Old Castle Rock
Andy Gav K aand Gav F are here...
To discuss everything that's happening on Gorgie Road. It's been a tough start to the season so what has went wrong
Old Castle Rock
Finally they returm
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Its the international break but the lads are here to discuss the Dundee result
Oh, and welcome to Old Castle Rock, the podcast. It tries to talk everything about Hart and Maglothian. We're back. It is international break, but we are still here. Exactly how I feel as well. And as you heard, Gavin Flyman is here, and Gavin Kennedy is as always lurking in the background. How have we been, chaps?
SPEAKER_00Terrific first day in it. So one more day to go, and then another dull weekend with no football, because I don't count international weekend as a weekend.
SPEAKER_06Very well, Andy. Very well. The spring has come in, the clocks are going back at the weekend. There is lighter evenings, there's sunshine in the air. There's a good day out of towncastle on Saturday, a couple of bevies with a steam company like Mr. Kennedy. All good, mate, all good. Apart from getting my outfit slagged off on numerous occasions, but we'll talk about that later.
SPEAKER_05Don't the clocks go forward rather than back?
SPEAKER_06It depends what way you look at it, I suppose, mate.
SPEAKER_05But aye, um so let's let's get most let's get into it then. So first and foremost, what was wrong with your outfit on Saturday?
SPEAKER_06What was right with it? What was right with it? Apparently it was a circa West End subway from the year 2000. But um, I don't know. I thought I was alright. I thought I'll I'll take the feedback on board.
SPEAKER_00He told me he was going out after the game, and I said to him, Are you gonna go home and change for us or take it with her?
SPEAKER_05So I'll tell you what, if Gavin Kennedy is slacking your your your fashion sense, mate.
SPEAKER_06I would mate honestly, it was not out. He had a couple on Saturday, like he was on for he was on for it then.
SPEAKER_05Let's talk Saturday. Um I've always said that if we won, we win every game one now, then I will be absolutely delighted. But fuck me, that was torturous on Saturday. That was a hard watch. Gavin Fleman, what did you think?
SPEAKER_06I um in terms of like I when you're saying hard watch, I know you I I you're kinda I feel like you're I think that you're coming at it from more of a just uh uh like a nervous angle, Andy, in terms of I not like I know it's like another season it might be like oh it was terrible football, but yeah, I think I agree, I think it's just the way it's gonna be now for the rest of the season. I think um what was interesting though, and I know highlights is just a tiny sample size and stuff, but when we were talking to people after the game in the in in the bar, it was like if you watch that game back, hearts probably played a bit better than what we felt at the time, Andy. And it was just because everything's getting so nerve-wracking now that like anytime they don't score or whatever, it's just and I did start thinking, Oh, is the goal coming, is a goal coming. But like you say we've been saying it for months, the team is made of strong stuff, and they just keep finding away the the spirit's incredible, the spirit is incredible to keep going. But um, mate, it's a good three points. But yeah, the nerves, the nerves, the nerves are getting played, they're getting very, very crazy. I actually jumped on this old boy when we scored, right? And he turned round and he kind of gave me a look of like almost like disgust. And because I'd had a couple of pints, uh because I'd had a couple of points, uh, pints, I was quite close to being like, mate, see your real title is seven at seven games away from winning the league, but um he was about ninety, so I thought better on it, eh? But you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_05Gavin Fleman. Hey, Gavin Fleman, that was Gavin Flyman. Gavin Kennedy, thoughts on Saturday?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, sort of similar to Gav, to be fair. I mean, I could never remember being up a game and been overly worried about what they were going to do to us. It's more if we were actually gonna create a good chance to score. And uh ironically, the thing was that after uh we did have a few half chances, and when the cross went in, I just remember saying to Dieter next to me, I was just like, What a shite ball that is, eh? And what happens, hey, it goes right into the net. Of course it does, eh? I said this I say that. So but uh as yeah, like he says, it's just we just keep finding a way, and you see the team sheet before in the pub A, and then by the time you get to Ticaster, there's already been an injury with uh with uh Hellkit being uh released uh by Steinwinder, obviously, and you're just like, What the hell? I've only been away from my phone for like 10 minutes. How can that possibly be? Um, and it's just like it seems to be happening every week now, whether it's the warm-up formats or just during it, and it's just like it's just we're scraping the barrel with a squad now, eh? And it's like, but at the same time, we just keep finding that way, and it's it's just incredible what we're doing at the moment. And like with that result on Sunday as well, with them, it's like it just made it all much more sweeter because you think to yourself they could have piled on the pressure on us again, and now we just feel like we're more talking about it being a two-horse race, though, which I still don't think it is, to be honest with you, because there's still going to be plenty of twists and turns in this light.
