Kilmarnock

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Managers always tell us the festive period separates the wheat from the chaff and when we get into January, the teams should have a good idea of where their season is heading.

I'd say that is true the vast majority of the time, however this season appears to be the exception to the rule.

The league is extremely tight, with seven points separating the teams from fifth to eleventh.

St Johnstone have got themselves detached at the bottom and it will be difficult, though far from impossible, for them to escape.

Killie had a bit of a mixed bag through December and the injuries to two strikers forced the manager to rethink his transfer window business.

The arrival of Calvin Ramsay from Liverpool looks very positive if he can stay injury free, however we urgently need some goal-scoring options up front.

We get a break from league business this weekend as we travel to Parkhead for what could be termed a tricky tie.

There's no pressure on us so let's just give it a go and see if it's our lucky day.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

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When Kilmarnock announced Calvin Ramsay, Derek McInnes thanked Liverpool. He might want to thank Matty Kennedy too.

The on-loan Liverpool right-back joined the Rugby Park club until the end of the season and revealed a chat with former Aberdeen team-mate Kennedy played a part in his decision.

Ramsay was at Pittodre when McInnes was manager and trained with the first-team as a youngster, and he's kept in touch with a few former Dons who now play for Killie.

"I remember Derek McInnes from Aberdeen, Paul Sheerin gave me my debut, they're top coaches," the 21-year-old told club media.

"I know a lot of the boys, Matty [Kennedy], Marley [Watkins], I could go through almost half of the dressing room.

"I spoke to Matty a few days ago. He gave me a phone call and just went through what the club's like, how the manager works and just said it's a great place to play.

"Hopefully when I'm playing week in, week out, I can get back to really enjoying my football and playing my best football as well.

"Having relationships with some of the lads is a massive part of it. There's always a settling in period at any new club but knowing so many of the boys, it makes it easier to settle in."

Killie fans, Derek McInnes has dipped into his old contact book and dialled Calvin Ramsay's number. The young left-back accepted his call.

The Scotland international has switched Anfield for Rugby Park until the end of the season, what do you make of the move?

Give us your take on his loan move from Liverpool here.

Kilmarnock are set to win the race for Liverpool's Calvin Ramsay, with the 21-year-old right-back available on loan after being recalled from a spell with Wigan. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

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Oli Bainbridge's Kilmarnock loan spell has been cut short after he was recalled by Sunderland.

The 19-year-old defender moved to Rugby Park on a season-long deal in the summer but has made just nine appearances, including only two starts.

Bainbridge's last start for Killie came in the away win over Tromso in a Conference League play-off in mid-August and his parent club are now considering the "next steps" in his development.

Sunderland academy manager Robin Nicholls told the Black Cats website: "The time with Kilmarnock has been excellent for Oli.

"It was an incredibly difficult challenge for him to go to such a big club for his first loan but we have been really impressed with how he has faced it.

"He returns with the experience of having played in a European competition, faced Celtic and Rangers in front of almost 60,000 and 45,000 spectators respectively, and the general challenges of integrating into a new squad and new area of the UK."

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Hearts have held talks with Kilmarnock winger Danny Armstrong, 27, who is on course to be a free agent at the end of the season. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

We asked for your thoughts after Kilmarnock played out a goalless draw with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

David: Overall a positive performance which only lacked a goal and a bit more composure from our strikers. Yet again poor inconsistent refereeing - stop-start game which wasn't allowed to flow by the referee. Recruitment is a priority now given news on Kyle Vassell and Innes Cameron.

Anna: We couldn't put one chance away, but not for lack of effort. Playing one up front didn't work, it would have been better to start with Bobby Wales and Bruce Anderson instead of Marley Watkins who's just back from injury. We missed what Matty Kennedy gives us, as for Danny Armstrong I say sell him because he's clearly not doing it for us.

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• Kilmarnock have attempted 494 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Kilmarnock have failed to score in 9 of their 23 games, no team has failed to do so more often in the Premiership this season.

Watch the best of the action from Rugby Park as Kilmarnock fail to find a way past Motherwell. (UK users only)

Kilmarnock missed the chance to move into the Scottish Premiership top six as they were held to a goalless draw by Motherwell at Rugby Park.

The home side dominated for most of the match and passed up a host of opportunities to put away a side whose best openings came against the run of play.

Let us know your thoughts on Kilmarnock's performance.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "We've played worse and won games. I thought we were terrific, it's hard to be critical. But it's our job to win games and find a way to score a goal.

"But we have a combination of the offside goal, the crossbar, good blocks and us being a bit rushed at times.

"You could feel - not the anxiety - but we just needed to stay calm. We got plenty of bodies in the box and set play opportunities. You can be critical from a manager's point of view in terms of how we can make more of those opportunities.

"But in terms of how we set about the task, it was one-way traffic. Draws should feel like defeats at home. I've always felt that since we came to Rugby Park, and it's not a bad thing draws feel that way.

"It does feel like there was so much more to get from that game.

