It was good to see Caley Thistle back playing again yesterday after both Covid and the weather had caused the postponement of a couple of games.
However, there could be no tougher game to start 2022 than a trip to Gayfield to meet Dick Campbell’s remarkable Arbroath team.
While the Red Lichities have been there or thereabouts in the Championship all season, it was only when they hit the top of the table last month the world seemed to wake up to this remarkable story of a part-time team with a colourful manager doing great things in a small coastal town.
I think it doesn’t really matter who you support, as everyone quite rightly feels the need to say well done to Arbroath.
What they have done thus far is quite astonishing. What they might do between now and the end of the season is anybody’s guess.
Of course, I was hoping that Caley Thistle might be able to burst their bubble yesterday.
While Inverness had put out a strong enough-looking starting eleven, there wasn’t a great deal of strength on the bench, and to see Ryan Esson’s name appear took us all back a few years.
However, I suspect fans of many teams right across the footballing world will see some strange selections as Omicron continues to bite.
What we got in the end was a 0-0 draw. Under the circumstances, I don’t think you’ll find many Inverness fans who are too disappointed about that.
FULL-TIME: Arbroath 0-0 ICTFC
It finishes all square at Gayfield Park! pic.twitter.com/gqqOGZA8jN
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) January 2, 2022
I know I would have happily settled for a point before the game started.
But Inverness do need to start winning games again and they have a couple of opportunities to do just that at home to Raith Rovers and Queen of the South on the next two Saturdays. It won’t be easy, but I think it might be essential.
