Wednesday, November 17, 2010

One third of the way through - a look at SPL runners and riders

You know what's really annoying? Using the notes app on your ipod to type up a blogpost on Derek Adams (who has just left his managerial post for the assistant's role at Hibs) and then discovering you have no way of transferring it to your computer. Damn.

So while I find the time and energy to rewrite the whole thing (no guarantee here), here's a look at how the SPL fares one-third (yes I know 38 does not divide by 3, but 13 games is close enough) through the campaign.

ABERDEEN (11th, 10pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? No, absolutely not. After winning their first two games, the Dons have picked up only 4 out of 33 points since. The 9-0 humiliation by Celtic was the football equivalent of Haye-Harrison. Somehow, Mark McGhee is still in a job - is that because they can't afford to sack him?

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? McGhee keeps insisting we judge him when his injury list is shorter - but his team need to break the losing habit quick or become embroiled in the relegation fight.

THE STAR: Paul Hartley has shone despite the dross around him; depressingly his teammates don't seem inspired by his efforts.

THE DIDDY: Zander Diamond is now more accident-prone than Mr Bump from the Mr Men - though his fellow defenders run him close in these stakes.

CELTIC (2nd, 33pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? Normally 33pts would be enough to be top of the table, but second is nothing at Celtic Park. Add in their early European exit and an Old Firm defeat at home and it's been far from perfect. But Lennon's buys have done well, especially Gary Hooper.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? Lennon's antics off the field will ultimately do more harm
from good - though they have deflected criticism away from his side's poorer performances. The bare minimum is to be within touching distance of top when
the next clash with Rangers comes around.

THE STAR: Hooper has proven that the SPL is now below the level of The Championship by producing a better goals rate for the Hoops than he did at Scunthorpe United. He is a very capable finisher indeed.

THE DIDDY: Jos Hooiveld plays so rarely that I doubt anyone who is not a diehard
Celtic fan even knows what the Dutch defender looks like.


DUNDEE UTD (6th, 18pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? After last season, it's been a bit of an anticlimax at Tannadice - the European adventure ended very quickly and they have been infuriatingly inconsistent so far. Injuries to their best creative midfielders, Craig Conway and Danny Swanson, have had a big impact,

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? The defence appears the weak point, after the return of Andy Webster to Ibrox and Garry Kenneth's on-field post-traumatic stress after his nightmare Scotland debut in August. They need to hold onto Conway and David
Goodwillie in January to mount a push for a European place.

THE STAR: This isn't a hard one (I'll get me coat) - Goodwillie, despite the most unfortunate surname in Scottish football, has continued to develop well this season and has been scoring goals even when his teammates have been struggling.

THE DIDDY: Kenneth has had a very poor season, as too has captain Jon Daly; the big striker's loss of form has seen him relegated to the bench in recent weeks.

HAMILTON (12th, 9pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? Clearly not; Accies find themselves rock bottom with only two wins so far this season - both away from home. The loss of James McArthur and Mickael Antoine-Curier has been keenly felt. Three months into the season, manager Billy Reid still can't work out what his best eleven is.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? The last two seasons have seen a massive upsurge in form in the new year - Reid will be banking on this, plus some clever transfer window deals, to pull his side up the table. If that upturn doesn't happen, it could be a long season.

THE STAR: Former Caley winger (and whinger) Dougie Imrie has shown energy and graft which few - if any - of his teammates can match.

THE DIDDY: Jim McAllister was always tipped for bigger things when he was at Morton - but the winger, signed in the summer, has completely dropped off the radar.

HEARTS (3rd, 23pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? There is an unusual feeling of stability at Tynecastle currently, at least on the pitch, where despite a few early blips, Jim Jefferies' side are now the best of the rest. Recent victories over Hibs, Celtic and St. Johnstone coincided with their best performances of the season.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? You always worry about Romanov rocking the boat, but Hearts have the quality and depth of squad to continue this run; they are surely the current favourites to finish in third.

THE STAR: There's nothing subtle or pretty about Kevin Kyle, but the targetman's sheer presence terrifies defenders all over the country. Though exciting youngster David Templeton has also been outstanding.

THE DIDDY: Hard to think of an obvious candidate - though Janos Balogh, last season's first choice keeper, has slumped to third string behind Marian Kello
and Jamie McDonald.

HIBERNIAN (8th, 14pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? John Hughes had to be let go after a hopeless start and the recent win at Ibrox bodes well for Colin Calderwood. Hibees fans will be praying that their recent upsurge in form continues.


IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? Calderwood needs to tame all the egos at Easter Road - no
mean feat. Hibs have the quality to get into the top six, but do they have the
character?

THE STAR: Liam Miller can always be trusted in the engine room, and supplants
his industrious play with the odd goal.

