Dons - Ventspils 745

[Leftside]

3-0, and two newbies scoring. Happy days 

 

Missed the game, decent performance?

 

some scrappy passages of play, they had one chance in each half.

3 - 0 maybe flatters a little, but well on top for most of the match, with a decent tempo.

 

Very satisfying outcome.

[tlg1903]

Was Rooney playing through the middle with Stockley?

[BobbyBiscuit]

Vast improvement on last week.

Should be enough to see us safely through

 

Yip, first half hour was a struggle, but from then on we played some good stuff and really got on top of them.

 

Praise to DM for going two up front, and it paid off immediately with Rooney dropping off and laying off to Hayes who provided a great ball for Stockley to head home.  Think we should be doing this more, especially at home.

 

McGinn, Hayes and Rooney played well tonight. Rooney with a great finish for the second, a Shearer-esque finish, on the half turn and sweeping the ball past the keeper.  Burns, despite only having 5 minutes or so certainly looked promising and scored a fine goal.

 

Taylor is still shite. And really should have had a red card for a hideous challenge at 0-0.

 

But well done Dons, good result. Rooney also now the Dons' 4th top European scorer on 8, behind Jarvie (10), Hewitt (12) and McGhee (14).  He was also a well deserved MotM tonight.

[Leftside]

Yip, first half hour was a struggle, but from then on we played some good stuff and really got on top of them.

 

Praise to DM for going two up front, and it paid off immediately with Rooney dropping off and laying off to Hayes who provided a great ball for Stockley to head home.  Think we should be doing this more, especially at home.

 

McGinn, Hayes and Rooney played well tonight. Rooney with a great finish for the second, a Shearer-esque finish, on the half turn and sweeping the ball past the keeper.  Burns, despite only having 5 minutes or so certainly looked promising and scored a fine goal.

 

Taylor is still shite. And really should have had a red card for a hideous challenge at 0-0.

 

But well done Dons, good result. Rooney also now the Dons' 4th top European scorer on 8, behind Jarvie (10), Hewitt (12) and McGhee (14).  He was also a well deserved MotM tonight.

 

Jack MoM for me, never lost the ball and kept going right up to the end, when he ran 40 yards to close down a defender resulting in a throw in for us.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I thought Jack did well in the second half, but the first was more of the "I'll just take the safe option here" stuff from him - obviously that's the right thing to do on occasion, but not every occasion and i think it's a habit he has to get out of if he's going to fulfil his talent.

[Leftside]

Was Rooney playing through the middle with Stockley?

 

Yes, they played as a 2 up front together.

[LA-Don]

Happy with the game and performance, thought Hayes and McGinn were up for it tonight which stretched them. Still think it's blatantly obvious from tonight that we lack a central midfield general. Surely with Flood and Robson away that signing is now coming.

 

4-4-2 is definitely the answer. I think Stockley is a very good signing, particularly when we have quality wide play to fire in crosses. Rooney and Stockley together is a real threat.

[baggy89]

Thought in the first two games Lewis looked suspect. Looked properly dodge tonight. He'll cost us points.

Stockley was good when he came on.

Rooney's finish was top.

Nice to see Wes get a wee boost.

Hayes targeted again.

Hopefully we get a good solid MF that allows the likes of MacLean, Jack, Wes, Storey to push forward and take the pressure (and hits) off McGinn and Rooney.

 

[RicoS321]

Jack MoM for me, never lost the ball and kept going right up to the end, when he ran 40 yards to close down a defender resulting in a throw in for us.

 

Yep, Jack for me as well, followed by Rooney. A special mention for Considine, who was the only one of our defence who was happy to play football. Reynolds and Taylor are a disastrous footballing combination who don't seem capable of the basics with a fitba (although coped well defensively tonight).

 

We did nothing for an hour, until we replaced an ineffective McLean with Stockley. Stockley seemed to be playing in behind Rooney when he came on, but naturally drifted forward into a 4-4-2 when we had the ball. Worked nicely. Wes Burns looks a decent height and strength, and a great finish for the third.

 

Loved our first goal, really nice fitba, and a good solid header from Stockley.

 

A comfortable 2-0 defeat next week with a jittery last ten and then on to the next round.

[RicoS321]

Taylor is still shite. And really should have had a red card for a hideous challenge at 0-0.

 

Nah min, he won the ball, it was a strong challenge but the boy was trying to get him red carded. You could tell he wasn't hurt because he was waving his sair leg about in the air. Cheating cunt. But you're right, he's still shite!

[manc_don]

 

Loved our first goal, really nice fitba, and a good solid header from Stockley.

 

Agree, was a very well worked goal! Thought Rooneys goal summed him up, didn't give up and it didn't really look like it was on, and burns' header was a very good finish. What a way to make your debut!

[Reidzer 1314]

First half performance was a little lackluster, we had plenty of the ball but we just couldn't break them down, McLean did have a good chance from a cross though but he just couldn't get his head on to it fully. It just felt with that starting line up that we were the away team in this tie and trying to defend some sort of advantage. 

 

Second half started the same but then McInnes pulled McLean for Stockley and that really changed the game for us. Jack seemed to become a different player and was getting involved with everything. Shinnie was also fighting for everything in the midfield. Thankfully the break through came and we then really just took the game to them and got another 2. 3 goals, 3 strikers and Storey was still on the bench!

 

Second half was certainly a much better performance, central midfield still needs addressed as does the defence, I though Taylor was awful and could have easily of seen red for his challenge. Considine was caught flat footed several and for me should not be anywhere near LB.

 

The attacking depth is sorted, just need to add something in midfield and at the back now please AFC.

 

 

[manc_don]

Should we progress, these are the teams we could face.  Draw being made on UEFA.com in 15 mins.

 

Some big teams in there!

 

[Reidzer 1314]

Lille please! 

[manc_don]

Maribor or levski sofia

[Tyrant]

Nae easy for fans to get to and tougher teams than the same stage last season!

[Reidzer 1314]

Not a bad draw.

 

Should we progress next week and then can get the either the defensive or midfield situation sorted by the next round I think we have a chance.

[RicoS321]

Not a bad draw.

 

Should we progress next week and then can get the either the defensive or midfield situation sorted by the next round I think we have a chance.

 

It's one of those in between ones though isn't it? Nae quite good enough to get the euro-hard-on yid associate with Sociedad, but probably still a better team(s) than us. Probably a bit like last season. We need a dnipro-like performance to get through. It'd be a good achievement. But probably no different to beating the Tims over two games.