Morton v Livi (Tues 7.45 ko)

I'm really looking forward to this game, Morton are on the same form as Livi in their last 5 games, 4 wins and a draw, so will be an intriguing game and another good test for us.

I think Hoppy has Duffy's number this season, we won playing both games quite close together earlier in the season, which is always difficult to do, as they know how you play after the first game, but we did so quite comfortably, same as we have done to Falkirk in away games. We hit them on the counter with long balls up to Toddy and Mullen, so with Miller and Hardie as our front two I can see us winning this by 2 or 3 goals, providing the linos keep their flags down.

I read on P&B that Duffy was trying out playing 3 at the back and their fans complaining it wasn't working, so wonder if he'll continue with that to try and match us up. Shows he's been impressed with Hoppy's formation but hopefully he doesn't have the players to carry it off with the success Hoppy has.


We haven't conceded a goal to Morton yet either, so i'm going for 3-0 Livi, fg 22 mins.

The very fact they are on a run similar to ours means they will be confident. I suspect a share of the spoils is on the cards.

1-1

FG 37 mins

Well on the plus side Morton have the worst FT team home record in the league*, and our away form is pretty good.


*And it's about to get a whole lot worse after we gub them on Tues.

Morton 1. Livingston 0. FG 35 mins.

Not sure where all the negativity is coming from personally.

Livingston are going to win 2 - nil with the first goal relatively late in the first half - 40 minutes.

In addition someone in the stadium will get a pie that isn't baked to the foil tray - but will still be barely edible for all that. You read it here first.

Durnford wrote:Not sure where all the negativity is coming from personally.

Livingston are going to win 2 - nil with the first goal relatively late in the first half - 40 minutes.

In addition someone in the stadium will get a pie that isn't baked to the foil tray - but will still be barely edible for all that. You read it here first.

Some of them have it ingrained into their DNA, well Bertie certainly has.

I was a bit worried after the St Mirren win that we'd hit a dip going into the next game, but there was no sign of that at all against Utd. This team has shown that all previous Livi traits go out the window, past bad habits just don't apply to them, they bounce back immediately after a defeat, and haven't really hit a bad patch this season either. Around Dec/Jan we had a flu bug hitting the team but even then they didn't suffer back to back defeats, and have got stronger ever since.

Last season too we went on an incredible run towards the end of the season, if we do that again we've a really good chance of getting close to St Mirren. What an ending to the season that would be.

To a degree I get it; we've had no shortage of false dawns in the past and this one would be a classic for a traditional cock up. Add to that the fact that they have the worst home record for any full time side, scoring 17 for 14 conceded, whereas our away record has been 23 scored for 15 against.

Adding to that these stats were based on a time when we didn't have the Hardie/Miller partnership up front.

All looking too good to be true... bloody hell! Now you've got me at it.

Aye it's like everything is going too good for us, so it's bound to go bad at some point. We can't quite believe how well we're doing and something has always come along to knacker us in the past, like points deductions, admin etc, but everything appears to be going well off the pitch too. Keep having to pinch myself to make sure i'm awake and not just dreaming this season.

The attitude and work rate from our players is different class though, and they've shown great mental strength winning the league last season too, so I have every confidence in them to keep this run going. None of them are coming out with any outlandish remarks either, everyone from management to players have their feet firmly on the ground taking it one game at a time.

To paraphrase Carlos Carvahal on statistics....

If you and I go on a picnic & you bring a whole chicken & I eat the whole chicken because I'm a greedy git, statistically you ate half a chicken.

Anyway back to the football.Seemingly weve a deluge of snow coming our way this week so thank god we;re not at home for a wee while.Wont bore you with rhetoric about stats etc etc suffice to say we know that both Morton and ourselves are on a rich vein of form and thus its going to be extremely difficult to forecast how this is gonna go.For me our guys up front could be the key here if they hit the ground running and play the way they have excelled at over the last couple of games.However,rumours about Hoppy tinkering about with his team selection kind of concernes me a wee bit.Shame,but if that is the case then the old anything other than a defeat scenario will have to do for me.Its in your hands Livi.Do it!!!

