"The ICT Thread - The Championship Years"

[vikingTON]

11 hours ago, Juanjo Nostalgia said:

Aye, but if we didn’t shit the bed for three months in the middle of last season we would have won the league. We had the best team in the league that year, comfortably beat Killie, Partick, Arbroath, etc. over the course of the season and then chucked away points to the likes of Hamilton. It was a golden opportunity of a season wasted.

The fact that you dropped points to lots of shite teams, over the course of three months the season, and ended up with a lower points total than other teams in the division, all entirely contradict your claim that you had 'the best team in the league'. 

[PB1994]

38 minutes ago, virginton said:

The fact that you dropped points to lots of shite teams, over the course of three months the season, and ended up with a lower points total than other teams in the division, all entirely contradict your claim that you had 'the best team in the league'. 

I wouldn’t have gone as far as we have the best team in the league, as was mentioned, but we had one that was capable of challenging for the title and possible winning it. As we had /have a below average manager that has meant the players haven’t performed to the level they are capable of consistently over the season.

Its not just a case of looking at the results and thinking he’s doing alright. Even when we have won games some of the football we have played has been absolutely horrendous. You can get away with that if you are winning but as soon as you are on the end of some bad results it can change quickly.

Edited May 17, 2023 by PB1994

[Caley Shaun]

This next point I'm going to state just shows how shit our season was: AIRDRIE have just beaten Accies 1-0 yet we LOST THREE out of 4 times to a team ninety minutes away from relegation and possibly having to go part time!!

 

I totally agree with you @PB1994, our style of play is just as bad as the manager and assistant that are employing that said tactics.

[NorthStand10]

8 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

Even when we have won games some of the football we have played has been absolutely horrendous. 

The championship isn’t a league for playing nice stuff and very few teams have had success trying it. Killie, County, Livi, Arbroath etc have all had success while making your eyes bleed playing a punt it 4-4-2. 
 

I’m not having a go or saying it’s perfectly fine to constantly play unattractive football, but it’s proven to be effective in this league and after 6 seasons in the championship I’m not sure many of us care in what style we get promoted.

[Juanjo Nostalgia]

1 hour ago, virginton said:

The fact that you dropped points to lots of shite teams, over the course of three months the season, and ended up with a lower points total than other teams in the division, all entirely contradict your claim that you had 'the best team in the league'. 

Fair point! I guess I meant the highest ceiling/best potential - us on our best day was better than anyone else on theirs.

[PB1994]

4 minutes ago, NorthStand10 said:

The championship isn’t a league for playing nice stuff and very few teams have had success trying it. Killie, County, Livi, Arbroath etc have all had success while making your eyes bleed playing a punt it 4-4-2. 
 

I’m not having a go or saying it’s perfectly fine to constantly play unattractive football, but it’s proven to be effective in this league and after 6 seasons in the championship I’m not sure many of us care in what style we get promoted.

You’re absolutely right.

I wasn’t really commenting on the style that we play, I’m not sure we really have one? You can play long ball football well/badly and short stuff the same. It was more a comment on the general performances. We seem to win games without putting in good performances, which in itself isn’t really a bad thing, but when it seems to be a general theme with our wins it doesn’t leave a lot of good will in the bank for when we start losing games.

A lot of the time I’ve come away from games thinking we’ve got a result because we’ve got some quality players, at this level, despite the tactics that the manager wants us to play.

I don’t think you can doubt that Dodds is a good coach I just don’t think he is a good manager. Think he’d be a great number 2 with someone in charge who can be in control of the tactical side of the game.

[NorthStand10]

47 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

You’re absolutely right.

I wasn’t really commenting on the style that we play, I’m not sure we really have one? 

I agree, he used the 4-4-2 / 4-2-4 initially which was a clear and effective style until dropping Duku around October - I think changing a working system back then was a mistake which sounds ridiculous considering McKay is a better player.

Since then it’s slightly similar to Robertsons 4-2-3-1 with more emphasis on crossing the ball, until in Dodds’ own words we run out of ideas against teams that sit in and we go long. This needs addressing in the summer.

