Well - dons - sun

[Ten Caat]

Stewart shouldve killed the game off there but went with left foot ( no shit) instead of curling into far corner with his right foot. Its actually very noticeable how many utterly 1 footed players we have in the side.

[manc_don]

How have McKenna and Arnie paired up?  Are we finally going to see a partnership being given a shot?

[TheDeeDon]

4 minutes of injury time...

[TheDeeDon]

How have McKenna and Arnie paired up?  Are we finally going to see a partnership being given a shot?

 

Willie and Gordhun Smith have been impressed by McKenna and thought him and Arnason played well. McKenna has not been pushed around which they have mentioned a few times. Hopefully the lad keeps his place and shows McInnes youth is the way.

[TheDeeDon]

YEs, 1-0. As the radio said, it wasn't pretty, but I think we need a few back to basic performances to try and figure out what our best line up is.

 

Good to see McKenna take his chance, we need our own kids coming through, instead of getting shotties of other clubs.

[Ten Caat]

FT but by fuck those last 4 minutes we were holding on just couldnt get the ball at all and giving away stupid dangerous free kicks

[DollyLongstaffe]

Really important result for us after Thursday.  Maybe we needed the reminder that you have to earn the right to play bonny fitba by matching the opposition for work-rate and desire first. 

 

Anyway brilliant result and well chuffed.

[tom_widdows]

Memories of two matches against the Arabs in the Calderwood Era

 

Sunday 27th February: 4-1 defeat at Tannadice in the Scottish cup QF (Byrne)

Wednesday 2nd March: 2-1 Win at Tannadice in the League (Diamond, Stewart)

 

 

[rocket_scientist]

Great character to pick up 3 points today. Well done to all. Special mention to Scott McK

[ayrshire_don74]

arnason and mckenna were very good shinnie also, kenny mclean is a fucking disgrace

[manc_don]

YEs, 1-0. As the radio said, it wasn't pretty, but I think we need a few back to basic performances to try and figure out what our best line up is.

 

Good to see McKenna take his chance, we need our own kids coming through, instead of getting shotties of other clubs.

 

Hopefully mciness sticks with that back four for a while and great to read that McKenna took his chance. Was important to get three points today, if only to get their heads up after the last week. I still can't believe some folk (elsewhere) are saying we miss Taylor. He was a nightmare. Aerial threat aside, he's caused us more problems than he mitigated.

[LA-Don]

I think it's pretty clear McLean can do whatever he wants. He's out of contract and can leave / precontract at New Year so DM won't drop him and run the risk of pissing him off. Christie, Stewart, and Tansey (obviously injured now) are better options in the #10 role, even Scott Wright given that freedom to roam would cause more problems.

 

Sounds from many like Shinnie and O'Connor holding today? How did that go?

 

Did we jump the gun on Reynolds signing a new deal? We have him, Considine, and McKenna I believe who are all left sided central defenders. Sounds like McKenna and Arnie showed that they should at least be given another game or two to prove they're the #1 central pairing?

[KennyFuckinPowers]

Can only go with what I saw on TV.

 

It was clear though in the first 20-25 minutes that McInnes had actually gotten it right this time & that the players were looking to make amends.

 

We were getting stuck in, and not making mistakes or hiding from the ball. The only negative for me was again, we lacked cutting edge and possibly could have sacrificed a defensive player and brought on Wright or Stewart to help keep the ball in the final third.

 

However, what has to be said, and yes, it was only one game, but Scott McKenna was genuinely solid. Dominated aerially and from early on made Moult aware that he was not for taking any shit, a couple of occasions he had little altercations with Moult and just threw him around.

 

It worked very well having Arnason beside him, and have to agree with the manager when he said they were as good as each other. O'Connor and Shinnie grafted and helped screen the defence well.

 

Overall, scrappy, far from entertaining, but a clean sheet, another 3 points on the board and it'll give the players a lift, a much needed lift. Glad to have been proved wrong today as I was expecting a similar performance to Thursday, but they all deserve credit.

[donsdaft]

I think it's pretty clear McLean can do whatever he wants. He's out of contract and can leave / precontract at New Year so DM won't drop him and run the risk of pissing him off.

 

 

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

If he's determined to leave ( and good riddance) then who gives a fuck if he's pissed off.

 

He should be training with the youngsters and left out of things as much as possible.

[rocket_scientist]

McLean should be nowhere near a start. The fact that he is is 100% down to shite management.

[LA-Don]

 

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

If he's determined to leave ( and good riddance) then who gives a fuck if he's pissed off.

 

He should be training with the youngsters and left out of things as much as possible.

 

I think it makes perfect sense. DM doesn't want him to leave and thinks he can still keep him. Why push him out the door if he wants him to re-sign? Same situation as Ryan Jack? (obviously I'm an outsider looking in.) Don't agree with it but why else does he play week in week out. What is he genuinely giving us these days?

