RicoS321

Okay, well my argument was about bias, which you have ceded. I don't believe that sending Peter Wright and Tom English to Paris (and, yes, despite it being on my telly at the time, I still managed to get the location wrong!) would have any significant bearing whatsoever on the commentary staff, but I'll choose to believe you. The rugby is the only difference between this weekend and many others. As an aside, I'm almost certain that the BBC chose not to have a commentary game earlier in the season when the scum weren't playing, but I can't remember when and can't be arsed checking.

No you wouldn't. It's fine. If you genuinely don't think the BBC isn't biased in its coverage of our league, and you genuinely don't think they wouldn't have made it to Glasgow for a scum game today, then you're deluded. Although I'm surprised you are still here and haven't headed through to Edinburgh with the entire BBC staff to provide commentary for the rugby at 19:00, preventing anyone from providing commentary at, say, Tynecastle. There are two games most Sundays, been numerous away European fixtures, championship games every Friday, but a night time rugby fixture is the straw that has broken the unbiased back. Out of interest, which part of the usual football commentary team is segueing between football and rugby this evening? It was a couple of months back. They were winding him up by asking which game was the commentary game for the day. The point that those BBC workers (think it was Tam, but Cosgrove might still have been away) were making was that it was bloody obvious which game because the Tims were on the card. He said that if either of the scum were on at three then they'd always cover it. And they would. And do.

Not really. They allowed Ambrose to get a shot on target.

That's exactly the sort of world class moderation that the Dons talk fans have come to expect. It was an egregious error by someone who should know better.

It's what the match day experience is missing I have to say. I suspect it'll be littered with annoying distracting adverts throughout the match, like and even worse version of the flashing sideline billboard. I genuinely don't see the point in these things, they offer nothing because you can't watch replays of controversial decisions or anything like that. We already have VAR notifications in the south, and by the time they appear the decision is either already over, or everyone knows that there's a check because the ref has been standing with his finger in his lug for ten minutes. It'd be better at the front of the Y, facing away from the pitch, so they could put on films or something.

Aye, it was worth a try, he obviously had something about him a few years back and it hasn't worked out. In fairness to him, he holds his position well enough and doesn't give it away too often, but just a very safe player that we don't really need. He's no better than Drey Wright for Saints on the opposite side for example. That was a terrible game like. Clarkson stretched it a little when he came on, and Keskinen has to be scoring when Shinnie put him through. The pitch was an abomination. Shinnie did well again at left back, and it is absolutely frustrating that a 33 year old has more energy than Palaversa. That last twenty minutes he barely moved. He kept standing about two yards away from the man with the ball, dragging players towards him. He has the potential to be very good, because he is technically good, but he's going to need a very good pre-season to be up to it. Would like to see Polvara given his chance in there instead. Think 4th or 5th is going to be realistic for us this season. We're close to being good, but the depths of the squad reveal a shiter side to us.

FTFY

Gueye is fairly terrible. No game intelligence whatsoever. Like a puppy.

Keskinen not bothering with a left foot today?

I absolutely did not expect the Aberdeen game. I'm reasonably good at writing, why else do you think I wrote "no commentary game"? In what world would that have made sense otherwise? Put it this way, it wouldn't have been the game I'd have picked. There's no "MAY" about it. They would have definitely sent a commentator, and always do. If you could find a time they haven't, that might back up your position. Kenny McIntyre even said on Off The Ball the other week that they would "always cover the old firm". That the BBC are biased towards two teams isn't remotely controversial at all. The notion that it's about travel arrangements is just bizarre. The BBC is biased because to be otherwise is logistically challenging? Fucking hell. Although we both know that if the Tims were playing Hibs at Easter Road at 15:00, they'd equally manage to get Sportscene up and working in time whilst covering it, maybe by using a different commentator.