SPEAKER_06Um, but if you if you think about it as well, that that defense on on Saturday, right? That's like um when you go back to the start of the season, it was like almost a completely different back four, back five. So the the tra the transformation that's happened this season with our defence, and we've had numerous chats about having such a big squad, but it has actually been just as well. We've had all these options because it's it's been needed, you know. As you go back to Aberdeen, and it was I think it was um it was Xander and Goals, and I think Bort started, Halkett Finlay, and then you look at Saturday, you know, you've got Swarov and Goals, you've got Steinbender coming in from the cold playing, actually played quite well. I sent her back, I centre back playing in a position looking okay. And I know Frankie Kent gets a bit sick from time to time, but you know, thought he did his job reasonably well. And um, you know, fair play to McCart, not an actual left back, but it comes in and does quite well. And I really think it's it's maybe not acknowledged as much as it should be about how many times Hartshire cobbled together, a back line, a midfield, and forwards, and still got the results. I honestly the injuries we've had entire teams out of points this season, like 11 players have been out. And we've come through this period, right, with our best two players out, but we're actually still top in the league. I honest I just I think Vancouver by Kruk, right? That is amazing, right? And and McKinnon's and the squad and the players deserve so much credit. They honestly, they they really, really do. Yes, we get bad days like Killey, but overall, honestly, it's it's it's phenomenal, phenomenal.
SPEAKER_05So obviously, going into the game, and we we started and we talked, I think I mentioned it as well in the our we group chat, but we went down the right hand side, and even down the left hand side, and you you talk about it being cobbled, things cobbled together. No Harry Milne, so it was Jamie Jamie McCart out at the left side, left hand side, and then on the right hand side, it was Altena started at right back. McIntyre was basically was in it right midfield, and it was like a hybrid, a hybrid system where the two of them were taking taking turns where Altena was stepping into the middle of the park and Globe coming forward, and McIntyre was obviously covering down the left-hand side was not so much, and McCartney didn't really wouldn't really push on the same way Harry Milne would. So, my question on this is do you think it highlighted maybe just how narrow Kizaritas plays um without without Harry Milne overlapping? And does Harry Milne overlapping maybe maybe take a not a hide exactly just how narrow Kizaridas is? Because without McCart being there, Kizzy spent most of the game being very narrow.
SPEAKER_06If you understand my question, no no no no no no I do I do uh I think I it's a good point that you make. Like it's not an exact comparison, but obviously last season when you had um when you had Ken Rice in uh Spittleway or Andy, like you know, and they were on that left-hand side. Um don't don't get me wrong, mate. I'm not trying to compare like like for like here. I'm just saying like you you you build up that understanding and you build up that uh kind of cohesion when you play, right? So Harry, with no with no Harry and Mill, right? And I know Kizzy doesn't always stick to playing on the left hand side, but with no Mill, you kind of see a noticeable difference in the way Kizzy has to play because he's not he's not got that upshare, he's not got you know what Mill can do, how he can attack, how he can go forward, his versatility, everything like that. But it's more about, and I know you'll come on to it, but it's more about the difference in the players like Kizzy when the main man came on in in the second half, because when Shanks came on, and I know we'll talk about it, Kizzy and Draga all of a sudden looked a lot better, and they're just seeming a lot more confidence. Kizzy started playing further forward, and it just seemed like he got a lift himself, and it was just it's just another example about what an influence um Shanks has on that teammate mate. But sorry, mate, I just I do agree with your point though about when you've got no Milm, it obviously majorly impacts on you know Kizzy's Kizzy's good points to what he can do.
SPEAKER_05Kennedy, what did you think of the right hand side with um I know you're a good right winger, so um what did you think of the right hand side with that hybrid floating right back?
SPEAKER_00It looked like they weren't too sure when was the best time to sort of make any moves, and that's why we struggled for Ludbit's periods of a game, you know.
SPEAKER_06Um because like I would I would say Gab, I would say Gab's just I would say sorry, and I thought Altena did look quite good though.
SPEAKER_00You know what I mean? It's like when you're on the right hand of the field, you can't be expected to make a run or try to go down, it's like he just sort of played the easy ball to the centre of the field to Leonard or whatever, eh? Quite a lot of the time rather than taking a chance and going for the running at eh, uh, without worrying about you know trekking back if he had to come back for cover.
