Dundee V Hamilton Friday 19/08

[Chase Outlaw]

Why can the SPFL not arrange fixtures so we can attend a game on Saturday,Am i right on assuming this is being played on Friday because UTD are at home on Saturday.

[Stevie Clarke]

Why couldn't this be played on Sunday or did Dundee just fancy a go at Friday Night fitba?

[Big Wurzil]

Dundee would have no say in the matter, SPFL clubs take the SKY/BT £ so you're at their mercy when games are played.

I'm sure up until after Christmas that SKY/BT have a moral obligation to show each team equally so they all get a share of the £, with no doubt special dispensation thrown in for Celtic and Sevco

[Stevie Clarke]

They would have a say on the matter as the match is not on SKY or BT!

[redandwhite1874]

No full backs again makes it hard, but with Donati and Crawford there is always hope, and an in form Imrie would do no harm either.

[H9crx]

This defence is dreadful, Devlon as captain is a farce long hoof balls like its a hot potato!

How many goals have we lost under canning from cross balls or corners!

[redandwhite1874]

Well our dreadful defence got a draw and it sounded like a decent performance overall albeit poor in the first half. Really shows that we need a manager like Hartley and to triple our wage bill.

Decent result

[Stevie Clarke]

Would've taken that but sounds like we should have won. Good to see Donati last almost the full game. With new signings to come we should only get stronger.

[Gaspode]

Sounds like Canning kicked some arses at half time as we dominated the 2nd half. Well done the team, and the manager.

[AlMac]

This defence is dreadful, Devlon as captain is a farce long hoof balls like its a hot potato!

How many goals have we lost under canning from cross balls or corners!

You must be gutted at the result and second half performance........

[Yer Sisters Yer Maw]

.

[accies1874]

Good performance tonight. Really should've won. The worst part of the night was those stewards, though. Minter from them.

[AlMac]

The worst part of the night was those stewards, though. Minter from them.

Surely Canning or Devlin' must take responsibility for that......

[redandwhite1874]

The worst part of the night was those stewards, though. Minter from them.

Surely Canning or Devlin' must take responsibility for that......

[H9crx]

Yes a point at Dundee is always good! But

The usual suspects out in force in glee. As they lap up everything the club says, they are over the moon with a point as we were punching above our weight with the big spending Dundee.

What they fail to see again is that was a game we should have got three points. We did not as we have not prepared for the year. Our defence is all over the place at every night ball and we don't have any one to score goals.

If both these issues had been addressed in the off season we would be sitting with 7 points not 2.

As long as you are happy and clappy we can over look this and the failings of the club to fix these problems.

[Willie Wastle]

Yes a point at Dundee is always good! But

The usual suspects out in force in glee. As they lap up everything the club says, they are over the moon with a point as we were punching above our weight with the big spending Dundee.

What they fail to see again is that was a game we should have got three points. We did not as we have not prepared for the year. Our defence is all over the place at every night ball and we don't have any one to score goals.

If both these issues had been addressed in the off season we would be sitting with 7 points not 2.

As long as you are happy and clappy we can over look this and the failings of the club to fix these problems.

I'm guessing you've never had to organise substantial preparation for something, juggling a number of variables over which you have little control? Bigger and better clubs than Accies struggle with this.

With regard to the points you raise, try looking at the same things slightly differently.

A point at Dens is always decent - a point is a good take from most away games, and if we average a point from all our away games over the season we'll be doing well. That goes for any team bar title challengers, not just Accies. Our away form last year was good, and so far we appear to be carrying that into this season, without yet having as settled a team as we would like. We can be confident we'll get better, and take more points.

Yes, we could have taken more points from the games so far. We could have won at Ibrox, and by all accounts should have won at Dens. We should certainly have beaten Kilmarnock last Saturday, when we were clearly the better team, and created more and better chances; we were denied a draw by the woodwork, and denied a win that would have been otherwise deserved, by our poor finishing - and reports of last night sound similar. With luck, and sharpness in front of goal, we could be sitting top of the league on nine points. That's encouraging: that tells us if we get more settled, show more discipline, and improve our finishing, we'll win games and climb the league.

Some people just like a good moan. You can spot them a mile off - they're the ones who dismiss any positive view as "happy clappy".

[redandwhite1874]

Yes a point at Dundee is always good! But

The usual suspects out in force in glee. As they lap up everything the club says, they are over the moon with a point as we were punching above our weight with the big spending Dundee.

What they fail to see again is that was a game we should have got three points. We did not as we have not prepared for the year. Our defence is all over the place at every night ball and we don't have any one to score goals.

If both these issues had been addressed in the off season we would be sitting with 7 points not 2.

As long as you are happy and clappy we can over look this and the failings of the club to fix these problems.

How dare fans take some satisfaction from a decent result. We're doomed I tell you. #accies bad

[Don van Vliet]

Yes a point at Dundee is always good! But

The usual suspects out in force in glee. As they lap up everything the club says, they are over the moon with a point as we were punching above our weight with the big spending Dundee.

What they fail to see again is that was a game we should have got three points. We did not as we have not prepared for the year. Our defence is all over the place at every night ball and we don't have any one to score goals.

If both these issues had been addressed in the off season we would be sitting with 7 points not 2.

As long as you are happy and clappy we can over look this and the failings of the club to fix these problems.

When making an argument, it is advisable to weigh up the evidence. Some commentators prefer their own opinions, presumably based on their expertise. Others look at the statistical evidence. Some consider both - which is what I prefer. My personal expertise is limited which, together with my inability to attend games, means I have little to rely on other than the stats. Oh, and there's my common sense when it comes to balancing perspectives.

So, it does seem strange for H9crx to assert: "Our defence is all over the place at every night ball and we don't have any one to score goals," when we've just had a 1-1 draw away from home. The defence may indeed have been all over the place but not such that Dundee could take advantage of it more than once. As for not having any one to score goals, the evidence is that someone did so last night. And against Killie. And against Rangers.

And then, other evidence that should not be ignored is the fact (and yes, it is a fact, not an opinion) that we are in the top division, and have been so for 3 successive seasons, one and a half of which were under the care of the present manager.

By all means make pleas for improvement, for better players, for more astute management, for more spending. But to do so at the same time as outrageously overstating the argument by ignoring the evidence of success brands one as either foolish (which I would never do!) or as blinkered, which seems to me more likely.

There may well be failings of the club to fix these problems but the statistical evidence suggests that these failings are not as disastrous as some like to argue. Merchant of doom? Gleeful happy clapper? Or balanced attempts at analysis? The choice is yours. Just be happy with the choice you make.

[Stevie Clarke]

I'm still in the "dark" as to what a "night" ball is.

Incidentally, there hasn't been a lot said about our goal last night. I can't recall a better long range strike in all my Accies years. Ahead of even Colin Miller's strike in the B & Q semi against Raith in 1991 and a couple of Alex Forsyth screamers against Ayr at DP and Clyde at Shawfield. Recent strikes by Ali v Hearts, Andreu v Partick and Joel Le Goal against Hibs were crackers but for a sweetly struck exocet missile into the top corner, Darren Lyon takes some beating. Sentences you thought you'd never write!

[YeOldeHamiltonian]

Good performance tonight. Really should've won. The worst part of the night was those stewards, though. Minter from them.

Less of that Dundee patter, "Minter".This isn't Pie n bovril.