SHOCK TROOPS
Sharpshooter Dobbie has Thistle firmly in his sights but surely the likes of Fraserburgh and Brechin can only dream of being...
WELCOME to the annual outbreak of excitement and anxiety that is fourthround weekend in the Scottish Cup.
For the nation’s top-flight clubs, this is when they dice with the face-reddening prospect of defeat to lower-ranked opposition.
Half-a-dozen Premiership sides are confronted by ties that could potentially condemn them to the category of cup shock victims. Some, it must be said, have more reason to fret than others.
Here, Sportsmail casts an eye over the fixture list and rates where the stories to remember are most likely to arise. QUEEN OF THE SOUTH v PARTICK THISTLE
THE plastic pitch at Palmerston Park would seem the obvious place for shock-seekers to concentrate their attentions today. Alan Archibald understands why. The Thistle manager has spent this week underlining the nature of the challenge that awaits in Dumfries.
Sitting second bottom of the Premiership, Thistle actually won two out of three just before the winter break — keeping two clean sheets into the bargain.
Even so, this tie contains enough elements of discomfort for any top-flight team.
Archibald insists the artificial surface cannot be used as any kind of excuse. More pertinent, perhaps, is the presence of aging gunslinger Stephen Dobbie at the forefront of the Queens attack.
The 35-year-old remains a cut above the Scottish Championship and has already notched 20 goals this term for the fifth-placed side.
A scorer for Swansea when they won a Wembley promotion play-off under Brendan Rodgers, Dobbie will doubtless relish the chance to claim a Premiership scalp.
‘A good cup run is what’s been missing during my time here,’ said Thistle midfielder Steven Lawless. ‘I’ve been to the Challenge Cup final (in 2013), but I would love to get to a final in one of the bigger cups.
‘The way I see it, Inverness have won the Scottish Cup. St Mirren and Ross County have won the League Cup, so there’s no reason why we can’t get to a final.
‘Hopefully, we can get through this tie against Queen of the South and go on a cup run.
‘I know people may think this game is a potential shock because of our league position. But we feel we’ve turned the corner in recent times, although it’s going to be a tough game.
‘Queen of the South have a lot of quality in their team and we need to be wary of Dobbie. But if we apply ourselves correctly and don’t take anything for granted, we can get the result we want.’ SHOCK FACTOR: 4 out of 5
WHILE the 3-0 defeat by Motherwell in September’s Betfred Cup quarter-final provided an unwelcome jolt, Aberdeen have become well acquainted with the latter stages of competitions under Derek McInnes.
The Pittodrie side will fancy their chances of repeating last season’s final appearance.
St Mirren, though, represent a very awkward first hurdle to overcome.
The Championship leaders will head north in ebullient mood after a commanding sequence of six wins and a draw in their last seven matches.
Twelve months ago, Jack Ross’ side sent Dundee spinning out of the competition at this stage, before producing a creditable performance in defeat at Celtic Park in the quarter-finals.
McInnes will know that any hint of sluggishness from his team after the winter break could be sorely punished. But the Pittodrie boss has a well-earned reputation for getting the job done. SHOCK FACTOR: 2 out of 5
WINNING this trophy in 2014 provided the high point of Tommy Wright’s tenure, yet recent years have brought Saints little joy. Defeats to Partick Thistle, Kilmarnock and Queen of the South ended their involvement within a couple of rounds during the past three seasons. A trip south to Lanarkshire
should provide an acceptable introduction this time around.
As midfielder Murray Davidson stresses, there are no ‘snobs’ in Saints’ dressing room unwilling to mix it at Cliftonhill.
Rovers, sitting eighth in League One, have also won only one of their last seven matches.
‘We have to prepare right and be professional,’ said Davidson. ‘We know what’s needed to win games like this.
‘You must have the right attitude and be prepared to battle. Thankfully for us, we have loads of players who are willing and able to do that.’ SHOCK FACTOR: 2 out of 5
CELTIC have lost only once in 74 domestic games. Brechin have yet to win in 21 Championship matches. Only the scale of the scoreline should be in question when they play the role of first-footers at Parkhead in 2018.
Last year, Brendan Rodgers’ men emerged from the winter break to defeat Albion Rovers 3-0 and begin a sequence of ten straight victories.
Brechin can only hope Celtic’s recent downtime in Dubai hasn’t similarly restored their attack to maximum effectiveness.
Complacency is unlikely to be a factor. Rodgers insists he has ‘studied and watched’ the first opponent faced in their defence of the trophy. SHOCK FACTOR: 1 out of 5 DUNDEE hardly need any warning about the perils of this round. A year ago, St Mirren — then struggling in the Championship — recorded a merited 2-0 win at Dens Park.
Inverness arrive as a mid-table team in the second tier — but one which has just recorded convincing back-to-back victories.
Caley Thistle were winners of this competition in 2015, when Dundee defender Josh Meekings was in their ranks.
‘It’s a first for me,’ he said. ‘I’ve never played against my old team before. I’m looking forward to it, though, and they know I’ll be ready for battle — and I know they are.
‘I had a chuckle when I saw the draw. It’s an important game and we want to get through this round of the cup.
‘Inverness have had a good couple of weeks with results. I still speak to some of the boys and they’ve been scoring a few goals, so it’s up to us to keep it tight.’ SHOCK FACTOR: 3 out of 5
THIS one has to pass a pitch inspection at noon today. In truth, that is where the doubts about tomorrow’s outcome should end.
Strengthened by a busy January window, Rangers face opposition currently sitting second in the Highland League.
A team made up of ‘sparkies and plumbers’, Fraserburgh are captained by one Ryan Christie.
Unlike his on-loan-at-Aberdeen namesake, the 32-year-old defender has admitted a fondness for a kebab in the days before a match. SHOCK FACTOR: 1 out of 5