Brighton v Aberdeen

[mizer]

New captain Paul Hartley will make his first Aberdeen start. Trialist Grant Basey is still with the squad and he will get another chance to impress. The left back is likely to start the match.

 

Peter Pawlett is back training and he could get his first pre-season run out.

 

Mark Howard and Mitch Megginson picked up little knocks during the week but both will be fit to play. Darren Mackie also trained this morning and is fit after he was substituted early on against Port Vale after getting injured.

 

Richard Foster has been struggling all week with a injury he received last Saturday although he did train this morning so there is a slim chance he could be available. Sone Aluko is still not ready and Jamie Langfield is still sidelined with his foot injury.

 

McGhee will decide after today’s friendly with Brighton whether to sign young Aston Villa striker Jim Collins on a season-long loan deal.

 

 

[manc_don]

TC will be giving updates during the game, he's the only one with an i phone. Apparently its already kicked off in town.

[tom_widdows]

TC will be giving updates during the game, he's the only one with an i phone. Apparently its already kicked off in town.

Kicked off?

 

Have the casuals and Gay Pride performers got stuck into each other?

 

My money is on the latter because in the words of Phil davis ' Never get into a fight with a poof. They've got the strength of a man and they fight like a girl. You wont stand a fucking chance'

[Roccovellhung]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/playlive/bbc_radio_sussex/

 

Seemingly live commentary of the game, Poyet being interviewed just noo

[manc_don]

Fair few spurs boys here.

[tom_widdows]

Fair few spurs boys here.

 

Those shetland cunts get everywhere 

[McMaster]

Those shetland cunts get everywhere 

 

[dave_min]

Score?

[manc_don]

1-0 brighton. We're pish. Not had a shot on target yet.

[manc_don]

We're lucky not to be humped. We've not created anything. Looked reasonably solid in the first, but been overrun in the second.

[Kowalski]

Is Collins playing?  How does he look?

[McMaster]

Worst commentary ever!!

 

Wan o the guys thought Zander Diamond had an "exotic" name!!! WTF!!

Then just after tried to say Frazer Fyvie in a Scottish accent and thought he must be a Scottish player because he had ginger hair!  I am sure Scholes, Riise and Kitson are Scottish too!  TWAT

[tom_widdows]

Worst commentary ever!!

 

Wan o the guys thought Zander Diamond had an "exotic" name!!! WTF!!

Then just after tried to say Frazer Fyvie in a Scottish accent and thought he must be a Scottish player because he had ginger hair!  I am sure Scholes, Riise and Kitson are Scottish too!  TWAT

 

At the risk of generalising if hes a commentator for BBC sussex, UK wise hes probably never been north of Watford and until today probably 99% of his listeners couldnt point to Aberdeen on a map.

But in his defence Id never heard of the name Zander till he turned up for Aberdeen. Id met a Xander as in short for Alexander but ive been assured that this is not the case with mr and mrs Diamonds boy.

 

So there was actual commentary? I had it on Iplayer and all it seemed to be was a bit of traffic news, random stints of reports from nearby friendlies (inc ours) indispensed with music, so I went out. Tis no wonder Sportsound gets all the awards

[BigAl]

Well all is shaping up nicely for the new season then, now that McGhee has got his own teamn and we're not having a transitional season. Listened to game via online commentary, be under no illusions on another day we could and would have lost by five or six.

[Mentorred]

Nice one AFC. After all the excitement and optimism that was created last week with the signing of  Hartley and now they play like this and it is all gone again.

[Madbadteacher]

I'd rather get all the crap performances oot the way before the season starts

[tom_widdows]

I'd rather get all the crap performances oot the way before the season starts

 

[Madbadteacher]

I am the eternal optimist Tom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well these days I am

 

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Thus far we're shite but we have tended to be slow starters when we've had decent seasons. Not reading too much into the results so far.

[mizer]

Thus far we're shite but we have tended to be slow starters when we've had decent seasons. Not reading too much into the results so far.

 

Results possibly, but the players are going to be the same and that is what seems to be coming back as the real problem.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Ye could have a team of Hartley's (or MacNamaras) but if they're past it and cannae be arsed - what's the point.

 

Anyway - I'm waiting for Hamilton to beat us on the opening day to get the knives oot!

 

Is Hartley past it and can he not be arsed?  Not sure where you're getting that from mate but if it is the case then it is true, but maybe we should give the guy a chance to prove it either way?

[manc_don]

We will get it right for Hamilton

By Mark McGhee

 

Published: 02/08/2010

 

IWAS not too worried because there were no points at stake.

 

The side has not had any time to gel yet. Paul Hartley has only trained twice with the club, so we have not had an awful lot of time to work on our shape.

 

We will work hard in training and in the remaining two games to get the right shape for the personnel we now have. I am confident it will come together.

 

It was a match we spent trying to cope with Brighton. They stretched us and passed the ball better than us.

 

We need to find a better way of playing to start fitting the parts together which will enable us to impose ourselves on our opposition.

 

We were a bit tired and did not keep the ball as well as we needed to. When you play against good sides such as Celtic and Rangers, who pass the ball, you spend most of the game chasing them, so when you do get the ball you are too tired to do anything with it.

 

Hartley needs games but we know what he will bring to us. We have to make sure we find a way of playing to suit him.

 

Cope

We cannot be asking him to do things he is not able to do. Against Brighton we had to do certain things to cope with them. We started with a midfield who play behind the ball. Fraser Fyvie has played a lot of the games, so we were looking after him a little bit. He came on and was lively. He has enjoyed a good pre-season.

 

We need players such as Sone Aluko and Peter Pawlett to give us extra pace from the middle of the park. No one has scored five or six goals in pre-season to demand to play. Someone has to earn the right to play alongside Scott Vernon.

 

We had no attacking threat against Brighton but that was more because we were forced to contain them. Attacking threat is something we will produce by getting the right combination up front and getting players such as Pawlett and Aluko fit.

 

By the Hamilton game I am confident we will have a shape which will make us a lot better then we were against Brighton.

 

 

 

Seve was also at the game, we had a quick word with him (and Aluko who came to say hi to him) and asked what his aspirations were for the season with Watford "I don't think we'll avoid relgation this season". Nice.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Someone has to earn the right to play alongside Scott Vernon.

 

Does Scott Vernon not have to earn the right to play?

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Does Scott Vernon not have to earn the right to play?

 

We're on the same page there BB.

 

So now we have to find a way of playing to suit Hartley, which creates a great excuse has obvious problems if he gets injured.

[manc_don]

Does Scott Vernon not have to earn the right to play?

 

I think he mentioned last week that he was the only definite striker. Which, I did find bizarre.

 

Also meant to add we did look much better (creativity wise) when Pawlett and I think Paton came on. Just that bit sharper, but the damage had already been done. Our solitary shot on target came I think in the last minute of normal time. Can't say I noticed collins that much, but as I said, it could be said for most of our team on Saturday. Didn't get the opportunity to play.