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Saturday 23rd November 2024 - kick-off 3pm

Scottish Premiership - St Mirren v Aberdeen

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Posted

A week away yet (seems like an eternity) and hopefully we'll have a couple of new faces in by then too.  Club has said that over 16,500 tickets have been sold so far. Hopefully make for a cracking atmosphere!

 

Game is also live on Sky Sports 1 for those further afield  :thumbsup:

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Posted

Steven McLean. Marginally better than Gollum

 

Correct  :-\

 

First half of this interview should be posted in the dressing room wall. To have a player like Jess who actually thrived in games against the dhims would be brilliant. The bit in bold is especially true, the team need to believe.

 

Aberdeen legend Eoin Jess today said the Dons must beat Celtic next week to have any chance of winning the league title.

 

Derek McInnes’ side, who trail the reigning champions by six points, host the Hoops at Pittodrie in a top-of-the-table clash on Wednesday night.

 

Aberdeen won the previous clash in the Granite City in September after fighting back from a goal down to win 2-1.

 

However, they have not won both home league games in a season against Celtic in 25 years.

 

Midfielder Jess was the hero in both of those games in the 1990-91 season, scoring twice in the 3-0 win in November 1990, before grabbing the only goal of the game in April 1991.

 

“If you want to have dreams of winning the title, these are the sort of games you have to win,” said Jess.

 

“It has always been the case that if you want to win anything you have to beat Rangers or Celtic.

 

“With the league the way it is at the moment it is a big game to hopefully win and keep in touch with Celtic.

 

“This is a very big game and the players will know that.

 

“This is their opportunity to close the gap.

 

“I don’t think a draw is good enough.

 

“I know there is still a long way to go, but a draw is not good enough as I don’t think Celtic will drop that many points.

 

“Very rarely do they drop points at home or away, which is why this game is so important.

 

“With the situation Aberdeen are in at the moment, with Celtic being first and the Dons in second, and Aberdeen having started off so well at the start of the season by going top of the league, there is a bit of an expectation this could be their year.

 

“However, the pressure is probably more on Celtic than Aberdeen on this occasion.

 

“The expectation on Celtic is huge as they are expected to win the title and expected to go to Pittodrie and win games.

 

“But Aberdeen definitely have to go and win it if they have any chance of pushing for the title.”

 

During Jess’ first spell at Pittodrie, before a move to Coventry City in 1996, he was a regular tormentor of the Old Firm.

 

Indeed, between the period of May 1990 and November 1995 the Portsoy-born player scored 13 times against the Glasgow pair.

 

The former Scotland international believes the Dons must not be afraid to take the game to the Hoops next week if they are to once again do the home double over them.

 

“From a personal point of view I used to thrive on those occasions,” added Jess, who sits 10th on the Dons’ all-time appearance list after playing 379 times for the club between 1987-2001.

 

“People used to say that I played my best football against Rangers and Celtic.

 

“But I think those games were more suited to me, and I thrived on the atmosphere and playing against top players.

 

“You have to be at your best against top players and Rangers and Celtic at that time had those players.

 

You can’t go in treading on egg shells, you have to go and believe that you can get the result.

 

“At that time I played alongside some top players with Alex McLeish, Hans Gillhaus, Jim Bett, Stewart McKimmie and Davie Robertson, who were all internationals.

 

“But Aberdeen have some good players now and they are stamping their own legacy at Pittodrie and it is great to see.

 

“I will be watching to see how the result goes.”

 

The Dons head into next week’s game on the back of an impressive 10-game unbeaten run in the league, which stretches back to the last time they faced Celtic at Parkhead back in October.

 

Two good wins over Ross County and Dundee have also helped them get over the disappointment of their Scottish Cup exit to Hearts and Jess believes it could be the perfect time to come up against Ronny Deila’s men.

 

“Aberdeen had the great run at the start of the season,” Jess said of their eight-game winning streak that saw them surge to the top of the table.

 

“Obviously they had the sticky point after that, but every team has that at some point in the season. They have now gone 10 games unbeaten since then, which is a great thing in itself.

 

“That breeds confidence and hopefully that will go into the game against Celtic.

 

“It is probably a good time to get Celtic at home as it may be a good opportunity to go and win the game and get the points.

 

“Winning games and playing well gives you confidence, so I am sure the Aberdeen players will be very confident going into the game.

 

“Celtic are doing well just now, so it will be a difficult game, but hopefully they can get the result that is needed.”

 

Winning both home games against Celtic 25 years ago very nearly helped the Dons to claim the league title.

 

Aberdeen managed to go into the final game of the season just needing a draw away to Rangers to clinch the league, but they would fall to a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox to agonisingly miss out.

 

That season remains the closest the Dons have come to finishing top of the pile in the last two and a half decades, but Jess believes the once enormous gulf is shortening with each passing season.

 

“Celtic might not be as strong as they used to be, but they are still top of the league, and they are still stronger than anyone else at the moment,” Jess said.

 

“But that gap is getting shorter. They are no longer 20-30 points ahead, so it is getting closer and closer.”

Posted

McInnes's team for tomorrow night then?

