While it was incredibly frustrating not to be playing last week it might not necessarily have been a bad thing. We did not cover ourselves in glory on the opening day of the season and going to Parkhead after that could have been a recipe for disaster. The time off has given us a chance to fix a few things and look for new players, although we've only managed to get one signed up so far. Tomorrow should let us know if the Caley Thistle game was just a blip or is the sort of thing we'll be enduring for much of the season.
Kilmarnock didn't exactly get their campaign off to a good start either with an opening day loss to Aberdeen, although they did run them pretty close, before a goalless draw against St Johnstone. They, like us, will be looking to make the top six this season and are a side we really should be looking to beat if we want to achieve that aim. The sides have been fairly evenly matched in the last few seasons and it'll be interesting to see if that's the case now they've changed manager. Rather worryingly, we haven't won a home league game on a Saturday since we beat Dundee at the end of November.
Fair play to Kilmarnock for actually bothering to fulfil this fixture. They could have gone gallivanting off somewhere to play someone in a meaningless friendly but they have decided to face us in a league game instead. Of course, the fact they (and Saints) probably didn't have the option of a glamour, money spinning tie is beside the point. They at least intend turning up at Greenhill Road tomorrow and playing in our first home game of the season, which should really have been played last week.
The delay, caused by Celtic running away because they're scared of us after what happened at Hampden last season (honest) means we've had to wait a week for our new signings to make their home debuts. David Cornell will start in goals, although he wasn't particularly convincing on his full debut against Inverness Caley Thistle or in our friendly against Gretna. Danny Grainger will start at leftback and is hopefully a bit nearer full match fitness, while Gary Harkins is likely to entertain in midfield as he looks to get one over his former employers. Fellow newboys Christopher Dilo and Kealan Dillon will be benched.
We also have someone making his second debut, if that's possible, in the shape of Conor Newton. The League Cup Final hero is back on loan and is likely to start. The question now is who we drop. Thomas Reilly is the most likely person to make way, although it would be good to see him moved further forward to partner Steven Thompson in a front two. If that happens then it's likely to be John McGinn that is dropped, which is a bit harsh. Of course, Newton could also be put in at rightback as David van Zanten is banned and David Barron is injured, but I'd liked to see Jon Robertson get a shot there. It sounds a bit mad, but he played there against Gretna and was terrific.
Kenny Shiels finally talked himself out of a job over the summer and was binned as Kilmarnock boss. His constant run-ins with Scottish football's authorities, while entertaining, eventually proved to be his undoing and he was sacked, although chairman Michael Johnstone wasn't exactly popular with the support for doing that. They still want him out, but for now they have Allan Johnston, whose Queen of the South side cruised to the second division last season. Not bad for his first season in management, although they were the only full-time team in the league so it'll be interesting to see if he is capable of coping in the top flight. Bringing experienced assistant Sandy Clark with him from Palmerston was a good move.
Last season Johnston was able to rely on his assistant's son Nicky scoring goals and he's inherited a pretty handy forward at Rugby Park - although it's unlikely Kris Boyd will be able to match Clark's tally of 41! It's a surprise to see the striker still at Killie as most people assumed he'd only signed for them to get himself fit for when Rangers had their transfer embargo lifted. Playing him alongside Paul Heffernan is a front line that just screams goals. William Gros has also been kept on as has Rory McKenzie, while youngster Chris Johnston could be played up front but is really more of a winger.
Killie have plenty of midfield talent to go with Johnston, such as fellow kids Craig Slater, Ross Davidson and Gary Fisher. Veteran James Fowler is effectively on childminding duties if he's playing alongside them, although they do also have some experienced players like skipper Manuel Pascali - who is closing in on a return to full fitness - ex Coventry midfielder Sammy Clingan and Nigerian Rabiu Ibrahim. Whether or not we ever see his countryman Reuben Gabriel remains to be seen, although it seems he has now recovered from injury. Celtic's brilliantly named Australian youngster Jackson Irvone was brought in on loan this week and Livingston's Kyle Jacobs was added to the midfield over the summer, with Darren Barr being brought into the defence after he was let go by Hearts. He's one of the few experienced men at the back now that Garry Hay has gone, although Sean Clohessy arrived from Southend last week, with Mark O'Hara, Rory McKeown and Rory McKenzie expected to play a great deal this year.
They do have one of our former defenders to add experience , although Jeroen Tesselaar isn't well thought of by the fans at Rugby Park. The fullback didn't have the best of first seasons at Kilmarnock and seemed to be played in the centre of defence on opening day. He was joined over the summer by Craig Samson, who decided to leave us for Killie after they waved more money at him (remember that when they claim they're skint later in the season). It'll be interesting to see what reaction he gets tomorrow as he is effectively a club legend following the League Cup win. Samson was signed by Shiels who bizarrely decided to sign Caley Thistle goalie Antonio Reguero as well. With money tight bringing in two goalies that would easily be first choice at most SPL clubs was a rather strange move.
Follow Mirren Mad on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/mirrenmad
Follow Mirren Mad on Twitter @mirren_mad or http://www.twitter.com/mirren_mad