League Cup 2018/19 Group B

[Poet of the Macabre]

3 hours ago, ali_91 said:

Good - Ross County getting beat means a win and we should be top seeds.

Maybe. I'd expect Pars, Livi and either Thistle/Ayr to finish above you, with a realistic chance Alloa and ICT could do the same.

I'm sure Tommy Wright will be happy just to get through.

[Guest bernardblack]

We looked very good tonight. Playing the ball around and pressing at every opportunity.

Montrose fans used to Yano aimlessly hoofing the ball up the park at every opportunity yet?

[RandomGuy.]

6 hours ago, Poet of the Macabre said:

Maybe. I'd expect Pars, Livi and either Thistle/Ayr to finish above you, with a realistic chance Alloa and ICT could do the same.

I'm sure Tommy Wright will be happy just to get through.

Alloa would need to beat County, and Inverness beat Hearts, for those to finish above us. We're currently on the exact same points and goal difference as Livingston, so that could go either way. 

As you say though, Dunfermline look certs to get 12, and Partick v Ayr should mean one of those get 12.

Not convinced 11 wouldn't be enough for one of the two spaces left considering though. 

This is all on the assumption we beat Forfar, which isn't a given. 

[Radford]

I suppose seeding is beneficial because you avoid the four European entrants but it's hard to get too excited about something that could still see us potentially drawn away at Tynecastle, for example.

Forfar fans will be loving all this chat though. First we insult their bridies, now the chat is all about seeding.

I'd expect Anderson to drop out on the plastic pitch at Station Park, and Alston to come back into the midfield. Fitness allowing, Kennedy will start too I reckon and we'll go back to 4-4-2 as these pitches don't make for a controlled, passing approach.

[Loondave1]

We looked very good tonight. Playing the ball around and pressing at every opportunity.

Montrose fans used to Yano aimlessly hoofing the ball up the park at every opportunity yet?

First look for me last night. We looked fit and knocked it about reasonably. Deffo no repeat of last years disastrous start. Mid table to playoffs i reckon. Yanno will struggle at this level and Roscoe played better than i expected but Montrose will need better for Lg 1. Cautiously optimistic..

[PauloPerth]

Another tough game. We haven't blown anyone away so far, so no reason to expect it now. Forfar might be a bit jaded after their Wednesday night exertions, sometimes harder for part-time teams to get the recovery in with 2 games in 3 days, plus with a smaller squad less scope for rotation I'd imagine.

I'm sure they'll be right up for it now they know a win guarantees they're through to the knockout phase though.

For Saints, really got to go for the win; a draw would see us through but avoiding the top 4 if we did qualify would definitely be the preference.

[RandomGuy.]

Apparently Davidson and Scougall both "felt an illness" after the game on Tuesday. Be a blow if they both miss out. 

Is Kane likely to be fit enough for the bench? 

[Skyline Drifter]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Alloa would need to beat County, and Inverness beat Hearts, for those to finish above us. We're currently on the exact same points and goal difference as Livingston, so that could go either way. 

As you say though, Dunfermline look certs to get 12, and Partick v Ayr should mean one of those get 12.

Not convinced 11 wouldn't be enough for one of the two spaces left considering though. 

This is all on the assumption we beat Forfar, which isn't a given. 

Berwick are nowhere near as good as Forfar though and Livi are at home whilst you are away. Not disputing it could go either way but Livi have a sliightly better scenario than you.

Alloa are better than Arbroath (they thumped Arbroath last week) and Arbroath scudded County at home last night. Which proves nothing of course but you can't dismiss it either.

Still, unless Inverness win in 90 mins at Tynecastle, then two teams with 11 points will likely get seeded. You've certainly got a chance.

1 hour ago, Radford said:

I suppose seeding is beneficial because you avoid the four European entrants but it's hard to get too excited about something that could still see us potentially drawn away at Tynecastle, for example.

This. Whether you want seeded or not largely depends on whether you want to get a chance to play one of the big four with the best gates now or want a half chance to go a round further first. The other four seeds will be much of a much with the 8 non seeds to be honest and four of those games will likely be coin flips.

Based on the two recent games we had (and I accept one was a friendly Naismith and Lafferty didn't play in) I'd much rather face Hearts away than Motherwell.

[RandomGuy.]

5 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Berwick are nowhere near as good as Forfar though and Livi are at home whilst you are away. Not disputing it could go either way but Livi have a sliightly better scenario than you.

Alloa are better than Arbroath (they thumped Arbroath last week) and Arbroath scudded County at home last night. Which proves nothing of course but you can't dismiss it either.

Still, unless Inverness win in 90 mins at Tynecastle, then two teams with 11 points will likely get seeded. You've certainly got a chance.

Aye, can definitely see Livingston being above us. County fans are suggesting they played a weakened team, and then also went a man down, so that result seems a bit of a misnomer. Hearts should at least draw with ICT. 

As you say though, cups been a bit unpredictable so far, we've every chance of losing away to Forfar. 

[Loonytoons]

2 hours ago, Radford said:

I suppose seeding is beneficial because you avoid the four European entrants but it's hard to get too excited about something that could still see us potentially drawn away at Tynecastle, for example.

