LA-Don

Scottish football is considered shite and we're a diddy league to most. Long gone are the days where we have the right to assume we're better than anyone. I don't think you can even look at the league they come from any more and judge because it comes down to the funding/bank roll of the club. Apollon are rated (I think I heard) 40 spots higher than us in the UEFA rankings. Your opinion is certainly one way to look at it but we beat a Cypriot team with only two Cypriot players. The other 9 of the starting 11 consisted of 2 Portuguese, 2 Brazilians, 2 Spaniards, and 1 French, Argentinian, and Croat. All come from countries much more highly regarded in football than us Scots. We didn't play our best by any means but it was a good result in my eyes and one to be happy with.

What a fucking game from him yesterday! Think we look much better in center midfield with him as the clear holding mid. He has to be a Scotland cap this season, no excuse of him being a left back playing out of position any more. Yesterday he showed he's Scott Brown's replacement in the national team. The passion, energy, enthusiasm, leadership, plus he has the skill. Seems to be a real players captain too, very much a Scottish trait and I think it's a dis-service to the nation team to continue to exclude him. He makes those around him better too. Obviously I've red tinted spectacles on but who is better in center mid based on that performance? He's still relatively young and will get better too, contract extension definitely needed. And while I'm being clearly biased, if Christie continues this form he needs to be in there too.

I'll disagree with some of this for now but I certainly think the potential is there. I think we look a very organized team defensively and I thought that during the game. Other than their goal and a dodgy corner we looked relatively structured. Seeing Arnie out there certainly helps us too - he oozes class, plus I didn't realize how much of a big fucker he is, won everything in the air which will be more important in the SPL. He'll score more than Taylor I predict, plus certainly make fewer mistakes. Considine's lack of pace is a concern and even red tv commented that he relied a bit on Hayes helping him out. Yesterday showed that GMS will do the same thing. Think we look much better in center midfield. Shinnie is outstanding, you'll see another post by me on him soon. I said before, and was criticized by some, that Jack was overrated and we're better without him. McLean is going unnoticed but he got the 'Hockey assists' (sorry!) on both goals in Bosnia and is doing a job. Our tactics are to isolate 1v1 wide and GMS and Stewart are getting there. Both aren't fit enough yet but are improving and gaining confidence but we're not there attackwize yet. Stewart came too deep as the game went on because he was struggling to get up and down. He needs to be getting the ball in the attacking third and beating his man to shoot/assist. He was gassed so sat deep but this will come. We lost the ball too much 1v1 and there's little fluid passing with our attacking 4 - partly due to new players and understanding. However, a huge part of the is the link play of our forward and we're seeing little/none of that, my dig at the lack of a good center forward again. Still, I love your optimism and I'm there too. Future is bright!!!

Wouldn't be surprised to see Arnie and Reynolds at the back, OConnor in center mid with Shinnie with McLean ahead of them and Christie wide, Stewart to the bench. Arnie most definitely helps us but OConnor has done little this season to deserve to be dropped.

In regards to moving the ball quickly and very well, you can say that of the majority, if not all teams playing in this round if you gave them time and space. We couldn't keep up the first half pace and they came into the game. But where did they move the ball quickly and very well? I recall Lewis having one save (high ball above his head) and another mini goalmouth scramble but I didn't think they caused us a great deal of trouble. We kept them infront of the back 4 and they had very few shooting and scoring chances. I thought Siroki caused us more trouble at Pittodrie and I was more nervous of us going to Bosnia than I am of us going to Cyprus. Of all the teams we're played in the 3rd round these guys are the weakest and we have a great chance of progressing. Thought we had many good performances. Stewart isn't fully fit though, you can see that. GMS was full of running but still lacks match sharpness but I was also impressed that both track back....but still struggle to get up and down all game which will come. Also impressed that GMS will tackle, that was a criticism of him. We also have to recognize that our front 4 of GMS, Christie, Stewart, and Maynard have rarely played together so tough to criticize. However, I don't see a great deal from Maynard as I said in the transfers post. We need a centre forward and maybe we see Moult coming in after we finish in Europe (or before the group stage hopefully!) rather than trying to add another forward in the middle of everything.

I will add that we are not the best attacking team in Europe. Games like tonight when it's on us to win and win well usually don't produce our best performance. It's usually been the tough counter attacking style / under pressure to get a result that we've played well and that's the requirement next week. I'm optimistic!

