LA-Don

I was thinking about this over the weekend, exact same opinion as you. He’s class and we’re not the only team that sees that. I’d extend him now, with a release clause. Definitely a gamble worth taking. If we can gamble 800k on Hernandez, we can afford to gamble on Hoban. Especially now with McKenna gone, he’s the anchor of our defense.

Very solid but county were awful. Cruised through the game. 3 was certainly flattering them, could even should have been 3 after 5 mins!

Can we stop with the personal attacks before this even goes anywhere? I thought we got rid of that a few weeks ago. I really appreciate the chat and banter here, and certainly appreciate differences of opinions. I talk shite much of the time, and I acknowledge that! But it doesn't need to get personal, not necessary. Take that elsewhere.

You can say what you want, opportunity missed in my eyes. We didn’t try to win a one off game against a team who had had extremely disrupted preparation and hadn’t played a competitive game.

In regards to 'ferocious criticism', I'm hugely disappointed because this was a massive opportunity lost. We never get past this stage and it just seemed the breaks pre game were going for us. This was the year. Yes, McKenna left, but we've played many games with him injured and out before (different I know.) While we'll miss him, he's not that good! It wasn't a 'normal' sporting we played, we need to consider..... -Multiple players missing due to covid. -They hadn't trained much, and had been relocated. -They hadn't played a competitive game, we're already multiple games into our season plus two euro games already. -Their routine has been majorly disrupted. -There were no home fans creating a hostile environment. -It was one game, not two. In my eyes we blew it big time with DM's tactics....yet again. Like Madbad said, I too can hear Rocket as I type. He blew it. Although, as I keep saying, I only saw the first 30 and the last 10 mins because I turned off since it was clear the tactics were to sit back and absorb which ultimately failed us yet again. Last 15-20 we attacked apparently with some success which again asks the question, what if we'd done that the entire game?

Under normal circumstances I'd agree with you. But tonight wasn't normal, the stars aligned for us. Sporting were fucked over the last 10 days with covid, multiple players missed the game, training cancelled, and had every excuse to lose. And no fans to create an atmosphere. Oh, and they hadn't played a competitive game yet, and hadn't played a game in how many days?? This was the one game and one time I expect us to smell blood and go for it. But that is not McInness' attitude which I cannot stand, and it clearly rubs off on some of the players.

Did we make sporting work? Put them under pressure? Did we show superior fitness? Or were they in game management mode most of the game and didn’t need to score again? Everything I saw suggested we gave them time and space and they were never really pressured or forced to play their best. I certainly hate to suggest it, but you think rangers beat sporting tonight? They’d have a go for sure.

Too many calm heads here. I’m raging to be honest. They had their entire preparation shot to fuck! We made that perfectly easy for them. One of the biggest disappointments for me tonight in our return to Europe over the last few years. They were there for the taking. Biggest fuck up was benching Scotty Wright, much of our good attacking play has come from him this season. As I said, stopped watching, did we even lay a finger on them? Saw hedges miss at the end but was that our only real chance? This is the type of performance, not too different to old firm games, where I think the managers negative attitude and tactics kill us. We’re better than we showed tonight but the manager doesn’t let us play. And if we are that concerned about Logan and Taylor, try to play at the other end of the park where they get least exposed. Easier said than done I know but sitting back only puts pressure on them and eventually highlights our weaknesses.

Stopped watching after 30 mins so I could certainly be wrong here but everything I saw was a McInnes ‘let’s not disgrace ourselves’ performance and he’s happy to only lose 1-0. I find this stuff so incredibly frustrating and one of the reasons I despise the manager. They had 9-10 players missing, training seriously disrupted, a makeshift team, and have not played a competitive game all year. Everything suggests just have a go. Nothing to lose. Play at our pace, our tempo, make them work. But not us. We do the opposite and it was a training game for them. I don’t care who they are and how much they earn, that was an opportunity lost to me.

They do not look sharp/fit at all, go at them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Going to be a long night if this is the tactics. Sit back and let a team missing multiple players who haven't played a competitive game yet this season to come at us. Then long ball if we win it. Disappointing. Hope to be proved wrong! Edit - we've actually knocked it around a couple of times but have barely touched the ball since....

It has to be a back 4 surely, no way we go with Taylor and a less than speedy Considine in a 3. Back 5 and we don't cross the half way line.

