Scottish Cup Semi-Final

[SeeBass]

Would anybody have sacrificed three points Tuesday night if it meant we beat Motherwell a week Saturday and made Cup Final No.4 in five years under Deek??  Who will replace Shay at right back?!?!

[LA-Don]

No, Motherwell are a bottom 6 team, nothing less than 2 wins is acceptable to me, especially if we see ourselves as, at worst, the second best team in Scotland. Today I’m considering the 10 point gap, win out, rangers beat Celtic, and things get interesting.

 

Ball will be right back.

[RicoS321]

I would have, but we tanked them, so fuck em.

[manc_don]

With La on this one, want to win both games. We’re in good form now and have nothing to fear. We’ll probably get a draw on the weekend but I wouldn’t sacrifice one for the other.

[Ten Caat]

No from me as well. Only trade off I would have accepted is if we were going to be in the cup final facing a mid to lower table team like Hearts or St J. We would then have had a decent chance of actually lifting the cup but as it is we will face either sevco or the Dhims......so it will be the Dhims then........and we all know how drastic DM is at setting up the team to face either of them.

 

And as LA Don says, Dom Ball will be right back. I'm actually a bit disappointed he didn't get a 90 minute run out there against both Dundee and ST J given how honkingly bad Shay has been all season although to be fair to Logan in those 2 games he has seemed a bit more like his old self.

 

[Lencarl]

I am an optimistic sort of guy. Always think the Dons will win every match they play.

 

Motherwell are there for the taking but will be another nervous affair.

 

This is our year to win the Scottish Cup. The final will be against our nemesis club Celtic.

 

 

 

 

[Lencarl]

Former Motherwell and Rangers gaffer McCall.....“Shinnie is a real leader – he’s as important for them as Scott Brown is to Celtic.Kenny McLean can open teams up and score goals at any given moment in a tight game, while Logan has been consistent all season so that evens things up and Motherwell go in with a good chance of making the final.”

 

These three will be a big loss on Saturday, but we have to stand up and be counted on the biggest game of the season.

[Ten Caat]

He is correct about Logan......consistently shite all season

[manc_don]

He is correct about Logan......consistently shite all season

 

 

Pretty much summarises how I feel about this post. Surely everyone must know that Logan , well, our defence is a weakness. Annoying given we’ve got an excellent prospect in the middle of it.

 

Genuinely intrigued how we’re going to line up for this one, presume ball at right back? Is nwakali fit again? It’s as big a test as McInnes has faced given the number of player that are unavailable.

[Jute]

Would expect us line up something like

 

Lewis

Ball Arnason McKenna Considine

O'Connor Christie

GMS McGinn Stewart

May

 

Should be Rooney up front as May was really poor on Saturday and looks like he has no confidence but McInnes will go with May. Not keen on playing GMS either as Well bullied him in previous games. Stupid kick off time means watching this soberish. Never a good thing.

 

In

Train then early bar in centre.

North Stand

Beer then train back to Capital.

1-0 McGinn.

 

 

[RicoS321]

Genuinely intrigued how we’re going to line up for this one, presume ball at right back? Is nwakali fit again? It’s as big a test as McInnes has faced given the number of player that are unavailable.

 

Aye, it's an interesting one. Fit's everybody's take on fit the team should be?

 

I'm going:

 

---------------Lewis---------------------

Ball---Arnason---McKenna---Considine

---------O'Connor---Christie------------

McGinn--------Stewart------------GMS-

------------------May--------------------

 

I think Nwakali is pap (despite being okay in one game) and Christie is probably more likely to do as he's told in a role that requires discipline. That is (obviously) the biggest worry though, that's a very weak midfield. It is a very strong attacking midfield though too, so it might just work out nicely.

 

Edit: great minds Jute.

[Ten Caat]

Yep I agree with that side also. It is a side which (on paper anyway) is set up to attack and I've always said if we attack teams non stop whoever they are generally we will do a helluva lot better than when we sit back inviting pressure and attempting to counter attack.

 

It is a difficult task without our 2 best outfield players ( If it had been this time last season I would have said our 3 best players) but quietly confident we will be in the final though it might take extra time to achieve it.

[donsdaft]

We have a much better chance of winning this because McLean's out.

 

Hopefully now, someone in midfield will actually give Stevie May the ball when he makes those runs.

 

3-0 - Stevie May hat trick.

 

Then leave McLean out for the final.

[Ramperbamper]

Aye, it's an interesting one. Fit's everybody's take on fit the team should be?

