tarapoa

Just two players running side by side. To prevent that piece of poetry in motion going into the record books due to that is harsh beyond belief. Still - we got two equally questionable calls in our favour the other night, so clearly that was our one match quota of being on the right side of this nonsense.

Considering three of our best performances this season have been in Frankfurt, Thessaloniki and Govan, then we shouldn’t fear this, but for some reason this fixture has meant home win for the best part of a decade whether at Tynecastle or Pittodrie. There must be a reason for that in terms of motivation, tactics deployed etc………but little reason tp believe it changes tomorrow. Who wants another season of at least eight Sunday fixtures before christmas anyway !

Agree with that, he has been excellent. In fact, Wednesday was the worst I have seen him since those early days when we wrote him off as some kid from a college frat party in Biddly Bong Idaho who had got lost and ended up at Cormack Park. Either St Johnstone have got a real gem in the boy Philips - or he's one of these guys who occasionally has a good game (more likely for players in our league), as I thought he looked really good on Wednesday, and left Dante a bit of broken lad.

I think Kilmarnock are probably the only remaining threat to a bang average Hearts side finishing 3rd. AFC remain jekyll and hyde (at best) and a mile off going on that winning run that we did from Feb-Apr last season. Hearts turning round that 2 goal deficit puts them almost out of sight now, and that will likely be cemented tomorrow - with both cheeks to follow for us shortly after on the back of yet another midweeker. Right now it feels like avoiding the play-off position is as a big a priority than any loftier ambitions to at least get one of the Euro qualifier slots.

We were poor tonight, albeit any time we did get anything going there was clearly an instruction from the home team manager just to foul. in that respect, maybe the fact VAR picked up a couple of kicks was some kind of payback, but a point was the least St Johnstone deserved. Whatever pile of second division Dutch mince wants Roos can have him. As for Barry - rat up a drainpipe in reverting to his back three - it didn’t make us any better.

I saw us win this thing every second year on average during the second decade of my existence - seems that was potentially my lifetime quota. However, dream scenario would be for us to finally win it again this season a week after they finish 3rd open-top bus celebration in Gorgie.

Darvel had won 5-2 at Montrose and went through a spell of being at least lower Championship standard . We also had a perfectly good equaliser scandalously disallowed - which doesn’t excuse anything, but somewhat changes the narrative and the BBC repeating it ad nauseum. I actually rated our performance against Annan’s Solway Firth select in the LC as even more incompetent, other than the extra time where we ran out easy winners. For that reason last night was always a worry, but other than the bonnie piece of play from Clyde midway through the first half and a couple of late set piece flurries, things were comfortable enough against a stuffy organised opponent who will improve under McCall. Our attacking and defensive corners need work, as does Morris’ decision making. Hopefully Clyde get back to their homeland soon, having to groundshare in Hamilton must be as grim as it gets.

Bin it - it's pointless and due to the number of games/ unpredictability of the weather - it generally adds to fixture congestion rather than alleviating it. AFC as an example are having to squeeze in loads of midweekers throughout the season (and still will despite being out of Europe) - but then have these long gaps. I would also bin international breaks too - and just get back to smaller groups with internationals being the very odd midweeker. However, I would bring back replays in the Scottish Cup - earning a replay and 'bringing them back to your place' was always part of the fabric of that tourney - penalty shootouts after one game are for the LC only.

The Donalds contribution was welcome and generous, but we were also helped by the banks being open to take a fraction of the overall debt for a cash settlement due to so much football debt across the country being regarded as likely bad debt. From those ITK, I hear it was around £3-4M. It wasn't a bailout - but it certainly helped us klondyke the 'best of the rest' mantle for several seasons in a row.

That would take ‘thraan Inverurie loon’ to new levels if he went back to the three at the back trainwreck yet again. Tuesday was an enjoyable style of football - I would even be motivated to go to McDiarmid Park (which takes some doing) if I knew he would stick with this personnel and formation.

The fresh-legged dandies to do the business here. Robinson to complain about fixture congestion compared to the opponents, with the caveat that of course it's no excuse. Would make a fine change from eight Sundays in recent months.

Ah good point - that maybe explains this one - albeit not a couple of the other matches scheduled for last night.

