Dhims - Dons Wednesday 745

[RicoS321]

Not the worst performance. At least we played the same team. Our first 11 is good, but a look to the bench shows a dearth of talent. Storey looks pretty clueless, but could have been on 10 minutes earlier as Rooney wasn't in the game. Hayes poor tonight. Thought Considine, Reynolds, Jack, Shinnie and McLean were decent. Taylor should be told just to kick it whatever way he's facing. We weren't good enough to win tonight, they're just a much better team who didn't look uncomfortable.

 

I'd actually say Reynolds is somewhere close to being a good centre half again. Reading the game very well like he used to and playing to his strengths by not trying to play fitba.

[RicoS321]

Not a single shot on target. Well beaten again.

 

Considine header? More like a pass back like.

[BigAl]

Not a single shot on target. Well beaten again.

 

As an aside the commentators on Celtic TV are hilarious. Stereotypical victim fc fans.

 

Can't disagree with the well beaten comment, however BBC report stats of Celtic one effort on target and Aberdeen two on target.

[BobbyBiscuit]

We can get Chrome on a Mac. A Mac is not a barrier to the internet.

 

[Elgindon]

Not the worst performance. At least we played the same team. Our first 11 is good, but a look to the bench shows a dearth of talent. Storey looks pretty clueless, but could have been on 10 minutes earlier as Rooney wasn't in the game. Hayes poor tonight. Thought Considine, Reynolds, Jack, Shinnie and McLean were decent. Taylor should be told just to kick it whatever way he's facing. We weren't good enough to win tonight, they're just a much better team who didn't look uncomfortable.

 

I'd actually say Reynolds is somewhere close to being a good centre half again. Reading the game very well like he used to and playing to his strengths by not trying to play fitba.

 

  Agree about Reynolds,doubted he'd ever get back to form, but impressed the last couple of games.

 

  We must be able to give more of an attacking threat than we did though?. Frustrating

[LA-Don]

Well, not totally surprising. Thought we were decent in the first half but second half we went back to how we've played and failed against Celtic in the past. We sat back and let them play and gave us no chance of winning.....or even scoring. One header on target but other than that a very easy night for Craig Gordon. Celtic also missed chances - we couldn't string passes together but I have to praise Celtic here, they pressed the shit out of us and gave us little time on the ball and that totally shut out Hayes and McGinn.

 

Thought Shinnie put in a power of work in midfield. Not convinced by Jack or McLean. Both gave very little in possession and in attack and if our best central midfielder is our left back we have issues.

 

We had no attacking tactical play by the looks of things, nothing through Rooney. Don't understand the Storey sub, why play another player to do exactly the same thing as Rooney totally ineffectively did.

 

What do we have on the bench? Lump the ball up to Stockley.....booo! Pawlett has had his chance long ago and is average at best. Tonight proved when we needed inspiration off the bench and we had nothing - we needed a new midfielder or two to come on and give us spark or energy but we don't have that. I know we got Christie but one or two more January signings would have been nice. I don't blame the market, all clubs have to deal with that, I blame our club for a lack of effort.

 

January proved we're happy to be where we are. We chose not to improve and have accepted that this squad will hopefully get us second place rather than kick on, get better players, and try to pull away from Rangers and Hearts.

[Nips_and_Tatties]

Abdolutely la don

[rocket_scientist]

Well, not totally surprising.

 

Quite. Utterly predictable home win.

 

 

January proved we're happy to be where we are. We chose not to improve and have accepted that this squad will hopefully get us second place rather than kick on, get better players, and try to pull away from Rangers and Hearts.

 

Really? WE are happy?

 

I know what you mean and I reckon we would agree. It is Milne and McInnes who are happy. Milne's focus isn't football. McInnes is just happy to get a wage. Any Aberdeen fan with an ounce of self respect and a dusting of alpha male winning mentality wouldn't be happy. Any decent, ambitious AFC footballer wouldn't be happy. But we're not in charge, our opinions don't count and there are more losers than winners in life, considerably more.

[manc_don]

Can't disagree with the well beaten comment, however BBC report stats of Celtic one effort on target and Aberdeen two on target.

 

They didn't have many chances (on target), despite Lewis being very busy and alert. Deserved nothing from that game.

