The January window

[thestewart84]

From what I've seen above and the limited coverage down south, I'd say a decent ball playing midfielder would help. If the midfield could hold on to the ball, the weakness at centre-back would be dealt with. Jack's problem is everything is backward and sideways, which always ends up inviting pressure and doesn't stretch the opposition up and down the pitch.

I think the good sign is that we are only maybe 1 or 2 players away from being a much better team - McInnes is sometimes too keen to sign "flexible" players - their form them dips when they have to move all over (Shinnie). I don't think it would be awful if McGinn left, he's been a good servant at times but is too prone to going walkies.

 

A Heikkenin player would be ideal, but I've never seen a manager who had a 100% signing record...

[rocket_scientist]

I'm not sure it is to be fair to McInnes. He bought the very best players from other teams (or who had been at other teams), who were streets ahead like Rooney, McLean and Shinnie who have improved our team. But otherwise we've just had punts in defence like Quinn and Morris which haven't quite worked out. Lewis, O'Connor, Taylor, Logan, Maddison, Burns and plenty of failures have all been from down south with no prior SPL experience.

 

I agree that McInnes has bought very well in Logan, Shinnie and McLean* and if he took in Rooney, then him too. He's also had some howlers, Calvin Zola making George Weah's cousin look competent. He's also taken in a couple of excellent loanee keepers and as I saw after 15 minutes in his debut and posted on here, Maddison is an excellent footballer.

 

His recruitment record is therefore mixed but definitely in credit, one positive aspect of his tenure. But recruitment is only one part of the job. I consider Arsene Wenger as having one of the best recruitment records in football management history, Henry and Bergkamp being the pinnacles of very many exceptionally gifted footballers that he took in and revitalising Thierry's career in the process. But he's a shit manager. He doesn't have enough cunt about him. No successful operator didn't have a degree of cunt about them and Arsene's schoolteacher cerebral approach works great in talent identification but doesn't work to inspire and motivate a collective bunch of superb talents to win. Ranieri and Leicester had a freak 2015/16 season obviously but they played with a passion and belief and with total teamwork and with a freedom the likes of which we never see in a Wenger side.

 

McInnes might have had some successes in recruitment but he's got more negatives and debits in his overall management performance record. Another manager who will never go on to bigger and better things after AFC and even if he fluked the Rangers job - and the bread man is a worse manager than him - then he won't create a record in history as being a good manager. He's reached his limit.

 

* He's another one who has regressed big time after a hugely promising first few months at AFC.

[RicoS321]

Well, aye, but this aboot the transfer window. But if we could bottle "cunt" and sell it, yid make a fortune in the wanky EPL. They'd be all over cunt like an EPL coach in a boys club.

 

 

[Elgindon]

I'd be tempted to see what Reynolds could do in midfield with the reserves...a random idea but could bring him out his shell.Not imposing enough in defence

[RicoS321]

I'd be tempted to see what Reynolds could do in midfield with the reserves...a random idea but,maybe the change to restart his career

 

He's not very good at football. In fact, he's awful with the ball.

[1903_Redz]

I'd be tempted to see what Reynolds could do in midfield with the reserves...a random idea but could bring him out his shell.Not imposing enough in defence

 

Christ, i know you said to try this in the reserves but could you imagine the uproar if he tried it in the first team?!?! 

 

Why does there never seem to be any good young players coming up through the lower leagues in Scotland? I thought we were on to something when we signed Shankland as he was the first in donkeys to come from Scotlands lower leagues but it turned out he was the donkey!

 

Andy Robertson now at Hull via Jute Utd would appear to be the only decent player to come from the lower leagues for a long time.

 

I think John McGinn at Hibs is a good player and would suit us.

[LA-Don]

We missed the boat on McGinn, he'd be over 500k, prob a million plus now.Whatever has happened to our European scouting network? We could certainly do with a Heikkinen, Arnason, Deloumeaux, even Touzani or Fern Snoyl! Don't get me wrong, there's been a hell of a load of shit too.

[BobbyBiscuit]

We missed the boat on McGinn, he'd be over 500k, prob a million plus now.Whatever has happened to our European scouting network? We could certainly do with a Heikkinen, Arnason, Deloumeaux, even Touzani or Fern Snoyl! Don't get me wrong, there's been a hell of a load of shit too.

 

Deloumeaux was signed from Motherwell - granted, that is still in Europe but there is the language barrier and the inevitable quarantine situation to consider... 

 

But your point is something which has annoyed me about DM in the transfer market.  We look to England and Scotland and England is a bloated market where value for money is very hard to come by.  I don't believe we have a scouting network in Europe anymore, think cost was the driving factor in that. 

 

[Nips_and_Tatties]

Scenario:

 

I work for Aberdeen. Someone tells me or I find out for myself that there is a very good midfielder who plays for...hmm let's say a team playing in Greece.

 

Flight- £150

Accommodation- 4 nights @ 80/night

Food- £160

Transport- £100

Match ticket- £15

 

Total-£745 to go watch

 

 

We can't afford it???

 

[BobbyBiscuit]

Would imagine a "Scouting Network" would also involve paying wages for scouts.

[Elgindon]

Christ, i know you said to try this in the reserves but could you imagine the uproar if he tried it in the first team?!?! 

 

Why does there never seem to be any good young players coming up through the lower leagues in Scotland? I thought we were on to something when we signed Shankland as he was the first in donkeys to come from Scotlands lower leagues but it turned out he was the donkey!

 

Andy Robertson now at Hull via Jute Utd would appear to be the only decent player to come from the lower leagues for a long time.

 

I think John McGinn at Hibs is a good player and would suit us.

