Circles!

[SuperKev82]

We're going round in circles. The team hasn't progressed this season at all there's no settled pattern to the team whatsoever. There is no doubt that it takes time for players to settle at new clubs but it's now the end of November and we're only seeing two of these players producing some form - Kerr and Aluko.

 

Defence

 

There's been no settled backline so far Hodgekiss, Seve, Diamond, Consi, Mair, Mulgrew, Foster have all been used in various combinations in a back 4 or even a 3.

 

Right Back

 

Firstly JC persists in playing Foster at right back where it's become increasingly obvious he can't play there long term. Hodgekiss comes in at RB but is in and out of the team due to tactics (his lack of height i'm guessing) and fear of burn out due to him being a loan player. Mair has also had a run out in this position.

 

Centre Backs

 

Seve- Played at CB all season except the odd few games in midfield. Played decent enough but still should not be playing at the back due to his lack of height- just think back to the game against ushited away or even Hibs away!!! In the few games he did play in midfield he looked far better and even looked to combine well with Kerr.

 

Diamond- CB is his best position but needs to have someone either Mair or Consi to play with him for a number of games to create an understanding. Few schoolboy errors and needs to develop his game a lot.

 

Consi- See above. Far more comfortable on the ball nowadays and his concentration is now better. Best player in defence this season and a better player than Diamond.

 

Mair- See Diamond also. More confident player this season now and needs a run of games.

 

 

Left Back

 

Mulgrew is our most suited player to this position obviously and should be a regular in the team. He could defend better but if he's given games this would surely come. Consi has also played here in recent weeks and looks good here but should only play this position when there are injuries. Foster is another who has shown up in this postion and is simply hopeless.

 

 

Midfield

 

Once again another unsettled area of our team. No partnerships being formed whatsoever. Seve, Kerr, Smith, De Visscher, Young, Aluko, Duff, McDonald, Foster, and Mulgrew all used in midfield.

 

Left Wing

 

Aluko has been used out on this wing mainly and is our best player by an absolute mile! Creates openings for others and always looks to ping in a cross or two. The left side could be our best if Mulgrew is given the chance to play behind him. Young has played here on the odd occasion as has Mulgrew and Foster. These players should only be used here when there are injuries. But have been thrown in for tactical reasons and to accomadate others.

 

Centre Midfield

 

Seve has looked decent in here alongside Kerr but they have rarely played with each other. Mcdonald looks to still be struggling with the pace of the game but is a great link up with the strikers. Foster has taken up a centre midfield position also where he's been asked to do a man marker job which takes away from his game completely and means we're playing with 9 outfield players!! Even Aluko has picked up a midfield role of sorts so far, also Young. JC needs to pick two players he feels are in form and stick by them for a run of games.

 

Right Wing

 

De Visscher has played here once or twice but Young has taken this position over the course of most of this season. His form has been poor of late but JC still feels the need to pick him even though he needs a rest to get through this poor patch. This is a position where Foster has had some of is best games yet JC rarely plays him here.

 

 

Up Front

 

The only settled area in the team all season. Mackie and Miller have been our most consistant players for a number of weeks now. Mainly due to both simply getting a run of games together and being able to gain real match sharpness. How they've done so well is a surprise due to the sheer unsettled nature of the rest of the team they've had to play alongside. Maguire and Wright have been able to gain the odd appearance so far with Aluko playing upfront on sat.

 

 

Please JC just pick a team you feel is best suited to the formation with those in form and stick with it for a number of games!!!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[capitalsharpie]

Pretty much agree with all of that.  To me the most infuriating thing about Aberdeen under Calderwood hasa been the changing of the team personel to counteract the opposition instead of playing out own game.  This squad badly need a settled tun of games together, but I just cant see this happening.

[RDU_64]

Thought that he played the strongest team available to him on Sat which was a good sign. Agreed that if he played somebody at right back full-time (not Foster) and played Diamond, Consi & Mulgrew, thats one step forward to a settled back four. Seve and Kerr seem to be playing quite well together. If Smith would be able to get fit, Aluko and Smith down the wings. Don't think McDonald or Young is really the answer at wide areas. Agree that up front seems to be the only settled area of the team.

