With three of the ten teams, we might always have expected that Fife would have a major role play in the First Division this season.
But we might not have anticipated that role providing so much suspense that, even this late in the season, we're still looking to the Kingdom for Scottish football's match of the weekend.
Second top play second bottom in a game that could have major repercussions for more than just the two teams involved.
Raith Rovers v Cowdenbeath.
A match that sounds like a Scottish footballing throwback treating us to another chapter in an engrossing season.
Raith are only two points behind leaders Dunfermline and have played a game less.
Cowdenbeath have dragged themselves free from the automatic relegation spot but remain four points behind Ross County as they look to avoid a relegation play off.
With Ross County and Dunfermline sitting this league weekend out, here's a big chance for both Raith and Cowdenbeath to make a move.
All of which would be quite interesting enough without the added spice of a local derby.
Given their recent history, SPL promotion for Raith would be an incredible achievement.
And given their own history, First Division survival, under Raith legend Jimmy Nicholl, would be a huge success for Cowdenbeath.
An exhilarating prospect. And an added dash of interest offered by the spectre of Dunfermline, watching on and forced to cheer on one of their own local rivals.
A ten team league producing 12 Fife derbies in a season is too much.
Between them though, Raith, Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath have somehow managed to keep up the excitement and interest until the very end.
League positions don't lie. But local derby results often do. So no prediction from me. Could be a close one though.
Showing posts with label Aberdeen v Dunfermline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aberdeen v Dunfermline. Show all posts
Friday, April 08, 2011
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Scottish Cup Fifth Round: Rangers v Celtic
Time is, once again, my enemy this Sunday morning. A quick look, then, at today's games. Including the big one at Pittodrie.
Odd to see Rangers and Celtic meet so early in the cup, giving us our second of three Old Firm games before 2011 is two months old.
A look at the league table shows Rangers playing catch-up but their games in hand suggest the situation is far from desperate.
But there is a clear feeling that the momentum has swung in favour of Celtic, the team that cruised to a 2-0 win at Ibrox on 2nd January and demolished the challenge of Hearts just days after Rangers had capitulated at Tynecastle.
That makes Celtic favourites going into this one. But, and please duck if you're standing outside my flat, derbies are a time for flinging the form book out of the window.
El Hadji Diouf starts for Rangers to add an extra dimension to the usual peripheral issues that attach themselves to this game.
Leaving aside Diouf's past indiscretions - a list as long Hen Broon's arm - his signing is a signal of Walter Smith's discomfort at how this season is unfolding and what he clearly sees as limitations in the quality and depth of his squad.
There is, undoubtedly, a level of pressure on Diouf and Nikica Jelavic to make an impact and provide Rangers with a cutting edge that Kenny Miller's departure has robbed them of. It's a big ask.
Neil Lennon got his tactics completely right in the face of an underwhelming Rangers performance in the last Old Firm game.
Can he do it again?
I'm slightly surprised that he's switched back to a 4-5-1 for this afternoon with Stokes dropping to the bench and Hooper alone up front. A lot of goals to take out of the team.
It means there is likely to be a battle between two five man midfields. Might a midfield battle suit Rangers more?
Certainly their is more fluidity to this selection and it means Celtic have strength to call on from the bench. It also suggests that Neil Lennon is not yet ready to write off Rangers' challenge.
The stakes are high. A single Scottish Cup could shape this Scottish season. Rangers will be out to show they are not the mugs some have taken them for. Celtic will be hoping to press home the advantage that a strong January has given them.
A tough game to call. Form suggests Celtic. But is this Rangers squad really ready to roll over at this stage of the season?
I'm not making this prediction confidently, we might even require a replay. But I can see Rangers sneaking this one today with stubborn, obdurate performance.