SPEAKER_06So I think I was I thought a bit of the opposite, Gab. I actually thought to be fair to Altera. I actually thought when he was if you were still talking about Alterna there, sorry, and not a yeah, I actually thought not the opposite, mate. I thought when Altena, his first thought when he was getting the ball, I thought he was actually trying to turn and he was trying to go forward right with the majority of his passes and and touches. Uh I do agree you're right. He maybe go into like a cul-de-sac or whatever, and he would maybe just do the safe pass to Leonard. Because but that I thought that was maybe because he didn't have the options though, Gab. And again, it goes back to the point about having no Shanklin there, and obviously Kabore being Cabore. But I I really like what I see with Altena because he looks to me like a guy, his his his instinct is just to turn and go forward, and he can take a man on. I I think I think he'll be honestly, I don't want to get carried away, but I think we've got I think we've got a good prospect there, eh?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and when Russia is a bad player, just thinking on that occasion with that sort of system, uh, it wasn't really maybe suited to his strong points, I felt. I mean, I know I think he saw was it was it the Aberdeen game when he when he was in right midfield and he came on, he actually started looking really good, eh? And it was just like, I think maybe McKinnon's just tried it again for him just to see how he would go back into his cover for him, eh? And it's I can see like his thinking before that, especially with how could be injured like last minute, hey, that must have had an effect on that decision too, eh? But I don't know, eh? I just feel like it sort of made it easy for them to like sit in quite deep with us for a long period of time.
SPEAKER_06I I I no, no, no, like totally. I actually I do see your point. All I would say is I I would be I think I'd be quite happy with um sort of moving forward. And I know there's got like loads of games to go, but I think if you could play him, I think McAtee is obviously his his first kind of choice right back, right? Where we can argue all day about Alterna's a right back, but I actually think we might get more joy by playing McAtee at right back, right? Just because of what I for now for now until the end of the season, and maybe actually playing Alterna on the right hand side of the field, because with Shanklin being back, and if Shanklin can play, Alterna's almost like an extra attack-in kind of winger stroke midfielder guy, you know. So I I I I think I think I agree to you without Shanklin. Totally agree with your points. With Shanklin, though, I think Alterna's got a lot of merits about playing on the right hand side of the field.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. No, I know, especially with Kobori, because that's not Kabori's style, really, is it? And it's just like I was everything is I always isolated them a wee bit because he's used to the sort of lob balls being pointed over or whatever.
SPEAKER_06He can't he can't link the play as well. It's not Caborri's fault. So he misses that chance, right? Don't get me wrong, right? I was the same as everybody. It was like, oh fuck, mind you, there was two old boys sitting behind me that were calling for Cabor to be taken off after five minutes, which I thought was a little bit harsh, right? But he misses another, he misses a good chance, right? And it's high and wide, it's not even close, and that adds to the tension. But he's not a kind of guy, he's not a sh-no one is a Shankround, he can't really get it into feet, he can't hold it up. I like what we've discussed, he's a squad man, and he's okay to be a squad man. I'm I'm not I'm not gonna lie off.
SPEAKER_05I think in regards to this wasn't going to be my question, but I think with Kivori, I think the runoff games that we've had to play him in has probably exposed him in regards to maybe just how raw he is um for this stand for the step up in in football stand and like and uh step up in standard that he's had to take to come to hearts. Now we know he's an international player, that's fine, but in a week by week basis, I think you can see that he is still so raw. Um the fact is that he snatches at that chance with against against Dundee. The fact is he has a very similar chance that that if the all he has to do is just to take an extra touch and bring the ball down and he's rolling it into the net twice, but instead he snatches at it, and I don't know if it's a composure thing uh with him, and it and it could be the case, and and I think that this is maybe what is is that we're real we've had to rely on him, and it can be is it a case because we've had to rely on him that we've it's become it's maybe getting to him a little bit, and he's maybe feeling that he's maybe having to snatch those chances and just having to get that can work on that composure with him rather than if you're you're leaving him into games and there's this the pressures maybe the privilege pressures maybe on a bit too much for him.
SPEAKER_06I think that's all it is, Andy. Like I I don't think even next season, I don't see Cavori becoming a a regular starter, right? But with uh you know, with another pre-season and maybe you know upgrading the squad again and and and and telling the coaches working with him, he is still young and he's still raw. There's definitely a lot there's little signs there that there's there's something, right? Um but listen, I I you have to just you have to give him credit for actually stepping up and trying to fill Shangton's shoes. That's like the that's the hardest job imaginable. And he's actually he's played a good part in this little period. I know he's not scored loads or anything, but he's he's still he's ran about, made himself a nuisance, he's worked hard, he's set up a couple, scored a couple of Canada. So listen, I'm more than happy with the body that I had a squad, man. And I like the reaction on Saturday. Yeah, there were some groans when he missed that chance, but quite quickly people were like, All right, come on, Harts, and just you know, not trying to get on the back, so he'll he'll get it.
