Panda

I think people forget how poor we were at times last season. Miovski's 26 goals saved the season from being even worse. I also think this squad is a lot worse than people thought in October. Thelin has made his fair share of mistakes recently, but he's the first manager we've had in a long time that I have any faith in. Some shite results recently, but fourth and a cup final is improvement, yes. No. Fourth (providing we don't win the cup) gives us two cracks at Europe, as we begin in the Europa league, and if we get knocked out in the qualifiers we have another crack at the Conference. But, we'll be unseeded for the play-off rounds and it'll take a huge effort to reach the groups.

Celtic have scored five goals or more against 10 different teams this season. They're too good for Scottish football at the moment. Yes we can play much better than tonight, but they're spanking everyone. We would probably have had more chance tonight had they played their strongest team. Instead they played a side desperate to impress, and for a "reserve" side I think nine of them would be starters for us. If we beat United then win the cup, the job he has on his hands is still the same. We started the season with arguably a worse squad than last season following the loss of Miovski and Barron. Whether you rated Barron or not, his departure still weakened our midfield, we haven't replaced him, and we certainly haven't found another Miovski yet. People say Thelin has thrown money at the squad, but he's had to because cheap signings were not going to improve us, but it doesn't necessarily mean all the problems would be fixed in one season. He's spent most of that money on the defence. It was poor tonight and at Ibrox, but I think most can see that Tobers-Knoester are an improvement on Rubezic-Molloy. Nilsen's loss is hitting us harder than expected. The other two big money signings - Jensen and Keskinen - I think will eventually do well for us. But we need a left back, a Barron replacement, a McGrath replacement (hopefully Milanovic is it) probably two strikers if Nisbet doesn't stay and an attacking midfielder. Basically half a team. Change the manager if you like. Jump in at the 11th hour and get McInnes, go get Stephen Robinson, fuck it offer Kjell Knutsen the universe. But they'll all need at least another two transfer windows.

Dorrington and Jensen back. Also noticed Vinnie in the training pics, maybe a wee place on the bench. Thelin hinting at changes to give players a rest.

You're the only one who made a big deal out of it. We wouldn't have had days of discussion over it without you mentioning it in every post.

For those that believe third is still doable, then only a win will do. Even a draw likely won't be enough unless St Mirren beat Hibs, and I'm not even sure we want that because if we do lose to Celtic all off a sudden fourth place is shaky. I would just like a morale boosting performance ahead of the big one next Saturday. And no injuries to key players. Hopefully it doesn't sell out so that it annoys all the right people.

This was 35 years ago today. In fact, with extra-time played, the penalties would have been starting just around now 35 years ago.

No, I'm not. I've been consistent with what I've said actually. You can't keep moving the goalposts. You were championing McInnes for having a UK and Irish core. Going by that, we started five players of that ilk at Ibrox (and it's usually six if Nisbet plays, and seven had Dorrington been fit), But because that didn't suit, now it's only Scottish players you say. In 16-17 under McInnes (his best season probably) we often played just four Scots. (Considine, Reynolds, Jack, Shinnie). McLean or Christie sometimes made it five. Even then, that's a team of mostly non-Scots, no? In his final season, our most used eleven players were Lewis, Logan, Taylor, Hoban, Considine, McCrorie, Ferguson, Hedges, McGinn, Hayes, Cosgrove (then Kamberi). That's just three Scots. We already tried for Lyall Cameron. But the reason why we haven't signed another Scott McKenna or Lewis Ferguson is probably because they're not standing out anywhere. Jack Milne, Fletcher Boyd and maybe even Finlay Marshall are maybe the next McKenna or Ferguson. Well that's my whole frigging point. Thelin had tried to have a balance. We have Scottish guys and foreigners, physical and creative, the experienced guys and the young players. As for Simon Murray, not a single poster on this forum (and I have just checked) suggested we sign him last summer. Now he's on a three-year contract so we'd need to pay a transfer fee to sign a 33-year-old.

Can you read the previous messages before replying to them, so I don't have to begin every reply by repeating myself. The comment I replied to was We had a team full of proper men under McInnes, now we have a team full of spineless foreign shite. It wasn't me who brought up physical players or foreign players. And yes, it is backdoor xenophobia. I don't know why you're so upset about it since the comment wasn't even in reply to you. No, it's an opinion of yours, it's not a fact. With respect, that's just a jumble of words making little sense. You keep saying Scottish players, then UK and Irish players, to "players that know the league. I don't even know where you stand or what your point even is. It's very clear it's part of our trading model. We're trying to find the next Miovski. Simon Murray isn't going to be sold for £6m to anyone. There was more chance - on paper at least - of Sokler or Duk or Gueye being sold for big money in future.

