Former Caley Thistle title-winning midfielder Richie Hart reckons his old club will keep pace with Kilmarnock at the top of the Championship this season.
In under a fortnight, ICT have watched a five-point lead at the top of the table slip to a two-point deficit behind a resurgent Killie side, who have rattled off three successive wins.
Hart, who was a terrific player in the engine room of John Robertson’s First Division champions in 2003-04, keeps tabs on his old club, who fell off the pace with a 0-0 draw at Partick Thistle at the weekend.
📅 Our Fixtures for November 👇 pic.twitter.com/t2SBEF2ML0
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) November 1, 2021
And he feels their early season form, where they won six and drew one match, is a clear sign this squad have the quality to go the distance.
He said: “Caley Thistle proved within their first round of fixtures what they are capable of. They have a squad which is capable of winning the league, no question.
“Historically, it is such a difficult league to win. There is not much between most of the teams. You even look at Partick Thistle in fifth, they are just eight points off the top. You couldn’t completely rule them out.
“Caley Thistle had the five-point cushion, which was great, but the past two weeks just shows you even a couple of draws in the Championship, along with the team below you getting a couple of wins, then all of a sudden that cushion has disappeared and you’re back in the chasing pack.
“However, if you’d said to (head coach) Billy Dodds his side would be two points off top spot in early November, he and the rest of the coaches would have bitten your hand off for that.
“I like their squad. They have strength in depth, with the back five especially strong, as well as good attacking players, including younger players like Roddy MacGregor.
“It’s all about finding the consistency to ensure they are near the top come Christmas. They need to keep on Kilmarnock’s coat-tails. They have given themselves a massive opportunity to be there at the end of the season.”
Experienced players will deliver
The Inverness team have the best defence in the league, conceding just six times in their first 12 matches.
However, they are lacking goals, scoring 13 goals in that time, which is fewer than their rivals.
Hart, who spent six enjoyable years at ICT before moving to Ross County in 2008, feels the quality players will soon ensure draws become wins before long.
He added: “It can be a worry for a manager when you are solid defensively, creating chances, but not taking them. That can come back to bite you.
“However, they have experienced players. Michael Gardyne was a really good capture for them in the summer. Billy Mckay is a proven goalscorer too and once these guys start finding the net again then they’ll be winning games.
“Defensively, they are not giving much away and they have that solid base. That will give the guys confidence at the top end to go and take a wee risk that you sometimes need to take in the final third. They have the players to do that.”
Ayr clash is all about winning
This Saturday, the Caley Jags head to Ayr United, who are sixth in the table.
🔜 This Saturday we face @AyrUnitedFC away from home
🎟️ Tickets available online now. Please buy tickets in advance online, as Ayr United have confirmed there will be no option to pay at the gate
🚌 @ICT_STC are running a bus this Saturday
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— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) November 1, 2021
Killie needed a late Oli Shaw spot-kick to see off the Honest Men 1-0 last week and Hart reckons the victory rather than the performance matters most to Caley Thistle to keep Killie within striking distance.
He said: “These are the places you need to go and win at. It doesn’t matter how you win it, you just know it will be a battle.
“The crowd are on top of you there and it’s a tough place to get a result. They have a decent record at Somerset Park. Caley Thistle have the better players and better squad, so it’s largely down to how they perform.
“It doesn’t need to be pretty though. Get the win and get back up the road the home games will take care of themselves.
“When we won the league in 2003/04, we had to win at Clyde and win to take us into the last game of the season (where a win against St Johnstone confirmed ICT as champions).
“Over the years, we never enjoyed games at Clyde, who were a big, physical side, but we won it. There are grounds where you don’t particularly enjoy going to but you just have to find a way to get a result. They are more than capable of getting a result there on Saturday.”