Tonight showed again how weak we are in the center forward position. Yeah Maynard ran around a lot but did little and didn't have a scoring chance. Yes you can blame service but I'm far from convinced with him. Get Louis moult!

Perhaps I'm drunk but they looked very similar to our previous opponent. In fact I thought we struggled more at home in the previous round. Other than their goal their threat came from our mistakes. I expected more from them. We were shit in second half and can definitely play better and don't see why we cannot go there and get a draw or a win.

I really don't know, haven't seen enough of the player and can only speculate based on previous transfer fees that the guy can play. Some may say the same thing about Storey, he could have been our guy but hasn't been given a sniff.

I'd go with 9 of eleven from last Thursday's game, obviously Arnie in place of O'Connor. I'd say the bigger question is who starts up top? Don't see it being Stockley and given when we needed improvement DM replaced Stockley with Maynard, do we start him tomorrow......a guy who has never scored for us and a handful of goals in a couple of years or our much criticized top scorer for the last few years?? I think it's Maynard.

Harsh on AOC but it's a no brainer, especially since he's played with Reynolds before so it's not like a completely new partnership. He also knows our opponents very well so makes sense to me.

I get that the huns cheated their way for the best part of a decade. However, here's my question - Scottish football is not held in particularly high regard. Finances went to shit after Setanta, and we're not a sparkling product to sell. Do the powers that be simply want to brush this aside since to tarnish the Scottish game further and have internal fighting does more damage to the league and Scottish football? Milne wants to move on and I listened to Hibs Rod Petrie say something similar. Does dragging Rangers through the courts or whatever devalue Scottish football even further and damage the league/product further? Will it scare sponsorship away etc? I'd love Rangers to be stripped of titles, fuck, kicked out the league, but would that be more damaging to Scottish football? I don't know, I don't pay attention to this shit and live 6000 miles away. We're a joke league to many, does sweeping this under the carpet help Scottish football in any way?

Would definitely prefer Moult over Maloney and think shipping Miles Storey to Motherwell would perhaps help the deal. Also feel signing Maloney would mean Scott Wright getting less opportunity and I'd really like to see him given more time this season. A little surprised at DM saying nobody will leave as both Storey and Storie have had little or no chance here for close to a year now. Then again he says before the start of the season, window closes at the end of August, almost a month in.

Big Jayden gets a lot of criticism but he brings something to the squad. He definitely give us a different look up top and we we're crying out for this type of player prior to his arrival. He's handy to have in the squad, don't see him going anywhere.

Watched the highlights of the Apollon 3-0 home game on youtube. Tough to tell what they're like as the defending from Zaria was woeful, giving far to much time and space. They certainly won't get that luxury from us.

Fully agree, think Shinnie is the best captain since Willie Miller and he'll have a standout year. However, I think DM sees us covered in the middle with the two more defensive mids being Shinnie and Tansey with O'Connor as back up, plus McLean potentially deep when needed, maybe even Kari. I finally gave up bitching about this position! Would have added Storie there but he appears to be a lost cause. If we add Moult and a center mid and punt Storey and Storie I'd be delighted. Would much rather see that type of midfielder added instead of Maloney.

