AndyDD

Your head. It has gone.

I think this in particular is a good observation. The defenders haven't been comfortable when being pressed and they have not had the confidence or faith, either in themselves or the midfielders, to give them the short ball and try to break it that way. As you say, Sabatini is there constantly. Hopefully they can get that confidence and try it, because we play into the opposition hands with a lot of our clearances out of the back under pressure. We're not a long ball team, they want to play through the pitch, but we tend to fall back on the long ball when being subjected to an effective high press.

The gift that keeps on giving

Absolutely loved that, yesterday. Defensive solidity for the first time since, what, the opening game of the season? The hard work off the ball was back, the players took care of the ball a lot better than in the last couple games and we continue to hold an indian sign over Falkirk, who are absolutely sick, which makes it all the sweeter. It really does look like we are going to more or less repeat last season which, whilst not exactly progress, ought to have us in the playoffs.

Pity your side never managed that, then. Or any manner of goal, for that matter. Unlike Airdrie, who did score. But of course, the beautiful part is you greetin' about the freekick from which our goal came. It's delectable.

Clyde 1-3 Airdrieonians Dumbarton 0-0 East Fife Falkirk 1-1 Partick Thistle Forfar Athletic 2-1 Cove Rangers

Beautiful, isn't it?

^Tis I. A good listen, If I may say so. Regards the last two games; pretty shite, eh? We're 1 point worse off than we were 8 games into last season, so the hoped for 'fast start' hasn't materialised. We've a job on to match last season now but still, the reality is we're more or less where we were in a season that only lasted 1 game more than this one will. Could be well off the mark, but Crighton has seen a form dip compared to a pretty stellar season last year, coinciding pretty much with his role as a coach as well as Captain. One responsibility too many? Form can fluctuate regardless of this so just because we have correlation doesn't necessarily mean there is causation, but I'd agree with a lot of folk who have suggested giving him a break and dropping Kerr back in at centre half at some point soon. We managed to counter attack well last season on Falkirk so, I mean, maybe? But our form is honkin' and we'll need a drastic improvement to get anything from this one.

Cove 1-2 Clyde East Fife 2-0 Forfar Falkirk 0-1 Airdrieonians Montrose 0-0 Dumbarton Partick Thistle 1-0 Peterhead

Airdrie 2-1 Montrose Clyde 1-1 Falkirk Dumbarton 0-0 Cove Forfar 1-2 Partick Thistle Peterhead 0-2 East Fife

Why were Aberdeen fined, you ask? Because their players breached Covid 19 regulations. which apply to us all Aberdeen and Celtic have been fined £30,000 by the SPFL after players from both clubs breached Covid-19 rules. Eight Aberdeen first-team members visited a bar, where two contracted the virus, causing the postponement of three Scottish Premiership matches. Did Aberdeen successfully adhere to the rules of the SPFL, as a club? Why, yes, it turns out that the SPFL feel they did- In a statement, the SPFL said both clubs "offered substantial evidence in mitigation" after they were charged separately for their players' actions. A spokesman added that both "had gone to enormous lengths to ensure that their players adhered to all relevant requirements and protocols relating to Covid-19" which is why the majority of the fine is suspended. In short, during club time, all the rules were followed. That did not happen with Kilmarnock, as the club themselves have now admitted.

Kilmarnock had too many players self isolating to be able to play the match. Aberdeen did not have too many players self isolating to be able to fulfill the matches. Kilmarnock as a club have been found to have failed to adhere to rules they agreed to adhere to. Aberdeen as a club successfully adhered to them. Apple, meet orange.

The fact that Celtic and Aberdeen were found not to have breached any of the SPFL guidelines themselves, whereas Killie and St Mirren have, would constitute a fairly significant difference. Indeed, the fact remains that Celtic and Aberdeen could have fielded a team had they been allowed to, whereas Kilmarnock and St Mirren could not? The suggestion that there's a fine margin between this case and the cases of the players being dafties in their own spare time is for the birds. This is breaches by the clubs, contravention of, or the outright ignoring of, rules they had signed up to. The prior cases were quite pointedly NOT that. You'd still like to think that a different punishment could have been found. It should have been more severe than that which was meted out to Aberdeen and Celtic, but did it have to be this one? Maybe the clubs would rather this than a substantial fine, in the current financial climate... surely not.