 

I'm going:

 

---------------Lewis---------------------

Ball---Arnason---McKenna---Considine

---------O'Connor---Christie------------

McGinn--------Stewart------------GMS-

------------------May--------------------

 

I think Nwakali is pap (despite being okay in one game) and Christie is probably more likely to do as he's told in a role that requires discipline. That is (obviously) the biggest worry though, that's a very weak midfield. It is a very strong attacking midfield though too, so it might just work out nicely.

 

Edit: great minds Jute.

 

That doesn't look like the worst line up in the world. Motherwell are a bunch of hammer throwers though, so as you suggest our weak central midfield may be an area they target - other obvious option is AOC at right back and Ball in the middle to add a bit of beef.

 

Also saw on Twitter someone say that the right back Pennington from the youths didn't play yesterday, but he's started pretty much every other game, not sure if he'd be a bonus ball option.

 

On Nwakali, I think the comparisons with Flood I've seen are valid. Seems like the type who'll have have 5 games out of 10 when he's cracking and the other 5 he's a total liability - just based upon the scattergun, harum scarum nature of his play.

[February1971]

We have a much better chance of winning this because McLean's out.

 

Hopefully now, someone in midfield will actually give Stevie May the ball when he makes those runs.

 

3-0 - Stevie May hat trick.

 

Then leave McLean out for the final.

 

are these the runs he makes when he takes his eyes off the ball turns and runs into the defender before falling on his arse.

He was better against St Johnstone but in general he has been utter shite.

 

 

[February1971]

Aye, it's an interesting one. Fit's everybody's take on fit the team should be?

 

I'm going:

 

---------------Lewis---------------------

Ball---Arnason---McKenna---Considine

---------O'Connor---Christie------------

McGinn--------Stewart------------GMS-

------------------May--------------------

 

I think Nwakali is pap (despite being okay in one game) and Christie is probably more likely to do as he's told in a role that requires discipline. That is (obviously) the biggest worry though, that's a very weak midfield. It is a very strong attacking midfield though too, so it might just work out nicely.

 

Edit: great minds Jute.

Christie isn't disciplined enough to play a deeper role, he is too greedy and will lose the ball too often.In saying that the team will look unbalanced whatever side he plays.

 

[Elgindon]

 

Aye,decent line up with what weve got.Think a Stewart /Christie swap could work,as could a Stewart/McGinn swap.

 

 

  Maybe better we had that limp effort at Hearts,and hope it was just a(nother) bad day.Got to be up for this.COYR

[tlg1903]

Tough game.  No two ways about it.  Mclean will be a big loss, he really had Motherwells number at fir park and combine that with Shinnie missing whoever plays it will be their first time playing midfield with the other.  Perhaps not the worst thing Logan is missing this one, his form isn't even as good as patchy at the moment and Ball is much harder to knock of the ball.  Given our opponents more physical style when off the ball that could be worthwhile but with Ball at rb and Consi at left the back line is worryingly slow. 

 

I would go

 

Lewis

 

Ball

Arnie

McKenna

Consi

 

Chidi  (If fit, if not I think Stewart would be best suited in the Maclean role fwiw)

O'Connor

 

Stewart (or Gms)

Christie

McGinn

 

May

 

I would defo play May over Rooney, we will need his mobility. 

[A llad insane]

Cant see Chadi featuring, & either Ball or Reynolds will play at full back. I feel midfield is a far bigger concern.

[Ten Caat]

Reynolds is a big enough liability at centre back these days. As a leftie, putting him in at right back would be madness........although I suppose it would be a double bluff that Motherwell would surely not have envisaged or prepared for.....

[Lencarl]

Anybody know how many tickets sold for this match from both clubs.

 

Reckon around 25K but our national stadium will look pretty empty all the same. 

 

 

[manc_don]

Anybody know how many tickets sold for this match from both clubs.

 

Reckon around 25K but our national stadium will look pretty empty all the same.

 

Believe we’ve sold 11,500, hopefully 12,000 by the end of the day. No idea about motherwell

[Ramperbamper]

12k would actually be decent enough, given the build up seems a bit low key and the sense of self-entitlement ringing around sections of the support at present.

[BigAl]

Believe we’ve sold 11,500, hopefully 12,000 by the end of the day. No idea about motherwell

 

Motherwell allegedly have sold around half as many as us

[Lencarl]

Suppose it doesn't help when you see the live TV coverage and the early start.

 

Motherwell v Aberdeen

Scottish FA Cup Semi-Final

12:15

Sky Sports Football / BBC One Scotland

RED TV International