SPEAKER_05I think with the net I think the groans and stuff come because because of the whole situation and the gravity of everything that's around us, and just the nerves around Tincastle, especially. And I think we've obviously in regards to Shanklin, when he comes on and you talked about Braga and Kizzy, and I think that it's probably because they feel more confidence with him on the park, and I think you see it just the way that Shanklin can hold the ball in on it, hold the ball in, he can he's be a bit more physical, and that's obviously not part of Kubori's game. Kubori's a bigger laddie than Shanklin, but he's not physical, he's not a physical that physical kind of player, and I think that we have tried to use him in that in that way to be a bit more physical because we weren't able to get the the six foot two, six foot three striker in in January.
SPEAKER_06How much more confident as well did you feel, Andy, when Shanklin came on? Like what I mean, like I it was I just it just it just felt it just felt like there was just started to be a little bit more cohesive where everything um and I'm not I'm not trying to say like it was like oh Shankro's on, we're definitely gonna win, but all of a sudden you're a bit like oh it seems to be sticking, or it oh because it now looks a bit more. I just it's it's just that it's I think back to some of the stuff we were saying last season, eh? And then we're looking at it now and we're like Shankround, we love you. What were we saying?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I I was always in the Shankin, I love you camp. Thank you very much. I actually offered you that fiver about two or three times, and you kept saying, No, don't worry about it. So uh we will not have any of that, but yeah, um in regards to obviously Shanklin came off came on, um they probably put him on earlier than they thought they were gonna do. Um they probably had a wee plan, and hopefully the game was a bit more in control of the game than when they had to bring him on. Um but when they brought him on, they obviously took off Altena uh as well. And I'm like, what are you doing at that point? Because I would have subbed, I was like, Why are you taking him off? Like for me, if they were taking anybody that was playing right back off, it would have been McIntyre, McIntyre and Myers shouldn't have wouldn't have been on the field and at that time to score the goal, but yeah, um and obviously as well um Devlin he played 75 minutes. Um I think just having him on the park as well he done well to be fair. He's not played week, he's not played in weeks, he gets 75 minutes, and obviously that with the kind of player he is in the game he has, he's I think he's done really well on Saturday. And I thought I thought we'd probably it helped probably raise us as well. I think with Halke going out quite early, obviously into the war before the warm-up, Devlin coming in probably just lifted the crowd a little bit because I think if Halkett had came out the team as well, I think we'd have just been absolutely fucking raging or devastated, and our confidence might have taken a wee hit, and even the players might have taken a wee hit as well. But having cut Cami and the team, Lawrence on the bench, I think it definitely helped, Kennedy.
SPEAKER_00Oh I've heard what said I I mean uh you could see the the players just like relaxing with a ball a bit more of a second shaft when they came back on, and we started to find a groove a wee bit like um, which was so great to see uh and Cami did brilliantly for his light. He was a going hard in challenges, like you know he does with winding up players and stuff like that. If you notice but he he was just trying to find his ball with a fee and not doing anything too strenuous, and just like you know, uh if he had to, he just made a safe pass, and it's like you could understand it because it was his first game back and all that. So I mean yeah, that was really good to see. Like, hey, and uh Shaglin obviously coming on, he's just such an inspirational leader. Like, I know I've uh I've always like sort of questioned him being the captain, but you notice him when he's gone, and that means a lot if you're not a meaning. Um yeah like the team that he and stuff like that. I mean, I know we've done really well to obviously to be in a position kept there for so long, but we have been scraping and clawing every single game without away, and it's like you can just tell that it looks like now that players are starting to maybe relax a wee bit more now that it's. Back in the dressing room and stuff, eh? As I know we were only 1-0 on Saturday, obviously, but it wasn't ever a sort of worry in terms of what, like I said, about Dundee and stuff, it's just what we were gonna do, really, eh? Yeah. Um, and you can only take that forward to the next game, eh, against the Wingson, who obviously we shall speak about next week, but um aye.
SPEAKER_05Aye. Um but yeah, um obviously the cross comes in, Macinty he gets the goal. I'm trying to think of anything else that's really happened, and it probably relaxed us a little bit. I mean, going being all in all, Dundee probably didn't offer too much.
