Some Casual Observations.

[Kowalski]

I don't understand folk who want JC out.  I can understand folk being underwhelmed by him, I can understand folk being frustrated by him, but wanting him out....? I don't get that. (I'm not saying you do, just continuing your theme, so to speak)

 

The best thing JC has done recently was keeping a settled side. Seve has settled into the centre half role now that he basically knows he is a centre half for us these days, for example. But reports today of us going three at the back? That staggers me, completely leaves me astounded at his lack of faith in his own players to prove they are better than Falkirk's. The guys who were at the game will be able to say much more on it of course, but we really shouldn't be changing our shape to match up with Falkirk.  To me, that's over-thinking the situation.

 

I've also read that Stuart Duff was one of the better performers today but was still sacrificed. Added to the continual starting of Foster and Mackie, it is quite clear that JC has his favourites and not-so favourites but that has been the case throughout his time at Pittodrie and that frustrates me hugely.  But, in typical fashion, who would bet against us getting a result at Tynecastle in a couple of weeks? It's the nature of things under JC it seems.  Foster and Mackie with the goals, I'd imagine, too.

 

 

 

Nail on head BB. As usual, unless you're talking golf of course. 

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

 

Excellent post BB, yesterday gave ammo to the usual suspects, poor tactics over concerned with what they can do to us with no real thought about imposing our game on the match. Our 442 could and should be enough to deal with a team so low in the league. Though formations cannot be blamed for heartless performances which yesterday was certainly one.

[Jute]

Excellent post BB, yesterday gave ammo to the usual suspects, poor tactics over concerned with what they can do to us with no real thought about imposing our game on the match. Our 442 could and should be enough to deal with a team so low in the league. Though formations cannot be blamed for heartless performances which yesterday was certainly one.

 

The bit in bold is the thing that frustrates me the most and is clearly a fault in Calderwoods style of management and imo the main reason we will never win anything with him as a manager.

 

The other concern I have is that from what I have heard about Saturday the players put in the same shiftless and heartless performance that they put in against Hamilton and Alloa earlier in the month. There was no flu to use as an excuse this time and it looks more like to me that players are not getting motivated to play against these teams. This might be down to the attitude of the players but surely it is the job of the management team to get the players up for the games and this clearly is not happening all the time.

[capitalsharpie]

Is motivation a big issue within the squad then?  We seem to play well against "bigger" team, ie the old firm hertz, and unt, but bugger me, against teams lower in the league and smaller teams in the cup I now KNOW we will struggle for a result.

 

Is it because that some of the players think we now just have to show up for a win and not bother having to put a shift in to break teams down?

 

thoughts?

[ntbear]

Who pressed the panic button.

 

Going into the Rangers game we were the form team in the SPL - based on the previous 10 games.

Now we lose one, and we have dropped behind Rangers, but are still 2nd best SPL side in the last 10 games.

 

Where has all this negativity come from - can't help but think there are a large number of (nutters) waiting for EVERY slip up so they can push the JMG button.

 

Get behind the team, let's have Hearts and Dundee United in the next 2 league games, and take 3rd for ourselves.

[Ajja]

Is motivation a big issue within the squad then?  We seem to play well against "bigger" team, ie the old firm hertz, and unt, but bugger me, against teams lower in the league and smaller teams in the cup I now KNOW we will struggle for a result.

 

Is it because that some of the players think we now just have to show up for a win and not bother having to put a shift in to break teams down?

 

thoughts?

 

We have one of the best away records in the league and I can't recall us winning any games at Parkhead, Ibrox, Tynecastle, Tannadice or Easter Road. I must conclude that our apparent inability to put away the lesser sides in the league is a little overstated.

 

Lets be honest, the real annoyance everyone is feeling is not about Mackie or Calderwood or any other individual, its simply the frustration of another lost opportunity. So lets just simmer down a little and move to the next opportunity and be satisfied that no matter how many times we make a cunt of it, the teams around us are going to continue to do the same. It was the same last year, we were losing games hand over fist and still we had the opportunity to end up 3rd but for one result at Fir Park late in the season. This is a league of inconsistency, of hot and cold performances and frustrating results that drive us all demented. We will be in the mix for 3rd and should be well placed to claim it come the end of the season. There will be ups and downs along the way and its why we enjoy being Dons fans. Suck it up soldiers 

[Superstar Tradesman]

Those who panic over loosing the odd game here and there really need to take a good, hard, long think about things.

 

Even the team in the 80s would loose from time to time.

 

Get over it.

[Reekie_Red]

Who pressed the panic button.

 

Don't think anybody here has pressed the panic button ... not in this thread, anyway! But the point about us "just turning up" is valid. That's why we've struggled all season against Hamilton, and is why we lost to Inverness and, more recently, Falkirk.

 

The successful sides don't "just turn up". They take every single game seriously. Which is why you'll rarely see Celtic or Rangers lose more than 5 or 6 games in an entire season. They're focussed on beating all the teams below them. The big games tend to take care of themselves, but if you don't take care of the shite that's below you then you're always going to struggle to make a serious impact at the top end of the league.

 

It's not something that Jimmy has caused. It's been evident at Aberdeen for over a decade and a half now ... see the likes of Skonta Riga, Stenhousemuir, Bohemians and the cup exit to QotS last season. I don't know what it is. But there's something that's existed at Aberdeen for fifteen years or so that has us believe that we are such a big club, we only need to turn up to the smaller grounds and we're guaranteed a win.

[???]

But there's something that's existed at Aberdeen for fifteen years or so that has us believe that we are such a big club

 

Calvin Harris Syndrome.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Small Poppy Syndrome

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

But it's also to do with the shite teams setting up defensively against us because we are a better team.

 

Not saying this happened on saturday but probably played a part with the other teams wanting to catch us on the break after defending.

 

The better teams try to attack against us, leaving them more vulnerable at the back.

 

It definitely wasn't the case on Saturday Jager, Falkirk didn't set up defensively. We did.

[Superstar Tradesman]

Three at the back isn't really what I'd call setting your stall out defensively.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Three at the back isn't really what I'd call setting your stall out defensively.

 

5 in the middle is. Looked much the same as what Smith did at Pittodrie, though Calderwood did stick with 2 up front.