Falkirk vs Aberdeen (14/09/09)

[baggy89]

Not too keen on this 4-3-3 malarky so far. Kerr and Mcdonald have been utterly annonymous.  Would rather have seen Aluko on for Mackie rather than Paton.

Players eventually worked out how to play Falkirk, pity it took 90 minutes. Fair play the woodwork and Olisnik kept them in it but why the fuck weren't we running at them for the whole game instead of just the last three minutes.

[quirie]

Pawlett is going to score soon. Bastard woodwork.

 

Isnt it typical that Falkirk get their first point against us - cunts

[glasgow sheep]

Players eventually worked out how to play Falkirk, pity it took 90 minutes. Fair play the woodwork and Olisnik kept them in it but why the fuck weren't we running at them for the whole game instead of just the last three minutes.

Was it not more a case of finally having the players capable of running at them on the park. Thought to extent maguire, but particularly Pawlett turned the game for us in the 2nd half. Certainly before that I was more interested in my ironing than the fucking game. Pawlett's speed, skill and confidence was really a joy to behold.

 

I'm not convinced by 433 but I can see it working with the right players. Miller, Mackie and Paton weren't the right players. Surely that is it for Mackie for a good while now. Totally anonymous, again.  Miller also humphed and bumped his away around the park but other than having one good flick on that was cleared off the line (not bad for a player who seems to have a head like a thrup'ny bit half the time) did fuck all too.

 

With aluko and pawlett on the park we have the ability to create chances and have a go.  What we need however is someone in the middle of the park who can do a similar job.  Kerr and McDonald were anonymous/bypassed for much of the game and Kerr seems to fluff more passes than he makes every time I see him.

 

Finally thank fuck for Langfield. Atleast 3 top classes saves tonight and 3 1/2 matches since we last conceded......if only we could score goals

[glasgow sheep]

McGhee interview just there. Basically: "433 didn't work as players couldn't pass the ball and was the reason we were so poor first half. MM takes full responsibility for that and will have to look at things again. Happy with the effort and fitness but didn't create enough.  May have to adjust expectations re 433 given the players available.  A point the most we deserved. Must do better"

[Reekie_Red]

I tried my best to watch the game on the only video stream I could find. The clarity was excellent, but the streaming speed was bloody aweful and the screen thus froze every 8 or 9 seconds. I blame Mackie and Miller and 4-3-3.

 

Pawlett was a joy to watch, though.

 

Has the SPL ever seen so many draws on a match weekend? I think Hamilton were the only team to notch up a win this weekend. Oh how it joyed me to see that score against the "total football" side of Hibernian.

[glasgow sheep]

Presuming we go back to 442 the back line picks itself. Surely Aluko and Pawlett have to start.  Miller (sadly) will play, with either Paton or maguire. Question is what do we do in the middle of the park.  Our best midfielder this season was Fyvie for 90mins at Hamilton.  Kerr has seemed incapable of finding a red shirt and McDonald is....well who is he?  Problem is those our basically our options in there.  We need some hard fuck in the Rico mould, or even in the Heikennen role to get hold of the ball and keep it.  Until we do games like tonight will pass us by.

[baggy89]

Aye went to add to my post almost immeditely but... Fucking phone! Aluko, Pawlett, and Maguire definitley made the difference. Probably if they had started 4-3-3 may have worked, although I do tend to agree with the Jimmy haters as far as Aberdeen suiting a 4-4-2. Disapointing result but I do kind of understand McGhee's in three years time comments. If we can keep these young lads; signed up, motivated, constantly improving we will have some side.     

[Ptayles]

Why did Miller actually manage to play 90 mins?

He done next to nothing...Spent more time on the wing than being the target man in the middle!

Absolute waste of a top!

[manc_don]

Agree with the comments about the midfield. We really need a player with bite and i had hoped that kerr was going to be that man. Shame the team took so long to realise they had to farm a win,we actually looked ok going forward. Ref was a complete farce of a man. Can anyone tell me what happened between the falkirk players in the first half?

[caledonia]

Isnt it typical that Falkirk get their first point against us - cunts

 

Its only typical if you play useless cunts like Mackie up front

[baggy89]

The only thing typical here, is your comments.

[glasgowdon]

Mackie did well, he's actually starting to show a good touch.

