Post split fixtures

[Big Wurzil]

Coming out early this according to the spfl site.

Had a look at previous fixtures and looks like there's only 1 game that'll be the issue.

Every other team should get their final fixtures married up.

Our remaining games for definite is home to Dundee and Motherwell and away Inverness and Ross co. The only sticking game is Kilmarnock. We by rights should be away but that would mean us having played 18 home and 20 away and also it would mean Kilmarnock would be at home for 4/5 split fixtures.

Wonder how they'll decide it. To be fair it's the same type of pitch for both but would rather we were home for the revenue.

[accies1874]

We haven't beaten Killie at home since Dougie Imrie scored his first Accies goal, and we have a decent record at RP recently. I think it'll pan out that we have them at home.

[accies1874]

Our two away games are at 12:15 and in midweek - at the two furthest grounds away from us in the country!

[redandwhite1874]

RC have 2 more games away than at home so I am happy with our even split. Why the midweek fixture has not seen the Highland clubs together seems stupid.

[Willie Wastle]

Good fixtures for us, I think. Three homes, when our home form is much better, and one of our aways is to the weakest team in the league.

Even if it goes down to the wire, the last day is nicely set up for us, at home to Dundee while ICT host Motherwell.

Minimum we need is two wins and two draws from our last six - 37 points has been enough for safety in recent seasons - and it would be great to win at Dens this Saturday to take some of the pressure off. I'd settle for a draw, and going into the split on 30 points.

[accies1874]

Good to see the SLO saying that they're working on trying to help out the fans for these two fixtures.

[smc4761]

If we are going to stay in SPFL Premiership the post split fixtures have been relatively kind with 3 home games and Inverness away for 3 games

My big worry is our suspensions which could cause us a few issues

[Euan]

What's the position regarding suspension? Who's close to being suspended?
All the more important to get points on the board early versus Dundee, Killie and ICT, before they apply.

[shotts56]

Crawford suspended on Saturday at Dens, Dazzler suspended for the first post-split game.

[maydude]

Crawford suspended on Saturday at Dens, Dazzler suspended for the first post-split game.

crawford will be no great loss...has,nt contributed for months...Daz back on sat is a huge bonus

[Willie Wastle]

We've hit form at just the right time. If Ross County lose to Celtic today we'll be 8th, and one of only two of the bottom six to have won their last game - the other being Motherwell, who were playing bottom club ICT. Motherwell lost their previous game, as did Kilmarnock, who drew this weekend, ICT have lost three in a row, Dundee have lost six in a row.

We're unbeaten in our last four games, with 8 points, and only one goal conceded. Motherwell have taken 5 points from those games, Ross County 4 (if they lose today), Kilmarnock 3, ICT 1 and Dundee 0.

Over the last 10 games, the form table looks like:

12 Accies
11 Kilmarnock
9 Ross County
8 Motherwell
8 ICT
7 Dundee

In the real table, we have a 7 point cushion over the automatic relegation spot, and if County lose today we'll have the best goal difference in the bottom six. There's now every reason to believe we're going to stay up. Indeed, we're capable of winning all our five remaining games and finishing seventh, matching our highest-ever post-war finish.

But Martin Canning rightly counselled caution yesterday: we shouldn't get too down about losses or too up about wins. While it would take a remarkable collapse for us to finish 12th, we still need at least five points to ensure we avoid the play-off spot. If we can beat Killie at home a week on Saturday, we'll be almost there, making that a very big game for us; every game from here in is a big one.

[accies1874]

Good post. Relegation is still very much possible, but at the moment, we are looking more and more likely to stay up. Still though, if we manage it, then staying in the top flight for 4 consecutive seasons is something that we could all only dream of.

[redandwhite1874]

It's striking the balance between form, which is excellent, with the narrow margins between all the teams. A couple of bad results for any team changes everything and it's that time of the season when weird results become the normal. MC has called it right.

Is 37 points still the target ? You've perhaps got to think Inverness can't reach that but everyone else could.

[Willie Wastle]

Is 37 points still the target ? You've perhaps got to think Inverness can't reach that but everyone else could.

I think so.

ICT are done. They'd need to win 4 out of 5 to reach 37 points - when they haven't won for 8 games, and they've only won 4 all season. Their last remaining hope is making the play-off spot, based on Dundee collapsing.

As for the others, any of them could reach the 37 mark, but they can't all reach it.

Killie will make it - they only need two more points, so no real pressure on them - and they'll make it by taking points from the teams below them. Our biggest danger is them being so up for getting over the finish line that they come to NDP a week on Saturday and nick the 3 points like they did early in the season. Then lack an incentive to beat the others. I'm looking for us to beat them, then them to win games.

There's probably still a mathematic combination whereby County, Well, Dee and ourselves can all get to 37, but it's unlikely. One of those four won't get there, and on current form it's least likely to be us, and most likely to be Dundee.

[Stevie Clarke]

Dundee have now lost 7 in a row and with two away games up next at Motherwell and Killie, I can see that stretching to nine.

We'll be without Skondras (suspended already!) and Daz against Killie while Gillespie is still likely to be out. Crawford back in. I'd keep Redmond in the team for his corner kick delivery alone.

[Willie Wastle]

There's a mistake in my last-but-one post: Dundee have now lost 7-in-a-row, not 6.

As for getting to 37 points, and it being the safety mark, let's leave Killie and ICT out of it for a moment. All four remaining teams are aiming for a maximum of 15 points, but we can't all do that, so realistically, we'll probably each get half that on average. That's 7.5 points, and that's assuming all the games are won/lost - no draws. So if we all average 7 points, chances are at least one of the four teams will get less than 7. Dundee need 7 (the rest of us need 5). I know that's a bit crude, but it helps show that at least one team won't get to 37.

[redandwhite1874]

Don't disagree with any of that - the fixture schedule also comes into it. If we beat Killie then we are not safe and accordingly neither are they as we will be level with them on points and be above them on goal difference. That then completely changes their attitude to the season and from 'safe' they are suddenly right back in it and will then be right up for taking point from our opponents. The team at the bottom will beat someone and if we make sure its not us then that is a huge step.

[Stevie Clarke]

Is it not an extra £52,000 or thereabout per place at stake? So even if you are fairly safe, there is plenty of incentive for the club which could maybe filter through to bonuses for players, end of season beanos etc.