RicoS321

Yep, he's going to need a miracle to turn it around from here. I don't think he was a bad appointment, there was everything to suggest that he should have been able to step up again after Alloa and St Mirren. Really, that's exactly what we're searching for in a manager and have been since our inception. A manager that can do an above average job based on their budget. The odds that we'll get someone that is the next Ferguson are extremely high. Anyone who stands out is almost always already out of our budget, and more often than not they can't replicate their form elsewhere regardless, as so much depends on the conditions. As Panda mentions, the tactics at times have been horrendous and the changes in-game likewise. That alone is enough to seal his fate. However, it's important to acknowledge the conditions that both him and Glass have had to work in, in order that the next appointment is given time and support. We have been playing catch up since McInnes was disallowed from signing players, and then Glass given a lucky dip on transfers. Having to sign eleven players means that we were always going to be going into this season with a heavily imbalanced team with zero depth in some areas. With the pressure on to play attacking football, it's unsurprising that Goodwin prioritised that area of the pitch, and I don't think that we were hugely oversubscribed either (as we can see with the bench last night). We simply couldn't sign anymore players in the summer without it leading to disaster or just recruitment guess work. January being a difficult window to deal in means that we're limited on targeting preferred areas, with the risk of signing someone for the sake of it rather than a well-scouted signing available in the summer. We need to keep going with the squad building and keep building the recruitment process for the next manager (or Goodwin). The decision to ditch Considine was always going to backfire, and Panda correctly identifies Bates too in my opinion - a guy that was played continuously out of position for his entire time with us should have been ripe for a new-manager-turnaround. Having Considine would have made our defensive problems infinitely easier, and it was such a no brainer. Had we a proper director of football, Goodwin's approach to binning the entire team would have been more vociferously questioned, perhaps blocked.

The money doesn't come into it. No manager replaces an entire team successfully, regardless of money. Look at our bench versus hearts and it's abundantly clear that we don't have a squad (nor was it possible to have one). Goodwin needs to be judged on his tactics, substitutions etc. and he's failing, and that is extremely worrying. However, it is extremely difficult to legislate for some of the defending tonight too. Hearts scored four goals by just hitting it towards our defence and waiting for mistakes.

The main attribute is that he's not Ross McRorie. He was like this playing in a back four last season too, just basic errors, and it completely upsets the balance. Stewart generally knows where to be in relation to an attacker. He is actually a defender, I suppose.

Jesus, that took a turn for the worst. Hearts haven't even been good. Goals 2-4 just honking defending. Scales for the pen and then both him and McRorie for that last one. How the fuck does Coulson let fucking Smith walk past him for the second? Duk, once again, is a fucking liability out wide. He's not interested, just like at the weekend. Not even remotely up for it. Clarkson doing what's asked, probably Kennedy too.

Spoke to soon

Mine is working. Decent game, we're playing well. Their goal a bit of a fluke against the run of play.

Kennedy at fullback and either Hayes or Duk on the right wing in a 4-2-3-1 then. Not a bad side, only Roos injured.

We're safe.

As tlg says, think one of the injuries is Roos, which would be fine, with Lewis being comparable. Two of the things apparent in the last couple of months is that if we're playing a back four, then we need the two sitting in front, and Barron is terrible played further forward*. That hasn't been clear to you, with that selection obviously!!! If Clarkson is unavailable then it has to be Besuijen or the new guy instead. Agree that Kennedy at right back is probably the safest option. We should stick with 4-2-3-1, which has given us the best and most organised shape so far this season. Hayes on the left, Duncan on the right for me. Keep Watkins on the bench to bring on if/when Miovski runs out of ideas/steam. *Barron is poor at taking the ball with his back to goal, much better coming forward with it (McGregor at the Tims would be a good comparison). Clarkson is more complete in that regard, and Besuijen is good with his back to goal, but unreliable as a midfielder.

I normally don't bother with tickets, I just turn up and they let me straight in.

Also, as much as Stewart sold the jerseys, that tackle was beautiful. I think Chris Clarke on Hutton was the last time I saw a Hun so spectacularly booted in the air. If that had been a league game, I'd have been going home happy with the draw and a red in injury time.