 

I don't believe McInnes will stick with Storie against der Tim, unless as part of a 5-4-1. I don't think he'll trust him.

 

I think he'll go with:

 

---------------Broon------------------

----------------------------------------

---Taylor---Reynolds---Considine---

Logan-------------------------Shinnie

----------------------------------------

--McGinn--McLean--Storie--Hayes--

----------------------------------------

--------------Rooney-----------------

 

Not sure what I'd go with. I'd have signed a f'n central midfielder.

Posted

McInnes's team for tomorrow night then?

 

I don't believe McInnes will stick with Storie against der Tim, unless as part of a 5-4-1. I don't think he'll trust him.

 

I think he'll go with:

 

---------------Broon------------------

----------------------------------------

---Taylor---Reynolds---Considine---

Logan-------------------------Shinnie

----------------------------------------

--McGinn--McLean--Storie--Hayes--

----------------------------------------

--------------Rooney-----------------

 

Not sure what I'd go with. I'd have signed a f'n central midfielder.

 

Think that'd be showing Celtic a bit too much respect.

 

I think Shinnie has to be at left back, we can't have Considine there.

 

I also believe that Deila will go with Brown in midfield and I would love to see us put someone with pace up against him, get them running off him and get Brown running towards his own goal. One of McGinn, Hayes or Pawlett could do that job with McLean and Storie behind.

Posted

Think that'd be showing Celtic a bit too much respect.

 

I think Shinnie has to be at left back, we can't have Considine there.

 

I also believe that Deila will go with Brown in midfield and I would love to see us put someone with pace up against him, get them running off him and get Brown running towards his own goal. One of McGinn, Hayes or Pawlett could do that job with McLean and Storie behind.

 

Agreed, perhaps my diagram wasn't great, but Consi was left of a back three, with Shinne at Left wing back. Sort of like how McInnes set-up in Europe at times. If it was me, I'd go with your suggestion and have Pawlett running at Brown all day long. Lost count of the number of times Brown has had to foul Pawlett over the games they've played against each other - he really struggles against him. I'm just not convinced McInnes will see it that way and will take the cautious approach - especially if Storie is in there.

 

An alternative - that McInnes might go for - is a back three with Hayes wing back and Shinnie in midfield alongside McLean and Pawlett close to Rooney. That would maybe alleviate any concerns over Storie and also retain pace on the left and cover at the back. If I remember, we set up in similar fashion in the 2-1 game with a back three of Taylor, Quinn and Considine at the back and Shinnie alongside Jack (think McLean played further forward instead of Pawlett), with McGinn hanging around looking for Jay in the crowd.

 

Posted

I'm all excited for this game tonight. Dunno why. We always get let down in big games. It's the bad karma of the Milne stewardship. Plus our squad isn't good enough to win the league. Neither is our manager. But it's the biggest game of our season so far and as a perennial optimist, hope springs eternal and never dies.

 

The only decision I need to make is where to eat and how much drink to consume. We're meeting at 4.30 so plenty of time for a good bevvy but whereas drinking too much will inevitably heighten the emotions - whether elation or disgust  - I couldn't be arsed getting hungover. Might just sip on 4 or 5 pints to take it easy.

 

Fuck Celtic and their shite manager. Wanker. Charlatan Norwegian wanker.

Posted

Bad feeling about tonight which logically I should not have as this is a shite Celtic team who should hold no fear for us managed by an incompetent buffoon. But no matter how shite they are they rarely lose two in a row and will be hurting after the beating they took on Sunday. Bad feeling not helped by our lacklustre window and habit of shitting the bed whenever there is a big crowd or a bit of pressure. At least the team picks itself.

 

Oot

Work

Flat

Bed

2-0 Tims - I know pessimistic cunt.

Posted

My head says you're absolutely correct. If I was forced to bet, my money would be on an away win.

 

Hope we're both wrong. My heart wants to believe though.

 

Every time I believe, we fail. I'm quite happy that I don't have any expectations of this game (despite being excited). I know you said McInnes isn't good enough to win the league but I don't think Delia is either, he's just fortunate that others haven't managed to do quite enough around him.  Nothing to do with his managerial ability.

Posted

Every time I believe, we fail. I'm quite happy that I don't have any expectations of this game (despite being excited). I know you said McInnes isn't good enough to win the league but I don't think Delia is either, he's just fortunate that others haven't managed to do quite enough around him.  Nothing to do with his managerial ability.

 

Tim in the work has said on a couple of occasions they are winning league despite Ronnie the Roar being in charge not because of him. He fully expects Ronnie to be invited to find new career challenges come May especially if the tribute act are promoted.

Posted

Tim in the work has said on a couple of occasions they are winning league despite Ronnie the Roar being in charge not because of him. He fully expects Ronnie to be invited to find new career challenges come May especially if the tribute act are promoted.

 

 

I'd be surprised if it took as long as that for that "invitation" to be forthcoming.

Posted
At least the team picks itself.

 

Does it? I think there are several unknowns in regard to team selection tonight. Stick with Storie? Play the new guy? Considine, Reynolds or both? I'm quite intrigued to see our starting 11.

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