, spirit or endeavour is moving on to a different plane completely. Hibs are clearly a ship without a captain at the moment.

While the guys on the park can't escape without criticism, it's the manager who is in charge, who lays down the tactics, the formations and the drills.

Saturday's game against Falkirk is now critical. Win and Mixu gets some breathing space. Lose and...

Eddie Henderson

www.hibs.net

INVERNESS CT

YOU'D have to go back to the end of September last year to find our last SPL win at home so we could, perhaps, be forgiven if we'd forgotten what one feels like.

That was a massive three points for us against Hibs on Saturday, which now throws the relegation dogfight wide open. The Butcher/Malpas effect on the team is clear to see and these guys must be commended for continually giving instructions when needed.

Brian Kerr also gave a solid performance for a player who hasn't played in six months and as for Lionel Djebi-Zadi – what a drastic change, the guy is brilliant. It was also great to see Foran get on the scoresheet.

It wasn't a wonderful football spectacle, but it was a wonderful three points.

Dave 'Gringo' Wilson

www.caleythistleonline.com

KILMARNOCK

FOR a few fleeting moments on Saturday, we were on top of the world as Jamie Hamill sent us into the lead at Ibrox, but we were brought back down to earth in a shocking seven-minute blitz that saw us lose three at our own end.

The term 'schoolboy errors' was never so apt as we defended like we had never seen a ball before. The manager put it down to individual errors but I have the luxury of not having to work with these guys on the training pitch so I can point out Frazer Wright and cult hero Manuel Pascali as two of the guilty parties.

It is now squeaky bum time as we have to pay as much attention to the results of neighbouring teams as our own.

Next up is Aberdeen away, then Celtic at home and then back up to Inverness, which is a proverbial six-pointer.

Barry Richmond

www.killiefc.com

MOTHERWELL

THERE are times it is better to be lucky than good, and Sunday proved that for us. We might have been cursing our luck at failing to beat Hibs and Falkirk in recent games, but we claimed back one of those points by robbing Celtic.

We scored with our only shot of note in the game while Gordon Strachan watched in amazement as all three of his strikers missed chances they should have been able to score with their eyes shut.

However, it could be argued that we made our own good fortune thanks to a high work-rate and a refusal to concede the game.

Our latest disappointing cup exit to St Mirren means we can only focus on the league, but moving back into the top six shows we might yet have some excitement left in the season.

Derek Wilson

www.firparkcorner.com

RANGERS

SO FOR the first time in three-and-a-half months, Rangers sit top of the league, courtesy of goal difference being ten in our favour. That is thanks largely to a stingy defence and to Scotland's top scorer refusing to be a sacrificial lamb for 'financial reasons' which even now remain shrouded in unnecessary secrecy.

With Kenny Miller scoring four goals in two games, Pedro Mendes again gracing the Ibrox pitch with vision and craft, Madjid Bougherra improving weekly, John Fleck given a sustained run and now Aaron Niguez staking his case for inclusion, December's seven-point deficit looks more like an avoidable blip.

The race is on, form is on our side and if a few away results are strung together, the title will be ours again.

Stephen Smith

www.theRST.co.uk

ST MIRREN

IT'S been a reasonable week for us. Saturday's late draw against Hearts almost makes up for throwing away a win against Falkirk, and we finally got our first win at our new home when we knocked Motherwell out of the cup.

We fully deserved to progress as we were the better team in the second half and we took our chance when it came along. Sadly, Mark McGhee has taken the term "bad loser" to new levels.

Apparently he fully expected to beat us. This from the man who said the two teams were so evenly matched it would go to penalties. He also said he was unable to tell the difference between the two sides due to the lack of quality on show.

Here's a clue, Mark – we were the team that scored, and yours was the one which barely forced a save from our keeper.

Stuart Gillespie

www.stmirren-mad.co.uk