Scottish Premiership (and SPFL in general) 2016/17

[Illgresi]

I've made a thread about this before, and understandably, it's been shut down. I'd like to give it one last go before I give up completely. I know there are fans of Scottish teams around here, and I'd love for any Celtic/Rangers nonsense to be kept out of here (unless of course it's relevent). In other words; please give it a chance!

In my opinion, Scottish football is the up-and-coming league in europe. In the four years since Rangers went into liquidation, we have had seven different winners of the domestic cup competitions, and (Celtic excluded) a general rise in attendances. My team Aberdeen have run Celtic closely in the past two seasons, and in the past year we have seen a resurgent Hearts. Hibernian have won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years. Rangers have been promoted to the Premiership for the first time since they were reformed in the bottom division.

I feel we are set for an epic year of football. Unfortunately, we have some complete idiots running the SFA (this is my opinion, but I doubt any Scottish football fans will disagree). However, I'd love for a place where we can discuss Scottish football.

I'd like this to be a positive thread, because hell knows it, our governing body won't big us up!

 

[Illgresi]

Would be interested to see your photos!

Have seen the goals on RedTV. Wasn't there, but by all accounts Brechin seemed tougher than last years friendly. Excited and nervous for Thursday, no way to really know how good this team are.

For example Kairat are still lower ranked than Aberdeen, yet they've had millions invested in their squad. We still were the better team though, and should have beaten them.

I'm driving from Perth to the game Thursday if you fancy something else in red and white!? ;D

 

[Illgresi]

I don't wish this to sound derogatory, but I think the Brechin game has become a common fixture, and we send you players now and then; do you like your club's relationship with Aberdeen?

Personally, you play in red and white, so you're automatically better than Montrose/Forfar/Arbroath.

Would i not need to have already got a ticket for Thursday? Not expecting it to be a full stadium but I know how you big league boys enjoy a ticket only gate

Aye, but I'm a season ticket, so I could sort you out if you were game..

 

[Illgresi]

Hopefully I'm wrong, but these are my predictions/thoughts:

Scottish Football will never improve unless there is a major shakeup of the whole thing. This includes the ruling body and the league formats.

For starters, there is still a pointless split in the league fixtures, which means that before the season has even started it has caused animosity between clubs and the ruling bodies.

We will still have stadiums being policed with an iron fist and allowing fans to have no fun at all. "You're singing a song?? How dare you, sit down and shut up" Is pretty much how it goes.

Teams will defend in numbers and look to hoof the ball up the park at any given opportunity.

Fans of the so-called smaller clubs will continue to only fill their stadium when one of either Rangers or Celtic are in town, but continue to complain that they have no money and cannot compete due to a lack of finances.

There will be so much hatred between rival fans this season that the whole country may well just implode!

For probably the first time, the split worked rather well last season. It helped keep things exciting right up until near the end of the season.

I agree about authorities trying to suck the fun out of the game. The sanitising of football is one of my main gripes about the game in the present. It's a difficult one for the authorities to deal with. That said, I doubt if the useless chumps that run our game even care. The recent restructuring into the SPFL which included renaming the leagues Premiership, Championship,... etc is cringeworthy and tells you all you need to know about the way the game is run here.

That said, I have to disagree with the hoof the ball comment. Far fewer teams (in the first tier at least) try these tactics any more. There has been a real push in the past 5 or so years of teams trying to get the ball down and play. That isn't to say teams don't come to Pittodrie and sit with ten men behind the ball, but most at least try to break with pace instead of leaving a big lump of a striker up.

Illgresi, think I'll just watch the Poland match on Thursday as much it would be good to see Aberdeen play again. However I did witness my worst game of football up at Pittodrie when i was at uni. A preseason game against Rapid Vienna.......nothing rapid about it apart from the exit i made from the stadium afterwards

No bother, was a pretty nerve-racking game to be honest. A significantly better team than you would believe given they were semi-pro. At least a top-end Scottish 2nd tier standard. They defended resolutely and their keeper had a stormer; though our fitness showed towards the end of the game with Hayes and McGinn running them ragged. In truth we were far from our peak performance, and it should have been 5-1 with two perfectly good goals inexplicably dissallowed. A bit more luck and it could have been a cricket score. I just hope the away goal doesn't come back to bite us. Might have to have a whisky or two on Thursday evening while I watch!

I watched the highlights of our potential next round opponents (Ventspils 2 - 0 Vikingur), and Fola Esch look better than both!

If the clubs could agree to split all monies equally, then playing each team twice a season could work. TV revenue, gate receipts etc.

I would personally like to see a 16 team top league, a 16 team second league, then a 10 team bottom league.

Unfortunately, the authorities would never go for a league system that would permit only two Celtic vs Rangers games a season. If it was up to them they'd have a league of two.

Strongly disagree with splitting gate receipts as well.

I would personally like to see two top leagues of 16 teams, although imo both leagues would have to be professional to have any credibility and I don't think we have that many professional clubs do we? I'd then drop the bottom division, and jump right into a semi-pro regionalised system.

