Panda

By playing wing backs you then don't use your wingers (or you do and have very little in the centre of midfield), and we should really be thinking about trying to get one of Roberts and Markanday into the starting XI. Also Myslovic has barely featured either.

I tend to think if Robson doesn't get the job, then he'll at least be part of the management team. The last two managers have inflicted Lee Sharp and Alan Russell on us. These managers can't be trusted to pick their own number two. Let Dave C do it.

Quite. I guess. But still an interesting debate if you like that sort of thing.

You're completely missing the point. I haven't said he's a bad manager (I don't know, I don't follow Japanese football and hadn't heard of the guy until last night). I, as an outsider to Japanese football, simply am not excited by his record in Japan. You're defending him by pointing out he's won two cups. So did Callum Davidson. It's not a silly comparison. If a Japanese club were linked with Davidson, a fan could likely be looking at Davidson's record, see that he won two trophies at a club that had only ever won one in their history, and be pretty impressed. Others might point out he hasn't got them to the top six. Rodríguez's record - to me - is okay. That's about it. Hold on. Before he got to Japan he had averaged 29 games in charge at every club he had been at. By all accounts looking at his record he was a bit of a journeyman, had some (let's be honest here) moderate success in Japan, and now his record looks alright. He absolutely is a punt. Will likely know very little about Scottish football never mind Aberdeen, the problems they have and what needs to be done. Can he adapt his style to Scottish football? Can he adapt to the culture? (just because he did in Japan doesn't mean he can here). Robson may not have management experience but he knows the club and Scottish football inside out. Yes, he would be a punt too because he doesn't have a managerial record to speak of, but when weighing both men up he's no more of a punt for me than Rodríguez. Now, maybe the plan (if he is under serious consideration) is to have Robson as his assistant, and Agnew as first team coach. You know what, I wouldn't be against that. In fact I'd take it every day of the week over Strachan, Lennon or Dave Cormack's twin brother rocking up wearing a suspicious wig and moustache. But just because I don't agree he's absolutely the best we can get also doesn't mean I'm expecting us to go get Ange. And changing topic - while we're all talking up Ange as the second coming. Here's a grenade I threw into a chat with a pile of Celtic fans. If Ange had gone to Rangers instead of Celtic, and had to deal with their budget and inherited their squad. And, let's say Brendan Rodgers was still Celtic manager. Who would win the league?

I don't get how people struggle to comprehend a cup competition is more than just a final. And he actually won both cups that season. All that aside, it being the biggest competition in Asia doesn't mean what you originally said is true - ie "it's one of the biggest competitions in the world". In terms of attendances, maybe it is. It's not in terms of standard. I have said no such thing. All I've said is based on his record it doesn't excite me, and I disagree with your suggestion that someone with his record is the best we could aim for. The media have linked us with them, doesn't mean any of them are on the shortlist. Rodriguez is every bit a blind punt as Robson is to be honest.

That's exaggerating it just a touch. I beg to differ. Depends who the club is. Take Sheffield United to sixth - that's very good. Take Liverpool to sixth - not so much. Looking at the club's previous finishes they were second and third consistently five years before he arrived, appeared to fall into a rut, and he made minimal improvements on their league position. That would concern me. Although granted, he appears to have had a good cup record. Now, I'm not an expert on how he did or any issues he may have had to deal with. I'm not even saying I'm against his arrival. I'm just saying it's not a record that stands out to me as particular impressive. I think many are getting caught up in him being Spanish and managing abroad. So you don't think it's possible to get a manager with a better record than sixth and ninth in the last two years?

From a mate who is right into his Japanese football (and who was convinced Ange would be a success here) on Ricardo Rodriguez.. Decent manager, not exciting. He'll have an early impact, then it fades away.

That's like getting excited about Callum Davidson because he's won two cups. The league he's managed in is irrelevant. I'm saying his record is okay at best. I'm just not as excited about him as you or the P&J are.

Appears to have done little of note before managing in the Japanese second division, finally won promotion after a few years, then after switching clubs finished sixth and ninth in the top flight. Can't say I'm drooling too much at that.

I can't see us signing Markanday, Myslovic and hailing the return of Roberts - all right sided players - and then playing Duk right wing. Also can't see Robson telling the media he sees Clarkson as a no.6 then playing him off the striker. Wouldn't be against trying Scales at left-back though with Coulson ahead of him.