 

Find it hard to disagree with you LA, we don't know what goes on behind the scenes but mcinnes is always shite in the January transfer window,  incredibly infuriating

[Tyrant]

Celtic could go the rest of the season without dropping a point if that's how one their closest competitors plays against them. Impotent performance. We deserved nothing. They badly missed Rogic and Dembele and were a long way from unbeatable but we played with fear and our midfield was missing. We struggled to string two passes together and a lapse in concentration cost us a goal. I thought defensively we mostly looked pretty good. Jack for me was easily our MOTM the match. Best performance I've seen from him in ages. I'd go as far as to say that was a proper captain's performance. When we did get into their final third we hoofed the ball back to Gordon or just out of play. Very frustrating night. I don't mind getting beat when we have a go and fight but I didn't see much of that.

 

Special mention to the referee of last night's match Scott Brown. Cunt.

[Stewart]

Not a single shot on target. Well beaten again.

 

As an aside the commentators on Celtic TV are hilarious. Stereotypical victim fc fans.

 

Not getting Beaton 12 on the back of your Dons top then?

[Edinburghdon]

They didn't have many chances (on target), despite Lewis being very busy and alert. Deserved nothing from that game.

 

Find it hard to disagree with you LA, we don't know what goes on behind the scenes but mcinnes is always shite in the January transfer window,  incredibly infuriating

 

He's not though is he? Granted last years January window was very disappointing, this years one was disappointing from a new additions perspective but prior to that he's made some really important signings in January.

 

I'd like to think he just couldnt get the player(s) he wanted this January transfer window and resisted making panic signings and blowing the budget on shite to fill in until his real targets became available in the summer but we'll never know.

[Reidzer 1314]

Well, not totally surprising. Thought we were decent in the first half but second half we went back to how we've played and failed against Celtic in the past. We sat back and let them play and gave us no chance of winning.....or even scoring. One header on target but other than that a very easy night for Craig Gordon. Celtic also missed chances - we couldn't string passes together but I have to praise Celtic here, they pressed the shit out of us and gave us little time on the ball and that totally shut out Hayes and McGinn.

 

Thought Shinnie put in a power of work in midfield. Not convinced by Jack or McLean. Both gave very little in possession and in attack and if our best central midfielder is our left back we have issues.

 

We had no attacking tactical play by the looks of things, nothing through Rooney. Don't understand the Storey sub, why play another player to do exactly the same thing as Rooney totally ineffectively did.

 

What do we have on the bench? Lump the ball up to Stockley.....booo! Pawlett has had his chance long ago and is average at best. Tonight proved when we needed inspiration off the bench and we had nothing - we needed a new midfielder or two to come on and give us spark or energy but we don't have that. I know we got Christie but one or two more January signings would have been nice. I don't blame the market, all clubs have to deal with that, I blame our club for a lack of effort.

 

January proved we're happy to be where we are. We chose not to improve and have accepted that this squad will hopefully get us second place rather than kick on, get better players, and try to pull away from Rangers and Hearts.

 

Agree with all of this.

 

The squad still needed improving even after the Summer transfer window closed, everyone could see it. For some reason however the club decided not to do it in January. Bemusing.

[manc_don]

He's not though is he? Granted last years January window was very disappointing, this years one was disappointing from a new additions perspective but prior to that he's made some really important signings in January.

 

I'd like to think he just couldnt get the player(s) he wanted this January transfer window and resisted making panic signings and blowing the budget on shite to fill in until his real targets became available in the summer but we'll never know.

 

Bar Shinnie, which was a Jan pre contract from memory, I can't think of any?

 

I don't disagree with the last sentence, but given how close things are, you'd have thought that it was worth pushing the boat out and identifying the deficiencies that have been plain as day for a couple of seasons?  We cannot, under any circumstances, anywhere other than second.  Targets will have be known for some time and should have been closed out.

[Edinburghdon]

Bar Shinnie, which was a Jan pre contract from memory, I can't think of any?

 

I don't disagree with the last sentence, but given how close things are, you'd have thought that it was worth pushing the boat out and identifying the deficiencies that have been plain as day for a couple of seasons?  We cannot, under any circumstances, anywhere other than second.  Targets will have be known for some time and should have been closed out.

 

I'd try harder mate, off the top of my head Rooney, Logan and McLean were all signed in January.

 

That's all well and good identifying targets, them being available midway through a season is a different story though. Don't get me wrong I think we should have strengthened however I do understand the players of the standard we need are not always available in January, so it's not cut and dried that McInnes hasn't bothered to sign the players we need (and I'm sure he also sees it).

 

Might be an unpopular opinion but I'd much rather wait for him to win the right players than wasting money on players just to fill a jersey.

 

He's also made it clear the target is 2nd...

 

[BigAl]

I'd try harder mate, off the top of my head Rooney, Logan and McLean were all signed in January.

