Livi v Accies

We're 2 for 2 under Holt and Accies are sitting on 3 points, but that win was away to Motherwell so we can't take this game lightly.

Their defence looks shaky so we should get chances, but I still expect it to be a tight game, if we could get a win it would take us to 10 points and that would hit our quota in the first quarter for staying up, with us still having 6 games left to play.


Hardie is back training this week and will hopefully get some action from the bench, no idea how Miller is getting on though, but with Dolly looking lively and Hamilton doing well we're not desperate for them coming back now.

Tough 2 games against Hearts and Sevco next so something here would be great.

Yeah, we need to be looking for a win here as they have to be 1 of the teams we are looking to finish above (still trying to keep it low key) & we shouldn’t expect to take much from Hearts (what an improvement in them since the end of last season!) or Gerrard’s Boys - who also look stronger than they were. Anything we get from those games would be a bonus.

Based on the 1st quarter and, I know things could change dramatically between now and when the other game come around. What are people thoughts on these games?

Hamilton at home
Hearts Away
Rangers at Home
Motherwell Away
Dundee at Home
Aberdeen Away
St Johnstone at home

Hearts, Rangers and Aberdeen will obviously be our toughest games hoping to pick up a good number of points, if not win the games against Hamilton, Dundee, and St Johnstone and will be happy to get anything at Motherwell.

I think we can get something from all our home games, a win against Accies & Dundee and a draw against St Johnstone & Sevco.
If we could come away with 8 points from those game we'd be set up really well for the next quarter.

Away games are all tough but you just can't write our players off, they're capable of getting a few points there too but Motherwell is the one most likely. 2 or 3 points from those games would be brilliant.

We need to be beating Accies & Dundee if we are going to stay up (yes we have started really well but those are the teams we have to target) - I think we are capable of doing so & could very well surprise some of the others.

Liviforever wrote:I think we can get something from all our home games, a win against Accies & Dundee and a draw against St Johnstone & Sevco.  
If we could come away with 8 points from those game we'd be set up really well for the next quarter.

Away games are all tough but you just can't write our players off, they're capable of getting a few points there too but Motherwell is the one most likely. 2 or 3 points from those games would be brilliant.

Getting eight points from those games would not only put us on course for survival but also for finishing in the top half at the split. Survival is obviously what we need to aim for first but its interesting to note that the prize money for finishing sixth is almost equivalent to 1700 season tickets sold compared to ending up in eleventh.

For some bizarre reason this game is all ticket

Bertie Bassett wrote:For some bizarre reason this game is all ticket

I've just seen that on the official site. Really strange as it will discourage any last minute PATG visitors or new fans from turning up.

Cant work that out at all; really strange.

Unless it’s something to do with the ticketmaster deal?

Great news, we could see both Hardie and Sibbs playing on Saturday.

@CallumCarson34
7 hours ago

Gary Holt says Craig Sibbald and Ryan Hardie are back in training and 'champing at the bit' to be involved on Saturday. Also says Raffa de Vita is close to being able to get back running.

Also noticed this.

@CallumCarson34
2 hours ago

Noticeably fewer black pellets on the Livi surface this evening. Either the pitch has bedded in or they used the international break to remove some of them. Whichever it is, the pitch looks significantly better now.

Sportscene will be gutted about that.

Good news indeed...and having the players fit too is a bonus

Bertie Bassett wrote:For some bizarre reason this game is all ticket

Wonder if they are only planning to only open the main stand. To be honest not really sure of the capacity.

Lothiangamer wrote:

Bertie Bassett wrote:For some bizarre reason this game is all ticket

Wonder if they are only planning to only open the main stand. To be honest not really sure of the capacity.

Think the main stand has a capacity of around 2500 which should be more than enough if you looked at the level of home support that turned up for Killie and Motherwell - correct that - just realised the gate for the Killie game was 2586 which is pretty close.

Dunno why but I've a feeling we're going to score 3 or 4 goals in this game.

I’ll go for an optimistic (for me) draw.

1-1

FG 37 mins

Going to go for a 3-1 Livi win

2-0 Livi, FG 30 mins

Lest we forget....

https://vimeo.com/287833211

(just to get you in the mood after the two week break)

Durnford wrote:Lest we forget....

https://vimeo.com/287833211

(just to get you in the mood after the two week break)

I've watched that a couple of times this week, along with the vid celebrating our Championship season, from the flag unfurling to the play off wins, then all 4 play off games on YouTube. I needed a Livi footballing fix with the 2 weeks break.

Was sitting wondering, with the amount of rain battering down over the last couple of days, that this game might be in doubt.

Then I remembered we had a plastic pitch. Can't wait until games are being postponed and ours go ahead.

I feel that the chance to post ten points on the board so early in the season is too big an opportunity for the Lions to pass up here.Will be interesting to see who weve got up front tommorow.Weve got options with Sibbald and Hardy almost ready for returns altough big Lee is a big miss for us and wish him a speedy recovery.The rest of the team will pick itself imo and hopefully home advantage will see us through in this game.Havent commented on the Ticket scenario as of yet but im sure the club will have genuine reasons for their stance,im just glad ive got my season ticket although i understand the concerns of both the home and away fans on this.Anyway good luck to Gary Davie and the lads tommorow.Cmon Livi.Do it!!!

Surprising result with St Mirren getting a point against Celtic, shows there are no teams in this league that are beyond taking points from, even Hearts have looked dodgy in defence and will drop points at some point. All the more reason to try and take 3 points here and potentially go 10 points clear of Dundee.

I think Holt is a big fan of Sibbald going by what I've read in his quotes talking about him, so may well see him starting tomorrow, Robinson and Dolly looked good against Hibs but Hamilton and Hardie are very good options too, great that Holt has this selection headache.

So a win and we catch up with Celtic, and if we can win by 3 clear goals we'll move ahead of them on GD, mon the Lions you can do it.

Also fancy Cadden to score, he's been close the last couple of games and looks desperate to fire in a goal.

If Killie get beat and we win by 2 clear goals I think we go 2nd, as we would have scored more goals than Celtic, I think that puts us ahead of them.

Setting up a top of the table clash next week

Three main things in this game...

1. Superb goal from Lawless
2. Superb save by Accies keeper from Lithgow’s header
3. That ref should be sacked - he was totally inept & was my only concern that they might equalise from one of his hopelessly wrong decisions.

I thought we were the better side by far in the first half but were second best in the second half - although Accies never really threatened our goal. I thought they bullied us in the second half, largely because the ref let them away with everything that he was penalising us for.

Kelly had very little to do
Gallagher, Halkett, Lithgow... dealt with most things fairly comfortably
Lamie put in good shift on the left
Pittman did what Pittman does, terrific story from juniors to Top tier & looks like he’s enjoying it
Jacobs generally good & great to see him getting game time at this level
Byrne was quieter than normal, probably because of the hammer throwers in Accies midfield
Lawless played well, scored a great goal & went close a couple of times
Menga wasn’t as effective as he was against Hibs but still a handful for their defence
Robinson worked his butt off & managed to win far more in the air than he should have given the disparity in height with their defence

Lawson didn’t do much when he came on but what he did do was okay
Hardie got to stretch his legs, good to see him back, needs game time to get up to speed
Burns didn’t have much time to make an impact but helped to close out the win

Overall I thought we deserved the points.