Hibs, not so much always the bridesmaids as always the sailor-suit clad page boys of Scottish football, have some experience of hosting parties for visitors.
Rangers and Aberdeen have won league titles under the noses of a bemused and bewildered Easter Road support. It feels a bit like spending the night standing next to the fridge, alone and uncomfortable, at your own house warming party.
Today is not - officially at least, in reality this is a race that's been run - Celtic's title clinching game.
For Celtic fans though, forever enthusiastic at Easter Road anyway, today offers a reason to party like never before.
A 14 point lead in the league is one thing. Rangers losing at home to Kilmarnock yesterday is one thing.
Rangers in administration, apparently adrift on a sea of financial turbulence, a club battered by the ownership of successive rogues, that's another thing entirely.
Rejoice. And the Celtic fans surely will today.
For every 37p in the pound Rangers offer their creditors, Celtic fans will spend £10 on bunting, booze and Iceland vol-au-vents.
Will Hibs be joining them? Some might. Some won't. The Hibs fans I've spent time with this week are bemused by the scale of Rangers' woes, unsure what the future holds for Scottish football and quickly re-appraising their views on the stewardship of Rod Petrie. Never has the presence of that well groomed moustache seemed so reassuring.
Mixed emotions. And a huge sense of foreboding.
Celtic are on a 12 game winning streak in the SPL, they seem determined to win the league at the earliest possible opportunity.
Hibs are joint bottom of the league and struggle to win at home.
If there's something worse than facing Celtic at this stage of Hibs season it's probably facing Celtic when they've spent a week drawing strength from the weakening of the auld enemy.
Is there any hope?
Glimmers: Hibs are improving, Pat Fenlon's new signings have formed the core of a new team, a better team if not a finished team.
Hibs were the last Scottish team to stop Celtic winning. A 0-0 at Celtic Park in October. One of those "how the hell did he do that?" results that sporadically punctuated Colin Calderwood's "I'm not waving, I'm drowning" management.
Celtic win, win and win again. But they don't always look irresistible.
And the most alluring scripts often deliver a twist. Yesterday the stage was set at Ibrox for Rangers to draw strength from the stands. They failed, the show of defiance tapered away in a meek surrender to Kilmarnock and, reportedly, a support blowing their chance, seeking solace in their Cromwellian songbook.
Kilmarnock were the party poopers at a wake. Is that easier or harder than the task Hibs face today?
Easier, I suspect, because this Celtic team is very different animal to the current, inferior incarnation of Rangers.
I am by nature a pessimist. I don't see a half glass full, I see a glass that's probably still got a lipstick stain on it.
Hibs have a hell of a task today. For this observer at least, it would be nice, just this once, if they could find it in themselves to rain on someone else's parade.
> Before festivities get going in Leith Aberdeen host St Johnstone.
St Johnstone were befuddled as Dundee United blew them away last weekend and bemused after Hearts knocked them out of the Scottish Cup on Tuesday.
They remain fifth but Aberdeen are chasing them. Eighth, but on something of a roll, they could go sixth today and have both St Johnstone and Hearts in their sights.
I saw the new, improved Aberdeen draw 0-0 with the new, improved Hibs last week. It was a much better game compared to the clash the two had at Easter Road in September.
Same result though. 0-0. Which may show the ephemeral nature of "making an improvement" in this dysfunctional league of ours.
A draw today. A draw that won't delight anyone but won't really depress anyone either.
Like this? Like the Scottish Football Blog on Facebook.
Showing posts with label Aberdeen v St Johnstone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aberdeen v St Johnstone. Show all posts
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, July 23, 2011
SPL: Aberdeen v St Johnstone
The second of Saturday's three games and a look at what's in store for Aberdeen and St Johnstone.
I've a feeling both these sides will have been quite happy with the opening day's fixtures. A home game for Aberdeen and an away trip that won't overly scare St Johnstone.
Opening games often have a tentative, feet finding atmosphere and this one seems set up to be exactly that. A scoring draw, a pleasant handshake and everyone will be reasonably happy with their day's work.
