RicoS321

Hopefully by "player" he meant manager.

You jest, but I think the height is actually fairly important. We tried and failed to play Clarkson in there because he was easy to press until he ended up playing in the same spot as the other midfielders (Barron was the casualty of that). Armstrong is 6ft. Whilst not a giant, he defends the ball better with his back to goal, whilst also capable of being more direct. It's rare that you get a small number ten in the SPFL that is successful. Maybe at the Tims perhaps, but I can't think of one. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cameron occupying the deep role that Clarkson and Barron play in after his next move. I don't think it would take long for teams to figure out Cameron at number ten. Perhaps Killie already did.

It's almost like because we were in for him before we don't want to give up on the idea. A fear of missing out on a guy rather than accept we don't need someone in that position. We see it quite a lot to be honest. That's where I'd have hoped that the sporting director would step in and at least play devil's advocate. Maybe they're under the impression that we are good enough to play two attack minded midfielders against teams (especially at home). I don't think it's possible in the SPFL. Or it at least requires a very good Shinnie type player in his prime, which are hard to come by. We certainly don't have one.

Even then, Armstrong is clearly better as a number ten (I mean he plays better there than at eight, not that he's better than Cameron, which is difficult to say), so we've basically had to play him further back to accommodate Cameron, who is a Hun who'll only play for us if it turns out he's pish. Clarkson has been sidelined for Cameron too, and I'm completely convinced that he's a better player than Cameron by a distance.

Yep, it's been a disaster. Again, it's the balance. I mentioned in his very first game at Pittodrie that Aouchiche wasn't a number ten but looked decent deeper. He'd clearly been bought to play further forward. We then bought Armstrong, the perfect replacement for McGrath (who should never have been let go for a quibble over a year), who has since been played deeper, where he's a liability defensively. Clarkson spent the whole time on the bench, save for a few European outings on the right wing. We've since loaned a Hun who plays number ten, but has to come deep to involve himself because he doesn't have the strength or pace to play in the hole, meaning that there's no room for Clarkson and Armstrong still has to be played in the wrong place. A good manager would immediately have played Shinnie alongside Aouchiche with either Clarkson behind or Armstrong in front, with a view to getting a Shinnie replacement in asap. I'm concerned that Aouchiche was not in the team the last few weeks because Leven didn't understand his role. I'm also concerned that if that isn't the case that the only reason we signed the Nigerian lad is because Aouchiche is leaving, rather than because it was absolutely imperative that we signed such a player since before the summer window opened. I can just about understand the loan of Morrison, with Tobers still on the books. But the fact that we decided to bring in an inexperienced youth is just awful squad building once again. If we genuinely believed Milne or Knoester was an issue, then what would a youngster solve?

You have to keep things moving in windows, it's a disaster not to. Whilst quality has clearly been an issue, imbalance is the real problem. Why on earth it's taken us until January to recognise the need for a strong midfielder is beyond me. We should have been getting much more from guys like Aouchiche, and Clarkson by just playing them correctly and understanding the roles they can play in. The idiocy of signing Cameron when we've got Armstrong and Clarkson was on full display today. Even Shinnie has been hung out to dry this season by still expecting him to do the work of two midfielders. We've offered zero platform for any of the signings - shite as many may be - to give their best.

That's exactly the sub I'd have made if Aouchiche had been an option. Jensen could have been okay, but that would have been a huge gamble. I think Leven is getting too much hassle for keeping Shinnie on without acknowledging the fact that his options were extremely limited. Shinnie is probably on about 60 bookings in his Dons career and had perhaps three reds, maybe four? He's had at least two early bookings this season and not been sent off. It wasn't a black and white call for Leven, he was between a rock and a hard place. Especially with Knoester off and having a lad playing his first game at the back.

Aye, the Tims game will be a disaster. I'm not sure the purpose in Morrison as a signing. We needed an experienced defender on loan and we've got another Dorrington (but worse), young lad still learning. The fact that we'll have to play him on his wrong foot too is disastrous. Our midfield might have the new lad, but Armstrong and Cameron are not going to make up the legs and strength in there. Out wide, Bilalovic or Olusanya aren't disciplined defensively. The recipe for a doing. I'd probably keep Leven in post just to take the hit!

It's not defeatist. Shinnie is very, very good at playing on a booking. Your suggestion is a decent one, but Nilsen would have left us very short in midfield too. Leven took a calculated gamble that didn't pay off. Given the options, and past evidence of Shinnie's ability to avoid reds, I don't think it was a ridiculous decision.

Again, I've probably said that a dozen times when Shinnie has been concerned and been wrong each time. It's easy to criticise Leven, but Shinnie was the only midfielder on that pitch pulling his weight and there's not a single midfielder on the bench that could replace him unfortunately. Where I think Leven made the error was (as @OrlandoDon suggests) not taking off any of the other midfielders to give Shinnie some help in there.

Nothing in that challenge met the threshold for a red, and I'm not convinced at all they met the threshold for a yellow. There was absolutely zero force in an accidental collision. He's actively trying to pull out of the way of the player. The only thing it could be a yellow for is repeated fouling, but I'm fairly certain he only had one innocuous foul after his booking. A red is a fucking terrible decision. Really bad refereeing.

Shinnie has had hundreds of those chats in his career though. It's actually quite rare for him to get sent off, and not unusual for him to get an early booking and last ninety minutes.

On what grounds? He barely touched the player.

There was nothing predictable about a straight red.

That's the worst decision I've ever seen

That's never a red. It's not even a yellow, but they'll feel they have to give one.

You wouldn't agree if you ignore the point I'm actually making.

He has been much worse than the others. The others are doing nothing to create chances (although Keskinen has been okay), whereas Bilalovic is actively giving them chances as he's completely unable to hold his position and press his man. Whilst Keskinen isn't playing brilliantly, he's covering his fullback every time and showing discipline. It's an indisciplined display by Bilalovic that's the issue. I agree, we could take off any of the others for their performances too.

Need to get Bilalovic off. He's all over the shop on that side.

Morrison moved across. Good call!

Fuck sake, Knoester off and Nilsen on. Assuming that means Nilsen on his left foot, which is basically like giving away a goal. I'd have considered Jensen on and Devlin at left centre half. Devlin is much better at keeping it simple on his wrong side. Watch how Nilsen plays on his left, drawing the player in and then taking an age to get it on his right and probably losing it.

Anyone else's stream terrible? Mine's skipping and buffering constantly. Fawa.

Bilalovic is terrible defensively. A real liability. It was the same against Livingston. He just saunters miles in field leaving the guy in heaps of space.

That first goal isn't Mitov's fault. A good punch, with plenty of distance. Armstrong doesn't bother to close. Morrison doesn't look positionally great so far, but expect he doesn't know what his teammates are doing. Two goals deserved.

Yep. Hopefully teams with quality pitches, like Partick, can come up. Obviously it might take a bit of time to get to the level of Dundee United's pitch, but grass is certainly the gold standard.