Forfar fans will be loving all this chat though. First we insult their bridies, now the chat is all about seeding.

I'd expect Anderson to drop out on the plastic pitch at Station Park, and Alston to come back into the midfield. Fitness allowing, Kennedy will start too I reckon and we'll go back to 4-4-2 as these pitches don't make for a controlled, passing approach.

Personally would rather have grass at Station Park but plastic pitches are surely perfect for the controlled passing approach, no divots, bumps, bare bits etc. 

Hoofball, however, they most certainly aren't good for.

[Skyline Drifter]

6 hours ago, Loonytoons said:

Personally would rather have grass at Station Park but plastic pitches are surely perfect for the controlled passing approach, no divots, bumps, bare bits etc. 

Hoofball, however, they most certainly aren't good for.

Yeah this too. I nearly bit at Radford's wee dig but left it. Provided the pitch is slick enough (which is a problem with the current dry spell as even watering it up to kick off evaporates pretty quickly) it's pretty much ideal for controlled quick passing.

[SlipperyP]

If we win on Saturday is that us through?

[RandomGuy.]

3 minutes ago, SlipperyP said:

If we win on Saturday is that us through?

Are you a Forfar fan? (serious question, you don't see teams on the app) 

If so, then yes. Your goals scored is already better, and a 1-0 win matches up goal difference. So any Forfar win in 90 minutes has them through as group winners and puts us out. 

A genuine possibility considering we're not scoring a huge amount. 

[Skyline Drifter]

4 minutes ago, SlipperyP said:

If we win on Saturday is that us through?

Yes, a 90 minute win by any score for Forfar wins the group.

It's unlikely but no completely impossible that 8 points for runner up will get St Johnstone through though. And even less chance that you would go through as runner up with 7 or less.

[SlipperyP]

Are you a Forfar fan? (serious question, you don't see teams on the app) 
If so, then yes. Your goals scored is already better, and a 1-0 win matches up goal difference. So any Forfar win in 90 minutes has them through as group winners and puts us out. 
A genuine possibility considering we're not scoring a huge amount. 

Yes I'm a Forfar fan from afar.
Bit of a cup final for us. Hope there is big crowd!

[SlipperyP]

Yes, a 90 minute win by any score for Forfar wins the group.
It's unlikely but no completely impossible that 8 points for runner up will get St Johnstone through though. And even less chance that you would go through as runner up with 7 or less.

Cheers for that.
If St Johns chucked the game 1-0, what would have happen for them to still get through.
I'm asking as I will have a word about landing a bung in their massive bank account.

[Guest bernardblack]

Plastic pitch not good for passing??

Heard it all now

[Skyline Drifter]

31 minutes ago, SlipperyP said:

Cheers for that.
If St Johns chucked the game 1-0, what would have happen for them to still get through.
I'm asking as I will have a word about landing a bung in their massive bank account.

Well they are already guaranteed to be worse than the runner up in Groups A & E. Of the other 5 groups, they would need four of the following to happen:

C - Inverness beat Hearts, either outright or on penalties.
D - Brechin beat Dundee, either outright or on penalties.
F - Berwick beat Livingston by a two goal margin OR Hamilton beat Airdrie, either outright or on penalties.
G - Clyde beat Motherwell outright
H - St Mirren fail to beat Dumbarton in 90 minutes OR Queen's Park beat Kilmarnock in 90 minutes.

I suppose Inverness might beat Hearts, Hamilton should beat Airdrie and St Mirren failing to beat Dumbarton over 90 mins wouldn't be a massive shock either. Wins for Brechin and Clyde are longer shots though and you need 4 out of 5 to happen if St Johnstone lose by a goal.

[SlipperyP]

Well they are already guaranteed to be worse than the runner up in Groups A & E. Of the other 5 groups, they would need four of the following to happen:
C - Inverness beat Hearts, either outright or on penalties.
D - Brechin beat Dundee, either outright or on penalties.
F - Berwick beat Livingston by a two goal margin OR Hamilton beat Airdrie, either outright or on penalties.
G - Clyde beat Motherwell outright
H - St Mirren fail to beat Dumbarton in 90 minutes OR Queen's Park beat Kilmarnock in 90 minutes.
I suppose Inverness might beat Hearts, Hamilton should beat Airdrie and St Mirren failing to beat Dumbarton over 90 mins wouldn't be a massive shock either. Wins for Brechin and Clyde are longer shots though and you need 4 out of 5 to happen if St Johnstone lose by a goal.

Looks good!
Off to see the Saudi prince as I type.
TBH We'll pump them, biggest game for them all season...apart from their playoff v Dunfermline next April/June

[Radford]

I'll take the word of someone who plays on these artificial pitches, for those taking issue. Saints defender Richard Foster: 

"It’s an astro pitch which is likely to be dry and sticky, which slows the game down. We struggled a bit at Montrose on that sort of surface. We couldn’t pass the ball about like we did against Falkirk. It is a bit of a leveller and they will be right up for it. So we are expecting another tough game.”

@Loonytoons @Skyline Drifter @bernardblack