[bd74w]

I agree with both of you,blunderwood focuses on the other teams tactics which ultimately stifles the game and makes for a very boring game(hence the dwindling home crowds)

 

He needs to stick to a settled team and play to OUR strengths but we all know its not going to happen,so what we need to go is show our disapproval towards the directors and willie miller at the home games and who knows in time we might just get rid of calderwood,mackie and foster.

 

Spot on post

[capitalsharpie]

The past  couple of seasons, including this one, i honestly believe we have had stronger squads than all the teams out with the ugly sisters, but poor utilisation and shit tactics have compromised games, confidence and ultimately league position.  Calderwood can bump his gums all he likes about individual errors and crap refereeing decisions, but ultimately it is the unsettled nature of HIS squads that are underachieving.

[Superstar Tradesman]

The past  couple of seasons, including this one, i honestly believe we have had stronger squads than all the teams out with the ugly sisters, but poor utilisation and shit tactics have compromised games, confidence and ultimately league position.  Calderwood can bump his gums all he likes about individual errors and crap refereeing decisions, but ultimately it is the unsettled nature of HIS squads that are underachieving.

 

I'd say the reason we're struggling this season is purely down to the fact that this is the poorest squad we've had under JC.

 

Anderson has never been replaced and we've had our 'top' midfielder shuffled back into going some way as to replacing him.  Meaning we're worse off in midfield and at the back.

 

We've also signed two United players who weren't getting a game and got rid/lost three other first names on the team sheet each week - Hart, Clark & Nicholson.

 

Aluko has been the only plus point since January last year when we should have been building on the success of our European campaign.

 

I just think we've too many journeymen or squad players who are now playing as first team regulars.

 

The two goals we gifted at the weekend was because we were like statues when the ball was played in.  There was no urgency and if your team captain can't organise in his own penalty box then he's obviously not going to manage to boss the whole park.

 

I think we need a quick fix to bolster our season and think that (puts tin hat on) Steven Pressley wouldn't be a bad idea.  Seve could be pushed into midfield and we'd have someone at the back who could organise.  Zander and Considine (who has been excellent this season) aren't going to learn fuck all playing alongside Seve.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I'd say the reason we're struggling this season is purely down to the fact that this is the poorest squad we've had under JC.

 

Anderson has never been replaced and we've had our 'top' midfielder shuffled back into going some way as to replacing him.  Meaning we're worse off in midfield and at the back.

 

We've also signed two United players who weren't getting a game and got rid/lost three other first names on the team sheet each week - Hart, Clark & Nicholson.

 

I just think we've too many journeymen or squad players who are now playing as first team regulars.

 

 

That sums it up for me, particularly about the too many journeymen or squad players now 1st team regulars.

 

I think we need a quick fix to bolster our season and think that (puts tin hat on) Steven Pressley wouldn't be a bad idea.  Seve could be pushed into midfield and we'd have someone at the back who could organise.  Zander and Considine (who has been excellent this season) aren't going to learn fuck all playing alongside Seve.

 

I think that would be a small disaster.  whatever he could bring in experience would be taken away by the fact he is way, way past his best.  Christ, Celtic even resorted to playing Bobo Balde ahead of him... 

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

We have lost our most consistent performers.

 

But Kerr seems to be assuming some authority in the middle, growing ever more impressed with this guy and I'd like to see Hodgekiss given a regular place.

 

The one thing a lot of folk have said, and it's my biggest complaint with JC, play our own game instead of this constant need to adapt to everyone else!

 

I accept that we do have to adopt certain tactics for different games but surely that doesn't always need wholesale formation changes and changes in personnel?

 

 

[Ajja]

Agree with a lot of these comments and like Funster, I think some players are beginning to show a degree of promise but its slow at best and often feels like 2 steps forward, 1 step back (or the opposite at times!)

 

When you look around the league, its hard to see why we should not be comfortably in 3/4th position. UTD are the biggest challenge for us and you have to ask yourself why this is. There is not much between Levein and Calderwood in terms of managerial ability but the thing that Levein appears to be able to do that JC cannot is make players believe in themselves. Increasingly I think JC, for all the 'great man management skills' he apparently posseses he seems unable to install the basic principals of pride and belief. Its all well and good to be able to take players out for a pint and convince them to sign a new contract against the odds but he needs to turn this into consistent man management or he will never get the best from the squad we have, regardless of the personnel.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

I suspect it will be Hearts that will be thereabouts too.

