RicoS321

McLean announced he'd be staying now that you'd renewed your season ticket. The motivation of proving himself to you was something he felt couldn't be ignored. Anyway, GMS is a totally different type of player, McLean will be staying put. Welcome aboard Gary, despite yer poofy double-barreled bollocks. Hopefully you'll show some of the inconsistency you had at Utd that made Delia randomly sign you.

Aye, fucked after the third really. Injured I assume, but he might not say as much as he's always quite magnanimous. Ah well, I've always hated the Hibee English loser anyway.

Aye, 6-1 in the fourth. 2-2. Don't see him winning the final set. Although wouldn't put it past him either.

2-1 Murray. Nearly threw that one away like.

Just back from Pittodrie, picking up my tickets. Guy reckoned they'll sell around 16K. Pretty decent given zero away support. First time I've seen the new away kit too. Not as shite as I first thought.

Oh aye. Fuckin hates the tims, which is a plus. Always got the impression he didn't like Jack too, which adds another point to his overall dandy count.

Where did you end up?

I'd be interested to see the comparison between injuries and suspensions to centre backs compared to other parts of the pitch. I suspect that would quickly show your concern to be false. We're just as likely, if not more, to have a forward player being hacked down or pulling a hamstring as a defender suffering concussion (when was the last time a dons' centre half was out with concussion?). Injuries occur all over the pitch, so cover is a concern in all areas. Similarly, Stockley was sent off more than our entire defence last season. I'm specifically talking about our first 11 though, not cover. Our defence has not weakened in our first 11, whereas our midfield and forward areas have. Ergo, before we worry about cover, we sort the first team. We need to have enough to beat this mob on Thursday, and our weakened first tram in midfield and attack reduce this chance (I still think we're good enough). Our first team defence is as likely as it was this time last season to get us through the first round. Nothing has changed in that regard other than the fact that we don't have a player to cover the defence in the same way Jack did.

That wasn't the point I made though. The point was that it is the one area that we haven't weakened the first eleven. Our defence of last season is much stronger than our attack of last season minus Hayes and McGinn, and also stronger than our midfield minus Jack. That is the comparison to be made, not our attack of last season v defence of last season as you have stated. We haven't replaced Hayes, who has been our most important player of the last couple of seasons. Whilst we could easily improve our defence, we need to first get our other parts of the pitch up to at least the same standard as last season, which we haven't done yet. That said, priorities shouldn't really be an issue given that we have known for some time which positions we'll need. I'd have expected several defenders, midfielders and strikers to have been scouted and options weighed up; it doesn't need to be one or the other. Although, personally, I thought our striker role was the weakest last season, with 2 of the 3 being poor and one not hitting top form. In January, our defence was good enough for the remainder of the season, but a good striker might just have given us enough to win a cup. I'm not 100% certain Maynard resolves this.

But it's not urgent though is it? We've got a decent back four (as good as last season anyway), plus we've got Considine to cover for Reynolds, Shinnie at left back etc. We need folk in that can win us games in the early rounds of Europe. Our starting eleven, defensively, hasn't been weakened, but every other area of the pitch has. Repairing that disparity is clearly more of an issue, which should be prioritised. Then we concentrate on getting a good defender in.

I thought McKenna was way out of his depth when he played for the first toward the end of the season a couple of seasons back. He looked slow to turn and lumbering in the challenge and poor with the ball at his feet. He was good in the air though and was big. I was very surprised when I read on various forums of how ace he was, I just didn't see it. I think it was from folk who were having a go at Reynolds at the time and were in some way associating Reynolds poor performances with McKenna's okay performances as if that was some benchmark. I dinna think McKenna will make it as I don't think he is good enough, and I don't believe he was ever that promising other than in the minds of a few dons fans. Also, Sibbald is a first division player. He's basically Kallum Higginbotham. Nae good enough.

Because they're all dicks.

Nope. Wingers need to be able to kick the ball in a direction they aren't facing. He's no more a winger than Magennis was a full back

Is it John Souttar's younger bro? If so, very good player.

Aye, he may or maynard make it up here.

I like Murray. Nae a celebrity wank despite the media's best attempt to force him into that. Don't think I've ever seen a player that chases down balls like Murray either (although I'm nae a massive tennis watcher); his determination his unreal. Tennis does enjoy an audience of total wanks though, especially wimbledon with its English cock strawberries and cream. It was the sport that first stole the knobend commentator approach of English fitba with the total over-hype of Timmy Tim Henman and the "will he win it" over-coverage that makes everyone want him to lose and generally hate him (even though he comes across quite well in interview). They've managed to do the same to Murray, through years of gritted teeth; they simply can't help themselves with their partisan balls. They've rammed it up Johanna Konta in the womens too (they've started to call her Jo so that she sounds more English) since she made her international transfer from being Australian to being British in 2012 (fuck knows how that works). Anyway, Eurosport and randoms commentating makes for a vast improvement in the other tournaments. Don't think Murray has the form to win the tournament like, looking like Nadal at the moment, but I'd pit a fiver on Djokovic masel.

Hope not. He'll get snapped up by der hun if he has another good season. Nobody apart from McInnes wanted Tansey, so there was little risk of not getting him. Probably now or never for Moult, but hope we are just trying to break Motherwell down a bit and get him on the cheap.

It's bad when you have to include an opponent's o.g. in your "best bits" compilation.

^^^^This. Notwithstanding the rest of the pish, his posts regarding Milne (the unproven one about Doncaster regularly having dinner at his hoose aside) are entirely correct and very much worth talking about. Especially given the club's decision not to release a statement in response to proven cheating.

Sounds as if it's just getting someone in the door as competition for places if we don't get May or Moult. Moult will have multiple options should he hold on for another year (assuming he has another good season for Motherwell), so it would be crazy to attempt to hold out until next season. He'd probably end up signing for the hun on a free. Welcome aboard Nicky Maynard though. You sound like another Church, fa wis pish, but it's a reasonably risk free replacement for Storey, in that no footballer in Europe could be worse at fitba.

Really? We've got a pretty steady back four in Considine, Reynolds, O'Connor and Logan. In fact, given O'Connor is a better footballer than Taylor (and was more of an attacking threat last season), I'd say it was the one area of the pitch where our first 11 hasn't really been weakened. The lack of replacement for Hayes is the main troubling factor for me. He has been a huge loss in previous seasons when he's missed a game or two.

Did I read that right? Callum Davidson was playing for Saints? I thought he was retired? Aye, a few years ago. Edit: Aye, I read it right. Heap of pish though. Murray. Forgot about him. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40475664

Good player. Would far rather him than May if honest. Could ditch Stockley too I'd think as Moult will do that job as well as being a good finisher, and not slow either. Although both would be fine and ship Stockley and Storey.

Torino or Copenhagen probably. Sociedad was actually a pretty good game too.

Good stuff min. Have a simmie.