What a write off of a season. I didn't expect much going into it to be honest, but I did think we would finish 4th and not doing so, in my book, is a failure. The table doesn't lie - Queen of the South deserve to be there ahead of us and fair play to them, but I think serious questions have to be asked as to why we will, barring a miracle, be finishing 5th.
Houston's signings in the main, as we know, have not been good enough - but this has been been more of a problem this year with the competition being much stiffer compared to other years when Pressley and Holt have perhaps had a bit more leniency to sign dross and get away with it. His tactics could be called into question, although not too many people were complaining about the football being played in our long unbeaten run at the start of the year. Too many draws will ultimately cost us, but the fact we have missed Loy so much has been incredibly worrying and doesn't look good for next season if we are so reliable on one player to make us tick. I do think the people, especially on One F, who have called for Houston to go are going a bit far - I'd give him all of next season to see where we are at the end of a campaign which hasn't been such a freak league.
As for the semi next week - I am fearing the worst. If Loy, as we all expect, won't be playing - we also have various other first teamers who we are all too aware can't play. The fact we can't seem to score, have a back line which is looking increasingly fragile, and are playing a Hibs team that will be buoyant after deservedly beating Hearts today, is not making me optimistic at all.