Panda

We did comfortably see off Stirling and Peterhead in "tricky" League Cup away ties, and even Goodwin's lack of tactical awareness shouldn't hinder us too much in this one. That said, I have put a wee bet on Aberdeen to win in extra-time. I just have a feeling. I also think 3-0 by half-time, so..

I think sometimes you just don't know how good a manager is until he's your manager and you're assessing him every week. McInnes I thought was a very good motivator and his training appeared to be pretty good. Those were two factors which put him above Goodwin and at least help mask those areas he wasn't great in. Goodwin is struggling to show any real positives about him.

Did he though? He got them promoted from the Championship (to be expected), lost a few semi-finals, and by the time he quit they were eighth.

Whatever happens we will be in the draw - it takes place on Sunday at 6pm.

You posted this on another thread and I presumed you were joking, but now you've posted it twice I fear you might actually be serious. Owen Coyle? Who had an 18% win record at Ross County? Winning in India and in the Scottish Championship is not nearly enough to get him on Aberdeen's radar.

I think he should go. I think Glass should have been given more time as I could see what he was trying to do but didn't have the players to do it. And at least you could see with his substitutions he was reading the game and trying to change things. But, with players like Funso Ojo, Teddy Jenks and Declan Gallagher - it was never going to be a fruitful season (yet just one point less than our current points total). With Goodwin, I don't see what his plan is. I don't see any evidence of being able to read a game and change things. Dundee United, Rangers (Ibrox), Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Hearts - five examples of him having no idea to stop a poor night turning into a bad one. His substitutions at times just seem random. I don't watch the training - but I don't really see what we're working on and at times we don't appear that fit either. Yes, the squad is still lacking, maybe third is too ambitious for his first season. But even if Aberdeen finished fourth now, the manner of some of the defeats have been horrendous, and we're being helped by others around us having poor seasons (Hibs and Dundee United mainly). McInnes was sacked for less (although granted, he had ample chances to improve it). I don't see what keeping Goodwin would achieve, unless he suddenly improves training, tactics, and in-game management in a short space of time.

For what? Are applications for the new turnstile operator still open?

He did very well at Molde to be fair. Won the league in his first season (they had been 11th the previous season), and then won it the following season too. In his second spell he did well in Europe, and took them from sixth to two consecutive second place finishes. I can't say I paid attention to what he did at Cardiff, but Man Utd just seemed a huge task for anyone. We're not going to get a Kjel Knutsen. It's a manager in Scotland looking to make a step up, or someone who has a mixed record.

Is it too soon to bring this thread back? Absolutely not to Jack Ross and Neil Lennon. Want a bit more ambition than Stephen Robinson and David Martindale. No, Derek McInnes is not going to recreate his early days with Aberdeen. His time has been and gone. Steve Clarke I don't think would be interested before he's had the chance to get Scotland to another major championship. And I'm not overly enamoured with him anyway. I think he does okay for Scotland but could do better with the squad he has there. And by fuck he's boring in interviews. The Cowley brothers were apparently interviewed before. Can't say I'm an expert on what went wrong for them at Portsmouth, but the consensus was they relied too heavily on loans and injury prone players - a bit McInnes-esq perhaps. Still, the avalanche of goodwill messages Pompey fans have given them suggests they left a mark there and I actually wouldn't be against seeing what they can do. In relative terms, our budget in Scottish football is bigger than Portsmouth in English football (in that we're the third biggest here) so less loans and a young talented team to work with might suit them. But, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer for the win.

I backed him for the Aberdeen job as he had St Mirren defensively well organised (maybe too well at times as they weren't always a great watch). And, you could see he was attempting to slowly them into a more attractive side. They also had a knack of getting results against bigger sides, especially at home. Very much like this season under Stephen Robinson. I expected him to be a manager who would keep it basic - defend the box, even long ball football, but get results and slowly develop the side over time into a more attractive one. So I thought he deserved the chance to see what he could do with a bigger budget. However, he's shown he's still far too inexperienced for a job this big. Maybe one day he still develops into a good manager, but I see that being 3/4 years away at the rate he's progressing and I don't think Aberdeen can afford that.

Despite his deficiencies defensively (and he showed them at Tynecastle), I think there is a player there in Coulson and I'd take him on a permanent deal to see if he good be developed further. Same with Scales. But whoever suggested above Rangers and Celtic would be looking at Coulson. Absolutely no chance! He couldn't hold a candle to Greg Taylor or Borna Barisic.

