Recent history doesn't suggest that. We all slag off Hamilton for being defensive (more of that later) but it's worked against us as we've failed to score against them in the last six games against them. It was so long ago that the last time we breached the Accies defence was at Love Street! That's something that we really have to get sorted, and soon. Hamilton are just a point above us and will be our main relegation rivals, so a game like this is one we have to win. It would also give everyone a boost and set us up nicely for a tricky run of games in the weeks ahead.
Despite our recent poor form, I am hoping Danny Lennon doesn't resort to a 4-6-0 in a bid to grind out a point and end our shocking run of form. Considering he didn't do that when we only had one fit striker, I don't think we need to be too concerned about him doing that. Indeed, we almost have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the striking department with Paul McQuade, Paul McGowan, Michael Higdon and Gareth Wardlaw all available. McGowan, who also had a loan spell at Accies a few years ago, will almost certainly start as he's our best player, while Wardlaw should keep his place after ending his goal drought against Motherwell. It's then a question of how adventurous Lennon is feeling. At Fir Park he also started with Higdon and doing that tomorrow wouldn't exactly be the worst move, with McGowan slotting in behind the front two.
If he does that, it's then a question of who plays in midfield. It would be nice to see Jamie McCluskey start to provide some ammunition for our numerous strikers but I fear he'll only be left on the bench. It is likely Paddy Cregg will keep his place, despite falling on his backside against Motherwell, and that leaves two midfield slots vacant. I'd go for Hugh Murray and Sean Lynch, because Garry Brady is clearly not rated by Lennon and Darren McGregor is due a run in defence. It is surely time for the horrendous Lee Mair to be dropped and a defensive pairing of McGregor and Potter wouldn't be too bad, with Jure Travner and David van Zanten filling the fullback roles. David Barron, Steven Thomson, Craig Dargo and Nick Hegarty are all out but I would expect Paul Gallacher to return in place of Craig Samson. Steven Robb doesn't seem to be injured but, like Brady, he seems to be out of favour.
I didn't think I'd live long enough to watch a team as boring as most of Billy Reid's sides usually prove to be, but Scotland managed it on Friday night. Fortunately, Reid is (slightly) more attacking these days, but his Hamilton side don't exactly pour forward in numbers. Instead, we can look forward to them being defensive, attacking occasionally, time wasting and surrounding the referee at every opportunity. And why not? Doing just that won them promotion two years ago and then established them in the SPL - and they've finished above Saints for the last two seasons to boot. It sure as hell isn't pretty, but it's working and you can't really argue with that.
Reid is a bit of a wheeler dealer when it comes to working the free transfer market, something I didn't think possible. Last season he ditched a number of his summer signings before the transfer window closed and did the same this season, former Saint Jack Ross the main casualty. However, he's brought in plenty of other players and the more notable include Nigel Hasselbaink - nephew of ex Chelsea and Leeds man Jimmy Floyd - and Gary McDonald, who has been at Aberdeen for the last few seasons. Gavin Skelton and Jim McAlister should also do a job. They've also picked up Andy Millen as assistant manager, who will be returning to Greenhill Road for the first time since leaving in the summer.
While Reid likes to rotate his squad every transfer window (and that's putting it mildly), he does still have a core of players. Tomas Cerny is a fine goalkeeper for a bottom six side to have, while Mark McLaughlin is a solid centre half and Alex Neil is a real creative force in midfield. There's also Simon Mensing, a surprise source of goals wherever he plays, and Marco and Flavio Paixao - Scottish football's equivalent of Jedward. However, this season they have to make do without James McArthur, who left for Wigan in the summer. The sizeable transfer fee Accies received should offset some of their disappointment at losing the talented youngster!