SPEAKER_00If I said it standing off, really it's really about it.
SPEAKER_06Aye, but I came out, and I generally don't I didn't even realise, I didn't even realise he'd actually been sent off until the boy next to me was like, Jens has been sent off because it just happened so fast, and I totally missed the second yellow card, and there was no fan reaction. I was just honestly just falling twig at all like I think having having seen it back, it actually looks quite harsh. He gets a second yellow for that lads as well, it's minimal contact. That's why I said it was a silly yellow.
SPEAKER_00It was a silly yellow card to do, especially if you're already on one, eh? You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_06It's one of them was what I'm saying is, mate, I think that I don't think there was much contact, and actually, you're saying a silly yellow. Well, the Dundee boy was you know through, so maybe if he didn't take some contact, maybe he's taking one for the team, but it's it's six and a half of one, mate. I know what you're saying.
SPEAKER_05By the way, I didn't even blame him because he got put into that situation for a poor pass through Blair Spittle.
SPEAKER_06Uh um I thought Spittle done okay though. I thought Spittle was actually alright when he came on, Andy. You you you made a point about um taking Altena off earlier on. Yeah, I I agree, yeah. I I think I think the whole stadium would have been a bit like, what Altena's actually had a decent game. So I was but then that again, this is why we were doing a podcast, and McInnes is the manager, because he made stats. Um Big Mac at the he gets the header, and it was a really good header, actually, and it was a good ball in from Leonard.
SPEAKER_05No, I think with both Kent's bookings came from mistakes and mistakes, and he feels that he's got to try and make those tackles um or obstructions just because of the obviously what's happened in front of him. So I didn't blame him as such for any of the two yellow cards, to be honest. Um, I think with the second yellow, I don't know if the referee had realized that it was it was Kent's second booking to start with. Because I think Kent thinks he's getting away with it, because he just kind of wanders about, and then there's a bit of realization that this is your second yellow, and the red barely he barely pulls the red card out as well. I didn't see the red card from my seat. I was like, that's his second yellow, and I was like, Is he sending him off? And eventually you see Kent walking away, so it's it was very strange. But by the way, I I need to shoot in about two minutes, but the referee was absolutely honking on Saturday.
SPEAKER_06The referee was appalling, absolutely appalling, right? Oh, I I don't know, I know I know fans will say that about rest, but no, the the the there was like there was no one decision, Andy, like you know, some absolute John Deaton style shopper, but it was just it was the lack of consistency, what he oh the lack of control. But I'm sure there was a point he was holding up a heart's corner in the first half, right? Because he was shouting at some Dundee substitutions behind the goals or something, right? I I don't know, I was I was I was I was close to the Gorgie on Saturday, right? I couldn't tell exactly, but he was he was doing and I was like, what the actual fuck? And it took about two minutes and he was just shouting at people like behind the goals. What are you doing? But not uh horror story, mate. Horror story, mate.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it was I always think that I always think when you win, I think you can you always maybe can criticize the referee a wee bit more if he has had a honking game because it doesn't come across as maybe a bit more sour grapes and stuff, and I think that it was honking. I I was like I thought it was losing control, it was genuinely thought he was losing control of the game.
SPEAKER_00He was just being an idiot half the time, eh? And he was like telling players to go back when he didn't have to. It wasn't just us, it was D he was doing it with as well, eh? And he was just like always stop, start, stop, start, and it's just like that's what uh made it really frustrating to watch, eh? It was just like he didn't get the game as much as you should have, basically, yeah. And it was next to the one to me.
SPEAKER_04Right, I need to shoot boys, but you have the you just have a good rest of the pod, and I'll catch you later on. Right, Jilliar Gafflar.
SPEAKER_00Right, mate. Uh so I just uh basically continue from that. Hey, I mean uh obviously it was obviously a great result at the end of that, and uh obviously a few minutes early. What was the atmosphere like at the end of it? Was it pretty much balls on?
SPEAKER_06Nah, yeah, I thought uh it was really, really good, eh? Like they're doing like with the the end of the games now, just obviously the player mechanics is coming on, the players are walking around, they're doing a real laughing pitch, they're uh playing the the the Chisholm the 86 heart song. The I I thought it was brilliant, and you know there's a real a real togetherness there, there's a real kind of unity you can see it from everybody.