Close. Papa

I didn't suggest Aberdeen would, hence why I said "no commentary game today", which I only spotted when I went to check if Aberdeen were on. I would have expected Motherwell vs St Mirren or Hearts v County. If there had been a game at Parkhead or Ibrox, those busy, busy commentary teams would have found a way to get there, and you very much know that is the case. Again, I'm commenting on the bias. It's disgraceful. I'm not quite sure why you're defending it to be honest, it's not like it's hidden, and it's a bit disingenuous to be defending it with excuses that don't address the problem of bias, such as you are. A bit like a politician deliberately ignoring the point.

Aye, but do you have Derek Ferguson breaking up from the Partick Thistle game?

It's okay, the BBC are on it.

Also not working for me Edit: none of the SPFL games working on there

Yep, great coverage. I'm discussing their bias coverage of the SPFL premier. If either scum team has been playing at 15:00 today, it would have been covered with live commentary. I think that the BBC has a whole host of great programming worth paying the licence fee for.

Couldn't make the game today. Fine though, because I'll be able to tune in for live commentary on the impartial BBC. What's that? There's no commentary game on today? Fucking hell, they don't even try to hide it. I wish Cormack could get Thelin to boycott the interviews. Refuse to participate in this biased shite.

Possibly, but Balmoral is a good setup, and a decent little stand to sit in, and the kids can still run around. I think the crowd was probably down to the fact that it was a one-off at Pittodrie (it was similarly big last season against Montrose), rather than something they could sustain every week. I'm not convinced our pitch could cope with the two games per week either. The only downside to Balmoral is that it's the second coldest place on earth, with Cormack park being in first place. It'd have been great if the women's game had gone for a summer season.

That's still extortionate. The goal should be to maximise attendance. £30 should be the most expensive ticket in Scottish football. Edit: of course, the Dons are part of the problem with their extortionate European prices.

Possibly. You could announce the commencement of nuclear war over the main stand tannoy and naebidy would understand it.

Good turn out for the Dons at Pittodrie tonight. 2-0 victory, and comfortably better than Utd. They're improving under Booth, and play some nice football at times. The keeper had some very ropey moments early doors, but settled down. Tenner for an adult and child is decent value.

No phone? What did they look at while you were talking to them?

At £70 for an adult, I'm not convinced it'd be worth it. For a car of four, you could probably get a cheaper taxi.

Yes, absolutely, I wasn't arguing for MacKenzie to start, just that the stuff about MacKenzie having already checked out (I'm paraphrasing) can be better explained by other factors in my opinion. For me, the idea that players stop giving their best in the last six months is not really backed up by anything, and is just the equivalent of: "old player = legs have gone". It wasn't an argument against anything you've said in particular, yours was just the easiest to quote.

He's had an injury that's set him back, after running out of steam in the early part of the season like the rest of our squad. His form hasn't been significantly different to Devlin's, who is only now getting the rest he could have done with three months ago. In the few games he has had since injury, he's struggled to build the partnership with Okkels that he had with McGrath, which was key to his best performances. I think people are seeing what they want to see with regard to him leaving. I've not seen a drop off in attitude or effort, simply form, confidence and match sharpness/fitness. When he came on against Hibs, he was regularly getting to the byline and trying to motivate those around him, generally showing a good attitude. The games I've seen him struggle in are those where he's had an argument with Nilsen, which seems to be a recurring thing (it almost looks like bullying! I'm sure(ish!) it isn't). His head goes down and he plays within himself and appears bothered by it. McGrath was excellent at bringing MacKenzie into the game, constantly talking to him, either pointing to where he should be, or just making huge space for him to run into. Playing him in with well weighted passes that he could just run onto, whilst also covering for him when he went beyond. It was constructive play that Okkels hasn't got up to speed with yet. Whether it's here or somewhere else, MacKenzie is playing for his future in the next few months. He hasn't earned himself a move, as nobody has offered him a pre-contract. I think he'll know that fully, and I don't think we'll see a drop off in attitude either.