Agree almost completely. I thought Duk was a liability though. Tavernier caught him on the overlap at least three times before his injury, which came in about 36 minutes. He then became even more of a liability as he hobbled around until half time, giving Tavernier a free role on the right. That continued in the second half until he was taken off, with our shape ruined by being effectively a man down in defence (strangely he was fine going forward). He was waving to the bench for about five minutes before he was actually taken off, at which point they had already scored. It's a high risk strategy playing such an unpredictable player in a role that has a defensive requirement (Kennedy did really well at getting that balance on the other side, having a great game), and bar a few bumbling runs it largely failed.

It's fine to regurgitate an article, but don't lie about it by saying that you caught up with the players and simply change the name of the cup sponsor to suit. At the very least, delete the comments from the article so that we don't read posters telling us that we've got a great chance of beating Brendan Rogers' Celtic side.

And what the Westminster government promises, is what the Westminster government delivers.

"as Aberdeen prepare to face Rangers in Sunday's Viaplay Cup semi-final, BBC Scotland has been speaking to some of the main protagonists from that day almost nine years ago." Oh aye, what day was that you spoke to them? Monday, Wednesday? Oh no, 2018. Thanks for the valuable update and unbeatable journalism. BBC's coverage of anything non old firm

We've got Scales and McKenzie for left centre back and Stewart and McRorie on the right. That's enough for one game surely? Goodwin's right though, it would be a massive distraction. Replacing your captain a couple of days before the game would be fairly massive. The alternative being that we sign a centre half that isn't good enough to displace Stewart, which would also be ludicrous. That said, the issue doesn't go away beyond Sunday.

Visa sorted. We're getting quicker and quicker with these. Hopefully good enough to go into the squad for Sunday.

Nonsense, the most bang for buck would be a 6ft7 defender who we can throw up for the last ten when things aren't going well. There's a cost of living crisis, we need to learn to be more frugal.

Yep, they should be getting ten or fifteen minutes fairly regularly or go out on loan. Harvey looked a poorer version of Bruce Anderson in my opinion and Bavidge is in that Shankland zone where application could be the only thing holding him back (I'm not suggesting he doesn't apply himself), and I suspect that will be tested the longer he doesn't get an opportunity. I'd not replace Watkins or Ramirez if they left though. I can see us playing one up fairly regularly from now on, and from now until May I'd gamble on having the two with an option of one of the above youngsters from the bench.

Bloody amateurs

Exactly that. He's a quality player who'll undoubtedly get better and better, but he's probably been fortunate to have had as many minutes for us as he has. Further up the pitch is definitely his best position at the moment, because he's always looking for that quick ball in behind that others don't spot in time. That leads to a few poor decisions, but it's better to have tried in my opinion. That's what will set him apart in future. He could be the difference between winning and losing a game some weeks, so it'd be great to see him stay until Monday. Just until we get the work permit sorted for the new Slovakian world beater who can bring us home the cup.

I was going to. I assumed I'd be getting two.

No priority tickets for superfans? Shocking. Not that I'm going, but it's still shocking. Obviously, I'd just have bought one and sold it for thousands.

It was good to see him get into a few good positions, and his lob was a good effort. However, his all round play was honking yesterday. He looked laboured and slow, and he didn't once get his body between man and ball to offer any hold up or flick on. His chances all came from Gordon for them being completely unable to judge long balls. Him starting next week could be the difference between winning and losing, and Goodwin has to drop him. We can't afford a passenger, and he'll likely be that at Hampden. I think you're right that he'll come good, but now isn't the time to be playing him into form.

Just back. Reasonable performance and a deserved win. Looked like a team that hasn't won in five, very uncertain in the final third. Once again, slow getting the ball in from the wide areas and unsurprising that it was a punt through the middle that eventually broke them. Ref was pish and var just ruining the experience once again. Good return for Shinnie, who played well, and the back two were solid, with Scales playing well again (assuming the Tims will wait until next week before discussing any potential move). Duk didn't play particularly well, but two goals going through the middle means he has to start there next week. Again, a solid shape and a more organised performance, which is what we'll need next week. Think the subs needed to come sooner and would like to have seen much more of Ramirez and Duncan.