BobbyBiscuit

If you look back on this forum alone to last season's posts, you'll see the common belief was that he was utter toilet at the start of last season. He was actually winning tackles (occasionally) and his passing and carrying of the ball was excellent. But I'm not a fan, generally. But only fair to say when he actually did well. His end product has always been suspect.

McLean's form at the start of last season was utterly hideous, even worse than it is at present. He picked up around December after his spineless performance in the league cup final. He played very well for us for the rest of the season after that. An ugly win yesterday but it was great to see the character of the team to come through the game and the heavy criticism they rightly received on the back of Thursday's debacle. McKenna and Arnason looked a good fit and surprised there hasn't been more said about Arnason's composure on the ball, something which has been lacking for sometime. There are still issues in the side, lack of natural width and the midfield not getting close enough to May has to be addressed. May doesn't look as though he's enjoying playing for us, isolated a lot and he wants the ball played into the channels quickly from midfield, but we tend to attempt to work it wide before trying to find him. I thought we'd have been a bit closer to playing to his strengths by now. Highlight of the day was the boy sitting in front of us eccied out his tree. Chewing his face off. Was lobbed out and then amazingly found his way back into the ground via the main stand side. What a Saturday night he looked to have had.

COYR!!!

I'm heading through expecting a win. Not really sure why, maybe as Ten Caat says Thursday has to be our rock bottom. I think it's going to be interesting to see how this group of players react; is there strength of character there? Does the manager have the ability to see his mistakes and rectify them against the same opposition? Hope Wright plays, gives us a great outball, stick to the touchline, terrorise their full back and get the ball in the box for Rooney/May to attack. He'll be inconsistent, as all youngsters will be, but we need to show faith in him. If they've got Hammell in the side we have to get at him, get him turning towards his own goal.

That is true to an extent, however, the players don't look comfortable with things at the moment, and some actually look unsure of what they're being asked to do. That has an affect on confidence, the feeling a player has of "feeling right" goes, the familiarity of movements of team mates and yourself when out of position means players take an extra touch and an extra second on the ball and at that level of football a second is a huge thing. No, but this is why you get people arguing against you. You are stating extremes and absolutes. There are none or very few absolutes in football, it's not an exact science. They're not performing well as a unit because they don't know if they're coming or going. Formations changing, personnel changing, nothing is settled in the side other than the goalkeeper. That was 2 months ago. I'm not sure what relevance this has now as I don't think anyone has said we look unfit at the moment? Some of your replies - not just in this thread - are unnecessary, rude and patronising... but it doesn't really matter because it's only the internet, so dry your eyes and stop feeling sorry for yourself.

You're all over the place here. You're saying it's "utterly" to do with the players - so your blame of McInnes earlier no longer fits? Lack of a decent striker? We've got Adam Rooney who, some may remember, has scored a shitload of goals for us over a few seasons. We've also got Stevie May, who I'm pretty certain we were all rather happy about signing. But if the formation of the team does not help us use these players effectively then we will struggle to score goals.

Come off it. Motherwell away in the quarter finals of the cup and you just expect the team to go out there and win regardless of formation and balance? I think that's misunderstanding the situation in terms of the game itself but also where we are as a side. It's also not giving enough credit to a pretty dangerous Motherwell team.

For central midfielders it really shouldn't matter what "side" you are. There seems to be "consequence management" for some of the team, but that doesn't apply to others. Guys like GMS are getting into the team simply because it's their turn. All of that means we are unlikely to see a cohesive side on the pitch.

Have we? One goal and an assist aside, he has never convinced for a full 90. He is not a player I wanted us to sign and I've seen nothing since to change my mind on that. He has a heart the size of a pea. Absolutely no fight in him whatsoever. Ball - if we've seen him play very well for the Dons then I really don't want to see him when he's had a bad game. It's hardly sticking your neck out when everyone could see that the McInnes was the crux of the problem last night. His players merely accentuated that by playing like a group of guys who had never met each other before never mind played with each other. I'm going to stick my neck out and say that isn't the issue.

I would expect/hope that GMS isn't seen for some time. Too many players just get a game regardless. Logan, McLean, Considine, Reynolds have all been poor this season, as has Shinnie. There is no pressure on them to perform well when they know they will be an automatic pick (or near automatic pick in Reynolds case). McInnes got it massively wrong tonight - wrong starting personnel, wrong system and there is no fight in the team. Christie looks like he feels he has to carry us. There was no distinct style of play from our point of view at any point. He has to pick an eleven, in a formation that he is willing to stick with for a few matches. The players looked lost. He's got to earn his money on Sunday now. He has to be the big man and take the hard decisions. Show that these performances aren't acceptable but also show he can lead the team and give them clear instructions as to what is expected from each and every one of them. Something that was sorely lacking tonight and has seen us papped out the cup to a pretty average team.

Would have thought they'd have wanted this done as soon as they could considering delaying it could mean he's out of a semi final, potentially, and Celtic at home

Would rather see Wright - Stewart - Christie (or a variation of that three) as the three behind May if that's the system we're playing. Tansey and Shinnie as the two behind them. McLean won't be dropped but just isn't offering enough of an end product. I still think playing Rooney up with May could work for us especially the way May runs the channels, Rooney could get a hatful off those runs - either through May squaring it or rebounds from May's shots. We can't just give it one game and decide it doesn't work. These things always take time to bed in.

Wasn't at the game yesterday unfortunately... where was Maynard playing? I was disappointed that Tansey wasn't in the team again. I think he offers something we need - composure, grit, delivery, retains possession well. Surely must be in for Thursday at least?

Tansey and GMS are struggling with injury. Both may still make it however. Hope Tansey is in, thought we could really have done with him last Saturday.

Fans behind both goals at Pittodrie may have to be on their guard for a couple of years more with the P&J reporting that we're entering into talks about a contract extension with Kenny McLean.

Contract extension talks to take place with O'Connor very shortly, according to some down-market papers this morning. Good news if true.

Agree with all this TC (although not old enough to have seen Clark play)

The No To Kingsford Stadium

He's garbage. They're welcome to him.

26 years would cover Snelders and Leighton's second spell with us. Lewis is a cracking keeper for us but he isn't a patch on either of them. Would say he's above Kjaer, who was a very good keeper as well but was at the end of his career by the time he got to us.

Ach i quite like that tune, even though i know it's cheese. Mick Jagger on backing vocals, too. I'm beginning to think you're not actually Ten Caat at all. I'm sure our light footed, cultured, tackle-averse Dutch left midfielder would have loved an uber feminist choon such as You're So Vain.

Completely agree. I was amazed but delighted when I saw it was Goncalves going off. He caused us huge problems, we didn't handle him well. Lafferty is a poor excuse of a footballer. That seemed to be the cause of a couple - folk in wrong seats etc. One of the others was due to someone criticising the Dons support and a few guys really losing the plot with him. Also saw a Dons fan give the Dons players the finger as they came to applaud the fans at the end. The guy was about 10 rows up from us and seemed really angry at the players - we hadn't played well but still managed a point away to Hearts, not really a disaster but maybe his reaction is a result of where we've come from over the years. It'll either be that or the drink.

Not doing it in training apparently.

Huns.

Do you come across a lot of no voters in Australia?