RicoS321

I'm not sure if away to Dundee is a good game for the four at the back. We were very exposed when we tried it against Livingston, and they're gash. Unless we're willing to try 4-2-3-1, which I don't think Robson will. It's definitely something to switch to in game though at least, and it was good to see us coping reasonably well with the in-game switching (twice) on Wednesday without having to change personnel (we did, but didn't have to). I'd probably stick with the same back three as Livingston with the option to shunt everyone over a position when necessary. Keep Duk away from any defensive duties for as long as possible. I don't think it matters what you or I think though, or what is obvious to every human on earth. Robson will continue to play a sitting Clarkson with Shinnie and another ahead of him, further running our captain into the ground.

Exactly. Only four more sleeps.

Gartenmann was poor tonight, but has generally been solid. He's suited to the right of the three, but MacDonald sits deeper than Rubezic and forces Gartenmann (and Jensen) to play hard up against the attackers. Gartenmann seems to struggle against big units too. The subs made sense, yes. I'm not saying I'd have done the same, but from the perspective of a manager who wants to minimise risk, they were definitely the right call. We were very open with the 4-3-3, and I think after the Anderson chance (which he deliberately missed because he's a top red) he probably thought it wasn't worth riding his luck. I completely understand the changes, and with Sokler and Miovski over the top, we still created a few good opportunities, so I don't think we were particularly blunted by that. Personally, I don't think the 4-3-3 will work against many teams, and I don't think he'll use it from the start of any game, but it's good to know it's an option. A 4-2-3-1 is what I'd go with, with a sitting two and McGrath in front. It's frustrating, as Duk is arguably better out wide running at defenders, but he's also a complete liability going back the way, and also regularly loses the ball in dangerous areas when playing there. Definitely worth the risk at pittodrie though, although I see no harm in just introducing slowly in parts of games first. The biggest problem with the back threw, is insisting on the shitey number six role and not having a left wing back.

Probably just Clyde and St Johnstone. Unless Cape Verde get through. Should be back for the hearts game. Knowing Duk, he'll be three stones heavier.

He wasn't terrible. He hides a lot and isn't nearly good enough, but he was also unlucky with a couple of things he did, and there were a few moans at him from folk who have already decided he's going to make an arse of things before he even gets the ball. I'd like to see him moved on in the summer.

Just back. Good result in the end. As predicted, Clarkson sitting behind Shinnie and Polvara. Polvara is not, and never will be, Ramadani. A decent team would have torn that to shreds. Robson completely unable to learn a lesson. Anyway, the change to a 4-3-3 worked well in an attacking sense, but not defensively. McGurry was absolutely honking, he needs binned, he's nowhere near good enough. Hopefully Mackenzie returns soon. Polvara neat and tidy on the ball, just not particularly dynamic, doesn't drive forward and doesn't get back quick enough, but a good squad player and if he can become more aggressive then he can add something. McGrath coming on showed what a good midfielder looks like, so that's what Polvara needs to aim for. Duk played well tonight, especially out wide in the 4-3-3 (where he wasn't required to track back), great assist for Miovski's second. I understood why he was taken off, they were starting to throw players forward and shifting back to a back three and getting Sokler in behind made sense. Miovski just absolutely class. His movement is just brilliant. Two steps and he's free of his man. Hope he stays until summer.

Yep, I'm similar, although possibly the type of game we should be starting these guys. It'll be interesting to see if Clarkson is playing further forward tonight. I hope so, although I have a suspicion it might be Polvara ahead of the two or - even worse - Polvara expected to play the Ramadani role in a two with Shinnie, ahead of Clarkson. Just sitting in the car working up the courage to go in without prior alcohol.

That's a ridiculous setup. I'd switch MacDonald and Milne as MacDonald prefers the central role.

Yep, although if you viewed those images against similar ones from the recent game at pittodrie, you'd have been highlighting a goal and one or two excellent chances playing exactly the same way. Robson eluded (in his after match interview) to the 3-4 great opportunities in the first half to create chances, and these were those. It was clear what the tactic was, but the Huns were very alert to it and we were poor at implementing those tactics. To add, Robson's comments about the Huns after the game have zero influence on his thoughts prior to the game, and it's very unfair to read that into them (and not indicative of how Robson has approached the big games so far as manager). Those comments were purely after-the-fact arse covering, which he took way beyond acceptable limits.

I disagree. It was pathetic to listen to our chief executive give in to VAR, and even more so to hear that same preachy bullshit be repeated on off the ball too at the weekend (they asked listeners to phone in with suggestions to improve VAR, after Burrows stated that despite an unbelievably massive majority of fans saying that they wanted rid of it, it was already here and nothing we can do about it). It's pandering bollocks. Why can't the third biggest team in Scotland begin a campaign to have VAR removed? Why can't the third biggest team in Scotland make a big issue about inconsistency and bias in a non partisan way (calling out our own players when they dive, for example)? Why can't we do anything about the state of our game? There's no reason, basically, just an unwillingness to stand up against authority. An unwillingness to think about and challenge the status quo. Weakness, alongside self interest. The same the world over I guess.

