Fixtures 29th and 30th September

[pete 2,494]

Saturday, 29 September 2007

_________________________________Time ____TV

 

Motherwell v Rangers_______________ 12:30___ **

Aberdeen v Gretna _________________15:00

Celtic v Dundee United ______________15:00

Hibernian v Kilmarnock ______________15:00

Inverness CT v Falkirk ______________15:00

 

Sunday, 30 September 2007

 

St Mirren v Hearts _________________14:00

 

Looking at all the fixtures this week it is a predictors nightmare, as all the games look like they could go any way.

 

Rangers travel to Motherwell for the early kick-off Setanta match on Saturday. Motherwell at Fir park are always a difficult proposition but one where we have almost always managed to come away with a tight win.

Although the Steelmen lost last weekend they got a super boost of confidence by knocking Hibs out of the CIS cup on Wednesday night 4-2.

Playing Rangers always makes teams fight that bit harder so I think we will have a real battle on our hands and possibly our first real big test. I am judging that on the fact we did play with a weakened team against Hearts.

I don�t see Saturday being any different as other years I think we will have a really hard game but we should scrape through with a win, albeit a skin of the teeth 1-0.

Rangers Win

 

Aberdeen welcome Gretna to Pittodrie and it would seem that Gretna are the form team of the two at this moment. Defeat for the Dons could actually see them hit bottom place depending on the Inverness result.

Although a win in the CIS may have eased some pressure, the pressure could really start to mount on the two Jimmy�s if they are bottom of the league after the weekend.

Gretna have really tightened up of late and were rewarded with their first win against Dundee Utd last weekend. Gretna did lose to Caley in the CIS cup however

I think Aberdeen will win, just because they really have to. Although I won�t back my money on it.

Aberdeen win.

 

Celtic get a visit from Dundee United at the piggery, where United get a chance to play catch-up on them for the second week running.

Up until Boruc literally dropped the points against Hibs, the Celts were hitting most teams for five.

The Arabs have always managed to make it difficult for Celtic, and I see this game as no different. Craig Leveign will have taken note, how his City rivals Dundee had Celtic under pressure for large parts of the game on Wednesday, and try to emulate that.

Both teams will be trying to bounce back from defeat in the league, and be trying to get back on the rails as quickly as possible.

With the loss of Nakamura, Celtic lose a lot of their creative edge and danger from set peices.

I will be surprised if United win but I do think Craig Leveign can organize his men for a good draw.

Draw.

 

Part of Hibernian�s recent history is that they beat the top teams, and then play crap against the likes of Kilmarnock, who visit Easter road on Saturday.

Hibs will be on a high after beating Celtic but Killie just seem to role along all season grinding out results. The loss of Naismith to Rangers remains to be a creative loss to Kilmarnock who failed to break down a tough St Mirren�s 5 man midfield block last Saturday.

Both had a shock elimination from the CIS cup during the week, but with home advantage, and in my opinion, the team more determined to make amends, Hibs will bounce back to win this one.

Hibs win.

 

Inverness against Falkirk looks on paper as one of the most difficult games to predict. Since Craig Brewster has come back in as manager they have taken an upward curve, resulting in a win against Hearts on Saturday and 3-0 win against Gretna in the CIS cup.

Falkirk were knocked out by Dundee United in the same tournament. Falkirk can on their day give the best in the league a good game but this may be more based on credits from last season as results from this season. They have, to be honest, played most of the in-form teams this season, with a good win against Motherwell and a draw against Hibs standing out. This looks like a draw to me.

Draw,

 

Sunday�s game see�s a visit of Hearts to Love street to meet a gritty St Mirren team. Even Nostradamus would find it difficult to predict what Hearts team is going to turn up. Hearts beat Dunfermline 4-1 midweek, although it did take extra time to do it. Their last league game was a defeat to Inverness which was Caley�s first points in the league.

St Mirren just seem to turn out gritty performances which see them just one point behind Hearts. They will be hoping to surprise Hearts and move up at least one place in the league. I am going for St Mirren to frustrate and conquer.

St Mirren Win

[Gazza_8 233]

Rangers

Aberdeen

Semtex

Hibs

Draw

Hearts

 

That's my predictions.

[Whosthedado 1,481]

Rangers

Sheep

Tic

Hibs

Caley

 

Saints