SPEAKER_00I actually thought, what I mean, what was your thoughts on the actual atmosphere during the game that this uh it wasn't too bad, I felt um it went a wee bit flat at some points, but I think generally we were singing the uh big pockets of a game of stuff, and it was always like the wheat fields version with a uh the main standard section M and stuff like that. A it was added out when that went quiet the ultra sort of the nerve sort of bits of that, eh?
SPEAKER_06And it's not even it's not even necessarily flat guy, eh?
SPEAKER_00It's like the the the the the net the the nerves the nerves are getting to people A, so uh it's not like the person the sound sort of like doesn't help like fans like you know what I mean, so it's like to sort of like get a voice on them sort of thing, you know. And it's hard to do for 90 minutes every single game, eh? Uh so but yeah, I I generally was quite uh pleased about uh result of the actual atmosphere and in general. Uh leaving a being a worse site uh gives a tie cast as we moved away, eh?
SPEAKER_06So uh I I I think I think there's been a and there's been a real effort from the fans going back to that St. Miren game back in January when it was a a real big ass that's kind of starting. There was a good atmosphere, and then pretty much every game since then. The the fans have done pretty pretty well. Obviously, you know, the Celtic game was quite good, the Derby took care of itself, Aberdeen was quite lively, or Saturday was quite good. And I know the wins are obviously everybody loved to be a couple of goals ahead and everything, right? Just to actually relax it out more.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But when but when you're watching the game's background or watching the highlights, they've been pretty, they've been quite comfortable one-nil, right? It's such a horrible score, but it's not been uh it's not been smash and grab. Like Falkart, Aberdeen, and Dundee were all comfortable one-nil, you maybe it could have been two or three nil in the case of the case.
SPEAKER_00It wasn't like a morning uh league game at home when we'd we'd lost like uh we'd we drew last minute, you know what I mean? Because of a wee dodgy, stupid error, but that's what plays in the back of people's minds every time it's one nil, it's like, oh no, it's gonna happen again, you know what I mean? So that's a hard part, you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_06So I think we've got I think we've got quite good at kind of riding it out though, just how we play and how McKinnon sets us up. I mean, I I know we'll talk about the Livvy game next week, but uh I uh I I think though I don't know, it would just be it would just cause it'll be a bit it'll be a bit dodgy that one because Rangers play first on the Saturday, so we can actually we could actually find ourselves second overnight, and that'll be the first time since September, I know. So the mission there'll be a bit of pressure on there actually, but you know they've they've dealt with what they can. Um that won't be easy though. I know we'll do a proper kind of kind of review a preview next week, but uh, we'll see how we go. We'll see how we go.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. I mean, what's your thoughts of the title? Do you think Celtic are out of it?
SPEAKER_06I don't I don't think that I don't I would never like like we've been saying on the chat, Cam, I'd never ever ever rule Celtic out just because it's Celtic. I get people will say you're maybe basing that that's like a bit like Charlie Melgrew just because of the history of Celtic, but history does tell you that they can still sometimes string results together. Well what what I would say is, you know, I'm assuming you watched the um United game as well, that they they they did look genuinely bad. Like Dundee, Dundee United could have won 3 or 4-0, and it was like, what's I mean, and that and that was under like that's under O'Neal now as well. So you know, a lot of people were kind of hanging on to oh O'Neill's getting the performances.
SPEAKER_00Well, that that that that was that was truly diabolical, like and as I could say on Saturday, I'm sure it mentioned it to you and have it that I was just like they can't sustain conceding all these goals over time, it's gonna catch up to him sooner later, and it did on Sunday.
SPEAKER_06Well, that that that that's true, you did you did say that, and that was what we were kind of saying, how sustainable is it, like as you say, Gab, going behind in every game. I think they went behind five or six matches, right? And and they have, and listen, don't get me wrong, Hearts and Rangers, right? Where we've all carried elements of maybe fortune and and you know, maybe dug into win games. Hearts have certainly won a couple of games ugly, right? So that can be a quality at times. But the the difference is with the resources and the money, and there's a world of difference in a team like Hearts doing what they're doing and digging in to win games 1-0, and a team like Celtic beating Levy 2-1 with a goal in the last minute. Do you know what I mean? With the resources they've got, they're a team that can still bring on Oxy Chamberlain, right? So I mean that's just something that no other team can conceive of doing out with Rangers, right? So that they can still trump anybody, but they they you know, never say never, but they they do look in a bad place, and with the rest of the top six to come, another away game at Dundee as well. And actually, I thought Dundee looked alright on Saturday. I know they didn't they didn't like have loads of chances, but I think they'll give Celtic a game at Dens. And then obviously, you know, there's the old firm as well. Um no, they're they're not out of it, mate. They're definitely not out of it. We know how quickly it can change, but um, yeah, that that was that was a welcome, a welcome Sunday.
