RicoS321

In fairness, Watkins has played most of his games for the dons as a number nine. He's more than capable of leading the line in a game like this, but he needs at least one player close to him. I'd have kept Duk on and just played Watkins deeper, whilst firing Morris into the north sea. Hayes was clearly told to go on and sit deep, as he was virtually on top of McKenzie and Morris was just Morris. I really don't get it either. Although we should still have held on.

Just back. Agree with the above, Watkins was fine. It was almost like Goodwin saw them making four subs, so thought he'd better do a few too. Watkins and Hayes, absolutely fine. Keep Duk high up the pitch, and have Watkins deeper getting in people's faces. Morris is a honking footballer, but he also doesn't have the experience to do the intelligent thing. At least Hayes bought us a couple of fouls. However, it wasn't just the subs, we utterly shat the bed in a way I've never seen before. We panicked and then panicked again and completely lost our shape and plan. Ramadani was zonally marking, whilst Hayes and Coulson/McKenzie were attempting to man mark. Every time they went out wide they had an extra man. It was nothing like the organised approach we saw at the weekend and it's exceptionally difficult to change into that mode during the game, which it seems like we attempted. Stewart, and Goodwin, were shouting for the team to push up the park throughout that second half until about the 85th minute, when we suddenly stopped and sat in. We looked completely in control playing high(ish), and they were regularly passing out of play. Richardson is really bad. I've never seen a player with such low confidence. In the first half he didn't have the confidence to beat his man. In the second half he didn't have the confidence to deal with the ball in front of goal, just completely panicked. It isn't just that though, he doesn't put in the work. He tanked up the line in the second half and then just strolled back about 20 yards behind his man. You'd never have seen Logan, for example, be that negligent. Of you're shite at football (foster, say) then you at least have to use the athletic gifts you've been endowed with. It's like he's not fit.

Kennedy gets in through the "he's not Jayden Richardson" route. It's one of his best qualities. You could be right about Miovski. It really is no slight on the player either. I'm hoping that Goodwin could see that there was a balance to be struck between being ultra conservative and gung ho, and that it's possible to be more attacking when playing only one striker versus two, if the ball spends more time higher up the pitch as a result. I think there was enough on display on Saturday for Goodwin to get the message and I think it'd be easy to explain to Miovski why he was dropped as part of a tactical decision. In reality, playing him could have a greater adverse effect than not. If he plays like he did on Saturday (through little fault of his own), it could cause his head to go down and he might start to doubt himself.

Didn't realise that Scales wasn't here for the entire season. If there's no hope of getting him beyond the summer, then maybe best to look elsewhere in this window and let him go back. A good defender with a good left foot, but quite replaceable. There's a young lad doing quite well for St Johnstone this season who could be worth trying to snap up on a long term deal.

Looking forward to it. I think we'll see a different approach and we might give them a game. As I mentioned on the Tim thread, the midfield three is key to this, and I'd be dropping Clarkson on that basis. I don't think he offers enough in the press and if we're playing a rigid three like at the weekend then his forward-going abilities are largely nullified. I thought Barron was decent at the weekend (despite his error) and should retain his place ahead of Clarkson. Plagiarising Panda's back central three, but switching Scales and Stewart due to Stewart's lack of pace, I'd go: ------------------Roos------------------ -----Scales---Stewart---McKenzie---- Kennedy----Barron----Ramadani--Coulson -------------McRorie---Hayes------------- ---------------------Duk------------------- Is 3-4-2-1 a formation? It is now.

I thought the times when Kennedy was caught out were when they had a man over and he didn't know what to do. That never happened in the second, and he did alright. Terrible going forward, of course, but that wasn't what he was asked to do. I actually agree that right back might be McRorie's best position (I even suggested it at the start of the season). All things being equal, that should be where he plays regularly and we prioritise midfield and centre back in January. I do agree that he can solve a headache in there. However, for Tuesday, we have an even bigger headache in our midfield, which can't otherwise be solved in my opinion. Ramadani causes a problem for us, because he only seems to be able to play deep. Neither of the other two compliment that, and we end up with large gaps. Goodwin recognised this and that's why he played the rigid and disciplined three in a line, where they were given a few simple instructions and told to stick to them. I thought our best midfield performance of the season came when Barron and Ramadani played in a two against Livingston (second half). That worked well, but they'd need extra support against the Hun. McRorie is a terrible passer, but he gets in people's faces and can drive with the ball. A controversial option would be to play him in front of Barron and Ramadani, right on top of whoever they choose to sit deep (Jack I'm assuming) and battle for the balls off the front one. That keeps him out of the way of the other midfielders and also takes the game to them in a way that Clarkson won't do (he'll keep dropping deep and offer little in the press).

I wouldn't have McRorie near right wing back. Kennedy did a very good job against Jota in what was effectively a back five. Good shout otherwise though, but if we're moving McRorie, it should be into midfield to add a bit of strength. That's the area where we really struggled as we were forced into playing a rigid three due to their limitations (as a three, not individually). Either drop Clarkson or play him higher up the park in place of one of the strikers (I'd rather see a more attacking player).