 

[Illgresi]

Scottish teams Europa Leauge results from tonight:

Aberdeen 3 - 0 Ventspils - Three late goals secure a victory for Aberdeen. They should be through.
Birkirkara 0 - 0 Hearts - Hearts should win the return leg and get through.
Hibernian 0 - 1 Brondby IF - Neil Lennon sent off in his first competitive game. Great to have him back in Scottish football isn't it? That's probably Hibs out of Europe already as well.

The 3rd round draw takes place later today.

Aberdeen or Ventspils vs Maribor or Levski Sofia

Hearts or Birkirkara vs Krasnodar

Hertha Berliin vs Hibs or Brondby

On the face of it, I think Aberdeen have the kindest draw here. I can't believe for a second that either are as good as Rijeka or Groningen, and neither are as good as Kairat Almaty (whom we really should have beaten last year).

Good luck to Hearts fans (if they make it through) travelling to Krasnodar; not a region I'd particularly like visiting.

If Hibs beat Brondby (by all accounts they played quite well and were unlucky), I think it's safe to say they'll struggle against Hertha.

Would be great if all three go through.

Reasonably happy with a 0-0 and hoping that Hearts can score at Tynecastle, the match reports suggested they were well on top for most of the game.

Well done to Aberdeen, it would take a monumental collapse for them not to go through now.

I think Hibs probably had the toughest draw so were unlucky in that sense. Lennon obviously hasn't lost his combative nature though.

To be quite honest, Ventspils looked significantly poorer than Fola Esch. I think the result in Luxembourg clearly hit home with the players as their attitude last night was superb. Hopefully they've learned their lesson and take the correct attitude over there next season.

17 and 15 points isn't that close considering we only lost 4 games in the whole of last season.

I'm a Celtic fan btw and our result on Tuesday wasn't too clever but we'll surely turn it round if Ambrose doesn't play. Rodgers has to take some of the blame though, play a guy that scored 40 goals last season at right mid/wing and continue to play Ambrose? Christie looked way out of his depth too.

The points gap is misleading though, given that you didn't officially win the league until the 8th of May, at which point our players were clearly on the beach.

We've strengthened our depth this summer with more options up front which also provide us more tactical options. I think we've been guilty of only have a plan A recently, and that should change. I fully expect us to close the gap again this coming season.

 

[Illgresi]

Feel like Motherwell came out looking for a draw in the second half. So negative it was dreadful. Not like Mark McGhee to be so tactically inept... Thought Rangers had a lot of good attacking movement, but better teams will punish that defence. Rather looking forward to Aberdeen Rangers games on the basis of that evidence.

Not sure why Chris Sutton was so far up Krancjar's behind. I thought he was absolutely torrid when he came on. Was good to hear Michael Stewart put him in his place numerous times (Sutton that is).

 

[Illgresi]

What do you think of the new format? I'm hoping it'll be a long time until aberdeen are involved at this stage, but I think it's pretty good. It's like a tougher pre-season, meaning most teams should started the league campaign flying.

Also loving the idea of u20s, Welsh and N.Irish teams being involved in the Challenge Cup. Hoping Aberdeen can get a good run this year.

 

[Illgresi]

Good win for Celtic today. Astana next which is some trip!

Got to watch out for Kazakh teams. I thought Kairat looked very accomplished last year. That said, I think most Dons fans, the manager and the players all felt we should have beaten them. Celtic should be beating them, but it's by no means a fait accompli that you'll win.


Good solid result for Aberdeen tonight, although not a sparkling performance. That's three teams with a higher coefficient we've beaten in the past three years; a very good record. Would be great to go a round further this year and beat Maribor. If we get in the playoff, who knows what could happen.

Dreadfully disappointing for Hibs, and the Hearts result was shameful frankly.

 

[Illgresi]

Embarrassing result for Hearts, just couldn't make the superiority count and missing a penalty when it was 0-0 started to give the feeling that maybe it wasn't going to be their day.

Are you in the 'Neilson out' camp?

 

[Illgresi]

You'll probably have to beat Falkirk won't you? Otherwise Stirling will still be above you on goal difference (assuming they don't get an absolute pumping off St Johnstone).

Still, great result last night!

And for Peterhead. Disappointed Dunfermline and Berwick didn't hold on.

 

[Illgresi]

I think we'll have to either go for same again, draw with a win on penalties or an outright win to get the automatic spot assuming that St Johnstone will win. Other than that we might have to do the same and be one of the best 3rd placed teams to hopefully go through. Last time we played Falkirk though we lost 2 - 1 but if the guys can get anywhere close to the performance of last night we'll at least give ourselves a chance.

EDIT

Wonder if Londonbairn will be going to the game!

Sorry to break the news to you mate, but it's the four best 2nd place teams that qualify!

 

[Illgresi]

It's almost soul destroying when you concede an away goal. Especially given:

http://www.flashscores.co.uk/match/ANs4F0K7/#match-statistics;0

Fantastic game otherwise. Their central defence looks as dodgy as ours. We can do it!