Ugh. Could be a 3-5-2/5-3-2 or a 4-5-1, but it's everyone I said above with the exception of Taylor playing and Wright on the bench. I suspect 4-5-1 with Considine at LB.

Would be refreshing for McInnes to have a go. We are not expected to win so play to our strengths. We're solid in attack so lets attack. I don't agree a 4-5-1 can't create chances. With Logan and Hayes at right and left back they can get up and down, and in McGeouch at holding mid he can protect Considine and Hoban while filling in for right or left back when they push on. McCrorie and Ferguson in the middle are strong, powerful, and mobile, and will get stuck in, plus both get forward and will get chances, but are reasonably quick to get back. Stick Wright Hedges and Watkins wide and up top and give them free reign to rotate. All 3 are mobile and link well together, and will create chances, plus have the pace to get back and help the fullbacks. Have a go boys, sitting back with a weak defense is only delaying the inevitable. Best form of defense is attack! 3-2 us, Hedges, Wright and the winner from Watkins! (yes, going with the heart!)

Got sent this today. Curious for feedback. I think it's valid that the guy says you can clearly dislike Trump yet still vote republican. Social justice totally dominates my job right now and I dare not speak up.

That is radical thinking in these times, especially in the US!

That all you took from it???

‘The Social Dilemma’ here in the US on netflix, not sure if you get it in the UK. Very interesting stuff, particularly with what is going on in (American) society at present.

Anyone anti-vax here? It's my understanding it takes on average 10 years to fully develop a vaccine and steps are being skipped with a covid vaccine. There have also been billions paid in vaccine lawsuits in the US for the damage vaccines have caused. It's also my understanding that flu shots are based on 4 types of flu and that this years flu may well be different, and as stated on the CDC (center for disease control in the US) website, "this season's flu vaccines were updated to better match viruses expected to be circulating in the United States." It's a prediction. Is the covid vaccine a prediction since there are many coronaviruses? Why would a vaccine be the solution, it's being rushed in as an estimate when we still don't fully understand (the long term effects of) the virus? The sceptics believe the health industry in the US is a cash cow first and there are plenty of financial winners if a vaccine is released.

I think it's best for all parties than McKenna go, he wants to leave, but I'm disappointed in the money and, as mentioned, surprised nobody, even celtic, have come in with a better last minute offer of say 5 mill. Considering Tierney went south for 25 million, I'd have hoped for at least somewhere between 5-10. While I know DM has said these funds won't go to strengthening the squad, I hope that's the usual pish to prevent/minimize us being overcharged for replacements. I really hope we get to buy a central defender, plus get Greg Leigh in at left back. Not a fan of a back 3 and in the last few games we've been fortunate not to concede more. Relying on Taylor and Devlin is not good, and Hoban is high risk. Plus Considine and his lack of pace in a back 3 scares me.....it's one think having McKenna back you up but if it's Taylor covering Considine, oh boy.

I'd prefer we go with the McInnes formation anyway, although I'd go with the two holding mids of McCrorie and Ferguson behind an attacking 3 of Hedges Wright and McGinn since Kennedy is injured. Think McGinn's legs are gone so I'd possibly even go for Hernandez or McLennan. I'm far from convinced the back 3 is the way to go, and Viking exposed us a bunch but didn't obviously score. I fear a team like Sporting, regardless of players missing due to covid, would rip our back 3, especially without McKenna, and if it's Taylor.......ugh.

And while people talk about squad depth, I wouldn’t be fussed if Devlin, Taylor, Ojo, and Main never played for us again. Today was a day to show we had depth, and while nobody played particularly well, the fresh guys should come in and make a difference, and they didn’t. Anyone think mcginn is passed it?? Maybe get a cash plus swap for a central defender and punt Taylor or devlin??

I’ll write a lengthier post later but we’re not good enough to play with a back three. We’ve been fortunate in recent weeks not to concede, especially against Viking, and Motherwell took SOME of their chances. Take the McKenna money and buy a central defender to partner Hoban and go back to a back 4, Logan or Hernandez at RB and buying Greg Leigh for LB.

Said the same Thursday. Stop fucking around with McCrorie, we’re at our best with him alongside Ferguson in midfield.

Ash at the back and Ojo just don’t help us. Look so nervy!