11.12// The Scottish Fitba Weekender

It's a bit of a rum selection this weekend, with no games really sticking out of the fixture list to give us just cause to get out of the Xmas shopping crusade up the town. But aye well, never mind - you've got to work with what you're given, so here we go.

In this weeks pure barrel-scrapping preview, there's a sight for sore eyes when the tangerines take on the maroons, with everyone hoping there's not going to be too much red and yellow mixed in.

See? Very, very rum.

Ok, on with the action.

And that's an apt way to describe the potential in this game, which, given the disciplinary record of these two sides may well turn into a massive rammie, the kind you sometimes see down your local high street on a Saturday night (or Saturday afternoon, depending on your local opening times).

Game of the day: Hearts v Dundee United

Hearts and Dundee United lead the red-card table (with 5 and 6 respectively) according to official SPL statistics and are tied on 26 in the yellow-card table. Last weeks 'rumble in the tunnel' at New Douglas Park made the headlines for the ugly scenes which followed a somewhat bad-tempered affair. Between the polis getting stuck in and kung-fu kicks a'flyin' there where also lots of red cards for just about everyone involved, including one for the ever popular Michael Stewart. That card has been reduced to a yellow now, but still, all eyes will be on Tynecastle to see there's no repeat of the stramash we had last week.

On the field, well, what can you say. Dundee United are going great guns, that exciting win against St Mirren last week suggesting perhaps that they need to tighten things up a bit at the back. Still, the Terrors are brimming with confidence in a season that has seen them pull away from the chasing pack to establish themselves firmly in the top four.

It's pretty much a certainty, like death and taxes that chairman interfering with club matters is not a good thing, and nowhere is this better demonstrated than at Heart of Midlothian Football Club plc. It's not a good sign that absentee landlord Vladimir Romanov is starting to busy himself with affairs at the club. This generally happens when results are not quite going their way, something which is certainly true of the current Hearts setup.

The team are a shadow of the side that finished third last year. As we mentioned earlier, indiscipline is on the rise, and Laszlo is unable to get any consistency in their results, unless you count being constantly inconsistent as a form of consistency. Last weeks defeat away at Hamilton would have raised eyebrows last season, but no so this.

With only 1 win their last 5 (against Kilmarnock), Laszlo needs to turn the maroon ship around soon before his door pass at Tynecastle suddenly stops working. We're not sure if he's still interested in the Scotland job, but the mere fact that he's applied is sending out a message to players, supporters and owner alike: "I'm available. Please!"

Elsewhere..

Aberdeen take on Hamilton, hoping to give them a good pumping after that less-than-impressive display against Celtic last Saturday. The Accies did well to win against Hearts last Sunday, but really, they're no match for Aberdeen, providing the Dons can finish the game with the same number of players that started it (famous last words ...)

Struggling Kilmarnock won away at St Johnstone last week, and will be looking to continue that form when they take on the high-flying Hibees at Rugby Park.

Motherwell's season started out so well, but is beginning to fizzle out a wee bit. They welcome Celtic to Fir Park, a side that seems to be turning the corner after their somewhat subdued start. The strikers are striking at last, a sign perhaps of the increasing confidence at the club.

St Mirren, our tip for the drop are pulling away from the bottom of the table, and they'll be looking to make mid-table their own when they take on bottom side Falkirk. The Bairns are in all sorts of trouble: they can't  score, they can't defend and their midfield is lacks the power and strength to dominate other teams.

And lastly, we've got Rangers (fresh from another disappointing European fixture and subsequent exit from the competition, not to mention their AGM) taking on St Johnstone. Walter Smith continues to lead from the front with all the dour demeanour of a man who found out earlier in the week that he was on the verge of being fired, a man responsible for fulfilling the hopes and dreams of the Blue half of Glasgow, all the while not getting paid for it.

Either the Scotland job is that bad, or he must love Rangers.

In any case, life goes on at Ibrox, and with the time-consuming European nonsense out of the way, the focus is firmly back on the league, and the retention of their league crown.

St Johnstone are tomorrows victims. Kris Boyd didn't play in Seville, meaning he'll no doubt start on Saturday and doing what he does best, which is score against anyone but Celtic.  It was a reasonably close game the last time these two met in the league. Colin Samuel got the Saints off to a good start, but Boyd and Papac scored in the second half to record a 2-1 win.

St Johnstone are in mid-table, together with another four teams on roughly equal points, so any slip-up here could be costly.

Our Predictions

Hearts     1-3 Dundee United
Aberdeen   2-0 Hamilton
Kilmarnock 0-1 Hibernian
Motherwell 0-2 Celtic
Rangers    3-1 St Johnstone
St Mirren  1-1 Falkirk