Because I was replying to a comment that said we've signed "spineless foreign shite", and you entered the discussion listing Scottish players. So that's the relevance, unless you're changing the subject. But we're not though, are we? We had seven UK & Irish based players involved today. We lost to a team who played only six. The champions will likely start the cup final with just two Scots in their team. Hibs, who will likely finish third, started only four Scots yesterday (one of which is an Australian international), they're hardly a team full of home-born players either. Six of our starting line-up today have played in Scotland before this season and should meet your 'knowledge of Scottish football' criteria. Three of the subs meet that too. We're also not in July, we're in May. Thelin and his back room team know all about Rangers having played them four times. So what's your point here, that Scottish or UK signings would be better? You've just cherry picked some names that may not be good enough, in order to make what point? I could list UK and Irish players who aren't good enough either. This is the guy you've been championing isn't it? That we absolutely had to sign? Dundee United signed him, and he's been extremely poor. Here's the views of Dundee United fans... Sigh. No-one is offended.

Their nationality was irrelevant. You've been pushing this "need more physical players" stuff for over a week now (bizarrely, after the St Mirren game which you said you hadn't watched.) Are you trying to claim Niall McGinn and Peter Pawlett were physical players? We've gone forwards from last season, have we not? We're season one into what is meant to be a three-season rebuild. That would be relevant had we ignored three Scottish players of the standard of Cooper, Simpson and Hewitt and signed foreigners instead. But that's not what has happened has it?

This bit is spot on.

The bit I quoted. Firstly, we took regular humpings off Rangers and Celtic under McInnes. Secondly, "spineless foreign shite". Even ignoring your backwards xenophobia, I'm not sure that's usually how Scandinavians are perceived, and I wouldn't say Mitov, Tobers or Knoester fall into that category either.

Our issue was we were too slow to close down and cut out passes. We needed someone energetic in there. Nilsen wouldn't have sold that problem and we've had plenty of games with him in midfield and teams have played around him (a notable example being the last time we were at Ibrox).

And to put it into another context, we got beaten by a team that won at Parkhead, were in the Europa League quarters, and who drew with Celtic last week. Not defending the goals we lost (just like our defence ) but let's not pretend we've just lost to a lower league side here.

Heads gone. Sober up and try again tomorrow.

We've missed five massive chances in this game (two from Keskinen, two from Gueye, one from Polvara). Any of them go in and this is a different game. Yet here we are 3-0 down. Just haven't pressed them enough in the right areas. All three goals conceded been too easy.

I hate to say it, but Barron is doing everything that no-one in our midfield is doing. Tracking every run. We've been too stationary in midfield and easy passes have got them in behind us.

Nisbet & Gueye on at half-time seems like we want more possession in Rangers half.

We're fine. We're actually missing Jensen pushing forward from right back. We can get in behind Rangers' high line if we put a few more quicker balls in, Devlin has actually slowed it down. But think Rangers have had one shot on target, and from long range.

Decent first half. Hopefully hold onto the lead this time.

Quite a few changes there. Dorrington not in the squad which suggests an injury, hopefully Tobers not rushed back too soon. Glad to see Polvara start. Dabbagh starting up front will be interesting.

Of course I'm serious. I have too much respect for the sanctity of Scottish football coverage to make jokes about it.

I reckon if McInnes goes to Hearts, then Peter Leven may be on the shortlist at Rugby Park.

It wasn't the big game of the day though, let's be honest here. Hardly anyone was at the game, hardly anyone would watch it on TV, and hardly anyone would listen to it on the radio. If you're claiming you turned on the radio as a neutral desperate to listen to it, I don't believe you. You wanted to know how Hibs were getting on in the battle for third, and the BBC provided you with that service.

It's an interesting appointment. Is it a good appointment, I don't know. You could argue he couldn't have timed his arrival at Aberdeen any better. Craig Brown had fixed a lot of the mess from the Mark McGhee era, Rangers, Hibs and Hearts all fell off, even Celtic weakened with Lennon then Deila. He struck gold with signings like Rooney, Logan and Shinnie, and his loans all filled the holes he needed to. He never really sorted the defence post- Russell Anderson's retirement, but midfield and attack were solid. The last three years were chronic though. Was it all his fault? Did he just get unlucky when before he had the luck? Did the lack of a head of recruitment hinder him? Did managers just figure out his tactics, with McInnes unable to have a plan B? It all begs the question, how good is Derek McInnes really? Did his last three seasons show us the truth, a man unable to turn around a club on a downward spiral, or was that unfair on account Glass and Goodwin didn't fair any better? I don't think his Kilmarnock stint answers it either. He got them fourth with a very decent squad, but has struggled this season. Although I'm sure he still has some affection for Aberdeen, he would be desperate to go and finish above Jimmy Thelin, not just once but consistently, win trophies with them, and show that in all our searching for new bosses we never found better than him. Hearts are the club that can give him that chance. I think if he goes there (and should be said, while he's on the shortlist, he's not the only name on it), it'll be fascinating.