Apparently Craig Brown said the week that people are too hung about his age. Maybe he's right. But it is surely worthy of some comment that he's still mustering such enthusiasm for the trials of an SPL season at the age of 71.
It's impressive and should be applauded. All hail the Pittodrie Methuselah, the only man in Scottish football old enough to be David Weir's grandad. More power to his (hopefully not arthritic) elbow.
I detect a quiet confidence about Brown though as he approaches his first full season in charge of Aberdeen. Last term he enjoyed the sort of bounce that many a new manager inspires in the short term before the Dons settled into a rut of mediocrity.
His challenge this year is to find sustained form and, while he's at it, inspire and cajole the supporters back through the turnstiles.
It's a hell of an ask, even for a man so rich in experience that he was born when Colin Firth was king and the Battle of Britain hadn't even begun.
Yet does that quiet confidence suggest the manager thinks his side could surprise a few people this season? As with his recruitment policy at Motherwell his signings have been a mix of the unheralded and the young and hungry. Brown, along with Archie Knox, backs himself to fashion from those signings the team he demands.
It's a formula that's worked for him before.
Two returning players offer experience and tales to tell. Chris Clark is back after a sojourn at Plymouth offering Brown the sort of versatility that will appeal.
And Ricky Foster's loan deal at Ibrox is over. The players seems ready for the challenge although a little local difficulty has already been reported in his relationship with the fans.
That won't bother Brown too much, he'll be confident that if Foster, Clark and the rest can do the job he expects them to do the recalcitrant and the stay away elements within the Pittodrie faithful will come on side.
The top six, perhaps even slightly better, might not be beyond Aberdeen this season.
Twitter tip: Kari Arnasan
Last season St Johnstone finished eighth in the SPL, and never looked in real danger of relegation, despite scoring only 23 goals. That was one less than relegated Hamilton managed and a hefty 34 less than the Perth Saints managed in finishing eighth the season before.
That consistency of league position despite the wildly fluctuating goal tally is proof of how obdurate Derek McInnes' defence was for him last season.
It must also make St Johnstone fans wonder what might have been had there been a goalscorer in place to capitalise on such strong foundation.
12 players have departed over the close season, a number of those misfiring strikers among them, and seven have been drafted in.
In a summer of Scottish footballing returns 35 year old Callum Davidson is back in Perth after 13 years spent in England.
Another returnee could make a bigger difference though as Cillian Sheridan joins up for second loan stint.
Sheridan's proved himself a consistent goalscorer over the years and McInnes will be hoping that his six month spell can get this season off to a positive start.
There's something admirable about what St Johnstone achieved last year with such a meagre goal return. But it's a risky strategy and one they won't want to repeat.
Depsite some of the departures I expect the defence to remain resolute, the foundation will again be place. Can Sherdian, or anyone, take advantage?
If they can then eighth place might well be the least of St Johnstone's ambitions. If they can't then eighth place would once again look a sound enough achievement.
The game
I've a feeling both these sides will have been quite happy with the opening day's fixtures. A home game for Aberdeen and an away trip that won't overly scare St Johnstone.
Opening games often have a tentative, feet finding atmosphere and this one seems set up to be exactly that. A scoring draw, a pleasant handshake and everyone will be reasonably happy with their day's work.
Aberdeen
Apparently Craig Brown said the week that people are too hung about his age. Maybe he's right. But it is surely worthy of some comment that he's still mustering such enthusiasm for the trials of an SPL season at the age of 71.
It's impressive and should be applauded. All hail the Pittodrie Methuselah, the only man in Scottish football old enough to be David Weir's grandad. More power to his (hopefully not arthritic) elbow.
I detect a quiet confidence about Brown though as he approaches his first full season in charge of Aberdeen. Last term he enjoyed the sort of bounce that many a new manager inspires in the short term before the Dons settled into a rut of mediocrity.
His challenge this year is to find sustained form and, while he's at it, inspire and cajole the supporters back through the turnstiles.
It's a hell of an ask, even for a man so rich in experience that he was born when Colin Firth was king and the Battle of Britain hadn't even begun.
