There might yet be a twist or two to come in this season's title race, perhaps beginning in the paddy fields of Dundee on Wednesday night, but after Sunday, the ball is back in Celtic's court – can they serve out the season and lift the title?
Ross County's shock victory was not well-received here in God's Orange County, a place where the sense of football entitlement mirrors that in the allegedly green hot beds mentioned in my opening paragraph. I received a server dose of vitriol when I mentioned to one or two locals how, at 3-1 to County, I was wondering when the Breengers would get their seemingly-statuory penalty.
Then, as the game was dragged out towards 100 minutes, Wee Liam, the “Token Tim” in our quaint former mining village, enquired if the referee was under orders to “play on until The Huns equalise”.
MIND YOU, I reckon the rise of Manchester City has seen the long-established sense of entitlement among Old Firm fans migrate south. At the moment, Manchester United may be somewhat off the pace in England, but, fear not, defeats for Liverpool and Arsenal over the weekend kept the pot boiling around their over-inflated league.
I actually struggle to be moved watching City, when they get it right, the way they play is maybe too-perfect, too-predictable. What was unpredictable, totally-unexpected and all the better for seeing it, was that twenty-plus passes move which produced Crystal Palace's winning goal at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp's reaction – he simply said: “wow”! That summed it up perfectly.
STILL IN that Land of Make Believe which is the English Premiership, I note Mauricio Pochettino had to read the Riot Act to a couple of his Chelsea stars, after they tried to prevent designated penalty-taker Cole Palmer from adding to the hat-trick he had already scored, in what was eventually a 6-0 rout of Everton.
I often wonder how the legendary managers of yore – guys like Bill Struth, Willie Maley, Jock Stein, Brian Clough, Bill Nicholson, Wullie Shankly or Matt Busby would deal with today's star players – the balance of the relationship between club and player has probably swung too-far in favour of the player these days, just how would they have coped?
That is a very-interesting question I feel.
When it comes to penalties, there is perhaps something to be said for applying a rule whereby the player fouled, or, in the case of handball, the last player from the team getting the penalty to have touched the ball, is the guy who takes it.
Still on penalties; he may be very-good from 12 yards, but, when it comes to his core job of being a defender, James Tavernier could not keep hens oot o' a close. As a right back, he never has been and never will be Rangers class.
WE NOW know the post-split make-up of the Premiership, going into the last five games. MOMENTUM is the key word as we approach the final act of the season-long drama.
The current momentum table – a look at the clubs' form over the last five games looks like this:
Kilmarnock
Heart of Midlothian
Celtic
Dundee
Rangers
St Mirren
Not good reading for Rangers then, or for the Buddies, in their effort to overhaul Killie for the final European spot next season. However, things could well change over the final five games.
With Livingston already relegated, the only unanswered question in the bottom six is, who will be consigned to the relegation play-off spot?
The bottom six Momentum table currently reads:
Aberdeen
Ross County
Motherwell
Hibernian
St Johnstone
Hibs and Motherwell have sufficient points in the bank to be safe for another season, while Aberdeen appear to have hit form at the right time to also stay up, so, the reality is, it's the battle between Ross County and St Johnstone to avoid the play-off lottery which will keep the pot boiling at the bottom over the run-in.
IN THE Championship, with a mere three games left, we already know the four teams who will be involved in the play-offs: Dundee United, Raith Rovers, Partick Thistle and Airdrie. The question, however, is: in what order?
United could clinch the automatic promotion spot this weekend. If Tannadice alumnus Duncan Ferguson can lift his Inverness Caledonian Thistle side to beat Raith, in Inverness, then a home win by United over Scott Brown's Ayr will put the Terrors back into the big league. This will leave Thistle and the Diamonds, locked together on 51 points, but with the Harry Wraggs having a two goals better goal difference, to fight it out for third and fourth.
Who will go into the relegation play-off in this division is perhaps the most-intriguing question remaining this season.
Arbroath are of course already down, but the fight to avoid possibly joining them in League One will go right to the wire. As things stand, the fifth to ninth in the table order is:
Dunfermline Athletic
Ayr United
Greenock Morton
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Queen's Park
However, the form, or Momentum table reads:
Dunfermline Athletic
Ayr United
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Queen's Park
Greenock Morton
Squeaky Bum time right enough here.
IN League One – Falkirk will go up as Champions, Hamilton Accies' place in the play-offs is secure, as is Alloa Athletic's. The one unresolved issue is, who finishes fourth?
Montrose currently lie fourth, one point ahead of Cove Rangers, who in turn have a three-point advantage over Kelty Hearts. Kelty, however, have the greater momentum. Their meeting with Montrose at the end of the month could have a huge effect on the final order.
Edinburgh City are already relegated, and, in all honesty it doesn't look good for second-bottom Stirling Albion's chances of avoiding the relegation play-off.
They trail Annan Athletic on goal differencde, with Queen of the South three points ahead in seventh spot. However the two Solway Coast sides have a bit more momentum going into their crucial final three games, although, here again, it will probably go all the way to the wire.
IN League Two, Stenhousemuir are the Champions, with Peterhead, Dumbarton and Spartans in the Promotion play-offs. East Fife still have an arithmetical chance of overhauling Spartans, but, for this to happen it will need the Edinburgh side to collapse totally and the Methil Men to win all three remaining fixtures – and I don't see this happening.
The real interest in this division is at the bottom. Clyde, as has been the case for most of the season, are in bottom spot and looking at the play-off against either Lowland League winners East Kilbride or whichever side from the Highland League – Brechin City, Buckie Thistle or outsiders Fraserburgh for that final place in next season's senior set-up.
Stranraer are just one point above the Bully Wee, but, Clyde is on the better form run at the moment. This one will, again, go right to the wire.
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