 

That's all well and good identifying targets, them being available midway through a season is a different story though. Don't get me wrong I think we should have strengthened however I do understand the players of the standard we need are not always available in January, so it's not cut and dried that McInnes hasn't bothered to sign the players we need (and I'm sure he also sees it).

 

Might be an unpopular opinion but I'd much rather wait for him to win the right players than wasting money on players just to fill a jersey.

 

He's also made it clear the target is 2nd...

 

Had post typed with Rooney, Logan and McLean but as went to post it noticed ED had beaten me to it.

Well done loon 

[manc_don]

I'd try harder mate, off the top of my head Rooney, Logan and McLean were all signed in January.

 

That's all well and good identifying targets, them being available midway through a season is a different story though. Don't get me wrong I think we should have strengthened however I do understand the players of the standard we need are not always available in January, so it's not cut and dried that McInnes hasn't bothered to sign the players we need (and I'm sure he also sees it).

 

Might be an unpopular opinion but I'd much rather wait for him to win the right players than wasting money on players just to fill a jersey.

 

He's also made it clear the target is 2nd...

 

Ha, I should have stuck with what I was originally going to write, which was two years, and despite McLean signing during that period it would have covered my back

 

I completely agree about the bit in bold though and fully appreciate that Jan is the worst window to try and do business in, however, given the circumstances it would have been good to see something come off.

[BigAl]

 

 

Special mention to the referee of last night's match Scott Brown. Cunt.

 

Howkers on P&B moaning ha we got away with murder, kicking anything hat moved and poor Broony was victimised by Beaton 

 

Deluded cunts the lot of them

[Edinburghdon]

Ha, I should have stuck with what I was originally going to write, which was two years, and despite McLean signing during that period it would have covered my back

 

I completely agree about the bit in bold though and fully appreciate that Jan is the worst window to try and do business in, however, given the circumstances it would have been good to see something come off.

 

Of course it would have been good for some of it to have come off, I'm sure the manager would feel the same.... doesn't nessesarily mean it was through lack of trying though.

[manc_don]

Of course it would have been good for some of it to have come off, I'm sure the manager would feel the same.... doesn't nessesarily mean it was through lack of trying though.

 

In fairness, I never said they weren't trying Just appear to have failed in closing one or two deals out which I accept happens, but we really could have done with closing them out in this window. 

[RicoS321]

Agree with all of this.

 

The squad still needed improving even after the Summer transfer window closed, everyone could see it. For some reason however the club decided not to do it in January. Bemusing.

 

I disagree to an extent. LA-Don says that our best central midfielder last night was our left back, but that blatantly isn't the case. Shinnie has clearly signed an extension as a centre mid, and in the same way as Jack isn't a right back, Shinnie isn't going to be a left back. That is clear. Given that information, do we still need a holding midfielder? The argument I had against the Draperites (far is he noo?) who were advocating getting a hard tackling midfielder is that we won't need a Draper or a Davidson, we need somebody better. Football has moved on, and just as Arneson wasn't good enough to play in midfield, neither is O'Connor or Draper and Davidson hasn't developed in the way St Johnstone probably hoped. Shinnie is a far more complete midfielder than any of those, in that he'll get up and down the pitch all day as well as being a strong runner with the ball. He's a similar build to Brown and strong in the challenge and has a fair streak of dirtiness when required.

 

The second point I'd make is that the problems we had in previous seasons are now no longer an issue. In previous seasons we struggled with numbers and fitness toward the end of the season. We also struggled with players who could adapt to the shitey pitches and winter conditions where direct hoofball was the only option. However, both those issues are removed because of the winter break. Our first 11 will easily see out the season without an issue unless injured or suspended. Last year it would have been acceptable to fill our squad with Stockleys, Storeys, Burnsss etc. and they could be relied upon to provide cover. We're just not in that market this season.

 

With Shinnie moving to midfield permanently and signing a new deal then we don't need another midfielder. Shinnie and Jack will be that partnership with McLean, Pawlett and Hayes providing adequate suspension cover. Christie is direct competition in the forward roll to replace Maddison, which will allow McLean to drop deeper at the expense of Considine, Shinnie or Jack to give a more attacking balance. Christie could be regarded as a game-changer, similar to Maddison.

 

Assuming the above is correct (otherwise my point is shite...), then I think our January requirements changed hugely as it got closer, and I think our post-window games and late-window games strengthened this point. It became apparent that we were balancing too large a squad and dropping points trying to involve players that didn't need involved. The easy step was cutting back the numbers to ensure we have less pissed off players. Getting rid of Burns, Morris, Storie was the right call. We then needed to look to the window not to bring in more numbers, but to bring in players that are game-changers. We weren't looking for first team starters or solid squad fillers like previously, but guys that can come on and make an impact immediately and shake the opposition. Players in the mould of Josh Magennis (but actual footballers), or a very tricky winger. That type of player is difficult to come by in January as everyone is looking for one. Sounds like we went for May but didn't get a deal, which would have given us another game-changer perhaps.

