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Sokler nearly missed that! But now he needs just one more to be level top goal scorer in the competition.

Miovski starts for Girona away to Valencia.

Interesting that Clarkson and Gueye both start. I presume that means McGrath on the right and Gueye on the left, with Clarkson in the middle. @OrlandoDon got his wish with a Palaversa start.

He didn't pick a fit Scott Brown for one game, Rangers away. I agree with the last line. I just don't agree with the assertion he wasn't a leader at all. He was no Anthony Stewart, let's put it that way. This we can agree on

No, only on the online player. They'll probably use RedTV commentary today from the Aberdeen game, they tend to just use the club commentary of the home club. They only give a toss about Celtic and Rangers.

Brown would pop up everywhere. He definitely covered more ground than Nilsen. He may have been on the team sheet as a holding midfielder but that's not how he played. How closely did you follow Nilsen's career before he joined Aberdeen? Time will tell what? That a 32 year old on a three year contract might prove to be better for Aberdeen than a 36 year old who played in a poor team and didn't finish the season? Or that Nilsen is/was a better player than Brown? Because that would be a silly statement to make considering Brown played at a far higher level than Nilsen. It's not about respecting your opinion, it's that deciding after 10 games that Nilsen is a better holding midfielder than Scott Brown "ever was for any club" is ridiculous.

He left because Goodwin told him he wouldn't get doing any coaching, not that he wasn't going to play. Because you said Goodwin just wasn't going to pick him, were the truth was he was injured. You then suggested this was a made up injury to hide Goodwin not picking him, despite him being injured before Goodwin arrived. I don't remember any of this at all. This is the first I've ever read of any lack of respect from his teammates.

Again, we're rewriting history here. He did his hamstring against St Johnstone before Goodwin had taken charge, which meant he missed the next two games, then made his comeback from injury against Hearts where he clearly wasn't fit. Goodwin's scorched earth policy was why he left, not because he wasn't good enough. This was the same Goodwin who didn't want to play Ramirez either. Again, I refuse to believe he was more than capable in the first half of the season, but by February had lost it. He was 36, recoveries from injuries take longer, he was playing out of position in a poor team and the season was becoming a slog.

They didn't play the same position at Aberdeen though, that's my point. My point is that Brown SHOULD have been playing the position Nilsen was. He was actually playing as a box-to-box midfielder about five years after he lost that ability to do it. At Celtic he played as more of a holding midfielder because he had Callum McGregor as his Graeme Shinnie. The Brown/McGregor partnership is essentially what we have now with Nilsen/Shinnie. Come on mate, I'm all for club bias here, but suggesting Nilsen is a better holding midfielder than Scott Brown "ever was for any club" based on 10 games is outrageously parochial. Again, we're rewriting history here. Brown at one point - at the age of 31 so not far off Nilsen's age - had the best passing stats in the Champions League. Even at Aberdeen one of the big things that impressed me was his passing. I always remember one moment, in a game v St Johnstone, where he played a brilliant outside the foot pass from deep to Austin Samuels (remember him), took out about four St Johnstone players, and sent Samuels clean through on goal. Samuel's effort was so bad I think he hit it out for a throw in. Again, I'm not wanting to make this a Nilsen v Brown thing, but Nilsen has played 10 games. We're talking about leadership and players being a liability. Nilsen arrived at Aberdeen with a reputation for getting himself suspended. Nilsen has made an impressive start, he may well go on to have a fine Aberdeen career and I certainly hope it's more successful than Brown's was at Aberdeen. But I maintain that Brown was a lot better at Aberdeen than some of you are giving him credit for, and a better leader than given credit for too.

Except he was getting a game under Goodwin.. He didn't need dropped, he needed a position change. I remember arguing he should have been playing as a holding midfielder with McCrorie and Ferguson playing around him, which is similar to Nilsen having Shinnie and Clarkson around him. When you say "leader" what are you actually meaning, because I think we're arguing two different meanings here.