Rangers:
01 McGregor
03 Weir
05 Papac
16 Whittaker
24 Bougherra
07 Edu
08 Davis
40 Ness
14 Naismith
17 Diouf
18 Jelavic
Celtic:
26 Forster
03 Izaguirre
05 Majstorovic
12 Wilson
21 Mulgrew
08 Brown
16 Ledley
18 Ki Sung-Yeung
33 Baram Kayal
15 Commons
88 Hooper
Especially a group of players who seemed to rediscover many of their old frailties in shipping seven goals in a double header against their traditional tormentors Celtic.
But Craig Brown is certainly building something different, something new at Pittodrie and beating lower league opposition is something he will expect from his players.
For their part Dunfermline are second in the first division. I worry though about their results against league leaders Raith Rovers this season.
Can we see a Dunfermline squad who struggle to cope in big games? Or might a televised clash with an SPL team free them from the worries of local rivalries and play without fear?
I suspect this might be too much for Dunfermline with Aberdeen winning by a couple of goals.
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Odd to see Rangers and Celtic meet so early in the cup, giving us our second of three Old Firm games before 2011 is two months old.
A look at the league table shows Rangers playing catch-up but their games in hand suggest the situation is far from desperate.
But there is a clear feeling that the momentum has swung in favour of Celtic, the team that cruised to a 2-0 win at Ibrox on 2nd January and demolished the challenge of Hearts just days after Rangers had capitulated at Tynecastle.
That makes Celtic favourites going into this one. But, and please duck if you're standing outside my flat, derbies are a time for flinging the form book out of the window.
El Hadji Diouf starts for Rangers to add an extra dimension to the usual peripheral issues that attach themselves to this game.
Leaving aside Diouf's past indiscretions - a list as long Hen Broon's arm - his signing is a signal of Walter Smith's discomfort at how this season is unfolding and what he clearly sees as limitations in the quality and depth of his squad.
There is, undoubtedly, a level of pressure on Diouf and Nikica Jelavic to make an impact and provide Rangers with a cutting edge that Kenny Miller's departure has robbed them of. It's a big ask.
Neil Lennon got his tactics completely right in the face of an underwhelming Rangers performance in the last Old Firm game.
Can he do it again?
I'm slightly surprised that he's switched back to a 4-5-1 for this afternoon with Stokes dropping to the bench and Hooper alone up front. A lot of goals to take out of the team.
It means there is likely to be a battle between two five man midfields. Might a midfield battle suit Rangers more?
Certainly their is more fluidity to this selection and it means Celtic have strength to call on from the bench. It also suggests that Neil Lennon is not yet ready to write off Rangers' challenge.
The stakes are high. A single Scottish Cup could shape this Scottish season. Rangers will be out to show they are not the mugs some have taken them for. Celtic will be hoping to press home the advantage that a strong January has given them.
A tough game to call. Form suggests Celtic. But is this Rangers squad really ready to roll over at this stage of the season?
I'm not making this prediction confidently, we might even require a replay. But I can see Rangers sneaking this one today with stubborn, obdurate performance.
Rangers:
01 McGregor
03 Weir
05 Papac
16 Whittaker
24 Bougherra
07 Edu
08 Davis
40 Ness
14 Naismith
17 Diouf
18 Jelavic
Celtic:
26 Forster
03 Izaguirre
05 Majstorovic
12 Wilson
21 Mulgrew
08 Brown
16 Ledley
18 Ki Sung-Yeung
33 Baram Kayal
15 Commons
88 Hooper
Aberdeen v Dunfermline
A visit from a club riding high in the first division would normally be enough to send shivers down the spines of an Aberdeen squad.Especially a group of players who seemed to rediscover many of their old frailties in shipping seven goals in a double header against their traditional tormentors Celtic.
But Craig Brown is certainly building something different, something new at Pittodrie and beating lower league opposition is something he will expect from his players.
For their part Dunfermline are second in the first division. I worry though about their results against league leaders Raith Rovers this season.
Can we see a Dunfermline squad who struggle to cope in big games? Or might a televised clash with an SPL team free them from the worries of local rivalries and play without fear?
I suspect this might be too much for Dunfermline with Aberdeen winning by a couple of goals.
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