Tweed

Think you owe someone an apology.... McCall played exactly the team I hoped he would today and the result we got surpassed even my wildest dreams. Absolutely thrilled tonight. Humphrey was superb today, most balls he played in were dangerous and caused Saints problems. Having him up against a centre half was a wee Brucie bonus but even had it been a natural left back he was in the zone and I still think we would have got some change out of them. Lomas was moaning about the penalty but I really can't see why, it looked like a stick on at the time and i've just seen the goals on Sky and it still looks the same. Motherwell must be a pisser of a team to play when you are losing because they are so quick on the counter and that really helped us today and goals 3 and 4 were of the highest quality and all came from our number 7. Stupid penalty we conceded but apart from that we defended well however our opponents were impotent.

Never really got round to commenting on the game on Sunday. Whilst we ended up getting cuffed it was a rare game where we were level with the Old Firm where actually their goal didn't look imminent. Until they brought on Watt and we did Ojamaa that game looked like petering out to a 0-0. So what changed? Well to me we let Wanyama into the game. He was scared of Daley's pace and didn't really attack that much. For all Ojamaa may have been more likely to win us the game than Daley it let him attack and create the space. I think it was an overly brave change by McCall that didn't need made. For all Daley and Humphrey are not wonderful footballers their pace put the fear of God into opponents and they keep their full backs defensive. What that did was force the game narrow and on the most part Jennings, Law and Carswell choked the midfield and didn't let Celtic overrun us. To me this was the right tactic and didn't nullify us completely as an attacking force. I think we looked sturdy till we brought on Ojamaa and they widened the game. I don't really blame Ojamaa per se and this isn't a go at him - I just think McCall got the tactics right then changed them, opened the game up and we paid the price. A point would have been invaluable and we will never know if we would have got it but I certainly think we had a chance. Unfortunately having lost one we turned off and shipped a second which killed the game stone dead. Saturday is a different type of game with two teams who are right off the boil. Hopefully our experience of the big game will see us through.

I think the SFA need to keep their counsel as there is still a disciplinary case ongoing. The way things are going I think if the sanctions the SFA announced yesterday are upheld I don't think a Newco will apply for the SPL as they will require to rebuild and could find themselves out of their depth.

You could be right. Whether we get something will depend on us having the courage to go for it and it will depend on them having an off day. They may naturally switch off which would be lovely but even on a sub-standard day if we don't get our tactics right they'll still win. If I were McCall I'd have a look at the DVD of the game when we beat them in February last year and play with that formation as that kept them quiet. I'm confident we'll get the tactics right, I'm less confident in our defence's concentration to shut them out. Thinking they'll edge it 2-1 again.

You miss the next game for any red card offence so he is out unless they make a successful appeal. But given Lomas said that it was stupid and he had let his teammates down and he had no complaints other than he thought Sandaza was kicked first they aint going to appeal so he will be missing next week. Given it was Dillon I was going to say hopefully the compliance officer takes a look at him too but actually part of me would rather he played. I haven't seen this incident at all though just going by what was on the radio a bit back. Tomorrow is a free shot at Celtic as someone said - we need to play the way we did against Rangers three weeks back without the calamitous defending and we won't be far away. Whilst United may not be seeing these as bonus points - they are chasing. Peter Houston said he believed he needed to win five out of five to have a chance so they will be going hell for leather at it. Though as long as the slip up isn't v us I suspect four wins will be enough for them. Also they at home to Hearts next week, I think they are a shoe in for that one. Hearts away form is dreadful and United have won 3/3 against them this season.

Sky don't need the SPL, that was proven when they walked back in 2000. Which is why our TV deal is, in comparison to the EPL, shite. We get a fraction of the money, all the mince kick off times and sub standard commentators and summarisers. However the SPL clubs need the Sky deal or some of them will go out of business or down the same road as Rangers. I'm still dying to find out what the fans of Stranraer et al think about this giving the way they all moaned about Livingston making their league uncompetitive. Personally, I don't give a toss whether they get back in or not.