Which takes me back to the question, why was this game not scheduled for Boxing Day 3pm? In all my (too many) years watching AFC - this was the date we used to get bumper festive crowds regardless of the opponents if we were fortunate enough to have a home game that day. Given our previous match was meant to be on Sat 23rd, there seemed little reason to make this a Wed 27th game.

The rope-a-dope fixtures are over. Time for Barry to show he is a manager that can deliver enterprising attacking football - and still keep us solid. Or will he play 9 or 10 of Sunday’s team and complain about being tired, whilst it not being an excuse and how the players couldn’t give any more and him being proud of them and that was Glasgow rangers football club who just beat Betis etc etc

Had great hopes for Cammy as a youngster - finely balanced player, who could see a pass. Maybe he has found his home amongst the boarded up b&b’s of the former resort in Lancashire where we can find this reincarnation of the Dutch 74 team. Given 45 of UEFA’s 55 nations have a league ranked lower than ours - then presumably Adams isn’t too complimentary about the standard of football in many places?

That’s what frustrated me - and did the minute I saw the team. Shinnie/Clarkson/McGrath are all good players, but it’s hardly worked all season with them playing together. Yet again today, we just gave up the midfield. Defensively the team did fine, but that was a horrible switch off for the goal - were they still in shock that the VAR penalty hadn’t been given for sevco? Another one of these finals where I think we have let a decent opportunity slip by. Was Bojan even fit?

I took in United v Raith yesterday as an appetiser en route to today's final. There was a very loud and happy Dundee fan coming out of a pub near where I'd parked singing this around 5.15pm. 'when Dundee win and United lose etc...' Feels more appropriate for them as they actually play in blue.

So that was our Europa Conference group stage adventure. Little to add from previous comments, which have been spot on. I turned up last night expecting a half-ersed kickabout with a 2 or 3 goal defeat - but I think the €€€s, coefficient points, prestige and simply getting the win that was the least our overall performance in this group merited meant it got spicier as the match progressed. UEFA got things badly wrong. There must have been around 1,000 Eintracht fans in town - as was stated, why not just carry the ban to their next match when so many haven't booked non-refundable flights and accom? Do the blazers in Nyon even think of such things? Thankfully they seemed to be enjoying themselves in the boozers though. Just my love my European fitba - but for any of the non-cheeks, simply being in this makes it even harder to get there the following season. We need a good run of league form to make that a possibility. Oh and for anyone that likes their trivia - that's now five World Cup Final goalscorers that have appeared in a competitive match vs the Dons at Pittodrie.

Struggled to cope with their low block and long ball game.

Not quite, that was Stuart Baxter. Maybe the stars are aligning a bit more this time. Still hope it works out for Barry, but if not, the FMB should be in a position to act quickly. Not sure a Tynecastle vacancy is far away either given the mood music there. Would imagine Neil may be more inclined to consider a move back north this time (if indeed he is a credible candidate, which I'm sure he would be for both clubs depending on his wage demands).

I think that would be fair comment up until the last few years. Having a singing section has certainly improved the atmosphere and variety of songs on offer. Could still end up being the most positive thing out of the Cormack era.

Alex Neil sacked...............hmmm

Glad I am not the only one that thought that, was starting to worry that someone had laced my pre-match coffee. Maybe I was comparing it to the bleak and lifeless spectacle on Wednesday night, but I just felt that the likes of Shinnie, McGrath, Clarkson and Hayes all started coming on to a game and some of their combinations were working quite well, albeit we weren't creating too many clearcut chances. The second half was much better, but I think it was a follow-on from a period of sustained improvement as the first half progressed. That's not to say I disagree with Guerin's perspective from Hearts point of view. Naismith said similar in his interview and a couple of dandies on the radio, not to mention clusters of boo boys also had their say. In many ways, it doesn't really matter - but just glad to know at least one other person other than my mate and I in the South Stand thought this way - as we were a bit fked off with the booing truth be told (whereas it was entirely justified at FT on Wed). ps we were also berating Shinnie for his lack of anger and vocal reprimands at his team mates at conceding a goal like that - then on seeing the highlights later, I could see why he was so 'sheepish'. Credit to him for stepping up though, as it was glue factory stuff from him and Jonny on Wed - happily some life in the old dogs yet, albeit probably more sporadically than we can realistically expect.

Eintracht are at Leverkusen on Sunday - so reckon at £34, this could be the most expensive reserve match many of us have attended.

His torso, backside and foreheed were in three different postcodes.