A huge game now. Never mind Hearts, we are five points behind a now on-form Hibs, four behind St Mirren, and currently three behind sixth-placed Livingston who have a game in hand (against bottom of the table Dundee United). Losing to them is simply not an option. I would go four at the back. People talking about Scales as if he was a miss v Celtic but not sure he was. McCrorie at right-back, Mackenzie at left-back. If we are sticking with three at the back, then I'd actually keep Mackenzie in there and play Coulson and McCrorie ahead of Hayes and Kennedy. Robson has been trying to play Clarkson deep with Shinnie and Ramadani doing the dog work. Problem is, Ramadani needs dropped but there's a lack of similar players to replace him if you want to stick with that tactic. Barron isn't that type of player (possibly injured anyway on account he wasn't in yesterday's squad). Myslovic, are we playing him or is he another Polvara? He's an inverted winger. You could try him with Coulson on the other side in a midfield role. There's also Roberts and Markanday. This game will tell us more than the Celtic game if Robson has it in him to be Dons boss. It might also be his last if it doesn't go well.

We looked a really poor team today. Alarmingly poor. The way we constantly coughed up possession either from poor passes or being brushed off the ball was unforgivable. Rarely, if ever, did we actually put together a good passage of play, I'm struggling to think of one. The goals were soft, and we offered nothing at the other end except the two times Joe Hart nae two errors. We cannot cross the ball, no-one can beat their man. It's all so basic and shows just how badly they've been coached all season. Tactically the three at the back gave Celtic too much space in the first half although we did at least change the shape, even if by the time we did the horse had bolted, spent the day at the pub, and strolled back with a couple of fillies and stuck a do not disturb sign on the stable door. But I don't think there's a huge amount of criticism you can really give Robson for the 90 minutes. The mistakes from individuals weren't on him, and he had named pretty much the line-up you expected him to. But we didn't look fit (that's not on him), we looked slow (not on him). He picked Hayes because he thought he would offer more defensively and was rewarded by a really poor performance in return. Ramadani, lots of enthusiasm, but he's not Aberdeen standard I don't think. Shinnie was trying to run that midfield himself. Duk far too slow and ponderous. Clarkson really poor although at least he was always looking for the ball. To be fair to Robson, he corrected most of these mistakes as the game went on although he took too long to do them. At least he got there eventually, which is more than could be said for Goodwin. I don't see a new manager coming in before Livingston so it's a huge seven days for Robson. He has to identify the weaknesses, he has to make changes for Livingston, and by fuck do we need to win that.

Strachan would be a horrific choice of manager.

Gordon Strachan currently favourite with the bookies. Someone is at it and I can only applaud them for it.

Campbell in today's Daily Record saying he hopes his form at Stevenage might still earn him a new contract at Aberdeen. According to soccerbase, since his Aston Villa goal he's made just three very late substitute appearances. St the very least he needs to be starting games down there to be getting a new deal here. But, you know, if it's Robson who gets the job permanently he might be thinking he knows how to get the best out of Campbell.

Not that I want John Hughes at Aberdeen - but where is the "Hughes hates Aberdeen" stuff coming from? One memory I had of him was after the 2014 final, I waited outside the main stand to see the team come out with the trophy and Hughes came out first and was very gracious, congratulating everyone. I don't think he has it in him to hate anyone.

At those odds it'll still worth £2...

It be took me less than two hours to make Felipe Martins the fifth favourite for the job...

Filipe Martins is doing a sterling job with Casa Pia in the Portuguese league. Despite being minnows they are sixth in the table - just two points off a European place. I reckon if I were to message the bookies, ask for odds on him, place a bet on him, message a few pals and say I've heard whispers we've spoken to him and they should stick a cheeky fiver on him, then I could get him in the running for the Aberdeen job by this time tomorrow.

Excellent article here from Thomas Duncan. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64585496

Think we can safely assume McBookie have no idea who the next Aberdeen manager will be.

Behave you. Leanne's a good egg.

Falkirk 2-0 up on Darvel. Are you watching Jim Goodwin?

I'm fucking fed up of the Darvel love-in, so hope Falkirk take at least three off them tonight. However, Darvel v Ayr would be tasty. Some cup run for Ayr. They've played Pollock, Cove, Elgin and now the winner of Darvel/Falkirk. If only we had drawn an easy team like Da.....oh.