So a couple of things on this one. Daly does not come as deep as often as Higdon as United play a more progressive shape so I would expect him to foul less than our boy though I would have thought it would have been closer but I have only watched three United games this season and in the one at Fir Park the ball was always in the midfield so I don't really have much to comment on him. As for Kenneth, we all know when defender and striker jump for a ball and there is a collision the referee tends to give it to the defender. I'm not saying it is right but the fact that Higdon has committed as many fouls as he has tells me he isn't very clever in 'playing the game'. Without it wanting to sound like a dig at one referee, we have had Crawford Allan five times this season. We have lost four of those games and in all five I would say higdon was pretty anonymous. Why? Because he kept on giving fouls away that weren't fouls. Now to be fair to the referee, he kept on giving us fouls for offences that looked equally ridiculous when Stephen Elliott was up against Hutch at Tynecastle. Now I know if the name C Allan appears against our fixture Higdon would be as well not being there or we focus all our play down the wings. The fact that neither McCall or Higdon have noticed it or done something about it is baffling. As I said before I'm not saying all 85 are fouls but really, he needs to realise what will stop refs from blowing their whistle for the good of the team.

Fair enough, I absolutely agree about the referee whistle. You can argue all you like about it being a foul or not but we have the same pool of 18 referees who interpret the game the same way every time they turn up. They aren't perfect but we need to learn what they are giving and stop giving them away.

Perhaps the reason he gives more fouls away is because he gets more involved in the game than others. Also because he tracks back and tackles which a lot of players like him don't. Would also be interesting to note how many fouls he has won this season. I know he got naff all yesterday but Goian committed five on him last week so even if he gets three a game we are knocking on that he has won 100.

Hutch was our best stopper, Hump our best creator. By far our best two but went for the Hump but could easily have been Hutch.

First half was really frustrating. Thought it was pretty equal in terms of territory but we made a lot of bad touches and decisions round about their box, Ojamaa particularly culpable. I liked Law's deliveries from corners much more than Hateley's normal ones. Assuming that was done to allow Page and Clancy up though not sure. Second half we purred around their box and played in some delightful balls in but just couldn't get the killer touch or finish but we thoroughly deserved our point because we kept going at them. I think most people in the ground thought if we got to 1-1 we'd go onto win 2-1 but the dynamic of the game changed and Hibs were back onto trying to win the game and it really opened up. While we didn't create that many chances I think we did dictate the play more than Hibs though they were quick on the break. I think it was a crucial point as balance of probability is that Celtic will beat us next time out and I would have hated to go into the crunch game with St Johnstone having lost four on the belt. I didn't think much of Stevie O'Reilly today - I think he is probably the strictest ref in the SPL but he did seem to give a bit of leeway today as I think Lasley and their left back whose name escapes me should have been booked. O'Connor should have been off for a kick - I could have understood if he hadn;t seen it because it was after the ball was away, but seeing as our player didn't go down and he booked him he must have seen it. Absolutely baffling. Also that was some save Randolph made in the first half when he have a goal kick. No complaints about Page's now - I thought the first one was harsh at the game but having seen it again, whilst he was entitled to go for it he was pretty high. Overall satisfied with how we did today.

Don't think so. I genuinely believe the SFA are out to get Lennon and prove a point. I also think that this case was a McCall's word v Thomson's and Thomson has said that he didn't swear and wasn't aggressive it was a dead easy case.

Our slide consists of a loss to Killie who we haven't beaten all year and a loss to Rangers who have beaten us time after time. We haven't dropped points we weren't dropping before. St Johnstone were unbeaten in six but Hearts were the only team in the top half that they beat. In the last round if fixtures they took 3 points from 15 against the teams they need to play again. Dundee Utd are the concern but they have a poor record in Aberdeen. If we win two games they need to win four from six to finish ahead of us which includes Aberdeen, both the OF, Hearts and Saints. I really can't see us blowing it if we win on Sunday. Of course, United and Saints will have played by then. I also think Hearts winning on Saturday is good news as if they have something to hit at they will be more up for it against the Tayside teams and they are all more likely to cut each other's throat. For all the momentum in the world I wouldn't swap position with anyone just now.