 

A last throw of the dice option for Reynolds      All that defensive frustration unleashed as a new midfield revelation is discovered   

[Ten Caat]

Mark Reynolds in midfield?? 

 

Id rather see Debbie Reynolds play there 

 

Down buc.....down 

[tlg1903]

Deloumeaux was signed from Motherwell - granted, that is still in Europe but there is the language barrier and the inevitable quarantine situation to consider... 

 

But your point is something which has annoyed me about DM in the transfer market.  We look to England and Scotland and England is a bloated market where value for money is very hard to come by.  I don't believe we have a scouting network in Europe anymore, think cost was the driving factor in that.

 

Lewis, Logan, O Connor have all been successes.  Weigh that up against Taylor and brown as negatives (Im not talking about loans because theres been a few duds with that for sure) and his record in england is pretty decent.  When he's got it right he's really got it right in other words.  If we were to go foreign i would like to go scandinavian, good spoken english and you don't see too many lazy scandinavian players.  I've been saying for coming on two years now we need a def midfielder, a new marcus heikinnen would be amazing!

[francis_begbie]

We need a proper central midfielder a barry robson at his peak type

 

Would be great to get a midfielder in the Robson mould. Even a centre midfielder from a lesser Scottish club with potential would do. Is this Tansey. As with the last few seasons, we have signed guys who are just keeping the bench warm and not making a contribution. Deffo need a couple of players who are going to contend for first team places.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Lewis, Logan, O Connor have all been successes.  Weigh that up against Taylor and brown as negatives (Im not talking about loans because theres been a few duds with that for sure) and his record in england is pretty decent.  When he's got it right he's really got it right in other words.  If we were to go foreign i would like to go scandinavian, good spoken english and you don't see too many lazy scandinavian players.  I've been saying for coming on two years now we need a def midfielder, a new marcus heikinnen would be amazing!

 

I didn't say there weren't successes - he's signed some really good players for us. I said the market is bloated which it undoubtedly is, which makes it harder to get value for money.  Zola was an utter disaster, and he wasn't a loan. But I'm not sure why you're discounting loans, maybe to bolster the argument you thought you were having with me...

 

Stockley has hardly been a rip-roaring success, in fact I'll probably never forgive him for his miss last Saturday.

 

Why would you deliberately cut down your signing options when the world is as small as it's ever been?

[Reidzer 1314]

Bring back Khalid Aucho!

[BigAl]

Bring back Khalid Aucho!

 

Fit aboot thon South African boy we apparently chased for long enough 

[TheDeeDon]

I do like Murray Davidson, but he is rather fragile. The boy Crawford from Hamilton would be a great signing, but I am sure he will end up at either one of the vermin or doon sooth.

 

PLaying some of our own youngster may be worth a go as well instead of taking in potential shite from other clubs.

[A llad insane]

McInnes, mentioning on radio tonight he could do with another midfielder, if i heard right.

[tlg1903]

I didn't say there weren't successes - he's signed some really good players for us. I said the market is bloated which it undoubtedly is, which makes it harder to get value for money.  Zola was an utter disaster, and he wasn't a loan. But I'm not sure why you're discounting loans, maybe to bolster the argument you thought you were having with me...

 

Stockley has hardly been a rip-roaring success, in fact I'll probably never forgive him for his miss last Saturday.

 

Why would you deliberately cut down your signing options when the world is as small as it's ever been?

 

Yeah, I'm the one that thought he was in an argument.  You're awfully snippy these days BB, what gives?  I discount loans because very often they are nothing more than glorified trials.  I did forget about zola but he was shipped back out again pretty quickly at least.  The only reason i posted was to show that however bloated a market england might be there are clearly still bargains to be had.

[francis_begbie]

Hearts seem to find decent players on the continent so why can't we.

 

The lower leagues in England are just awash with players. McInnes and Richardson have had a tough time separating the wheat from the chaff. Of players that were previously unknown to Aberdeen, Shay Logan is the outstanding signing. Taylor's first season saw him in most pundits 'team of the year'. O'Connor shows signs of turning into a decent signing and Joe Lewis looks a steady enough keeper. After that, the list is awash with Monakana, McLaughlin and the like. No better than the shite Calderwood signed really.

[rocket_scientist]

In my opinion, this discussion is void. Until the manager gets binned, it's all academic horseshit.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Yeah, I'm the one that thought he was in an argument.  You're awfully snippy these days BB, what gives?  I discount loans because very often they are nothing more than glorified trials.  I did forget about zola but he was shipped back out again pretty quickly at least.  The only reason i posted was to show that however bloated a market england might be there are clearly still bargains to be had.

 

How do you know they're bargains? Just because we didn't pay anything for them in way of a transfer fee doesn't mean we're getting value for money in terms of wages.

[RicoS321]

How do you know they're bargains? Just because we didn't pay anything for them in way of a transfer fee doesn't mean we're getting value for money in terms of wages.

 

I strongly suspect many of them are bargains. They're definitely punts though, most probably not scouted, or not scouted much, rather basing ability on recommendation (probably from the loaning team). That's fairly obvious given the range of levels we've seen. It does raise the question as to whether guys like Logan, Ward and Maddison were just pure luck. A worrying thought given the importance of all 3 positions when we signed the respective players.

[LA-Don]

Anyone think a move for Jason Cummings in January is a good idea? Seems to have lost his way a little this year (or perhaps injured, I don't know) since I've not heard much about him. Surely we can pay cash plus one of Pawlett/Storey/Taylor/Reynolds?? Rooney and Stockley aren't exactly banging in the goals......although being in and out of the line up weekly doesn't help.