THE DIDDY: Goalkeeper Mark Brown hasn't been great, which reflects somewhat badly on former Motherwell stopper Graeme Smith; he remains stuck on the bench despite Brown's mediocrity.

INVERNESS CT (5th, 21pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? This is not beyond my wildest dreams, but then my dreams are
pretty wild. ICT's unbeaten away record has turned thoughts more towards a top six push than a relegation battle. This is despite only one home win so far this season.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? If the away form continues and the home hoodoo is solved, this could turn into something special; the flip side is that if we stop winning away and still can't get any points in the Highlands we will slide down the table pretty fast.

THE STAR: Adam Rooney is getting the goals, but if Cammy Bell is in the Scotland squad then Caley's outstanding keeper Ryan Esson must be knocking on the door.

THE DIDDY: Israeli Gil Blumenshtein has barely been seen this season - his constant injuries have prevented the forward from making any impact at all.

KILMARNOCK (7th, 17pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? After a slow start, big Mixu has begun to get his side settled and the good performances are now turning into good results. He's even managing to get goals out of Connor Sammon, for goodness sake. Most Killie fans would settle for 7th at this point, I think.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? The rumours of Paatelainen being considered for the Finland job must worry those at Rugby Park. If he stays, and his side avoid crippling injuries, there should be no repeat of last season's nervy finish.

THE STAR: Alexei Eremenko, the Finnish playmaker, has shown an artistry in midfield reminiscent of Russell Latapy at Hibs. He makes this side tick and it is imperative that his loan deal is extended beyond its January expiry date.

THE DIDDY: Winger Graeme Owens barely got a sniff of action last season; now he
doesn't even get that.

MOTHERWELL (4th, 22pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? Broadly speaking, yes - though Well have managed to lose five games, fourth place will please the fans as well the very savvy Craig Brown. Motherwell have shown the ability to win both at home and on their travels, with a young team who are likely to get better.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? An injury crisis might derail them, but they have better depth than most. Sooner or later they will cash in on Mark Reynolds, Jamie Murphy etc - but not till next summer at the earliest.

THE STAR: Nick Blackman, on-loan from Blackburn, has been scoring for fun. Can Brown tempt him to stay permanently?

THE DIDDY: So much for young midfielder Ross Forbes, who started 2009-10 with a bang, but has been reduced to only cameo roles this season; his development has well and truly stalled.

RANGERS (1st, 34pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? Top of the league and doing well in the Champions' League - it doesn't get much better than this for Walter Smith. And with Kenny Miller scoring for fun domestically, who needs Kris Boyd? That said, after winning their first ten league matches the Ibrox side have stuttered just slightly in recent weeks.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? The one worry for the Gers is their lack of squad depth, and sooner or later they will have to, for a period, rely on Kyle Hutton, John Fleck, Gregg Wylde etc. But they will fancy that they will still be at the summit by the time the next Old Firm game comes around.

THE STAR: Allan McGregor has been one of the best keepers in Europe this season,
with brilliant saves galore at domestic, European and international level.

THE DIDDY: Kyle Lafferty. Nothing to do with his ability; I just don't like the
guy. As for underperformers, James Beattie's injury problems have made his £1.5m purchase look like a waste of money so far.

ST. JOHNSTONE (10th, 11pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? Not really. Maybe expectations were too high following an impressive return to the top flight last season, but Saints would have hoped to kick on and push for the top six again, rather than looking over their shoulders. Recent heavy defeats to Kilmarnock and Motherwell are worrying for Derek McInnes.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? I think most would be surprised if St. Johnstone are still in the bottom three come January - there is certainly enough quality in the side and McInnes is a talented young coach. The big worry is that he will be tempted away by a bigger job.

THE STAR: I've not seen much of the team this season, but on those occasions the veteran centre back Michael Duberry has been an absolute behemoth. He might be 35, but he looks a class above SPL level.

THE DIDDY: Another veteran, former Scotland international Scott Dobie, hasn't stayed fit long enough to do anything for the club he joined in the summer.


ST. MIRREN (9th, 11pts)

SO FAR SO GOOD? To be honest, its no surprise that the Buddies are in the lower echelons of the table. This season was always going to be one long battle against relegation, and manager Danny Lennon will be relieved his side have not been cast adrift at the bottom, especially considering a spate of injuries.

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT? Lennon's side are still to fully gel - not surprising considering the number of new faces. The defence still looks vulnerable and only Michael Higdon looks like providing a consistent supply of goals. The priority remains staying up.

THE STAR: St. Mirren fans have been raving about on-loan Celtic forward Paul McGowan, who provides the creative spark for this otherwise workmanlike team.

THE DIDDY: Some of Lennon's purchases from his former side, Cowdenbeath, have
worked; the exception is Paul McQuade, who has been injured most of the time and
has looked out of his depth when fit.

L.

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