Derek McInnes

[rocket_scientist]

When they talk about Jack being Scotland material, I shakes my head.

 

For the same reason you said bb. Never busts a gut. Rarely loses possession but his modus operandi is to survive by not making mistakes without appreciating this: -

 

 

No man who ever achieved anything didn't make mistakes.

[ayrshire_don74]

Looked back to line up  when we had that great run last year around Nov/December, this was pretty much the line up.

 

Brown, Logan, Considine, Taylor, Reynolds, McGinn, Hayes, Pawlett, Jack, Rooney, Goodwillie.

 

Now that team has effectively 5 attacking players in it, Hayes would play along side Jack in the middle and would be able to burst forward at pace. Likewise you have Pawlett ( who is now completely out of form) and Mcginn also running forward at pace. It was certainly fluid.

 

Now when we bought Mclean is changes the team somewhat , he has no pace more of a creative player, but it changes the dynamic of the team.

 

When you have guys like Hayes and/or Mcginn/Pawlett that can pick the ball up in their own half and gain 50 yards of ground it relieves a lot of pressure on the defence and the team. Just another perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rocket_scientist]

Looked back to line up  when we had that great run last year around Nov/December, this was pretty much the line up.

 

Brown, Logan, Considine, Taylor, Reynolds, McGinn, Hayes, Pawlett, Jack, Rooney, Goodwillie.

 

The addition of Shinnie - and I swear he is best deployed at LB - means that we have 2 from 3 in Considine, Reynolds and Taylor.

 

Consi is maturing with age but someone who has yet to show that he's an established centre half, probably because he's never been deployed in a  fixed position long enough, his versatility - plus the fact we've never had a deep enough squad - being a handicap for him.

 

Reynolds was excellent two seasons ago but not as strong last season so these last three games are too soon to tell but he must be showing good in training to walk straight back in.

 

Taylor has been an ever-present through the good times (24/24) and the bad (1/15) and whilst I never thought he was AFC class in the early days, has proved better than I thought capable.

 

As stated above, the chopping and changing of the midfield and Goodwillie in, Rooney out and now vice versa suggests he doesn't know his best team. The best teams have fixed personnel in their defence. Our manager doesn't even know whether Shinnie is our LB or whether to push him up and get Considine - or even Hayes once - at LB!

[rocket_scientist]

As I've said before, my best team is

 

Ward

Logan - perm 2 from 3 but Reynolds & Taylor my preferred usually - Shinnie

McLean - Jack

McGinn - Hayes

Goodwillie

Rooney

[RicoS321]

As I've said before, my best team is

 

Ward

Logan - perm 2 from 3 but Reynolds & Taylor my preferred usually - Shinnie

McLean - Jack

McGinn - Hayes

Goodwillie

Rooney

 

I can't help but think McLean is shoe-horned in there because there's no one better. The further away from our defence he is the better I think. I don't believe he's good enough defensively to play deeper, but it may work versus the shiter teams. But I also think that Shinnie is better at left back (than Considine). It's the one position I think we're missing a good starter in. Every other position on the pitch we've got a guaranteed player that is good enough to start regularly, and in many positions we have two or three that could do a great job. Where you've put Goodwillie, I'd say is both McLean and Pawlett's best position too, and I wouldn't play them anywhere else (perhaps Pawlett on the wing if we're struggling for players). But it could be that Jack is the issue? Perhaps he doesn't do enough at defensive cover that a better player might, which means we can't afford the luxury of Kenny McLean and Goodwillie alongside him. If he had a bit more grit and was stronger in the tackle - pressing like Flood or Scott Brown - rather than slowing down the play to wait for support (which might not come), it'd allow us more room in midfield for ball players like McLean. Similarly, if we got in a strong defensive midfielder, does Jack have the ability to become the incisive midfielder capable of moving the ball quickly? I think we're a better team with Jack in it, but perhaps we're seeing the limits to his ability and maybe we're not pushing him to improve in the defensive areas of his game - or to fulfil one key role. But I'm probably over-thinking it.

[Edinburghdon]

As I've said before, my best team is

 

Ward

Logan - perm 2 from 3 but Reynolds & Taylor my preferred usually - Shinnie

McLean - Jack

McGinn - Hayes

Goodwillie

Rooney

 

With the exception of playing Reynolds and Quinn at centre half that's the team I'd play as it stands.

 

Eventually I'd like us to sign another central midfielder to allow McLean to play further up the pitch instead of Goodwillie though.

[ayrshire_don74]

Mixing up a lot of issues here, but where is exactly Mclean's best position ? He did for a spell with St Mirren play as striker when Thompson was out  just behind a striker is where he should play in my opinion.

[rocket_scientist]

With the exception of playing Reynolds and Quinn at centre half that's the team I'd play as it stands.

 

Eventually I'd like us to sign another central midfielder to allow McLean to play further up the pitch instead of Goodwillie though.

 

Yes I was guilty of thinking last two seasons only. We have four to fit into two, Reynolds, Quinn, Taylor and Considine.

 

Any time we play more than two of these four, we are putting out the wrong team or we have injuries.