 

FAO MM, get 433 to fuck.

 

We looked much more comfortable and balanced in the 442 and that has to be the way forward.

 

Top marks for the Setanta lassies that kept walking by at half time, she was good.

[El Padre™]

Mackie did well, he's actually starting to show a good touch.

 

FAO MM, get 433 to fuck.

 

We looked much more comfortable and balanced in the 442 and that has to be the way forward.

 

Top marks for the Setanta lassies that kept walking by at half time, she was good.

 

Setanta? Was she looking for her UB40?

[BobbyBiscuit]

Setanta? Was she looking for her UB40?

 

No, just her red, red wine...

[Andrew]

Mackie did well, he's actually starting to show a good touch.

 

FAO MM, get 433 to fuck.

 

We looked much more comfortable and balanced in the 442 and that has to be the way forward.

 

Top marks for the Setanta lassies that kept walking by at half time, she was good.

]

 

I really like that girl. Brunette with those sexy ugg boots that she wears and tight jeans. She is lovely. She is the reason I like Setanta/Sky/ESPN coming to town.

[Goldie03]

Why did Miller actually manage to play 90 mins?

He done next to nothing...Spent more time on the wing than being the target man in the middle!

Absolute waste of a top!

 

He was really very enthusiastic right at the end of the match clapping the fans.........................most effort he put in all night 

[capitalsharpie]

I thought we were terrible in the first half.  Totally bi passing the midfield with high balls. Our passing from midfield when it did happen was woeful. rarely did we manage tofind our own players.  Im not sure what miller was meant to be doing.  He certaintly wasnt playing as our big target man for our other forwrds to run off of. Despite being anonymous for large spells, Mackie could have scored twice.  he doesnt look like a forward with any confidence.

 

However, Pawlett was an amazing breath of fresh air, exemplorary first touch, taking on Falkirks back line and causing real problems. In fact all the younger players did really well.  despite Fyvie being rather harshly booked.  I think with  Pawlett on our right and Aluko on the left we will have the width that just wasnt apparent in the first half. From what Mcghee said in his pre match interviews, is it possible he was almost writing this game off (almost) as afriendly so that he could use his favoured 4-3-3 to see if the players could settle into it now that he has been with those players a bit longer?

[manc_don]

I thought we were terrible in the first half.  Totally bi passing the midfield with high balls. Our passing from midfield when it did happen was woeful. rarely did we manage tofind our own players.  Im not sure what miller was meant to be doing.  He certaintly wasnt playing as our big target man for our other forwrds to run off of. Despite being anonymous for large spells, Mackie could have scored twice.  he doesnt look like a forward with any confidence.

 

However, Pawlett was an amazing breath of fresh air, exemplorary first touch, taking on Falkirks back line and causing real problems. In fact all the younger players did really well.  despite Fyvie being rather harshly booked.  I think with  Pawlett on our right and Aluko on the left we will have the width that just wasnt apparent in the first half. From what Mcghee said in his pre match interviews, is it possible he was almost writing this game off (almost) as afriendly so that he could use his favoured 4-3-3 to see if the players could settle into it now that he has been with those players a bit longer?

 

I certainly agree with the last bit of your second paragraph. The players certainly seemed to treat it like a friendly until they suddenly realised that they werent going to win it without some effort. Had Mackie's effort gone either side of the keeper it was in, great touch and accuracy (i.e. it was on target) in the shot.

[stubo72]

I've got to admire the positive spin that you guys are putting on this match.

 

I thought we were utterly pish for the entire 90 minutes.

 

Only player with pass marks was Langfield and he almost managed to gift them a goal from a shot that was going wide, so even that is dubious!

 

Only reason we weren't badly beaten was a combination of luck, Langfield and Falkirk being possibly even more shite than we are.

 

I see very few positives to take from the game at all. Aye the youngsters were OK, but only OK for youngsters. They didn't exactly set the heather on fire. As for our experienced players. Ouch.

 

It was like watching a couple of pub teams.

 

And about as enjoyable as 

[mizer]

I've got to admire the positive spin that you guys are putting on this match.

 

I thought we were utterly pish for the entire 90 minutes.

 

 

I second this motion.

 

Fyvie looked like he had been dropped in the deep end, hopefully it didnt have a neagtive impact on him.