SPEAKER_00Oh absolutely. Um it was great to see, like, especially with United fans uh singing keep the board or keep the board, that was hilarious, like so it's like it's like the I mean they were what the the the the hearts we should have battered Celtic at Town Castle in January 2 2, right?
SPEAKER_06Celtic, I I actually I don't know how Celtic got out. I don't know how they got out of that game with with a point like um seriously. I mean I know hearts deficiency is because they missed a couple of sitters, but they just had a game plan to counter us and it worked for them to be honest. They were lucky though, they were they carried quite a big bit of fortune, and then you know they were they were 2-0 down at Killey, you know, they've come back 3-2 fucking seven minutes in injury time, they came back at Ibrox, right? They could have been three or four down at ibrox. They were quite fortunate, they were quite they were quite fortunate in the cup game as well at ibrox, you know. So like you say that that that's that's not that's not sustainable all the way through. And I I I just think I do think with with Devlin and Chantlin coming back, they're like we're it's slightly different. Celtic haven't got like Jota coming back or Carter Vickers coming back.
SPEAKER_00I've always said for the last few weeks Rangers would be the ones uh that we need to beat. And it's looking like that way, it's gonna happen to me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, but it's it's it's been it it keeps changing, no gap, because even though Rangers are only three points behind, Rangers have just come through a recent spell of like uh drawing at East Norway.
SPEAKER_00We're still being team backs beating them, but that's twice. Yeah, no one else has, and it and that's what that's what worries me the most day because I think the draws I draws seem to be like Rangers.
SPEAKER_06I'm just gonna say they're gonna we're talking about it, you know that they still want they drew the hibs, they drew it, they drew the 10 men against Munavell, they were 2-0 down against Livy, they threw away a 2-0 lead against Celtic, and they couldn't score in 120 minutes against the pure Celtic team at Ibrox, right? And then they went to St. Minna and they won 1-0 threadfall game, and they beat Aberdeen. Fair enough, okay. They played okay in Saturday. This is Aberdeen, Aberdeen are terrible just now, even with Robinson. Rangers are uh the fact that we've got that game at Time Castle post-split is what as well.
SPEAKER_00I've got this horrible paranoia hate B S FA feeling that they're gonna turn around and say, No, actually, it's not gonna be Rangers at home, it's gonna be uh Celtic at home, and these are gonna get have to go to linebrot.
SPEAKER_06Ah, they can't they couldn't they couldn't do that, mate. They couldn't.
SPEAKER_00I can see it happening, honestly. I'm telling you.
SPEAKER_06No, mate, that means they literally couldn't do that because that would be disadvantaged in a team that's going to the title. Hearts would just take that, hearts would just take that to the to the officials, mate. So hearts are going for the league, and they and rather than just say, Oh, Falkirk, you've got to go to Tiny Castle a third time, I was just gonna say, Hearts, you've got to go to Ibrox for a third time. Nah, no danger, mate. Those games will a hundred percent it'll be it'll be um it'll be Rangers and Falkirk at Tiny Celtic Money of Ellen Hibbs away. That is a hundred percent what it'll be, and I'll probably have to get the derbies done in the first couple of weekends, I think, so none of them can win it at each other's grounds. But mate, uh I get it, even even yeah, even if that for whatever concoction of reasons, right, was even disgust, right? No, but listen, uh Bloom, Franks, McKinley, and Budge would challenge that guy. There's no way that would give up a stamp, right? We would be within our rights to say no, but we're going for the league. What are you doing? It wouldn't even make any sense, Gab. There's no way, there's no way that's happening.
SPEAKER_00I can't figure it both ways though for us, yeah. Because imagine having a party title celebration that I brought, like it was when we won a championship. That'd be hilarious.
SPEAKER_06Well, it might be that's I'm hoping that um it's obviously done before the last day and Celtic is at the parhead on the last day. That that's what I'm hoping, right? But apparently I read something that the team that's top of the league at the split gets a home game on the last day of the season, in case they like for whatever reason. But no more in a couple of weeks. Uh actually, ironically, if Thunder United hadn't won on Sunday, the top six would have been confirmed. And they would be already they'd be already working out the fixtures. It's unlikely, it's unlikely United can still technically catch Falkirk, but it would be very, very difficult for them to catch Falkirk, apparently. But uh Nah, it's um I'm um it just shows you how quickly it can change though. You know, there was a little bit there was a little bit of doom and gloom after Killy, and it just takes and I think that's because that was the weekend we thought we would win in Celtic would lose this week. So we're all we're all still gonna drop points, Gar. I think I think Parkson's got another defeat in them as well, you know.