 

Taylor may indeed be reverting back to what he looked like when he first came i.e. a liability but he had been consistently good for a good few months.

 

It's Considine I feel sorry for. He looked promising at 19/20 years of age and I always hoped that he would step into Russell's shoes one day. When he played alongside him, he was learning and developing all the time but he's been too often deployed at LB and whilst he has done well to learn that position and has certainly got better from some early horror shows, he's not naturally quick enough and is more properly built for a CB role.

 

Reynolds worries me. I have no idea why he slipped from the excellent standards he set for himself in the 2013/14 season.

[rocket_scientist]

Mixing up a lot of issues here, but where is exactly Mclean's best position ? He did for a spell with St Mirren play as striker when Thompson was out  just behind a striker is where he should play in my opinion.

 

I see McLean as a more attacking option just behind the front line, someone who can feed off any cut backs from Hayes and McGinn as he runs into the box.

[Reidzer 1314]

Mixing up a lot of issues here, but where is exactly Mclean's best position ? He did for a spell with St Mirren play as striker when Thompson was out  just behind a striker is where he should play in my opinion.

 

I think he should be playing just behind the striker and I really hope we can get a central midfield solution sorted soon as in my opinion when you have Jack and McLean in there then it is just a massive hole and teams just seem to dominate the center of the park against us.

[manc_don]

I see McLean as a more attacking option just behind the front line, someone who can feed off any cut backs from Hayes and McGinn as he runs into the box.

 

Rightly or wrongly, that's how I see his position as well. More attacking than defensive and should be playing almost in that "no 10" role.  We just need a no nonsense leader behind him.

[rocket_scientist]

It is fact that the managers recruited by Milne have been shite.

 

We had thought that McInnes was the exception, the first decent appointment of the last 25+ years.

 

A man is defined by how he performs in adversity.

 

The evidence of the last eight games suggests to me that DM is hopelessly lost.

[BobbyBiscuit]

It is fact that the managers recruited by Milne have been shite.

 

We had thought that McInnes was the exception, the first decent appointment of the last 25+ years.

 

A man is defined by how he performs in adversity.

 

The evidence of the last eight games suggests to me that DM is hopelessly lost.

 

As much as I hate to say it, I do agree. I believe he does too looking at him today.

 

There are good players at Aberdeen. We should be seeing much, much more in terms of quality of football and results. At the moment it is a chore watching them and is soul destroying thinking of what could have been - with this manager, and this group of players in this league season.

 

Whoever has fucked it, and for whatever reason, I really, really hope it was worth it for them.

[rocket_scientist]

Whoever has fucked it, and for whatever reason, I really, really hope it was worth it for them.

 

I doubt that any one individual has "fucked it". It's more likely to be the bad karma that our chairman deserves. The 24 points from 8 was a sick reminder, one that galvanised big crowds and made us remember what capacity lies dormant at this club, potentially the third biggest in the country, a platform from which we should always expect a competitive challenge. It's fucking criminal how the Donald's put in so much thinking that it might make a difference. Under Milne, it will always go pear-shaped.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Bad karma?

 

There is no such thing as bad luck.

 

We were a cracking team on the up. Now we're a moribund shower of shite.

 

Cheers Derek. As an adult man you should know there is always a consequence. Always a consequence.

 

You had the opportunity to be the man who changed everything, but you gave it up.

[rocket_scientist]

I didn't say bad luck. I agree that you make your own luck, in life as well as performance.

 

Karma is a completely different concept entirely. Not one that most understand far less appreciate.

[Graeme_S]

Are we absolutely sure that we're now underachieving after our record start?

I'm starting to think we were ridiculously over achieving for the first 8 games now.

a combination of us being in our stride from the off thanks to our early european start, and other teams being shit.

Have things now regressed to the mean?

 

Watching the f**king outrageous attitude applied today by pretty much everyone was a stark reminder of the 19 years leading up to Rooney's penalty at parkhead. Going 1 nil up after 6 mins and then basically strolling about as if it was an end of season game in the bottom 6 with f**k all to play for. It was infuriating.

There's few things in football that enrage me more than a team suddenly chasing every ball in the last 10 mins when they are brought back level having led most of the match. It just proves that up to that point, they have been giving less than 100% which is unacceptable.

Although even with the obvious extra effort, it was still Hamilton who had the better chances to go on and win it.

 

3 points were there for the taking today, but in truth we ended up stealing 1.

[rocket_scientist]

Yes we probably did overachieve but not ridiculously. It's not like the opposition was good.

 

But if this is a regression to the mean, it's not good enough.

 

For the specific reasons you gave. Shite attitude and commitment.

 

Something is wrong with this squad. They're definitely capable of better than this.

[Reidzer 1314]

I just dont understand how we can go from that team that won 8 on the bounce to the team that we are currently, we are truly awful, how does such a rapid decline just happen overnight??

 

McInnes I dont think knows how to get us back on form, to me he looks completely lost.

 

[manc_don]

I just dont understand how we can go from that team that won 8 on the bounce to the team that we are currently, we are truly awful, how does such a rapid decline just happen overnight??