"I would rather play rotten and get a scrappy 1-0 win. That's the way it is."

McInnes says Kyle Vassell is out for two months with a ligament tear and Innes Cameron has torn his hamstring and will be out for seven to eight weeks.

As a result the Killie boss says his priority his to bring in a striker this month, having previously been looking for defensive cover.

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Kilmarnock have confirmed strikers Kyle Vassell and Innes Cameron are facing two months out following scans on recent injuries.

Captain Vassell was substituted in the first half of the Rugby Park side's victory at home to St Mirren on 2 January.

And Cameron had to be removed early on in Sunday's defeat to Ross County.

The double blow limits the attacking options for Derek McInnes, whose side passed up a number of clear-cut chances in Wednesday's goalless draw with Motherwell.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Derek McInnes bemoaned the lack of attacking thrust from his side in the defeat to Ross County, and while they looked far more dangerous and created numerous chances against Motherwell, there is still a lingering sense they are lacking an out-and-out goalscorer.

Murray was once again a threat throughout, getting in behind the defence, creating openings for himself and his team-mates.

Those chances all went unconverted and this felt like a big opportunity missed for Killie to advance their top-six challenge.

Proven top-flight goalscorers certainly don't come cheap, but with injuries to Kyle Vassell and Innes Cameron, McInnes may well be trying to unearth a gem in the transfer market between now and the end of the month.

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Former Scotland striker Lee Miller has backed Kilmarnock winger Danny Armstrong to rediscover his best form amid speculation of a move away from Rugby Park.

Manager Derek McInnes has "accepted" Armstrong will leave in the summer when his contract expires, but said last month there had been no contact from fellow Premiership club Hearts amid reported interest from Tynecastle.

The 27-year-old had 23 goal contributions last season, but is yet to score this term in 25 appearances, although he has chipped in with five assists.

Miller says McInnes must unlock Armstrong's ability while he is still in blue and white if Killie are to climb the league table.

"He is a top talent, Armstrong, and he will look to progress and go to bigger and better things, no disrespect to Kilmarnock," Miller told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"But at the end of the day, he needs to start performing for Kilmarnock, and McInnes knows that.

"He probably understands and realises that he won't have Armstrong next season, so he needs to get the best out of him. And Armstrong will know that himself, so he's a threat. If he plays, he's a threat.

"His deliveries and his goal contributions haven't been great but he'll look to turn that around."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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Defender Joe Wright has urged his Kilmarnock team-mates to put Sunday's dispiriting defeat against Ross County behind them quickly - because they need to prove they are not a one-season wonder.

Killie defied their relatively small playing budget to finish fourth in the Scottish Premiership last season and qualify for Europe.

They had won three successive home games before facing County and could have moved into the top six with a victory but produced one of their worst displays of the season to lose 1-0 and instead fall to 10th.

"It was obviously good to achieve something in one of the seasons I've been here, but it can't be just one season," the 29-year-old said.

"We can't be known for arriving in the top six once. We want to do it year in, year out.

"It was a sloppy game on Sunday. There was nothing really between the two teams but we lost a late goal and weren't really our usual threat.

"We probably didn't do the basics well enough, which is something we are usually really good at."

Wright is poised to make his 100th appearance for the club at home to Motherwell on Wednesday - and is grateful to have got his career back on track in Ayrshire.

The former Doncaster defender joined Killie in the summer of 2022 after 12 months out of the game through injury.

"Coming here on the back of a bad injury, with quite a bit of uncertainty because of that injury, I'm really happy to rack up 100 games in quite a short period of time," said the former Wales Under-21 centre-back.

"I wouldn't say it has exceeded my expectations because I didn't have any expectations.

"To come here and, in the main, play every game I've been available for – I'm delighted with that."

• Kilmarnock have won three of their past four home league games against Motherwell (D1) since a 1-0 defeat in February 2021.

• Motherwell have only suffered one defeat in their past seven league meetings with Kilmarnock (W2 D4), going down 1-0 in November 2023.

• Kilmarnock have won their past two midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games, last winning three such matches in a row in the Scottish Premiership in December 2018/January 2019 – a run which included a 1-0 win over Motherwell.

• Motherwell have lost four of their past five away league games (W1), including their past two. Not since November 2023 have they lost three on the bounce on their travels in the league – the third game of which was at Kilmarnock (1-0).

• In his managerial career, Derek McInnes has only won more Scottish top-flight matches against his current club Kilmarnock (24) than he has against Motherwell (20).

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes admits injuries to Kyle Vassell and Innes Cameron may prompt him to sign a new striker in the January window.

Captain Vassell went off with a shin problem against St Mirren on Thursday, while Cameron suffered a suspected hamstring injury just three minutes into Sunday's defeat at home to Ross County, with both set to be scanned this week.

Before Wednesday's crunch match against top-six rivals Motherwell, McInnes hinted that Killie may also be in the market for a defender, with centre-back Stuart Findlay out for the majority of the season with severe ligament damage.