 

Can I also say I thought Mark Kerr was fucking useless, far more than Miller or anyone else. Some captain.......

[glasgowdon]

Setanta? Was she looking for her UB40?

 

Oops.

[redordead]

I second this motion.

 

Fyvie looked like he had been dropped in the deep end, hopefully it didnt have a neagtive impact on him.

 

Can I also say I thought Mark Kerr was fucking useless, far more than Miller or anyone else. Some captain.......

I was gutted when Kerr got the nod and now it's blatantly clear why.. he was indeed honking. Sadly MacDonald seems to be going off his game too, probably playing beside shit week in week out.

 

Thought bebo and Pawlett done really well, and clangers was superb ( did anyone else notice the change in attitude at cross balls and passbacks, eh Jim? )

 

Those three apart we looked like we still don't know what we're doing. I'd have thought 2 weeks of uninterrupted training might have helped with the game plan, but apparently not. Looked very narrow throughout and lacked attacking nouse. When Falkirk got the ball they spread it and attacked our full backs all night, and if I'm honest they should have had 2 or 3.

 

I'm now of the opinion that we should give the whole reserve team their chance as their senior counterparts have yet again failed to turn up for 80 minutes.

 

I don't blame McGhee I feel sorry for the fella, these guys seem to have no shame or professional pride.

[manc_don]

Taken from MAD. I always find TRA's articles spot on and quite amusing. Hope Ed doesn't mind.

 

The Red Avenger's thoughts on last night's game, McGhee so far, and the future...

 

Lets not beat about the bush here: it was a dire game against a truly dire side last night. Ray Stubbs sounded like he was losing the will to live during the build up - you could almost hear the 'I was Ted Hankey's sidekick, now I'm doing this pish' desperation in his voice.

To be fair to 'Stubbsie', what followed over the next few hours was woeful. When you've got to pad for the entire interval about some handbags between Arfield and their deranged keeper (I mean, there werenae any real punches thrown) it's an indication of a truly woeful game. To be honest, at times we were paying more attention to the OKH vs Masada darts game - well, that and trying to guess which decade the mince pies came fae.

If you wanted a working example of the individual shortcomings of our players, last night was the perfect case study with every single player providing at least one example of what drives us to distraction about them.

I'm also seriously beginning to suspect that McGhee isnae cut oot for this Dons manager lark. I mean, last night I heard him admit he'd got the tactics wrong and accept that his 4-3-3 vision just aint going to happen with this squad of players... truly outrageous stuff! Dis the loon nae ken he's nae meant to issue mea culpas, blame schloppy performances and then list a set of increasingly tenuous excuses in order to distance himself from a woeful performance? If the boy disnae come oot wi some story about his da doon the Govan Boolin' Club afore the Rangers game, then I'm sorry - he's just got to go.

Yet as instantly forgettable as last night was, I staggered away fae the boozer more convinced than ever that actually we're actually gonna be alright. I cannae point to anything tangible or specific, but last night I saw a side who, given a few months, are going to be pretty damn good by SPL standards.

To use an entirely inappropriate military analogy, if Calderwood was attritional trench warfare, McGhee is mair Blitzkreig (nae the best analogy admittedly, as this would mean Sone Aluko would be the Waffen SS... and there's probably a laboured gag about Lee Miller and Stukas in there n'aw) but ma point is we're moving from a solid static form to a more liquid and agile form of play.

Just now we're in the transitional phase but in a couple of months I reckon we'll be flyin'...

We've now got a good solid base in defence. I must admit to harbouring fears that Ifil would go a bit Toni K (who looked outstanding in his first couple of games before we realised he had all the pace and skill of Bill Cosby wi lumbago). His distribution last night was admittedly on the sweetcorn bits side of shite last night, and I've also got no doubts he'll get sent off a couple of times and give away at least three pointless penalties this year, but he can do the blood and thunder stuff very well and truth be told that's all you acually need in an SPL centre-back.

Elsewhere there was more evidence of the Foster paradox - put him up against a good player and he looks decent to superb, put him up against a crap player and he looks awful (last night was in the latter category) and last night Mulgrew showed why he's really more of an auxilliary left-back who'd be much more comfortable in midfield, which presumably, with Sone's upcoming absences, is why Grassi has been brought in.