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by NorthStand10

[SandyCromarty]

I see numerous recent posts from North Stand and Sophia, no doubt awkwardly attempting to defend the indefensible, fortunately I have had them both on ignore for the last weeks to avoid the drivel and the forum is all the better for me.

[SandyCromarty]

22 hours ago, Marinello said:

Anyone having difficulty with the cup final online ticket purchasing system?

What's the problem?

[RiG]

Good to see Scotrail organise a special train for the game. Surprised that one was put on as one of the services taking folk down for the SF was apparently left in some state by a few ICT fans.

[NorthStand10]

2 hours ago, SandyCromarty said:

I see numerous recent posts from North Stand and Sophia, no doubt awkwardly attempting to defend the indefensible, fortunately I have had them both on ignore for the last weeks to avoid the drivel and the forum is all the better for me.

On ignore but you’re still talking about us, stay obsessed!

Edited May 18, 2023 by NorthStand10

[SandyCromarty]

41 minutes ago, RiG said:

Good to see Scotrail organise a special train for the game. Surprised that one was put on as one of the services taking folk down for the SF was apparently left in some state by a few ICT fans.

First I heard of it, so what happened, was it litter of damage?

[CityDave94]

15 hours ago, NorthStand10 said:

I agree, he used the 4-4-2 / 4-2-4 initially which was a clear and effective style until dropping Duku around October - I think changing a working system back then was a mistake which sounds ridiculous considering McKay is a better player.

Since then it’s slightly similar to Robertsons 4-2-3-1 with more emphasis on crossing the ball, until in Dodds’ own words we run out of ideas against teams that sit in and we go long. This needs addressing in the summer.

 

I find this revert to long ball if everything else fails interesting, we used to do it deliberate the first time Robbo was manager and during Brewsters 2 terms. Sometimes we had the players who could play that way, example having a striker that had height and strength to beat defenders to flick headers behind him for a smaller striker who can steal a yard like Wyness or Dargo feeding off this, Robbo having two strikers up front. Having McKay up front all alone and reverting to hoofing balls up to him never worked in 2012 or 2015 as it doesn't in 2023, not playing to strengths. I remember Butcher going mental at his defence continually hoofing the ball up the pitch only for the ball to be returned by the opposition. Hoof ball was a big part of our downfall 2009, always remember that last game against Falkirk before the game started Falkirk defenders were openly in front of everyone practising heading back long balls in front of the Main Stand, they knew if they sat in we would revert to this and we did. Too easy to play against in the late 00's, completely naive, its not even a tactic now.

Anyone, did anyone see any emotion from Dodds when we revert to hoofball, like shouting at players to pass the ball out spread play about? I sit nearer the away dugout so I don't really see what goes on. Surely this grinds his gears when players don't follow the plan.

[RiG]

4 hours ago, SandyCromarty said:

First I heard of it, so what happened, was it litter of damage?

Damage to the toilets, abusing other passengers / staff, being sick on the train.

[CityDave94]

Has ICTFCwife been binned?

[Central Belt Caley]

1 hour ago, approximately dave said:

Has ICTFCwife been binned?

I think so but @Lucyintheskywithdiamonds has an awfully similar looking dog from the Show us your dogs thread but I could be mistaken 

[Lucyintheskywithdiamonds]

18 minutes ago, Central Belt Caley said:

I think so but @Lucyintheskywithdiamonds has an awfully similar looking dog from the Show us your dogs thread but I could be mistaken 

Perhaps my dog has a doppelgänger 

[Lucyintheskywithdiamonds]

1 hour ago, approximately dave said:

Has ICTFCwife been binned?

Hard to say her comments seem to be on the thread .However,it does say guestictfcwife 

[CityDave94]

3 minutes ago, Lucyintheskywithdiamonds said:

Hard to say her comments seem to be on the thread .However,it does say guestictfcwife 

Aye, I've seen this before a few times, guest usually appears when the account has been disabled.

 

[SandyCromarty]

16 hours ago, RiG said:

Damage to the toilets, abusing other passengers / staff, being sick on the train.

Shocking behaviour which I assume was adolescent.