No I don't have to accept your rewriting of history. He was very good for the first part of the season, far more than "flashes of his former self once or twice". Hacken home, Hibs home, Hearts home, Rangers home and away are fine in particular that stand out. He retired because he left Aberdeen, there were very little options for him if he wished to pursue his coaching career while still playing at the top. Ferguson and McCrorie were also played out of position. McCrorie especially. Brown's performances had no bearing on theirs. You're just making things up now. Well no-one is near Shinnie. But the debate was Nilsen/Brown. As impressive as Nilsen has been so far, I don't see anything I wasn't seeing in Scott Brown three years ago, except that Nilsen has better players around him in a more organised team.

But how did Brown become a liability? Overplayed? Having to do the work of two or three players because he had people like Funso Ojo around him? Was Brown not a victim of being in a poor team, and also being 36? Do you think even a younger Nilsen would have thrived in that team? I think Brown did well but was overplayed in that wrong role/position. I think you stick that version of Scott Brown in our current team and he'd be doing just as well as Nilsen is.

No Duk on the menu this weekend according to Thelin, too early for him.

And Scott Brown. Whatever you think of him or that team, he started the season well personally and was man of the match in a few games. And don't think you can say he wasn't a leader. If Goodwin wasn't so keen on his scorched earth policy we could have had a midfield of Brown and Shinnie, and essentially have what we have now with Nilsen/Shinnie.

Shocked to hear he's a footballer.

I look forward to everyone pointing out Celtic haven't been tested yet...

I think we should actually be worried as Peter Leven is one of the favourites according to the St Johnstone ITKers. Rhys McCabe also fancied for it. I'd actually like to see Barry Robson get it.

I'm actually gonna disagree with everything I've been saying, and agree with @OrlandoDonthat Palavera and Clarkson should start. Would actually be good to see Palaversa get a wee run of games (including the Cove friendly) just to see how good he really is, and if Clarkson can get more minutes under his belt then I'd probably want to see him back in the starting XI soon.

But like I said, how do you keep that match sharpness? ie, Palaversa plays v Spartans. But he doesn't start v Dundee, Hearts and Celtic, he's lost any match sharpness he's gained from playing against Spartans. I'm not against Thelin making changes v Spartans. By all means play the fringe players, especially if any of our favoured starting XI aren't quite 100% fit. I just don't agree playing Palaversa means he'll be match fit a month later, and don't think Shinnie and Nilsen at this stage of the season are in need of a rest (unless Shinnie still not 100% after his illness).

The thing is we're asking two young guys (three of you include Jack Mackenzie) to learn together. I don't actually see a big improvement in Rubezic. I don't think he's as rash, but I still see him making the same basic mistakes - mainly being out of position and his poor distribution. I think you play the best players and I'd still say MacDonald is better than Rubezic at the moment.

Will he be needed though? I don't think he starts any games for the time being unless Shinnie or Nilsen are suspended or injured. He'll come off the bench plenty and that'll keep him sharp. I think people get too hung up on age. In central midfield, 33 really isn't that old. De Bruyne and Gundogan are both 33, both played 90 minutes at the weekend, and I would expect at least one of them - if not both - to play for Man City v Inter on Wednesday, and then they've Arsenal at the weekend. If Shinnie and Nilsen were 36 going on 37 I'd be more concerned. Shinnie has just turned 33 and Nilsen is actually 32 for a few more weeks. They're not old at all. And they're not playing international football so both are getting plenty rest while playing once a week anyway. Palaversa needs to do a Pape Gueye and go and put in the type of performance that makes him undroppable.

I think when you're only playing one game a week you don't need to rest anybody. Especially if they're on good form - keep that momentum going. If Shinnie is fit I'd play him. Otherwise you go into the Dundee game with him not having played for three weeks. Nilsen is playing brilliantly just now, unless he's looking tired, play him. The only change I'd make would be MacDonald for Rubezic as I still think central defence is our weak point. However, I think unless Rubezic starts to really struggle (which he hasn't) then Thelin will likely stick with him.

There isn't actually loads of bars right next to Pittodrie, so most of the time expect a 20-25 minute walk. Pittodrie bar is relatively close. Gets busy though. Head to the Castlegate and there's a few round there. Just realised you said January, not the game in a few weeks. I dunno how good we'll be in January but on the current form of both clubs we're going to leather them next month.

He's ill.

Made a wee video. If you're into ASMR then you get to listen to my voice as a bonus.