SC Semi-final - Dons - HIVs - Sat 22 April - 12:15

[100% Anti Kingsford]

I agree.

 

27th May - It's the judgement day of all judgement days for Derek McInnes.

 

The biggest game any of the players will ever have had.

 

If we go into this game willing to be passengers we are finished - surely no argument with that.

 

It has to be 120% from 1 minute to last, tackles, bawling the face of Celtic players - it has to be something different.

 

What have McInnes and co learned from this season - any player watching.  We have to be up for it or we will get bossed.

[Elgindon]

We can beat them I am sure of that, but only if we play our game which means we have to attack them and we are capable of that. We also need to sort out the backline in the last 5 games, get god in to hammer into them how to clear their lines.

 

I don't want us going down just to make up the numbers we are better than that.

 

  Agreed,we need to keep on the front foot.The amount of times weve lost goals when weve tried to manage games  .Were just not good enough at it,nor does it suit us IMO.

  We had some bright spells of football yesterday,but other times a bit clumsy in the pass.And slow in ideas, or anticipation for the next pass.We'll need to be brighter in thought and movement going by the way Celtic quickly pressed today.Yesterday was useful in what not to do.

[100% Anti Kingsford]

If they turn up in usual McInnes mode - stand off, isolated Rooney up front we are fe*ked.

 

Needs to be super human effort, Stockley upfront to hold ball up, attack them from word go. 

 

 

 

 

[A llad insane]

Strange game, great start & the best (only) thing Rooney has done for months, but ineffective thereafter.  After our 2nd, thought we were going to blow them away, but our defenders all looked strangely jittery, Logan & Hayes were both shockingly off the pace. Hayes 2nd bad game in a row. Niall obviously wasnt fit enough as he wasnt running right.

Main thing though is our 1st S.C cup final for yonks, think we need another jaunt to Dubai to get refreshed before 27th May  My top dons were Shinnie & McLean.

[BobbyBiscuit]

For the first time in over 30 years of going to Dons matches, I missed an AFC goal... was just coming up the stairs when we heard the cheers, but great goal from Rooney, absolutely delighted for him. 76 in 123 apps now, is it?

 

The McLean debate... McLean played well but was infuriating at times.  A few times he lost the ball and was then walking back, and Hibs players were running past him to get to the ball/support play. Not sure what the thinking was with Shinnie playing further forward in the first 20 mins or so but when that was changed McLean came into it more.  His shooting is chronic though and was angry before he'd even hit that free kick in the second half as i knew there was no way he was even going close with it.  Hope he continues in this confident form though, his decision making can still improve but if it does, and with his technique he could become our most important player.

 

Defence - a lot of concerns. First of all, Logan seemed reluctant to go beyond the half way line on a lot of occasions where he normally would, very unlike him and we suffered for that as the game became very narrow for us.

 

Taylor and Reynolds - collectively shat themselves at the introduction of Holt. Seriously, two centre backs in Scottish football who are frightened of playing against a big front man? It's like a really crap premise of a horrendous ITV sitcom it's that ludicrous. Actually thought Reynolds was ok other than that mostly, but Taylor again costs us. The basics of defending - short ball made on the edge of the box, you have to follow the runner and trust your team mate is moving to the ball, but Taylor is drawn in by the ball and we're fucked. Great goal from a Hibs point of view, horror stuff from ours.

 

DM's decision to go 3 at the back was bizarre in the sense that the 3 at the back looked utterly lost  to the point of appearing to never have practiced the set up - the three of them were extremely narrow and were right on top of each other.

 

Even more bizarrely though was that Hibs seemed to stop playing when they got their equaliser and we came back into it.  Didn't think McGinn looked fit and it was probably a gamble having him there.  Fantastic that we got through, that wee bit of luck for Jonny, AOC throwing himself at everything in the last 5 mins too was great and loved seeing big Joe Lewis running up the park to celebrate with his team mates at the winning goal.

 

Words i never thought i'd say.... credit to Lennon.  He made a bold decision to change his team after half an hour and it worked instantly (we contributed to that right enough).

 

I know a lot of the above looks like a whinge, but they're more concerns than anything. I'm delighted to be in the Scottish Cup Final again, it's been far too long and there is surely no danger of us being as pea-hearted as November?

[BobbyBiscuit]

Stockley upfront to hold ball up, attack them from word go.

 

No.  Just no.

 

*edit - to Stockley that is.

[TheDeeDon]

I read the match programme last night and noticed they put in a picture of deek celebrating a cup final win with Rangers.    I know it was a long time ago, but still wasn't nice to see it.

[TheDeeDon]

Got a fine from Glasgow City Council through the post today for driving in a bus lane on the day of the semi. The fuckers should try and ensure their streets are better sign posted, must have been in it for about 5 seconds and the picture they sent clearly shows me leaving the lane. I hadn't a clue where I was let alone know I was in a bus lane.

[tom_widdows]

Got a fine from Glasgow City Council through the post today for driving in a bus lane on the day of the semi. The fuckers should try and ensure their streets are better sign posted, must have been in it for about 5 seconds and the picture they sent clearly shows me leaving the lane. I hadn't a clue where I was let alone know I was in a bus lane.

 

Which street?

[TheDeeDon]

Which street?

 

Hope Street.

[tom_widdows]

You mean the one way street with the red sections of tarmac, blue signs saying 'authorized vehicles only', and 'bus gate ahead', Road markings on the initial sections saying 'bus lane ahead', 'turn left except buses, bikes & taxis'?

 

https://goo.gl/maps/F8wK2gdPvRr

 

[TheDeeDon]

You mean the one way street with the red sections of tarmac, blue signs saying 'authorized vehicles only', and 'bus gate ahead', Road markings on the initial sections saying 'bus lane ahead', 'turn left except buses, bikes & taxis'?

 

https://goo.gl/maps/F8wK2gdPvRr

 

A lot of roadworks and build up of traffic were going on that day which made it a bit difficult to navigate our way around and as I said I don't think the signs were very clear as to what was happening, but fine is paid as pointless arguing the matter.