Throw in the ever improving Clangers and by SPL standards that a freakingly good defensive unit ye know... OK, so nae quite Italy in Espana '82, but collectively they're more than capable of shutting out most SPL attacks.

No doubt the most disappointing area in the side so far (e'boy Fyvie's cameos aside) has been the central midfield with Kerr and McDonald showing very poor early season form, but I'm nae that concerned... they both had almost identical starts last year and come May it was hard to imagine our side without them both.

Perhaps this can be put down to the three-man midfield experiment, which, using my expert knowledge picked up fae playing Fitba Manager fae time tae time, can be played either of two ways. You have one player holding (formerly known as the Makelele role) and two creative guys, or ye flip it and have two holding players and a creative force. Fyvie has shown glimpses that he might be the creative guy in a couple of years, but Kerr and McDonald have looked completely lost in the new formation and as a result our midfield has sat too deep and started communicating with our forwards by semaphore.

With McGhee hinting that the 4-3-3 experiment has been mothballed (until at least the January window anyway) they should both be more comfortable and effective in a 4-4-2 as we saw in our better performances last season, which showed that, as a pair, they can throttle almost any team in this league.

Down the flanks we've got a... well, nae plethora of options, but we can perm a pretty decent midfield that anyone outwith the OF wouldnae mind having. If we're going more defensive then Mulgrew and Duff can come in and do a job and if we're going for the jugular then perm any combination from Aluko/Pawlett and Mike Megginson's loon.

Up front Miller is on a Siberian cold streak just now, but eventually he'll become million-plus rated hot again - and if he disnae, the heir apparent appears to be on board in the form Michael 'Lust for Glory' Paton. El Makigol will be, well El Makigol, and rest assured if there's a season defining goal then he'll score it. McGhee seems to favour fast, agile forwards which suggests that if his attitude is right then Bebo could have his breakthrough year - and let's be honest the kid only seems to score spectacular goals.

As I said we're not a side without some obvious flaws and certainly not infallible, but you don't have to be flawless and infallible in this league, just competent, and no matter what shortcomings they had, Calderwood's squad (and this is still very much his squad) in SPL terms they've demonstrated their competency time and time again.

And when you throw in the talent coming through the youth ranks, there's more than enough grounds to be confident that this side will cut the mustard in this league. And to be honest it will take an apocalyptic outbreak of Ebola and Swine Flu on Pittodrie St and an SPL by-law banning players whose surnames start with 'M' for us not to be in the Europa League places come May.

Delusional? Wildly optomistic? Possibly. As I said, I can't point to anything tangible to back up my arguments and they are really based more on gut instincts and (the wrong side of) 30 years experience as a punter.

What the club and McGhee needs are two things to convince others that my Prozac/10 bottles of Miller and half an ounce of ganja optimism isnae misplaced.

Firstly, 'The Performance'. You know, just a game where we totally annihilate our opponents. Under Calderwood we did dominate games but it was almost as if once we got the second goal, we were almost too polite and too sporting to give them a right f*cking doin'. Fortunately there are two possible opportunities coming up in the next week - on Saturday we face the truly awful Smurn (and I can say with absolute confidence we WON'T be matching up to Big Gus's formation) and then in the Tin Pot Cup against the Tayside Glaikitcoos.

And then we need 'The Result'. A scoreline that re-energises the support and the City after the disastrous start against Sigma/Celtic... and there's this wee fixture against a team that’s no our rivals byrawaybigmanbut on September 26th that would fit perfectly.

Oh, and as an aside, the Masada thrashed the OKH at the 'arras and much to my disappointment I wandered out onto Scotland's most lawless street and didnae see gangs of feral teenagers scrapping, naebody assaulted me, naebody was puking... almost a bigger anticlimax than the game itself, which just goes to show Uncle Ebbe was ontae something when he was havering about miniskirts and statistics.

The Red Avenger

[mizer]

I was gutted when Kerr got the nod and now it's blatantly clear why.. he was indeed honking. Sadly MacDonald seems to be going off his game too, probably playing beside shit week in week out.

 

McDonald was playing on Monday night?!? 

[stubo72]

 

Here's hoping The Red Avenger is more right than me.

 

I'll have what he's having in the meantime...

 

 

 

Except that I'd end up

 

 

these days...