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Right, I've been viewing this thread a few times from a busy position at work over the last week and am getting a bit fed up of the personal crap. People quite clearly disagree on some issues related to this so, as always, please do so with a bit more respect or use the ignore function.

The overwhelming feeling is relief, and as others have said thank goodness for the international break. I think we have been lucky with our opening 8 fixtures in that we haven’t had to go to the 4/5 hardest away grounds. We could be much worse off if we’d been to Easter Road and Parkhead rather than the reverse. We have come through a spell of very poor form relatively unscathed domestically and now we have a chance to re-group and put things right for the next phase of games.

Mick and Chick were Sick. Yesterday was a high day and a holiday for the PQ Gang Hut, Aberdeen hosting ra Sellik is cause for party hats, streamers and, balloons. It was just the regular old bags filled with hot air championing their preferred prejudices. Big Dick, Liam McLeod, Wullie Miller and, Billy Dodds all stood free whereas Pat Bonner furiously pumped air into Angeball. It was the full BBC Scotland production for a ninth v sixth game attracting an attendance at Pittodrie, ten thousand below capacity. The Dons match programme featured Wullie Miller's goals against Sellik, the Gang Hut wallow wallowed in the warm nostalgia. First against second occurred at Ibrox an hour after the nostalgia had dissipated in Aberdeen, Sportsound closed down. Cosgrove and Cowan came on air and announced Chick Young would be, "across all happenings at Ibrox". The reality was Chick watching Rangers TV in a PQ studio and as expected from a Journo in his eighth decade, he began enthusiastically and slowly but surely deflated. Cosgrove enters his eighth decade next month and as the afternoon progressed, he sounded burst. Before the puff escaped, enthusiasm greeted Kevin Nisbet's header back across McGregor and so it should, a well crafted goal for the Hibs. Chick's next intervention belies his time as a Cub Reporter at the Rangers News. Remember Chico, those tenets of accuracy and objectivity? Cosgrove interrupted Cowan, "Tam, there's been a red card at Ibrox. Over to Chick". We heard a hesitant wheeze then, "err um ah Porteous has been red carded for a challenge on Aribo". Obviously, Rangers TV was not sufficiently efficient at putting up necessary replays because Cosgrove and Cowan returned to discussing Third Lanark's last scorer. Chick rediscovered his positivity at half-time, "it's the Alamo at Ibrox but Rangers have not created a clear cut opportunity". The national broadcaster played Elgar's Nimrod for the duration of the second half. Chick made a further three interventions, his announcements on the Alamo casualty figures were not welcome. Jack Ross might be the next Sellik manager but that is at least a few months away. His immediate aspirations as a title winning boss is just another PQ burst balloon. However another Beeb bite at the cherry remained, Sportscene was to air at 19.15 hours. How would Producer, Eamonn Donohoe interpret events at Ibrox? Increasingly, Eamonn has come to realise that Michael Stewart's presence on a PQ settee is as sound as Ryan Porteous being named in a Hibs' back four whilst facing Rangers. It's the rush of blood to the head that sees Michael and Cosgrove supporting Irvine Welch's right to free speech. Calling Morelos, "a sticky bun" and stating his existence is best served by exercising a machete epitomises new, modern Scotland. Blame the H-u-ns for everything. Last night's sofa riders were James McFadden and Richard Foster and they agreed, Porteous was a deserved recipient of his marching orders. Michael had to resort to Twitter to broadcast his view, "Understandably Rangers will say it's dangerous from Porteous and they may have a point, but for me he doesn't make catch Aribo and I don't think it deserves a red card". Alfredo is both nefarious and pernicious and I suspect Michael contacted Eamonn prior to broadcast and reasoned Ryan was provoked? We saw a 10 second clip of Morelos pushing Porteous to the ground at the Broomloan corner flag a minute before Ryan got rash. Steven Thompson asked the panel, "has Morelos angered Ryan"? I loved Richard Foster's reply, "if he has it's good game smarts from Morelos". You pays your License Fee and if Chick and Mick are sick, I'll take it.

Vaccination reduced transmission of the previous Kent Variant by 40-50%, I've looked for similar data around Delta, but there's not much in evidence (I work for a rather large Pharma company, though not one of the vaccine providers, and so have access to research data) There was a large study in France that concluded - -Vaccinated people with symptomatic covid shed similar levels of virus during the symptomatic phase. -The symptomatic phase in the vaccinated is however far shorter. -Vaccination reduces that chances of catching Covid even with Delta so you have fewer Covid carriers around So even on this simplistic level, it makes sense. I am however aware of the irony that only 7 EPL* clubs have higher than 50% of their squads vaccinated, these entitled young men have been allowed to operate all through this, yet we've to show vaccination status to watch them. * Haven't seen such data for our game, I don't imagine it's any better.

I wish we won every game with a dodgy penalty and the opposition getting players sent off. I love their whining, toys out the pram routine and most of all, the pain - it's all thoroughly enjoyable.