What do mean 'back to the football'; Carvahal is the Swansea manager, that WAS football

Yeh i know who Carvahal is Bertie.Just didnt get his words of wisdom.Reminded a wee bit of Cantonas riddle about the sardines following the boat and all that.Didnt get that one either.Sorry mate just ignore me im obviously thick or just tired after a hard days yackers. T.

Troy wrote:Anyway back to the football.Seemingly weve a deluge of snow coming our way this week so thank god we;re not at home for a wee while.Wont bore you with rhetoric about stats etc etc suffice to say we know that both Morton and ourselves are on a rich vein of form and thus its going to be extremely difficult to forecast how this is gonna go.For me our guys up front could be the key here if they hit the ground running and play the way they have excelled at over the last couple of games.However,rumours about Hoppy tinkering about with his team selection kind of concernes me a wee bit.Shame,but if that is the case then the old anything other than a defeat scenario will have to do for me.Its in your hands Livi.Do it!!!

If your refering to the bit on P&B about team rotation this is based on an opinion by Callum Carson on what he would do; not based on anything Hopkins has said; unless of course someone know otherwise.

Callum Carson wrote:The same starting line-up have been terrific in the last two games for Livi, but with 3 games in 8 days I think you might have to make some changes tomorrow. Here's what I'd go for...

As a matter of interest I did some digging over the defence Morton adopted most recently which are as follows:

Left Back - Mark Russell – Age 21 - 5 ft 10 in
Left side central defender - Ricki Lamie – Age 24 - 6 ft 2 in
Central defender - Thomas O’Ware – Age 24 - 6 ft 2 in
Right back - Michael Doyle – Age 36 - 5 ft 10 in

Based on this I assume Cadden is going to go head to head with Michael Doyle - statistics can prove anything you like but I predict Mr Doyle is going to have a fairly torrid time - just my opinion of course

Incidentally it doesn't look like their defence has been very settled; over the past month both Luca Gasparotto and Jack Iredale have appeared.

Club captain Lee Kilday doesn't seem to have appeared all season so must be injured.

I wouldn't rest players and change our winning team, odds are the Pars game will be a casualty of the weather, in fact tomorrow's game may not beat the incoming snow either. However if it does then we'd be best playing Miller and Hardie up front again, with Rafa and Cadden on the wings.

Boyd may do well with Hardie but it is unproven, and the Hardie/Miller combo has been working, and both have a good understanding now.

Rafa offers more defensively than Mullin on the wing too, but it would be a shame to rest Rafa for the Pars game only for it to be postponed.

Troy wrote:Yeh i know who Carvahal is Bertie.Just didnt get his words of wisdom.Reminded a wee bit of Cantonas riddle about the sardines following the boat and all that.Didnt get that one either.Sorry mate just ignore me im obviously thick or just tired after a hard days yackers. T.

Wasn't intending to suggest you didn't know who he was, just tenuously linking my post to football matters...

Seagulls following trawlers looking for scraps was a dig at journalistic scavengers, always looking for something to concoct a story.

Someone once said there are lies, damned lies & statistics. As Durnford says you can misuse statistics to prove just about anything.

Assuming the game goes ahead... Here's hoping we have scored more goals than them, statistics prove that it's the most effective way of winning a football match.  

Pitch inspection at 12 but no matter what the outcome I think it will pretty much depend on the Police report on whether the surrounding area is "safe" tonight

And 82.5% of statistics are made up on the spot... including this one.

Actually looking at the weather forecast for Greenock it looks a bit better; only getting below freezing by 8pm and no snow.

Pitch inspection has been delayed till 1PM now, suppose it gives it another hour to improve its chances.

Liviforever wrote:Pitch inspection has been delayed till 1PM now, suppose it gives it another hour to improve its chances.

Its three degrees (where's Sheila Ferguson when you need her) and sunny and the covers are down - I'd be more worried if they were doing one at 6pm when it will be freezing.

Game on

Durnford wrote:Game on

Good stuff, although the temps to drop to -1 around 8PM so hopefully that wont affect the game after HT. Everyone heading through get the winter woollies on, it's going to be blooming freezing sitting watching the game.

Two form teams in the division which only means one thing - 1-1, FG 42 mins.

Gutted I can't make it through to this, wouldn't be surprised to see the team changed but if no one's knackered then would like to see the same 11 that played against St Mirren and Dundee Utd.

1-1, FG 30 mins