 

[Illgresi]

League cup draw:

The Rangers v Peterhead
Dundee Utd v Partick Thistle
Celtic v Motherwell
Hamilton v Morton
Hibernian v QotS
St Johnstone v Hearts
Alloa v ICT
Ayr Utd v Aberdeen

Quelle surprise, The Rangers and Celtic at home.

 

[Illgresi]

I don't know what you're on about, but I'm from Glasgow, and that's what all my mates call them. Well actually it's more like 'eh Rainjurs'.

 

[Illgresi]

Anyone who knows or follows Scottish football, knows that 'The Rangers' is used by rival fans as a sly dig in reference to everything that happened regarding the admin and the whole 'new club' nonsense.

For you to deny any knowledge of this is laughable.

Considering you were the one who asked for nonsense to be left out of this thread, it's highly ironic that you have started it. Well done.

If I had wanted to refer to Rangers liquidation I could have used any number of terms. But I didn't, and you are the one who is trying to derail this thread. That's the last I will say on the matter; there are far more important things to discuss.


The Irn Bru Chellenge cup starts (started) tonight, here are the fixtures:

19:30
Clyde v Partick Thistle U20

19:30
Ross County U20 v Brora Rangers

19:45
Berwick Rangers v Spartans

19:45
Celtic U20 v Annan Athletic

19:45
Cove Rangers v Dundee U20

19:45
East Stirlingshire v Montrose

19:45
Formartine v Aberdeen U20

19:45
Inverness CT U20 v Arbroath

19:45
Motherwell U20 v Edinburgh City

19:45
Queen's Park v Kilmarnock U20

19:45
St. Johnstone U20 v Turriff Utd

19:45
Stirling Albion v Hearts U20

Hearts and celtic currently 1 - 0 down. Really intrigued by this new cup format, and looking forward to see if our youths can go on a bit of a run.

Edit to say, there are two further fixtures:

03/08 20:00
Cumbernauld Colts vs Hamilton U20

10/08 19:30
Rangers U20 vs Stirling University

 

[Illgresi]

Clyde 0-5 Partick Thistle U20
Ross County U20 E Brora Rangers
Berwick Rangers 0-3 Spartans
Celtic U20 5-1 Annan Athletic
Cove Rangers 2-1 Dundee U20
East Stirlingshire 0-3 Montrose
Formartine 2-5 Aberdeen U20
Inverness CT U20 0-3 Arbroath
Motherwell U20 2-1 Edinburgh City
Queen's Park 5-2 Kilmarnock U20
St. Johnstone U20 1-2 Turriff Utd
Stirling Albion 2-3 Hearts U20

Great result for some of the youth teams, Thistle, Celtic, and the lambs especially!

 

[Illgresi]

Must admit, I'm a bit disappointed how quickly Celtic have clicked this season.

Should be a good game at Pittodrie tomorrow against Hearts. What with Celtic and St. Johnstone beating them, I'm fully expecting an Aberdeen win. Hopefully won't be a let down!

 

[Illgresi]

Very dissappointed with the way we set out against Celtic. Trying to sit in and soak up pressure at Parkhead is rarely a good idea, but never against this current Celtic team.

We changed our game, and from around 25th to 80th minutes, we were very much a match to Celtic. The penalty was a pathetic decision, and the subsequent yellow card; as was the foul which directly lead to the fourth goal (superb free kick none-the-less).

That match was the epitome of how a team cannot play a fair game in Glasgow.

That said, on the balance of play, Celtic deserved to win. A fair score would have been 2-1, and I'd lose respect for any Celtic fan that said 4-1 was a fair reflection of the game.


That diatribe aside, now that the pityful Sbragia has been humiliated, we have another wonderful spectacle to look forward to. Strachan's ridiculous team selections, which failed to qualify for the Euros, at the expense of a distinctly average Irish team, continue unabated.

These team selections continue, and to add insult to injury, Lee Wallace and Tony Watt were added to the squad to replace Grifiths and Tierney, with absolutely no legitimacy what-so-ever. Further to that, Wallace then decides to jaunt off to Northern Ireland with his club for a friendly, instead of the supposed honour of playing for ones country.

It's a frankly embarassing state of affairs, and for me, the buck stops with Strachan and his cronies.

 

[Illgresi]

Rangers didn't get their home tie against Morton

Colour me all shades of surprised!

St Johnstone received 5 yellow cards, could have had another 2 more, and definitely a red card for a shocking challenge through the back of Maddison. They, and Hearts, are a shocking indictment of both the standard of refereeing, and the old mentality that is still on show in Scotland. Plenty of teams show that with limited ability, you can still play decent football; County and Thistle spring to mind. Yet there are still far too many dinosaurs in the game here.

 

[Illgresi]

Great day all round. To play as poorly as we did by our standards and yet still get a win gives me a lot more confidence in my £50 bet with my mate!