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10 hours ago, kumnio said:

I thought Maloney was a very good choice for Hibs, young, intelligent, well spoken, creative, but he looks utter shite at the moment, and full of the usual nonsense cliches.

Truly a protégé of Roberto Martinez, one of the most overrated managers in the business.

Having the dreadful Gary Caldwell alongside him won't help either. 

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1 hour ago, scotlad said:

Truly a protégé of Roberto Martinez, one of the most overrated managers in the business.

Having the dreadful Gary Caldwell alongside him won't help either. 

I thought Martinez was incredibly over rated, the guys a total fraud. Not many seem to feel that way though. 

Didn’t know Caldwell was at Hibs, that guy is a fucking moron, a younger McGhee 🤮

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On 3/19/2022 at 5:44 PM, slasher said:

Someone is going to miss the top 6 by a baw hair.

Scottish Premiership: Which club will claim the final European places?

By Nick McPheat & Andrew PetrieBBC Scotland
Table

With just two games left until the split, the race for the top six - and, perhaps more importantly, Europe - is more closely contested than ever.

The title battle has been an Old Firm power struggle for some time now, while St Johnstone struck a significant blow in the race to avoid the drop between themselves and Dundee by winning on Saturday.

As for the 'best-of-the-rest' third spot? Hearts, a healthy 14 points clear, look to have boxed that off already. 

But who will finish a place below the Tynecastle side in the league's final guaranteed European place - and how likely is fifth spot to be rewarded with qualification too?

From Dundee United in fourth to Aberdeen in 10th, just four points separate seven sides. Here, BBC Scotland looks at why the league is so congested and who is best placed to pull away.

Inconsistency key to seven-team cluster

In the last 20 years, the narrowest margin between fourth and 10th at this stage has been eight points - in 2010-11. On average, the gap between those seven sides has been 16 points - this campaign's tally cuts that total by 12.

A serious lack of consistency is a key factor. The competitive nature of this season's top flight, which Premiership managers have been keen to frequently point out, also plays a significant role.

Teams that had struggled before Christmas suddenly found form, while those above them floundered.

St Mirren went from 11 games without a victory to winning four out of five. Ross County, bottom the weekend before Christmas, have picked up 18 points since Boxing Day. 

David Martindale lost his first four games of the season and made the, considered bold, proclamation that he knew "for a fact" his Livingston side would not be relegated. They now sit two points from fourth place.

Meanwhile, Hibernian and Aberdeen have recorded one league win each this calendar year, with Motherwell yet to find a league victory in 2022, with no wins in 11 attempts.

And what of United, who currently lead the race in fourth? Their potentially pivotal late win at St Mirren on Saturday was their first away from Tannadice since October. 

Who has the toughest run-in?

To have a chance of finishing fourth, you first need to make the top six.

The last round of fixtures before the league splits come on 9 April, meaning that - barring an almighty collapse from Hearts - the race for fourth will be whittled down to three teams.

Every club has two fixtures remaining before then, but trying to plot who might take what from those matches is a fraught business given the unpredictability of this season. So make your own mind up...

Dundee Utd: Hibernian (A); Dundee (H) 2 POINTS

Hibernian: Dundee Utd (H); Hearts (A) 1 POINT

Livingston: St Johnstone (A); Motherwell (H) 3 POINTS

Ross County: Hearts (H); Aberdeen (A) 0 POINTS (MAYBE 1 POINT V HEARTS)

Motherwell: St Mirren (H); Livingston (A) 3 POINTS

St Mirren: Motherwell (A); Rangers (H) 3 POINTS

Aberdeen: Dundee (A); Ross County (H) 6 POINTS

Potential prize for fifth place?

The fight may well go down to the last kick of the campaign. But the way the Scottish Cup has unfolded means there is a greater chance fifth place in the Premiership will be rewarded with continental competition.

Celtic and Rangers will be in the Champions League next season, so should the winner of their semi-final go on to claim the cup, Scotland's sole Europa League spot - in the play-off round - would be awarded to the team finishing third in the league.

As a consequence, the teams in fourth and fifth would earn Europa Conference League football, at the third and second round of qualifying respectively. That would also come to pass if Hearts win the cup.

In fact, the only way the fifth-placed finishers would not be in Europe is if Hibs beat Hearts in the other semi-final, win the cup and finish outside the top four.

All clear? Good. Let the drama continue...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Aberdeen (41), Dundee United (41), and Livingston (40) for top six.

Then...

St. Mirren 39 points

Motherwell 39 points

Hibernian 38 points

Ross County 37/38 points

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5 minutes ago, Diamond Scot said:

This is why I like the split, adds some mid season drama.

In theory it should also allow the teams who narrowly miss out on top 6 to blood some youth in remaining games as they cant go down. 

It does add drama to a league where those fighting to make top 6 have zero chance of winning the league. 

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Hard to see beyond Celtic winning the league from here.  Rangers need 7 from 7 including the 2 OF games and the way both teams are playing that seems unlikely.  A win and a draw in the OF games (if neither team drops points elsewhere) and it would go to GD which is significantly in Celtic's favour at the moment. 

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54 minutes ago, Fairbairn said:

Hard to see beyond Celtic winning the league from here.  Rangers need 7 from 7 including the 2 OF games and the way both teams are playing that seems unlikely.  A win and a draw in the OF games (if neither team drops points elsewhere) and it would go to GD which is significantly in Celtic's favour at the moment. 

I don't really get the pessimism I'm hearing from Rangers fans at the moment. The gap is only 3 points which is nothing. All these games in the run in are going to be tough so it's not hard to imagine some slip ups 🙅‍♂️

Edited by slasher
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32 minutes ago, slasher said:

I don't really get the pessimism I'm hearing from Rangers fans at the moment. The gap is only 3 points which is nothing. All these games in the run in are going to be tough so it's not hard to imagine some slip ups 🙅‍♂️

And if Rangers continue to get penalties for the likes of that incident yesterday then they'll soon eat into the goal difference.