He said: "We could do with good fortune on Vassell's scan. The X-ray was clear but we need further investigation to see if more is shown up. He's still in pain, he's still in a boot.

"Innes has been doing well but if it's hamstring, then we would naturally look at the forward areas as we are short there. We lacked a bit of presence against Ross County.

"With Stuart Findlay's injury, we were maybe looking at a defensive option to bring in.

"If we can get good news on Vassell and Cameron, then it might not be as pressing to get someone in at the top end.

"If it's bad news then our focus might need to go there. Let's wait and see what we are dealing with first."

With Killie not in league action again for over two weeks following Wednesday's game, McInnes is desperate for his side to bounce back from their surprise defeat to County when they host a Motherwell side who sit six points ahead of them in their quest to reach the top six.

He added: "This is our last league game until January 25. That's a long wait for us.

"We had this opportunity to go into the top six and we didn't take it. It's very tight with five or six teams and if you can get a run, three or four wins from five, it helps.

"We are at home and it's up to us, regardless of who is available, to have that laser focus and do what we can to get a result."

The Killie boss also revealed that Matty Kennedy is being sent to see a specialist as he looks to get to the bottom of a back issue, although Rory McKenzie and Liam Polworth could both return from injury for the game against the Steelmen.

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

It's been an inconsistent last couple of weeks for Killie.

We briefly climbed the table before quickly dropping back down again.

A win on Wednesday at home to Motherwell would see us in sixth, but we'll need to vastly improve on our showing during the defeat to Ross County.

The injuries are mounting so the squad will be stretched to the extreme as we welcome the Steelmen fresh from a fine win over Aberdeen.

I'd love to see Liam Polworth back from injury as we simply don't have the same control of games when he is absent.

We looked totally clueless on Sunday with no passing through midfield and two wingers well out of form. Perhaps it's time for Gary Mackay-Steven to replace Danny Armstrong for a run of games.

The transfer window is now open of course, although the manager may need to ship a few out before he gets new faces in.

His summer policy of simply re-signing last season's main men has backfired and we badly needed some extra quality to rejuvenate this squad.

We have a wee break this weekend so it would be nice to grab a win over Motherwell to get us in a positive frame of mind for the upcoming cup game at Parkhead.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

Killie fans, we asked you for your January transfer wishlist.

Here's what some of you are hoping for:

Stuarty: Without a doubt we need an experienced centre-half to cover for Stuart Findlay and allow Lewis Mayo to go back to right-back. Neither defensive loanees, Jack Burroughs and Oliver Bainbridge, have impressed. Happy to let them and Rory McKenzie go if he can find regular football somewhere else and continue his career at the right level.

David: We've been crying out for a midfield playmaker for several seasons, so that should be our number one aim. Defensively we need cover and arguably a right-winger as well to replace Danny Armstrong.

Neil: We still, even now, need a goalscorer, though Bruce Anderson has started to come good lately. Someone to shore up the defence would be welcome too and if there's a deal on offer for Armstrong, we should take it, no questions asked!

Callum: In high need of an out-and-out winger to replace Armstrong and a proven goalscoring striker.

DM: We need two centre-backs, a CDM, a winger, and a striker. Would let go of McKenzie. Innes Cameron has been effective as a substitute, but would understand if he wants to leave for more game time. Bainbridge has proven to be not up to scratch either. Would take £100k for Armstrong and let him go to Hearts now. His head is gone, he has no effort and desire to do well for us now.

Killie fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's defeat to Ross County.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Anna: Awful performance, bereft of any ideas and attacking threats were zero. Danny Armstrong was garbage, Rory McKenzie would have put in a better shift. As for strikers, why wasn't Bobby Wales starting the game instead of coming on from the bench?

Robert: Absolutely the poorest performance for a couple of seasons, losing Innes Cameron didn't help, Marley Watkins was thrown in far too soon and his lack of match sharpness was apparent (not his fault, Innes injury). The defence looked hesitant, wingers were ineffectual, the only spark was Kyle Magennis.

Kenny: A lacklustre performance, Kilmarnock really missed having a powerful forward up front to hold the ball up. There wasn't much in the game to excite either set of fans. I thought we had done enough to get a draw so disappointing to walk away with no points!

Jim: I have been beating the same drum for some time now. We are not good enough with a lot of the players past their best. We are in a relegation battle now and we have no money to get us out of the mess we are in. Our young players are the shining light, play them.

Anon: We have been here before, Europe one season then relegation the next. Cameron, Watkins, Joe Wright and Kyle Vassell won't keep us in the league never mind the top six. No leader on the park and the starting 11 gets chopped and changed every week which is not helping.

Stephen: Infuriating performance, 95 minutes of hoofing the ball in the direction of Bruce Anderson, despite it being obvious early on it wasn't working. County coped easily and broke with a pace and purpose we lacked. We had no plan B and Derek McInnes was outsmarted by a still rookie manager who got his tactics spot on. County got what they deserved. So did we.

The Sportscene team analyse Ross County's winning goal at Kilmarnock.

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