Please cut out these types of comments. They're completely unnecessary.

I think if someone offered us this situation (in the league) before a ball was kicked, we'd have taken it. After 8 games, 6 points ahead of a "resurgent" Celtic and 1 point off our points tally at same stage of last season. All this without a settled team due to Covid, injuries and late returns to pre-season due to internationals. We still have Helander, Jack and Kent to return, who when on form are arguably 3 of our best players.

Hibs have shamed themselves here.

???

When Balogun keeps it simple and maintains his concentration, he's a really useful player and his pace belies his age.

Been really impressed with Balogun this season.

While established first team players like Kamara and Aribo did little to impress, it was Balogun and Lundstram who asserted themselves in midfield. This is the third time in a row I’ve voted for John Lundstram.

If Bill gets his way, it would've been 0-0 at Ibrox today.

The victory was the main thing. A Jambo neighbour had a right moan at me (last week) about away fans not getting into Ibrox at the moment. I just shrugged - couldn't really care less. We don't owe Scottish football fans anything. Hopefully Gerrard can sort a few things out before we play Hearts - there's no doubt we can improve.

Every man and his dog say it was a straight red ffs.

Amazing how many deluded people think if a player wins the ball in a tackle nothing else matters

Watch all the great players past or present, they always keep it simple

Another vote for Lundstram but after watching the game back, Balogun also had a very good game. Mentions to Patterson and Borna for their assists and Roofe and Alfie for their finishes.

I think Glen Kamara should have picked up a slight injury yesterday and the best way to help it would be a few lengths in a Spanish swimming pool for the next week...

Steve Thomson, England prop forward, and a number of other players are pursuing a claim against the RFU. He’s 42, played in every game of the 2017 World Cup and can’t remember any of them.

Thought Balogun played well and Wright showed a willingness to drive at the heart of the opposition but Lundstram was the stand out performer for me.

Lundstram as well for me. He's starting to find a bit of form which has been much needed.

In Boxing, hurting someone is the name of the game, I'm not a fan so have no beef with it, let them manage their own sport. Running doesn't wreck your legs, that particular myth has been debunked years ago, and as for other extreme sports, the benefits far outweigh the risks. There's thousands of people climbing in Scotland on a weekend, yet very few accidents as the ethos of the sport is built around safety. If we went on all evidence, it's the sofa and the microwave that would be banned, and folk going to the pub would be wearing head protection. ? Truth is, if there is a direct link, and the evidence would suggest there is, then it will end up being taken out of the game. It wouldn't bother me, I don't fear change, there would be obvious advantages, no more would we be binning talented boys at 12 years old because their parents are 5'6", we'd never have to suffer Ross Tokely and his ilk, the game would be played where it should be, on the ground. Bring it on. Edit - Weight of the ball matters not a jot, it's force that does the damage, Force = mass x acceleration, modern balls are whipped in at speed, if you watch old footage, crosses were looped affairs (because of the weight of the ball). Also, players are fitter and generally stronger than they were in Astles day, so it's potentially worse now.

I don’t believe I’ve expressed a preference either way but given the goals-to-crosses ratio it might be more profitable if we tried other routes.

Yes. I tend not to read shite. I prefer scientific journals and the opinions of well educated professional people. You?

I think you really have to separate the virus from the disease. As asymptomatic infection shows, it is quite possible to be infected and spread the virus without ever developing the disease. Similarly a vaxxed person who contracts the virus may show little sign of the disease but nevertheless be shedding large amounts of virus. There is no basis for assuming all vaxxed people can only shed small amounts of virus.

Nisbet was heading for a red card too for persistent fouling.

The injury where both Barisic and the Hibs player stopped game for some time(3mins) and with subs and time wasting 5 minutes was correct.BTW the Hibs time wasting started immediately after they scored and they were lucky to finish with 10 men still on field. Reading some of the comments it seemed few on here were actually at the game as there was quite a lot going on off the ball by the Hibs hammer throwers which they were lucky went unpunished. Our two stand-outs today were Lundstram and Paterson.

Great match and a very important three points. Porteous is clearly a halfwit. Really enjoyed seeing him get a red card. Hibernian looked in complete control until the sending off. I'll be astonished if Celtic can take any points at Easter Road this month.

Buzzing after that today. Looking on the positive side we found our mojo second half and the players and fans reconnected. Hope we turn a corner after that. The atmosphere at the end was awesome.

One of the best sights in football is to see a winger skimming past a full back and crossing the ball for it to be headed strongly into the net. Lose that and we lose a big part of the game. I'm not for a minute doubting the science, but surely the modern ball is far removed from the old bladder we used to play with - it was just that type of ball which led to the death of Jeff Astle.

Of course it was a penalty.

A penalty all day long. I take solace in the fact that they seem even more gash than they were last year.

I liked the bit in that Twitter conversation where Jean told Michael his contribution to the racism debate was similar to his contribution to the Manchester United midfield.