Not by the domestic football authorities, there hasn't. UEFA have. FIFA have. But not the SPFL or equivalents, because strict liability has been resisted. The Police said they are investigating and will be prosecuting, yes? Then, at the moment, that's the relevant authority taking the relevant action. Strict Liability would mean clubs are punishable for the actions of their fans, rather than just the fans themselves. It is in use buy EUFA, hence the fines for singing and pyro etc. It is not in use here. I don't like it, myself, but that's the way the mop flops. Celtic and Rangers have the most to lose from strict liability and that's why it's incredibly unlikely to ever come into force here.

There's a reason clubs refuse to adopt strict liability, and you've just pointed it out. This is quite different. This is not fans and how the conduct themselves within or outwith the ground. That compares very differently to the guilty plea from the clubs themselves, admitting they breached covid guidelines they themselves had signed up to and promised to adhere to. Unless Clyde have done the same here, then they should avoid the same punishment. If they are found to have also breached rules they signed up to follow, then congratulations to East Fife on the comfortable victory.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55176197 Could this have ramifications for East Fife V Clyde? Presumably they'd need to have a similar final result from their investigation, but that's a precedent now set...

I don't think that's at all fair; first of all, since the initial lockdown I don't believe any physical business, regardless of size, has been able to operate as normal. Outwith the online retailers, there has been adjustments forced upon all and sundry by governmental approaches to combating community spread. At the moment, football as an industry doesn't really have an economic argument to justify the increased risk of infection spread from letting some season ticket holders in. Retail does. The comparison that Cormack and Doncaster and co keep bringing up is on that basis inherently flawed. With vaccine roll outs set to start as early as the impending month, it would appear that any and all restrictions do indeed have a clear shelf-life. It seems highly likely that none of the restrictions in place across any industry will still be in place one year from now. I imagine, on the basis of supporter loyalty and the fact that next season looks likely to be 'back to normal' for attendances for most, if not all of the season, that the season ticket sales will keep pace, or even increase. This assumes the vaccines work out as expected, sure, but there is no evidence that they won't as things currently stand. The 3 clubs that have made that move, yes, they need the fans back financially more than the other top flight clubs, but I mean, that is a pretty weak argument to use if trying to counter the overall economic difference between the industry as a whole and the retail industry. 3 clubs out of 42. That was a silly move by them, it would seem.

Maybe. But the reaction to him replacing Lennon would be hilarious. 'The guy who failed at Raith Rovers and cannae get a gig anywhere else???' etc etc. He has very vocally thrown his hat into every ring going, the last wee while, so I'd expect outrage all around. It'd be funny as f**k.

Those people in Braehead and other shopping centres, or in cinemas or bingo halls or wherever else, will be spending fresh money. Doncaster and Cormack themselves said they'd only be looking for restricted numbers, aka some season ticket holders, to be allowed in. That would mean no fresh money being spent, no fresh money going into the businesses, no economic positive to balance out the increased risk of infection spread. People inside shops equates to an increased risk of infection spread whilst fresh economic activity takes place. Season ticket holders inside stadiums equates to a risk of infection without any fresh economic activity. Isn't this the fundamental difference? The tangible benefit to folk shopping or going to the pictures from a economic standpoint, balanced against the potential for increased spread, versus no economic benefit to pretty much anyone, balanced against the potential for increased infection spread, from some season ticket holders like us going to games rather than streaming them in the house?

I voted for Hughes simply because I thought it was funniest, but now I've realised I missed Malky Mackay, who would arguably be even funnier. Either of those, please.

Clyde 0-1 Forfar Cove 2-1 Montrose East Fife 1-2 Airdrie Falkirk 2-0 Peterhead Partick Thistle 2-1 Dumbarton

Aye that's true, clearly a sign of progress for Roy. I suppose we'll find out tomorrow.

https://www.idlehandsduffy.com/post/diamond-watches-forfar-1-3-airdrieonians Was good to see them getting right back at it after two bad results in the cup. I still don't think they did much wrong in those games, to be fair. We were just so profligate with out chances against City, but we created more chances in that match than we did Vs Clyde. We then competed well for 55 mins or so against Livi before getting bodied. So in hindsight, it shouldnae be a surprise that we took care of Forfar with relative ease. Bigger test tomorrow, and consistency disnae really exist in this league, but if we do make it three wins on the bounce all of a sudden we're right in amongst the early running. Bit concerned by the match preview saying Connell and Gallagher are fitness doubts. We'd miss them both.