I suppose it depends. If it was a hypothetical one signing window, I'd go for a midfielder. I don't see how replacing right back solves the problems we had today for instance (Kennedy was good defensively today). A midfielder would open up many different options in terms of our overall setup. The only argument you could make is that a very good right back (Gurr, Hernandez for example) would allow a back four, but I'd have to be convinced that Stewart was good enough to have defenders running past him. We'd have to get a defender that was very capable of getting up and down, and most in our budget sacrifice one capability for the other. Even assuming that, you'd still be looking at McRorie in midfield in most games (given he's unlikely to be dropped), which is dubious in my opinion. Fortunately, it shouldn't be beyond us to get both a right back and a midfielder. Hopefully Goodwin knows this.

Just back. That was certainly the most organised I've seen us this season! An almost masterclass in discipline, until the 80th minute. As a tactical example, it was intriguing (almost impressive), but it was exhausting watching us give total possession to the opposition. Goodwin will have approached this as the first of two games rather than just an individual one, which is understandable, if a little grating. If we'd got a tanking today, the fans would have been seriously restless against the second scum. We can now be a bit more ambitious against the Hun without necessarily going full kamikaze like the last game against them. I don't envy Goodwin, there's very few ways in which the current squad can be arranged into a winning side against a better team. Even against weaker opposition, the tactic of putting a very attacking side on the park has led to it being flip of a coin at times between winning by three or losing. The last Hun game proved the obvious, that we can't simply play the same way. Unfortunately, it's getting that middle ground that we're really struggling to identify. The midfield is the weak point. Ramadani is a sitting midfielder who can't really be deployed to man mark or get up and down and fly into tackles, and Barron and Clarkson are good at doing the same thing as one another. McRorie would help, I think, but we have no other option in a back three, and we're weak in a four. I can't think of any good choice, and it's a shame to hear pundits on the radio being correctly critical, but without putting forward alternatives. Hopefully we've learned that Miovski and Duk isn't an option in this type of game. We need that link between what will often be a deep midfield and a forward player. They were both poor today, but I think it's easier to nullify Miovski than Duk, so I'd go for him. Watkins, Hayes or Duncan should take his place. McKenzie did really well today, and Coulson switched off once but was probably his best defensive performance too. As a unit it was incredibly disciplined and the moment where Barron switched off was probably inevitable and you just have to hope they don't score as they did.

Back three, with Coulson and Kennedy wing backs by looks of things. Makes sense. Glad to see McKenzie being tried out in the left centre back role, hope he takes to it.

Heading off shortly for this. Hopefully their foreigners can't hack the weather and our battle-hardened, brave Scots lads give them a tanking. 3-2. Duk, Miovski and Barron.

When are they on sale?

I think the new hooses at loirston might have something to say about that option! That ship has long sailed. Unless we ground share with the cove huns. The cost for Westhill is largely irrelevant, you'd easily lose that additional £40M over the next fifty years or so in lost revenue (I have no doubt it would be an initial success). The shuttle bus nonsense should never have been taken seriously by anyone. The council is putting forward the stadium as part of its proposal. It'll be looking for investors into the scheme (this whole thing will be about transferring public land into private hands). As part of that, they could insist on/persuade those investors to contribute to the stadium fund. I'd have thought that costs could be significantly reduced by contracting out the entire development. It doesn't necessarily require the council providing funds to end up with a much less expensive stadium. At present, I'm happy enough with pittodrie until a workable idea comes along.

It's a shithole.

Sounds like agent pish.

Josh Dacres-Cogley has too many names, but I think we should still give him every chance if he does come in January. Have we had a double barreler before (specifically last name and hyphenated, so none of the Dutch lads or Ojo)? GMS was probably the only one I can think of, which suggests we'll likely call this lad JDC. I just can't imagine someone with two surnames being strong enough in the tackle and having the concentration required for ninety minutes.

Is that the guy that we produced in our new youth development lab, after combining the DNA of Andy Bagshaw and Jack Grimmer?

Went on to start his own whisky label I believe.

I'd have thought a full draw would include dates....

Cracking draw. A non leaguer. Quality.

Assuming they'll have already sourced a replacement, so little chance of playing us without a manager. Was really hoping he had it in him to last until the semi-final.

Lost 1-2. Scotland played quite well though, look a much better team than recent squads I've seen, they were well organised for a large part of the game. Doak looks decent and Barron was good in the midfield, as was meekison when he came on. Conway didn't look up to much in attack but Dickson-Peters might have something about him.

1-0. Lovely goal. Doak is fast like. Great wing play by him and good finish by the cove lad (Johnston)

Found it. Nae idea who they all play for.

Barron on the iPlayer with the u21s just now. Nae idea what the lineup is, can't find it anywhere (limited looking in fairness).