 

McInnes I dont think knows how to get us back on form, to me he looks completely lost.

 

Sadly, it's looking more an more like this is correct.  The substitutions (Smith aside - who I thought should have been brought on sooner) were not the right ones. 

[Goldie03]

Are we absolutely sure that we're now underachieving after our record start?

I'm starting to think we were ridiculously over achieving for the first 8 games now.

a combination of us being in our stride from the off thanks to our early european start, and other teams being shit.

Have things now regressed to the mean?

 

Watching the f**king outrageous attitude applied today by pretty much everyone was a stark reminder of the 19 years leading up to Rooney's penalty at parkhead. Going 1 nil up after 6 mins and then basically strolling about as if it was an end of season game in the bottom 6 with f**k all to play for. It was infuriating.

There's few things in football that enrage me more than a team suddenly chasing every ball in the last 10 mins when they are brought back level having led most of the match. It just proves that up to that point, they have been giving less than 100% which is unacceptable.

Although even with the obvious extra effort, it was still Hamilton who had the better chances to go on and win it.

 

3 points were there for the taking today, but in truth we ended up stealing 1.

 

These 2 remarks sum it up for me along with the inability of McInnes to make a decent sub at the right time in the game. Every one of us who was there yesterday knew Hamilton were gonna equalise and also that we didn't have it in us to produce a winner. I don't see McInnes turning it round - we have good players and in the league that we are in with tims playing the way they are we should be looking like a side that can challenge not one that might scrape top 6. Hamilton got their point cause they worked hard for 90 mins and pushed us. What the fuck were our players doing for 84 mins after we scored!! At least I got to go into Glasgow and do some Christmas shopping after but that must have been a long journey back up north!!

[manc_don]

Reaching his 100th game in charge tomorrow. 57% winning record.

 

 

Hopefully the rough patch that we had in October / November was just that and he and the rest of the management and team have learnt from it all. Keep up the work! Hopefully make it nine from nine for games against Killie at Rugby Park.

[tlg1903]

True dat. Killie away has classically been a tough fixture for us but I am confident we have enough about us to win comfortably.

 

Out

Playing darts

Online commentary playing darts

Walk the dog

3-1 dons Taylor, Rooney, Mcginn

[manc_don]

BOSS Derek McInnes today warned the best has yet to come from the Dons as he marks a landmark 100th league game at the helm.

 

The 44-year-old was today set to complete a century of Premiership games when he leads out the Reds away to Kilmarnock.

 

Regardless of the outcome of today’s fixture at Rugby Park McInnes will boast a better winning record in his first league ton than legend Sir Alex Ferguson.

 

Gothenburg great Sir Alex won 47 of his first 100 league games at Pittodrie and delivered the top flight title, the first for 25 years.

 

McInnes was today seeking his 57th league victory.

 

McInnes, who also secured League Cup glory last year, took over the Dons in the bottom six and led them to a first runners-up finish last season, the first since 1994.

 

This season the Dons set a club record league start of eight straight wins and trail league leaders Celtic by four points.

 

“The challenge is to keep improving and the players, like me, want to achieve more.

 

“We all feel we can cover more both on and off the pitch.

 

“We believe we can improve things further here and there is still a long way to go before we get to where we want to be.

 

“We can be fairly pleased with what has been done over the last two-and-a-half years and everyone deserves credit for that.

 

“However, we want to improve on that again and hopefully after 200 games we will have a similar win record or even better.

 

“Tony (Docherty, assistant manager) and I committed for four years because we feel we’ve only just started the job.

 

“We signed a new deal to try to get that stability and also send out a message we are here, we are happy and want to try to drive on and achieve more.”

 

McInnes may have a stronger win record than Sir Alex but the Manchester United legend delivered a league title in his opening 100 games at Pittodrie.

 

That was achieved in a league with a strong Rangers, who have been absent from the top flight during McInnes’ run.

 

Last season Hearts and Hibs were also out of the top flight.

 

However, the significance of McInnes’ league record cannot be underplayed.

 

He has transformed a bottom six team into Scotland’s second force with aspirations of a title tilt, although no one within Pittodrie is willing to publicly admit that.

 

McInnes believes the success of the club off the park will also help fuel his bid to deliver silverware.

 

In the last year the Dons wiped out crippling debts of £14.49m to operate in the black for the first time since the mid-1990s and also announced a record operating turnover of £13.077m.

 

He said: “We have a strong board that recognise the work everybody has done in the football department. They recognise how committed everybody is.

 

“Every manager looks for a board that will support him in good times and bad times.

 

“Being debt free is massive for the future and we are going the right way off the pitch.

 

“Getting things right off the pitch will help us on the pitch.

 

“Likewise, getting things right on the pitch will help us off it.”

[mini59dons]

That was achieved in a league with a strong Rangers, who have been absent from the top flight during McInnes’ run.

Last season Hearts and Hibs were also out of the top flight.

 

Erm A Strong Rangers that finished 5th? Behind Celtic, St Mirren and Dundee Utd. Hibs Finished Bottom and Hearts finished top of Division one!!