I said before the Killie game I was really anti it as it sort of gives the feeling they are our superiors and that is exactly what happened. We may have had a rotten day at the office anyway, we'll never know but I think it gets the team in the wrong mindset. Only way I could see it backfiring is if they think they are Charlie Big Potatoes and then play a lot of guff. But on balance, was a pish idea for Kilmarnock, its a pish idea for Celtic and we shouldn't have done it then and we shouldn't do it now. The fact that we hate them is secondary.

We can have no complaints with that bag. United have had their game with Saints flipped to be at Perth instead of Tannadice and Saints have 18 home and 20 away as well as losing their home game to us but losing their home game with us is cancelled out by getting one with United.

At the start Humphrey was getting a lot of change down the right wing but they reshuffled their defenders so that he was up against Wallace rather than Perry and that changed it. I think we'd seen Perry as the weakness and when he switched we changed the focus of our attack as Humprhey was being marked much more tightly. I might have been tempted to give the Hump ten minutes on the left to see if we could have forced another error out of him.

Yes he was down at Killie last week. The winless run would also be shorter if Jim O'Brien hadn't missed a last minute penalty as well! As for the points left to hit at, if we get another six points that would mean United or St Johnstone would have to get 11 to finish above us. Given they both play both the Old Firm, each other and us if they do that you are enclined to say well done. If we were to get our six with a win next week and draws against United, Hearts and St Johnstone after the split that just wastes a game for them. My hunch is if we don't lose to St J or United unless we collapse completely we'll be fine.

Well it wasn't brilliant but it was night and day better than our previous league performances against Rangers under McCall. Strange game as Rangers seemed to be the team in the ascendancy for long spells but never really looked like they were going to socre when it was 1-1. We had a few shots that McGregor did well with and at times we played some lovely stuff but poor decisions, poor final balls cost us. I really think Jennings was more at fault than Clancy for the winning goal as he should have been up for that and not letting it bounce and Clancy get into that 50-50. Not convinced if he was fouled or not but I don't think we could argue that the ref was due us one as he had done us a huge favour in not giving them a penalty earflier. I doubt it would have been a red though as ALuko's touch had knocked the ball out and I think his touch being so poor was what convinced Brines that he was at it as he was never getting it. Thought Brines gave McCulloch and Higdon nothing for a half and then it was as if he suddenly realised that stopping people jumping was illegal. Law needs to be more willing to have a hit as he had a couple of chances and then passed the ball to Humphrey who then had not a lot on. However play like that next week and we'll be a shoe in for three points though missing Jennings and Hammell will make it a much tougher ask.

Hard to judge them on today as they played against a team who were at least a man down for 60 minutes of the game. Also, the frailities at the back became apparent at the end. Celtic had a really good spell just after Rangers went 1-0 and their defence was struggling. Without the same hype will the same performance follow? We have no idea. Today has changed nothing for me - they are a poor Rangers team. But they do have better players than us and whatever else is going on we need to accept if they play as they can they'll win. United got them on a great day; they imploded against Hearts and were dire v Killie. I'm no more or less confident than I was at 1250pm.

Now is a very experienced SPL referee and generally does a competent job though I agree he had a bit of a shocker yesterday. Until this season I believe we had only lost once when we had had him which was a game at Tynecastle when Brown first took charge, Though this season we have lost four of the five we have had him and whilst not the only reason I think it is partly because he seems quite content for defenders to stop strikers jumping which minimises the impact Higdon has. He was also the referee the day Phil died and wrote a really nice piece about him in one of the papers.

