The Scottish League Cup Final will be an all northern affair between Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle if former Scotland striker Billy Dodds gets his predictions right.
The Dons face the Perth men at Tynecastle tomorrow and Caley meet Hearts at Easter Road on Sunday and Dodds reckons that the March final will be between the Pittodrie and Tulloch Caledonian Stadium sides.
However no matter who gets through they will not get through by much according to the Queen of the South coach.
ABERDEEN FC v ST. JOHNSTONE FC
Former Scotland cap Dodds said; “I left St. Johnstone for Aberdeen after 6 months in Perth nearly 20 years ago so I have a foot in both camps. However this is a big game for me personally as I was in the last Aberdeen team to win anything back in 1995.”
“St. Johnstone have been a bit of a mixed bag in the Premiership and you do not always know what to make of them this season. They have a great team spirit and win a couple of games and you start thinking that they will head for second place but then they lose a few. “
“Due to their inconsistency you start thinking that their next game will be a real tester and bang they pull off another good result. They beat St. Mirren 2-0, draw with 10 man Hearts and then win at Partick Thistle.”
If the right St. Johnstone turn up they could still reach the Final with Dodds explaining: “They will have to show the strong side to their game in this semi-final as Aberdeen can be a very strong side. However any team that can beat Rosenberg are a good side.”
“I was there that night and that was the night I noticed how good a side St. Johnstone can be. They have a good depth in their squad and good experience.”
“They went on a great run at the start of the season and they lost a few. Dundee United gave them a right going over but then they gave Dundee United a right going over so you are never sure of St. Johnstone.”
Dodds added: “They are inconsistent and need to be at their best to turn over Aberdeen. If St. Johnstone are to get through this tie and, they have a good chance, as they have a good spirit but they are going to have one of their better days rather than one of their worst.”
The Dons will have more than one approach to winning this one according to Dodds who said: “Aberdeen can win any type of game. I have seen them this season win ugly and they can win through fighting hard. They can also win by playing a bit of football.”
“I have seen them score a good goal and then hang on and I have seen them win with a bit of flair by scoring two or three goals.”
Dodds added: “The Aberdeen against Hibs game showed what Derek McInnes’ team can do without playing at their best. It looked like it was going to be a goalless draw and then Willo Flood produced a fantastic moment of quality.”
“They had won three games in a row by one goal by scoring late on. The goals have come from different areas of the pitch as well with Mary Reynolds scoring at Kilmarnock, Peter Pawlett scoring at Dundee United as well as Flood’s against Hibs.”
“They then lost to Inverness with a flat performance that would have worried Derek however Russell Anderson then popped up with another late goal against Motherwell as well to get a battling draw.”
Dodds does have a feeling that it could be Aberdeen’s turn to end their trophy drought as he explained: “They have experience and quality across the side and there is a sense that this is Aberdeen’s year to do something. We had that feeling in 1995 in what was a great Cup run for me personally. I got the two goals in our semi-final win over Rangers as well as the opening goal in the Final against Dundee.”
There is a word of warning all the same from Dodds who said: “They have not won anything since 1995 and not been in a Final since 2000 but confidently tipping Aberdeen is a dangerous thing to do. Queen’s Park, Queen of the South, Stenhousemuir and East Fife have all beaten them in cup ties.”
“They seem to self-destruct however there may have been a turning point earlier this season when they beat Alloa on penalties. Alloa held them to a goalless draw and everyone was expecting them to nose-dive again but they got through the tie.”
“Maybe Luck is on Derek McInnes’ side. They are not a brilliant side but I expect them to get to the Final if everything to clicks together.”
McInnes will be super keen to win as Dodds explained: “It will be a special day for Derek but a bit weird against St Johnstone. He was successful there however that will count for nothing as he will be desperate to win this one for Aberdeen. “
“Both him and his assistant Tony Docherty have a great relationship with St. Johnstone and the Directors there but that will probably make him more desperate to win it. “
HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN FC v INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE FC
Dodds predicted Inverness to defeat Dundee United at the Quarter Final stage and he is tipping the Highlanders again although not as strongly as he once might have.
“You have to fancy Inverness however they are not the favourites they were two months ago,” said Dodds before adding, “ That has nothing to do with Terry Butcher leaving and John Hughes coming in but they are not on a great run just now. That will give Hearts hope and I still think Hearts need their strongest performance of the season to make sure that they get some sort of result. “
“What a feat it would be for Hearts to get to the Final and what a lift it would be for the club if they were to get there but I feel this is Inverness’s time.”
Dodds explained his thinking: “My choice is down to experience or rather inexperience in the Hearts team. You are seeing things every week that will have been demoralising for the Hearts boys however drawing at St. Johnstone and winning at Ross County and then against St. Mirren will have been great for them.”
“Inverness are not at their best just now. I watched them against Dundee United the other week and whilst they are not playing top notch they are not playing badly. Any team that can go to Aberdeen and win has to be doing something right.”
Dodds added: “John Hughes’ side have had a tough run of games and that has probably affected them more than anything. However, if Inverness are low on confidence then that gives Hearts a chance to get through to the Final.”
“If I am put on the spot I have to say Inverness, as I think it is their time to get through to a national Cup Final.”
All is not lost for the Tynecastle men with Dodds telling them to look back only 12 months for inspiration as he explained: “They played each other at this stage last year and Hearts rose to the occasion that day so you never know. Hearts went down to ten men that day but I have seen them do that a few times and still win.”
“I saw them do it at Tannadice against Dundee United in the same competition and they got through. They adopted a rock solid defensive approach in that quarter final and won on penalties.
“Hearts kept their shape fantastically that night but you have to remember they had much more experienced players playing that night like Andy Webster and Marius ŽaliÅ«kas. Never write Hearts off but I have a hunch about Inverness. They have something about them and even though recent results have not been great I have a feeling that they will get through.”
To get through Inverness will need goals and Dodds reckons they have the man to do that as he explained: “Billy McKay is a huge danger to Hearts and that is despite working in a system where he gets very little support. Inverness play with one up but in a strangely different way to the way Dundee United do it. They get the three guys in midfield to support their striker quickly however Inverness don’t. “
“They don’t get that close and McKay works off scraps however he is a sharp and confident player. He takes goals well, and is at the top of his game and just works his socks off all day. He knows that he will not get much support but he will feed off the scraps that he gets and does really well with the one or two chances that he comes his way.”
Dodds finished by saying: “It will be two really close ties but I expect an Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Aberdeen Scottish League Cup Final.”
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