SPEAKER_00Uh definitely, especially in the uh the when the split comes, because like when we teams fight for European places and stuff like that, so we're not gonna roll over for anyone, eh? Even HIVs won't roll over to Celtic like we proved to get at Parkhead, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_06So they got their own agendas this year, like I I don't I don't I don't think like uh honestly guys it's quite it's quite rare that a team actually rolls over a such gap. Sometimes you now there's definitely I think I do think one of the helicopter Sundays there was a game though when Rangers and Hibs kind of played out a draw because it kind of kind of suited Rangers because of what was going on in the Celtic game or something, right? Um and I think Hibs had to get in Europe or something, right? Rangers, yeah. Teams don't really like you you can't really lie down. There is an argument to say though it would it would be interesting. It would be interesting though, if there was a game, say Celtic were playing hearts, right? And uh Celtic win could help Rangers. It would be interesting to see Celtic's team selection if they were maybe all guaranteed, you know. Do you know what I mean, mate? Uh but there would there be there would be questions about sport and integrity and Rangers, you can imagine Rangers would appeal and probably you know what I mean? But um but then I it's gonna be um it's gonna be a lot of things. It could be very surreal, it's gonna be uh it's gonna be nerve-wracking, but it's gonna be box office as well, mate. It is, it really is.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. So uh do we got anything else to add to that?
SPEAKER_06Or nah, not really. I was trying to think, mate. I mean, uh there's a little bit of news about potential uh injuries that we talked about at the the start there. Um that Cami might have uh another injury. Let's just hope that he's he's not. We'll probably know more about this next week.
SPEAKER_00I know it's official, I'm not uh stress about it too much to be honest, yeah, because like it is what it is if you're not reading it.
SPEAKER_06I know, I know. It's just after after coming back, and it just opens up the conversation about all these injuries that we we keep getting and we keep having, and how like you say on Saturday, you you'd left the pub and how kit was in the team. I was the same, mate. Like, I was just staying about 10 minutes after you, and then I was like when I got upstairs and then it told me I was like, eh, what? I'm walking out with this boy, and he's like a Halkit team injured. I'm like, what's going on? But uh nah, mate, uh it was a good week, it was a good week, and I'm glad they've got this weekend actually, just to rest, not to stress.
SPEAKER_00Probably we usually hate international because what we do, but it's like it's actually nice, like you say, just to chill without stressing about like I agree, I agree, mate, and then just get some injured players back, see where we are, and then you know we're all going to Live apart from Hammy.
SPEAKER_06And then we'll have a we'll have a good we'll have a good Easter Sunday.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I can't even wait for that. 7,000 of us is gonna be a buzzing atmosphere, eh? So I'm really looking forward to that game, definitely. So uh bring it on and we'll see we'll chat about that next week. So I'll just uh leave a pod at that since uh uh Gaffer's away as he's uh working driving a bus tonight. So um again, thanks to everyone for listening. Uh before we sign off, obviously we always speak about mental health and stuff like that. We do it every week and week out. Uh it's really important. Uh if you're struggling, uh, doesn't matter what time of year it is, uh, things go wrong for you, whatever. Please speak out, speak to your pals, speak to your family, even speak to random people. Like I can help also because uh we might have gone through this thing, thing that you've been through, you just never know. Don't go in silence, that's the worst thing you can do. And myself, I've gone through obviously an issue in my home life, and it's like that can be quite strong mentally for me, but I just keep talking about it and try and sort of get on with it and move on. And uh I it's just uh keep coming through. It's a great mat. We've got the football with us right now the way it is, it's not the normal do a gloom like it is most seasons, so just try to enjoy it while you can, eh? Because uh you never know what's around the corner. Um, so aye uh as well. I would just like to say thanks to all the listeners as well for coming and listening to our shows every our our pod every week. We would love to hear more feedback. We're hopeful we're trying to work on our our uh mic audio and stuff like that. So hopefully it's improved over the last couple of episodes and stuff. Uh we've got more stuff to work on next season, obviously, for that. And uh your usual sites, you know. Uh you get us on Twitter, you get us on Spotify, uh, Apple, Bebo, Messenger. I always do that joke here when Dickle doesn't do it because he's so much better than me. So uh I as uh as usual, it's a bonger for me, then. It's a good night from me. Here we go. Seven to go. Here we go, seven to go.