Yet does that quiet confidence suggest the manager thinks his side could surprise a few people this season? As with his recruitment policy at Motherwell his signings have been a mix of the unheralded and the young and hungry. Brown, along with Archie Knox, backs himself to fashion from those signings the team he demands.
It's a formula that's worked for him before.
Two returning players offer experience and tales to tell. Chris Clark is back after a sojourn at Plymouth offering Brown the sort of versatility that will appeal.
And Ricky Foster's loan deal at Ibrox is over. The players seems ready for the challenge although a little local difficulty has already been reported in his relationship with the fans.
That won't bother Brown too much, he'll be confident that if Foster, Clark and the rest can do the job he expects them to do the recalcitrant and the stay away elements within the Pittodrie faithful will come on side.
The top six, perhaps even slightly better, might not be beyond Aberdeen this season.
Twitter tip: Kari Arnasan
St Johnstone
Last season St Johnstone finished eighth in the SPL, and never looked in real danger of relegation, despite scoring only 23 goals. That was one less than relegated Hamilton managed and a hefty 34 less than the Perth Saints managed in finishing eighth the season before.
That consistency of league position despite the wildly fluctuating goal tally is proof of how obdurate Derek McInnes' defence was for him last season.
It must also make St Johnstone fans wonder what might have been had there been a goalscorer in place to capitalise on such strong foundation.
12 players have departed over the close season, a number of those misfiring strikers among them, and seven have been drafted in.
In a summer of Scottish footballing returns 35 year old Callum Davidson is back in Perth after 13 years spent in England.
Another returnee could make a bigger difference though as Cillian Sheridan joins up for second loan stint.
Sheridan's proved himself a consistent goalscorer over the years and McInnes will be hoping that his six month spell can get this season off to a positive start.
There's something admirable about what St Johnstone achieved last year with such a meagre goal return. But it's a risky strategy and one they won't want to repeat.
Depsite some of the departures I expect the defence to remain resolute, the foundation will again be place. Can Sherdian, or anyone, take advantage?
If they can then eighth place might well be the least of St Johnstone's ambitions. If they can't then eighth place would once again look a sound enough achievement.
Saturday, May 07, 2011
SPL Today: Hamilton Hang On
Aberdeen v St Johnstone
Rumours that Aberdeen had buggered off on an early summer holiday proved to be exaggerated in last week's win over Inverness. A little northern light in a bleak end to the season.And St Johnstone scored at Easter Road. Not once but twice. In a win. Winning football games is relatively simple when you score more than the opposition. If St Johnstone had managed to do it more regularly they wouldn't be slumming it in the SPL bottom six, the Scout jumble sale of Scottish football.
A return to normal service today? I think so. A low scoring - could be no scoring - draw.
Dundee Utd v Motherwell
Tasked last weekend with having their say in the title race Dundee United and Motherwell both received a gubbing.So that probably wasn't how they planned it.
A chance to get back on track today. Motherwell have enjoyed a bit of form over United in the last few weeks.
And United need a win today to keep a bit of pressure up on Hearts in third place.
Who'll react better to last weekend's sobering thumpings?
If Motherwell don't fall into the understandable trap of treading water until the cup final then this could be a decent game.
I'll back the home win.
Hamilton v Hibernian
About to zip the body bag, an attentive attendant noticed a slight pulse. And so, for the time being, Hamilton have been spared.Little room for error though. Three wins could save them. Two wins and a draw could save them. But it's really out of their hands.
What they really need is a home game against a side who look to have given up on this season.
So they'll extend a warm welcome to Hibs who have managed in a solitary point in their last three games. All those games at home, all against teams below them in the league.
In a rare burst of optimism I'd say Hibs were favourites here. But I suspect Hamilton's fight and spirit won't be matched by their opponents.
That could make the difference.
Draw.
Inverness CT v St Mirren
An away win and St Mirren are home and dry in the SPL relegation battle. Even a point could do it.Inverness were abject in losing to Aberdeen and euphoric in beating Celtic. How will they react today?
Home win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)