Well, I think we're as strong and as deep a squad as we've had in a very long time, keen to hear the perspectives of the optimists and pessimists - Lewis, Rogers, Logan, Considine, OConnor, Reynolds, Arnason, GMS, Stewart, Wright, Christie, Tansey, Shinnie, McLean, Rooney, Stockley, Maynard, Storey, Storie That's 19 who have all played first team football and you add McKenna, Harvie, Ross, and a few other young boys, we're quite deep. We did a pretty good job of getting signings in early, Kari missing the first two European games but we got the job done. DM said we'd replace the outgoing players with quality, here's my take - Taylor - replaced by Kari - need to see him play to see if the legs are still the but I have to assume they are - upgrade and a strong personality and leader Christie - back again on loan again, brimming with confidence, I predict a strong year - upgrade as he'll be a regular starter and find true form Jack - most overrated player, Tansey is as good as if not better plus I think Shinnie will have a stronger year as our central midfield captain and leader Pawlett - had gone stale, role replaced by a combo of Wright, Rooney, and Maynard - same as if not upgrade, would love to see more of Wright Hayes and McGinn - replaced by GMS and Stewart - strong and younger replacements with greater upside - same with potential to be better if they both find consistency. McGinn had gone stale after a great dons career and I think Hayes peaked last season. Certainly looking at it with red tinted spectacles after yesterdays result but very optimistic about the season. As I said in the game thread, our weakest area is now centre forward. Add Moult and I would be delighted. Doc hinted we weren't done in the transfer market, Moult and Maloney still to come? Lastly, potentially see Storey and Storie gone before the season starts which is no loss. We've added known quality who have proven themselves in our league, plus added Scottish players which I think is a positive factor. Hibs - maybe decent but not better than us Rangers - added a bunch of foreign unknowns/has beens - huge risk plus a very questionable manager - don't see them better than us, will be drama all year, just can't see Pedro being here all year and if he goes you have a bunch of diddy foreigners trying to fit with a new manager Hearts - same as hibs Would love to see us play Celtic this year with the same Scottish cup attitude, as well as play with the killer 7-2, 7-0 mentality against the rest. Yesterday we saw some real quality at times and that's still preseason form. A nice 5-0 smashing of Hamilton on day 1 will be a good league kickoff! Stand free!

Well, what a night! Great result and I'm honest enough to say I didn't expect it. What a difference a week makes, didn't think we tired in the second half and, if anything, they did. Defensively GMS, Stewart, and Christie were much better and, for the most part, filled the holes they exploited last week. We still look shaky at the back and I do think Kari will help. The game couldn't have been better for GMS and Stewart. Both have had a rough year and have limited confidence so this must do a world of good. Both are more like McGinn than Hayes and both will get goals and assists like Niall. It's only 2 games but a positive start for both. Christie was excellent again. Get him signed permanently if possible as we definitely lose him to a bigger and better club if this form continues. Unfair on Maynard since he's still new but our weak link (with adding Kari) is now the centre forward position. Doc said in an interview at the airport this week that we may not be done in the transfer market, I certainly hope this means we push hard to get Moult. Don't know if anyone else cares but I love to see Scottish players excelling on a Scottish team. Certainly debatable, plus Strachan most likely won't pick Aberdeen players, but Reynolds, Shinnie, McLean, GMS, Christie, and Stewart will all most likely be strong and influential players on the second best team in Scotland and 'could/would/should' be considered for Scotland. A very positive start to the season!!!!

I'd agree Rooney for Stockley, Jayden hasn't done much and we need a goal. Kenny's done little, Tansey is more of a goal threat. Stewart and GMS are lively at times, they're doing ok.

Well, will it work today??? At present I only get commentary with the Aberdeen badge covering the picture??

Having lived and played in Los Angeles and Orlando the heat and humidity is definitely significant. Very different to playing at home. Fitness means fuck all when you're playing in an oven, your body is not used to those type of demands. I think Jack Charlton talked about the brutal heat and humidity of the 94 World Cup and players lost a stone in weight during a game. Tactics will be overly important and set pieces may well be significant which maybe means we see some Stockley.......or is he still suspended?

I don't think we ditch Stockley, he gives us a different approach up top, plus with Ash leaving we don't have the same ariel threat. We can certainly punt Storey and maybe Maloney replaces him, but Moult, Rooney, and Maynard don't offer a significantly different threat, big Jayden does. Don't know what happened with Storie but we haven't seen him in preseason to date, not sure why he's still here.

Agreed, if we can afford Maloney then why not. However, I'm wondering if we are done on the transfer front - GK - Lewis and Rogers Def - Logan, OConnor, Reynolds, Arnason, Considine, McKenna, Harvie Mid - Christie, GMS, Stewart, Shinnie, McLean, Tansey, Storie, Wright For - Rooney, Stockley, Maynard, Storey That's a solid 21 and not including some of the younger boys. Pretty much the size of the squad we've had in previous seasons. As much as I want Moult, signing him would make me wonder why we signed Maynard.

I'd say that's more of the Jonny Hayes money being spent. Sad to lose Jonny but when you look at the new players come in, Joe and Shay extend, and now the management team, I think the club have done the best out of a tough situation. What a summer it's been, couple of months ago we were losing players and a management team! I'll certainly question DM and his tactics/team selection but this really helps with club stability and rebuilding a squad.

Is there still interest in Maloney? Having signed Stewart and GMS, plus Christie and Scott Wright, I think we're covered.