Agree about referee - he gave one corner that was baffling. There was another one where it looked like it was ours but I was sure I heard it make contact twice so he maybe got that one right. That foul against Jennings was unbelievable. He also booked Jennings for getting halfed though I have no idea why. The worst of all was when the handball was given on the shout of the Killie fans. Easily swayed and generally no very good. No complaints about the penalty at all. I think not booking him was right as although his hand was in an unnatural position which gives him scope to class it as deliberate I don't think it DOGSO as it was a tame effort or was play changing enough to merit a yellow. The yellows for Hammell and Jennings you can't comment on as we have no idea what was said but the other four (two each) were a nonsense. There were some hard tackles but they were all attempts to play the ball, none was reckless and I would bet that not one of them would get booked in the Old FIrm for them today. Sometimes you need to caution for challenges like that to calm the game down but not that game as it was played in a real good spirit. It was refereeing with your card rather than your brain. One of the poorest of the season and all the 50-50s went their way. And I've just remembered the foul he gave us at the left back position when Hammell had played a pass to create a 2v2 in the first half. Thanks sir. Really helpful.

We played a Kilmarnock team that didn't play all that well (no where near as good as they were last week) and we were lucky to come second in that game. We weren't far away in the first half and a wee good ball here and there could have created the chance we needed but it didn't quite happen. Certainly when we went in at half time I would have considered us very likely not to lose. But the second half performance was inept. It's dead easy to sit and say Page and Cummins should have played but Hutchinson didn't start being all over the place until we were already down and pushing up. The first goal came because Hateley was out of position; the second because of a poor ball by Jennings that played us into bother and Hateley had no need to have his hands up. Our problem was getting our forward players into the game for the most part. Humprhey did all right but the front two couldn't get involved and I don't know if it is something to do with Lasley not being there and a perceived need to protect Carswell but Law has been deeper last two games. That was as poor as we have been since Christmas Eve and the trick is to bounce back next week. Hibs game got a whole lot tougher with Jennings and Hammell out. Whatever happened between Hateley's family and the fans should have been kept off Twitter - naive from Hateley - bad press like that is jumped on by the press and it takes the gleam off a day when all the press our fans were getting was top notch.

Did we not draw 1-1 after the split last season at Fir Park? Cheap point scoring I know, but had a week of everyone correcting all my mistakes so thought I'd get one back. Think tomorrow will depend on Killie, the atmosphere will either inspire them or the excitement will kill them. We need to go down there and do a professional job. If there are parts of the team with inexperience we need to pressure them (unlike what Aberdeen did to us last week). They may have a few out but they are a decent team, though incredibly in and out. We do our normal away performance and I doubt we'll lose. Can see it being a draw again to be honest.

I can see arguments both sides for a silence/applause for Jack Kelly. Glad it is someone else's decision. On the guard of honour, maybe it is just me but I think they are a lot of pish. We start Saturday as equals and it is two teams trying to win a game of fitba. Showing some additional respect to them just moves away from that. I don't care who we are playing or what they have won it just isn't for me. If they parade the cup at half time then aye I'll give them a clap but it is not for the players to be doing.

Swallows and summers guys. Remember last year we were forced to play Hutchinson and Gunning against Celtic. They both had the game of their lives we won 2-0. Next week at Inverness they obviously believed their own hype and we got turned over 3-0 and Gunning clearly thought he was God. Benched for a few weeks, expectations managed and he turned good again. Hutchinson and Clancy have a ton more experience and need to start in my view. We also need to remember that although Page and Cummins did very well on Saturday - they were barely tested by a very poor Aberdeen team and in even in that circumstance we ended up being pushed back for long spells as the midfield retreated and the out ball vanished. Against a Kilmarnock team with the skill and experience of Harkins, Heffernan and Shiels it is a different proposition so the experience must win through. What Page and Cummins (to a lesser degree) have done is provide assurance that there is more back up there.