Goodwin's tenure. The positives:- We've had a few big wins at home (although many were against lower league opposition, against 10 men, or aided by penalties) Got us to Hampden (didn't meet one Premiership side on the way kind you - and we were taken to extra-time by Annan). Win over Hearts at home was pretty good. Decent performance at Hampden at the weekend. If you want scrape the barrel, then winning at Fir Park was alright. The negatives:- Were taken to extra-time by Annan Dismal away record Thumped at Ibrox Thumped at Tannadice Thumped at Tynecastle Many other poor performances. Hibs, St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Motherwell - take your pick. The abomination of time wasting and playing for a draw at home to Celtic. Blowing a lead to Rangers in time added on and ending up with a defeat. The inability to engage his brain in interviews which has seen him publicly embarrass Considine, Bates and Ramirez, get himself banned for calling Porteous a cheat, and claim he couldn't care less what Dons supporters on the internet think about him. Told Scott Brown his services as a coach weren't needed. So far, we've yet to see much evidence Goodwin's coaching is up to par. Signed a League One defender that was new to Scottish football and made him captain. To think, a year ago we had Scott Brown as captain. Decided not to sign enough defenders meaning there is no competition for places and McCrorie is having to continue to fill in there. After nearly a year in the job and £1.5-2m spent, we're no better. There's probably others. At least Glass had a plan, but lacked the players to carry it out. Goodwin is just throwing money around but failing at pretty much everything.

If you're laughing at me saying Hearts are bang average, I stand by it. They are bang average. See above post.

Odd game in that it was never a 5-0 game, and at times Hearts were actually really poor. A lot of Aberdeen attacks stemmed from Hearts inability to pass or win 50/50s. Incredible that they've ended up with a 5-0 win when on another night a well organised and clinical team would have beaten them. However, that doesn't mean we were unlucky. We can't defend, have a manager who is as tactically inept a boss as I can remember (I thought Roy Aitken was the worst in that respect). The starting XI was good enough to win the game, they lost 5-0. It was not a one off, it's six defeats in eight.

No no, I have Barron sat in the middle making passes. Hayes is the attacking midfielder with Kennedy also bombing forward. Really disappointing I've had to publicly explain my tactics. If Robbie Neilson reads this we've given away our advantage.

Goodwin was being coy about it in the press conference, saying there's concerns over one or two, but Jonny Hayes was the player put up and he said he's fine fitness wise. So my guess would be Duk and Scales perhaps. Roos Kennedy McCrorie Mackenzie Coulson Ramadani Barron Shinnie Hayes Miovski Watkins That team is good enough to do the job. Let's not put Hearts up on a pedestal here, they're bang average. Just need a few battlers in there to fight fire with fire.

Confirmed by the player he's not headed to Pittodrie. Apparently Stewart wore a Motherwell top at a Celtic/Motherwell cup final a few years ago so he was returning the favour.

Not sure if this should be in this thread or maybe even the January transfer window one. But there's Motherwell's Bevis Mugabi and Charles Dunne at Hampden yesterday. Matbe not that big a deal since they live locally and are pals with Anthony Stewart. But Dunne - linked before with Aberdeen and out of contract in summer I think - is wearing an Aberdeen top..

True, but that's tactical / Duk's limitations despite being the GOAT. Seebass questioned the players' mentality and attitude. I think that's incredibly harsh. The team turned up at Hampden, no question.

Sorry, I know Manc usually starts these but I get impatient Huge game really since a defeat leaves us nine points behind, and with Hearts' general level of consistency that might be third realistically over. Stewart I imagine is out. Unless Goodwin is going to pull a rabbit out of the hat with a new signing, it means McCrorie at centre back and Kennedy or Richardson at RB. Shame since McCrorie at RB been working well. Wonder if we'll see Myslovic. Duk and Hayes in particular looked like they picked up knocks at Hampden. But I would try and start as close to the semi team as possible. With five subs I don't think you need to make too many changes from the starting line-up. Winnable game, Hearts aren't great shakes and St Mirren deserved more on Friday. But a draw wouldn't be the worst result, would keep them within catchable distance and we've still to play them twice.

We didn't have the wrong attitude or mentality though. We were clearly up for it. Gave as good as we got. Were prepared to close them down while keeping our shape. Players went looking for the ball and Duk, Shinnie and Scales in particular had very good games. Was a bit of fortune about their equaliser and by the time of the second goal we were down to 10 men. On another day it goes our way.

Everyone apart from Stewart deserve plaudits for at least giving it everything. Heavy pitch, 120 minutes - 30 of them with 10 men. That's the least I ask for, go there, be brave and give it everything - and we did. But Stewart min. That's the second time in four games he's got himself sent off and essentially cost us the game. And Goodwin again couldn't read the game and make positive changes. Ramirez for Miovski made no sense. Miovski wasn't too tired because he was buzzing about in the last of the 90 minutes. Ramirez being a hold up man isn't what he's good at. Watkins would have been a better shout, and yet he was on too late. Opportunity missed as Rangers weren't all that.

When we win today I'll make sure the 2018 cup final preview is properly updated.

Pitch is going to make it interesting. Might work in our favour and slow down Sakala and Tillman who are the big threats. Colak out (unless Beale is at it) and Morelos more overweight than I am, so it's those two I worry about and a heavy pitch makes it harder for them AS LONG AS WE DON'T DEFEND TOO DEEP. Capitals are justified on this one. I would have suggested dropping Miovski and I would have liked to see Hayes or Duncan in behind instead, but now I want to see two strikers. I can actually see him scoring too. 1-1 I think and into extra-time then who knows.