[donsdaft]

What has he ever given us?

 

I've never seen him have a good game.

 

I know folk disagree with me and I admit I never liked him but he's shite and always has been.

[LA-Don]

If I recall, he played well the first 2-3 months of the 2016-17 season, scored in Europe and early league/cup play. Other than that he's always been considered 'off form.' He's been average at best for us. Doesn't score much, assist much, isn't strong in the tackle, doesn't win many headers, and isn't a defensive player. Much like Jack, a very over rated player who we won't miss. No clue why DM persists with him.

[scotfree]

A really weird game. For most of the game, it looked like we had no real plan. 

But, I was really impressed by young McKenna. He was in a few tussles with Moult and was not intimidated at all.

 

[wee toon red]

If I recall, he played well the first 2-3 months of the 2016-17 season, scored in Europe and early league/cup play. Other than that he's always been considered 'off form.' He's been average at best for us. Doesn't score much, assist much, isn't strong in the tackle, doesn't win many headers, and isn't a defensive player. Much like Jack, a very over rated player who we won't miss. No clue why DM persists with him.

 

This isn't specifically related to McLean but more in relation to your commment about Jack. It's fair to say that Shinnie has had a pretty poor start to the season by his standards; perhaps Jack brought a bit more to the team than some people give him credit for and it's taking Shinnie a bit of time to get used to playing without him?

[BobbyBiscuit]

If I recall, he played well the first 2-3 months of the 2016-17 season, scored in Europe and early league/cup play. Other than that he's always been considered 'off form.' He's been average at best for us. Doesn't score much, assist much, isn't strong in the tackle, doesn't win many headers, and isn't a defensive player. Much like Jack, a very over rated player who we won't miss. No clue why DM persists with him.

 

McLean's form at the start of last season was utterly hideous, even worse than it is at present. He picked up around December after his spineless performance in the league cup final.  He played very well for us for the rest of the season after that.

 

An ugly win yesterday but it was great to see the character of the team to come through the game and the heavy criticism they rightly received on the back of Thursday's debacle. McKenna and Arnason looked a good fit and surprised there hasn't been more said about Arnason's composure on the ball, something which has been lacking for sometime. 

 

There are still issues in the side, lack of natural width and the midfield not getting close enough to May has to be addressed. May doesn't look as though he's enjoying playing for us, isolated a lot and he wants the ball played into the channels quickly from midfield, but we tend to attempt to work it wide before trying to find him.  I thought we'd have been a bit closer to playing to his strengths by now.

 

Highlight of the day was the boy sitting in front of us eccied out his tree.  Chewing his face off. Was lobbed out and then amazingly found his way back into the ground via the main stand side.  What a Saturday night he looked to have had.

[DollyLongstaffe]

Delighted with the win. I wasn't at the game so can't say too much about the performance, but I'd hope that setting up with O'Connor sitting in front of the back four is a horses for courses option and not how we're going to be set up regularly in future.  Too reminiscent of Calderwood's teams where our whole side was set up to protect our weak defence and we hoped to nick something at the other end.  It was arguably moderately effective, but Christ it was terrible to watch.

[LA-Don]

McLean's form at the start of last season was utterly hideous, even worse than it is at present. He picked up around December after his spineless performance in the league cup final.  He played very well for us for the rest of the season after that.

 

An ugly win yesterday but it was great to see the character of the team to come through the game and the heavy criticism they rightly received on the back of Thursday's debacle. McKenna and Arnason looked a good fit and surprised there hasn't been more said about Arnason's composure on the ball, something which has been lacking for sometime. 

 

There are still issues in the side, lack of natural width and the midfield not getting close enough to May has to be addressed. May doesn't look as though he's enjoying playing for us, isolated a lot and he wants the ball played into the channels quickly from midfield, but we tend to attempt to work it wide before trying to find him.  I thought we'd have been a bit closer to playing to his strengths by now.

 

Highlight of the day was the boy sitting in front of us eccied out his tree.  Chewing his face off. Was lobbed out and then amazingly found his way back into the ground via the main stand side.  What a Saturday night he looked to have had.

 

 

Not my recollection, I know there was a season he scored in Europe and continued that into league before disappearing . When you say he played very well, what exactly does he do well?

[BobbyBiscuit]

 

Not my recollection, I know there was a season he scored in Europe and continued that into league before disappearing . When you say he played very well, what exactly does he do well?

 

If you look back on this forum alone to last season's posts, you'll see the common belief was that he was utter toilet at the start of last season. 

He was actually winning tackles (occasionally) and his passing and carrying of the ball was excellent. But I'm not a fan, generally. But only fair to say when he actually did well.  His end product has always been suspect.