I'm probably in a minority that likes Madden as a ref, but that was a fkin outrageous decision.  There'd be 10+ spot-kicks every game if that's a penalty.  Now Porteous against Aberdeen - THAT'S  a penalty!  😂 

Dundee are 1 up at Ibrox and the same incident occurs in the Rangers box.  Does the ref give a penalty?  Does he fck, no matter how many Dundee players wave their arms in the air.

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44 minutes ago, slasher said:

I don't really get the pessimism I'm hearing from Rangers fans at the moment. The gap is only 3 points which is nothing. All these games in the run in are going to be tough so it's not hard to imagine some slip ups 🙅‍♂️

We're struggling to beat teams that Celtic are dispatching with relative ease and usually by a few goals.  We've barely strung 2 decent performances in row together since Christmas and in that time as well as a chasing by Celtic we've also dropped points to Ross County, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Dundee Utd and been a bawhair away from dropping points against Aberdeen, St Johnstone and now Dundee.  I now these things can turn on a six pence but I just don't see us having it in us to put together the run that's needed even if Celtic do slip up elsewhere.

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33 minutes ago, daviebee said:

I'm probably in a minority that likes Madden as a ref, but that was a fkin outrageous decision.  There'd be 10+ spot-kicks every game if that's a penalty.  Now Porteous against Aberdeen - THAT'S  a penalty!  😂 

"Hibs are still deciding whether to appeal against Porteous' red card for his challenge on Ross McCrorie."

Aye, the lad was hard done by. 🤣

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34 minutes ago, daviebee said:

And if Rangers continue to get penalties for the likes of that incident yesterday then they'll soon eat into the goal difference.

I'm probably in a minority that likes Madden as a ref, but that was a fkin outrageous decision.  There'd be 10+ spot-kicks every game if that's a penalty.  Now Porteous against Aberdeen - THAT'S  a penalty!  😂 

Dundee are 1 up at Ibrox and the same incident occurs in the Rangers box.  Does the ref give a penalty?  Does he fck, no matter how many Dundee players wave their arms in the air.

Maybe you need do a refereeing course?

 

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22 hours ago, kumnio said:

I thought Martinez was incredibly over rated, the guys a total fraud. Not many seem to feel that way though. 

Didn’t know Caldwell was at Hibs, that guy is a fucking moron, a younger McGhee 🤮

I'm glad it's not just me 😂 Aye, Martinez has pulled the wool over a lot of people's eyes, as far as I can tell by virtue of the fact he's Spanish, talks a good game, wears a suit and possess the ability to stand looking purposeful on the touchline; but his actual record in management - outwith that achieved with a Belgium team so strong even Craig Levein could get them to a World Cup semi-final (maybe) - is bang average.

Aye, the well-gelled lummox and PowerPoint aficionado that is Gary Caldwell is currently Maloney's number two at Hibs.  The pair of them, of course, during their playing days were at Wigan Athletic together, who at the time were managed by a certain snake oil selling Spaniard! 🤣

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2 hours ago, scotlad said:

I'm glad it's not just me 😂 Aye, Martinez has pulled the wool over a lot of people's eyes, as far as I can tell by virtue of the fact he's Spanish, talks a good game, wears a suit and possess the ability to stand looking purposeful on the touchline; but his actual record in management - outwith that achieved with a Belgium team so strong even Craig Levein could get them to a World Cup semi-final (maybe) - is bang average.

Aye, the well-gelled lummox and PowerPoint aficionado that is Gary Caldwell is currently Maloney's number two at Hibs.  The pair of them, of course, during their playing days were at Wigan Athletic together, who at the time were managed by a certain snake oil selling Spaniard! 🤣

Are Wigan not one of the few teams outside the big 4 in England to win a trophy in the last 10 years. 

Must have done something other highly rated managers haven't done.

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1 hour ago, stocky said:

Are Wigan not one of the few teams outside the big 4 in England to win a trophy in the last 10 years. 

Must have done something other highly rated managers haven't done.

Aye, he won the FA Cup the same season he got them relegated from the EPL after 8 years (the Iberian Lyle Langley then left, having managed to land himself the Everton job).

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"Hibs have also reacted, reiterating their disappointment and belief that despite trying to break both of Ross McCrorie's legs, Porteous had a chance to play the ball (if he actually had any idea where it was at the time)."

Edited by Scotty CTA
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2 hours ago, vanderark14 said:

Porteous is wired to the moon

He showing a still of a straight leg challenge on the back of McCrorie's knee to plead his innocence about being red carded. He really is an absolute clown.

Why are Hibs manager's constantly defending this clown instead of sorting him out. He has/had good potential and had the makings of a quick and technical CB but is just an utter bamn.

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4 minutes ago, Blantyre_Braveheart said:

He showing a still of a straight leg challenge on the back of McCrorie's knee to plead his innocence about being red carded. He really is an absolute clown.

Why are Hibs manager's constantly defending this clown instead of sorting him out. He has/had good potential and had the makings of a quick and technical CB but is just an utter bamn.

People keep saying he has potential etc but I’ve yet to see anything that singles him out as anything more than a clogger. Absolutely bog standard. 

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35 minutes ago, Fairbairn said:

People keep saying he has potential etc but I’ve yet to see anything that singles him out as anything more than a clogger. Absolutely bog standard. 

From what I've seen he's good on the ball, strong with a bit of pace but is rash and sadly a grade A fud.

Edited by Blantyre_Braveheart
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