 

They have managed to become a bit consistent of late.

 

Time for a managerial change then.

[Ajja]

I suspect it will be Hearts that will be thereabouts too.

 

They have managed to become a bit consistent of late.

 

Time for a managerial change then.

 

Can't see it to be honest. They have a reasonable squad with some decent players but they have such a high ability to self destruct that its hard to see them playing consistent football all season. They have been pretty poor in a lot of games this season and have fluked quite a few wins according to season ticket holders at work.

[SuperKev82]

We have lost our most consistent performers.

 

But Kerr seems to be assuming some authority in the middle, growing ever more impressed with this guy and I'd like to see Hodgekiss given a regular place.

 

The one thing a lot of folk have said, and it's my biggest complaint with JC, play our own game instead of this constant need to adapt to everyone else!

 

I accept that we do have to adopt certain tactics for different games but surely that doesn't always need wholesale formation changes and changes in personnel?

 

 

 

Couldn't agree more Funster there is no doubt he's pretty blatant for this. There's nowt wrong with doin this as long as it doesn't effect the team as a whole there's certainly a fine line he never seems to find. But then again I always think to when Paterson was absolutly terrible for countering the strengths of the opposition. Really wondered if he had seen half the teams we played or even sent anyone to watch them!!

 

There's no doubt Seve is far better in the middle but he's far from the player he was. I always think back to the game we beat Hibs at Easter Road 2-1 when we needed to win to take the european spot into the last game. He was absolutely top drawer that day against decent players. A performance we'll probably never see again from him.

[Superstar Tradesman]

There's no doubt Seve is far better in the middle but he's far from the player he was. I always think back to the game we beat Hibs at Easter Road 2-1 when we needed to win to take the european spot into the last game. He was absolutely top drawer that day against decent players. A performance we'll probably never see again from him.

 

Again I think this is largely down to JC telling them to go out and 'must win' the game rather than pandering to nullify the opposition.

 

We had to beat Hibs and we did, Copenhagen was a must win and we hammered them, the last game of the season against the Huns to get into Europe and again we brought the game to them and fucked them over.

 

St Mirren at home, JC looks at their team sheet and sets out his team to counter-act them.  Counter-act what exactly? 

 

It's like we play every game as if a draw or a sneaky goal is enough.

[Guest ally s]

 

I think things are starting to fall into place for us.  Kerr, Aluko, and Mulgrew look to be the best buys. All three have impressed me over the past few matches and long may it continue.  Considine looks to have screwed the nut (fingers crossed) which is a big plus, if he could be trusted to play alongside Diamond in the defence we'd then be able to push Seve into midfield.  Severin and Kerr looked like a very decent midfield partnership last Saturday, Kerr was the ball winner and Severin's distribution was spot on 99% of the time.

 

All in all I feel a lot better about how things are panning out than I did a month or so ago.

[ntbear]

We don't have the quality to compete at this level so Calderwood has to negate the opposition and hope the half-talented players can nick it for us.

 

If the board (wiggy and miller) splashed the cash on one or two DECENT (INJURY FREE)players, we could get a consistent side out.

[manc_don]

I think things are starting to fall into place for us.  Kerr, Aluko, and Mulgrew look to be the best buys. All three have impressed me over the past few matches and long may it continue.  Considine looks to have screwed the nut (fingers crossed) which is a big plus, if he could be trusted to play alongside Diamond in the defence we'd then be able to push Seve into midfield.  Severin and Kerr looked like a very decent midfield partnership last Saturday, Kerr was the ball winner and Severin's distribution was spot on 99% of the time.

 

All in all I feel a lot better about how things are panning out than I did a month or so ago.

 

I agree with you except the feeling better now than I did a month ago. A month ago I had far more optimism than I do now. I was confident we would be 3rd by some point in December, but i'm not so sure now. Its nice to see us playing well, we just really need to concentrate more. What was the most frustrating thing about Saturday was that we weren't bossed out the game and lost to yet again, two shite moments of concentration in defence. I know the team have the ability, I just hope Calderwood doesn't change it up for the sake of changing it up.