 

I would say that our requirements changed this season (unplanned for) and that has made our January a lot harder. It wouldn't have been acceptable to get another Burns, and we aren't looking for depth in numbers. Nor were we necessarily looking for a starter in any position in the first team (I'm sure if one became available that would have happened). Last season, someone like Tansey would have been fine to provide cover for midfield, Stockley for the winter months and so on, but we don't need that now. We can comfortably beat any team outside Celtic on our day and we'll be fit and strong enough to finish the season with the current first team. If anything, we could have afforded to lose a couple more in Pawlett and one of Stockley/Storey as they're not what we need.

[Jute]

Not getting Beaton 12 on the back of your Dons top then?

 

That was their best line by far. Those lads have to be on the wind up.

[LA-Don]

Ok, partly tongue in cheek but Shinnie was a left back when signed, Jack was always a midfielder. It's only recently DM apparently said that Shinnie was now a midfielder - was this actually said and Shinnie is now a permanent midfielder?? Sad that he outshines other established central midfielders who have been in the Scotland squad for that position. Shinnie is our best midfielder BY FAR and Jack and McLean are inconsistent. We also have no competition in midfield to push them on and that has already been expressed - the comfort level because of nobody fighting for places. We need fresh blood to help players kick on - is this a reason Jack and McLean haven't progressed over the last couple of years? We badly needed signings for Jack/McLean's position to help with depth/competition for places and we went backwards signing nobody and loaning Storie.

 

Disagree here with the winter break solving a problem, Shinnie is being run to death and don't see a 2 week winter break making much difference. We still trained and played in Dubai, we're not that rested. Our squad is smaller and I predict another shit finish to the season.  We have no depth in midfield and will get injuries, suspensions, and fatigue will kick in.

 

We play a 3 man center mid in a 4-2-3-1 - Jack, Shinnie, and McLean - other than Pawlett who'se had too many failed chances already and Christie we have no central mid cover. Neither of those 2 are midfield grafters and O'Connor is not a midfielder as proven. Paper thin. McLean is shit deep, he's proven that's not his position.

 

 

[RicoS321]

I think Jack is a better midfielder than Shinnie, and I also think that he's been fairly decent in a lot of games this season. When he's been played consistently alongside Shinnie in that 2 he's been very good - that was the start of the season and in the last 6 games. When played alongside someone who is liable to go AWOL (McLean mainly, but previously Flood), his movement becomes much poorer and his distribution slower - it's very noticeable, to the extent that I reckon McInnes must tell him to do it. He has to be more cautious due to his partner being the opposite. I think we could get a lot more out of him here still. I think you're right though, his improvement has stalled and he could be doing better but I don't think that is relevant as he's still a good player.

 

Shinnie looks fine to me, looked very fresh in recent games. A week off against Motherwell will do him good too! Your right, we're possibly thin(ish) on coverage, but my point was that we do have cover and unless we were going to get a player good enough for the first team I don't see the point in buying more. Pawlett, McLean, Hayes or even O'Connor in midfield wouldn't be first choice, but they can more than hold their own and wouldn't be the difference between winning and losing in that position.

 

It's a question of risk I suppose. To me, the risk of not getting centre midfield cover is a risk worth taking (unless somebody brilliant was available). Focusing on a striker - May - was also the right call as he's likely to win us games. That it fell through was disappointing. Last January, if we'd missed out on May, I'd have been happy for us to go out and sign anyone just about as we really needed numbers. This season, I don't see that as a problem. The type of player available in January is probably along the lines of Tansey etc. (who are no better than playing Pawlett, McLean) and we'd probably have to pay money for them, and be landed with them for 2 seasons. Better to wait until summer in my opinion, shed some of the crap (Storey, Storie, Stockley and Pawlett for example) and get in one or two decent replacements.

[tlg1903]

Some good well thought out post's here folks, well done.    I did hypothesise a few months back that perhaps shinnie himself prefers CM  than LB and it appears to be case.  Fair enough but IMO he's a better LB than he is  CM despite aquitting himself very well in that role.  I actually thought it was quite a good window for us, key players retained being the most important thing and i would have christie over maddigol if only for his experience in the league.  It's a shame about may but i suspect it's only a matter of time until we see him in a dons top.  Truth be told I want to see Storey given a chance, I really thought he was a handful at ICT.