Lobey_Dosser

The increase in crowd for a midweek game pleasantly surprised me. Hopefully we can get back towards a core support of 4K.

I'm concerned how we'll manage to cope with the pressure of the Inverness game and think we have to pick up something at Firhill. Patrick Thistle will come into this game buoyed by an impressive 7 game unbeaten run and having benefited from resting 5 players midweek. Tactically, Robinson has some big calls to make although I think he may continue to play with 3 at the back to match up with Thistle. Personally, I'd like to see us revert to a conventional 442 with McDonald the focal point for the hold-up play and our wingers positioned further up the back. Fingers crossed Moult makes it but I suspect he won't.

Tonight is the first time I've seen us from the Dundee humping. I thought we were relatively well organised and played with decent enough tempo at times. Unfortunately, we lack the required craft and guile to create and resorted to route one stuff for much of the match. Continue to approach games in such a manner and it'll be an absolute lottery as to whether we stay up. Regarding individual performances, I thought Bowman was our motm and McHugh continues to impress. As we all know, McGhee has left us with a midfield that isn't good enough. Clay is powderpuff and Pearsons' jaunts to India appear to have caught up with him. Meanwhile, Cadden's value is at risk of depreciating every time he plays. Fingers crossed Moult is fit for Saturday.

Moult out. Blyth in.

Get the impression the players are spending more hours on the training field since McGhee departed. Hopefully we are fresh enough for Wednesday after running ourselves into the ground today.

Very good point today. Shame Accies sneaked the 3 points in the end. Tense evening in prospect this Wednesday. Hopefully we can blow them away like we did in the Baraclough era.

This is probably the poorest season Tansey has had for Inverness. Nevertheless, he should be a good signing for Aberdeen and deserves to be playing with better players. One of the few premier league players that tends to catch the eye.

Enjoyed the positivity of Robinson's press conference, somewhat refreshing view in comparison to Butcher, McCall and McGhee. May end up heading along to this. Sounds like Pearson has been carrying an injury since rejoining us.

I think he's been called up once under Strachan's reign and was one of a few not to get a chance off the bench in a friendly. Strachan is gradually moving away from his overly loyal approach however so he might get a chance in the future. Having said that, he has tough competition with Snodgrass, Forrest, Anya, Ritchie, Burke, Phillips, and Naismith vying for his position.

Last chance to get a result against a top 5 team this season. Can't see it, 4-0 Rangers.

McMillan is not playing because he let his standards drop, Craigan has said as much.

Should we stay in the top flight, the NI connection might see us interested in Mannus.

Looking at all those out of contract, Skippy is the only one I'd be offering a deal but the likelihood is he'll be away. Of those contracted beyond the summer, I think we'll be looking to cut our ties with Hammell and Blyth if possible. In terms of young players stepping up, MacLean, Campbell at Hastie look to be carrying the greatest promise. Mackin was mentioned above, he'll be the out the door. So plenty of scope for a rebuild. Ideally we'd be looking at pre-contracts just now but that's unlikely given our precarious position and we may well lose ground on some of our competitors. Huge job for the manager regardless of what league we are in.

Optimistically looking for 5 points: Killie 36 Patrick 35 Dundee 32 Ross County 32 Motherwell 32 ICT 29 Accies 28

This season, every international break has been viewed as an opportunity to get players fit but it rarely works out positively. McDonald and Hammell seem to be permanently dealing with constant niggles that are hampering their training regimes. Even the likes of Moult, who had his operation in August, doesn't look to be entirely free of injury. McManus and Tait are two pivotal losses that have made the task of staying in this league a whole lot tougher. It's unlikely we'll see McManus for a while, if at all this season according to BBC. Robinson's suggestion about rushing Tait back, who clearly shouldn't have played at Rugby Park, underlines the severity of our predicament.

There's no excuse but the lack of sharpness will stem from not training all week.

Due to his experience in the managerial interview process.

WS sent an email tonight shining some light on recruitment process. Five invited for interview, three interviewed. Panel consisted of Burrows, Dickie, Whitefield and the departed Derek Weir. No sign of the Chairman?

Not sure if there is a chance of Tait returning before end of season but according to BBC radio, McManus is now out for 12 weeks rather than 6.

Craigan previously suggested that McMillan has lost his head a bit so I can't see him being rewarded with a first team chance until that's been addressed.

McMillan has had a rough few weeks in u20s. Can't see him starting despite the lack of options.

Yeah, early comments from Robinson have been interesting and reflect the imbalance of the squad that we've all discussed.

I think we'll have little option but to play Cadden at rwb.

McManus was talking about Hughes on radio last night as the other name in frame. Granted, he was going on the reported headlines but I reckon the experienced players would have known who the club were talking to. The Coyle story makes perfect sense to me and ties in with a few snippets I heard at the outset. I'm also led to believe the club's initial offer to Robinson was until the end of the season.

Maybe Robinson rejected a deal to the end of the season... A 14 month contract smacks of compromise.