Then fair isn't fair though. It wasn't fair that they got a penalty and it wouldn't have been if we got one. VAR is ruining the game, but so is the number of bullshit penalties and fouls that we see given on a weekly basis (for and against us). We don't need more of the anti-sport pish, we need less of it. I'd like to have seen the club be a bit more vociferous in their complaints about the Hun penalty and the bias rather than some sort of weird evening up exercise.

The criticism is because he could have caused even more problems by driving into the box instead of diving at the first point of (minimal) contact. Miovski put in a shift, but couldn't get in the game, he didn't shirk his responsibility - his game relies on the vision and accuracy of others. Duk decided to go down when he could have gambled on something better. I'd put him in the same category as Hayes yesterday, who just didn't take any responsibility on the ball. Playing within himself is not what we needed in a final, and that's what he did. He's capable of so much better.

I think the PAOK one was actually probably a penalty though. We're really arguing here for Gartenmann to engineer us a penalty to give us parity with the Hun, which I don't think any of us actually want.

The reaction of the player is what's key though, isn't it? I don't remember Gartenmann going down like he'd been speared in the back (although he does like a dive with minimal contact), whereas the Hun did, causing the check. Shirt holding is not a foul, impeding a player is, so Gartenmann should have thrown himself in the air (headbutting a Hun in the process) and then claimed.

As opposed to just the first 11 every other day? I don't think we froze in any of those games! Hacken we were set up pathetically, and it failed for obvious reasons, PAOK we were just unlucky, and yesterday we just weren't good enough. Other than Hacken, we were playing teams who were better than us, and the majority of the time you lose those games. Just like when we beat teams who are worse than us - it's never a case of them freezing, just a matter of odds. In reality, we need a bit of luck to go for us, or for the opponent to switch off or have a bad day in order to get a result most of the time. I'd also say that the game against the Hun at Ibrox counted earlier this season, and also the game that they cheated to get a draw at Pittodrie a few weeks back. Probably the biggest game I've seen us freeze in was the cup final against ICT, which we won anyway! We were up against a decent side yesterday (despite what many people suggest) and gave them a reasonable game at times, with a lot of effort on our part. Hayes was probably most culpable in terms of being panicky on the ball, but the rest seemed not overly affected by the occasion, they just weren't good enough.

I couldn't be arsed commenting after yesterday's disaster, but this point still stands out for me. The folk round about me were screaming at the ref for not giving a freekick for one effort, but Duk was bearing down on the box and chose to throw himself to ground in an attempt to win a meaningless freekick. We were at the point in the game that we needed him charging into the box and taking shots, and it was a pathetic, lazy decision to go down on each occasion - completely lacking in responsibility. I'd be having a right go at him this week in training if I were Robson. He didn't lose us the final of course, the result was on the cards before the subs as they had significantly upped their game and we struggled. It was a fairly awful game to be honest, one that we didn't deserve anything from. That is the difficulty with Robson's approach I guess. He mentioned that we had a few opportunities in the first half, and I totally understand what he means. The way he has set us up in these matches, we need that pass (like the Polvara vs Frankfurt one, and countless Clarkson efforts) to be made perfectly and at the right time for the run of the striker. There were probably 2, maybe 3, occasions in the first half where we either delayed or chose the wrong pass (Hayes' fucking dummy!). Shots on target is, therefore, a largely meaningless stat for us, because it's actually the pass to create that chance that is key for us, and the one that gets us the goals. They knew what was coming though, and had clearly done their work in training to keep the centre backs close together and ready to turn when our strikers made their move. They were significantly more switched on than the recent Pittodrie game. It was all a bit disappointing, and boring really. Thankfully we'll beat them at Hampden in May.

It's okay, you're correct. @Panda is batshit mental.

I can't make my mind up on MacDonald over Rubezic. MacDonald is a better footballer, obviously, but I think we sit deeper when he's in the team (on the little evidence we've had). I think the three with Rubezic works better, and I think it'll take us further up the pitch and make us more likely to score, but it's such a gamble because you're then only a Rubezic away from catastrophe. I think I'd toss a coin if I was Robson.

He's still not there yet for me. A good squad player though, and glad we have players like him to call upon. He's a good passer of the ball, he's just a level below Clarkson there, not as good in behind the front two as McGrath and not aggressive enough, and athletic enough to cover Shinnie's role. If we don't start Sokler and Miovski tomorrow then I'd have him in from the start playing high up with McGrath in a 3-4-2-1. He's certainly got a role to play in many of our games and he'll almost certainly feature at some point tomorrow. If he doesn't start, then Robson should definitely give him the last few minutes when we're 3-0 up as a reward for his big improvement this season.

Ahh, that explains why their stories never leave Glasgow.

Yep, that confused me the last time they rolled the article out too. Think it was the Hun semi it was last used for.

The BBC have certainly got value for money from the 2014 league cup article. It's tradition to regurgitate it seems. Robson's booze war chest

Aberdeen are on the attack for the first time in the half and Shayden Morris crosses to....... Kenny McIntyre in Seville, with team news ahead of tonight's only game.

Does anyone want my ticket for the Frankfurt game? Unused.