Dons vs Huns league opener - Sun 5 Aug

[Lencarl]

Geez, get a grip. I don’t give a fuck what Gerrard says, and much of what he said is correct. We were shite today. DM and our players should do their talking on the pitch, no need to get involved in media crap.

 

What exactly is correct in that statement has Gerrard got right ?..No other manager comes out with that shit after a game.

 

He is an ex high profile football player with an ego to match that has no idea how to conduct a post match TV interview. I know we were shite today but no excuse for that shite from Gerrard

[LA-Don]

We are begging for a better striker and I think once we get somebody with better quality hopefully the long ball tactics will change. You cant really play any other way with Cosgrove up top. I havent completely given up on May but Im beginning to lose hope.

 

I’ve given May the benefit of the doubt and the tactics don’t suit him, but young Anderson comes on, nearly scores with a header then scores his other chance. I’d rather Anderson play before May, young guy must be full of confidence and May polar opposite.

[donsdaft]

High profile?

 

I'd never fuckin heard of him.

Some no mark journeyman midfielder from fuckin Liverpool?

I wouldn't expect that to come with a brain attached.

 

I'm not interested in the Hun, we were fuckin rank though.

 

Another cowardly performance from a McInnes team against shite.

[baggy89]

You beat a high press with long balls. It was pretty much a certainty we would start with Cosgrove so the hun sat in and attacked on the break. There was no tactical genius to the way they set up after Morelos was sent off, fuck all changed other than their ‘out’ became  their wingers. We struggled to break them down and the possession we had was passive but that’s because of the way they set up. The diagonal balls were frustrating but all today really highlighted was how desperate we are for a top striker. Today would have been a day for Rooney his runs would have stretched them and opened space for others. To say sevco were a class above is deluded at best. A Moult or Marquis and we’d have won that by a few despite how poor we played.

[rocket_scientist]

Most folk would rather be kissed with a lie rather than be slapped with the inconvenient truth. The queue for answers that are simple but wrong always exceeds the line for complex and right, not that complexity itself can be simplified.

 

Gerrard was right. Aberdeen had no idea and they were a class above us.

 

And anyone who can't see this doesn't understand fitba. There is zero doubt that Gerrard will finish above McInnes at the end of the season.

[Jute]

Always going to struggle when your only attacking plan was to punt the ball at a target man who has no idea how to play the game never mind score. Anderson carried more threat in short time on the field than Cosgrove has in all his appearances so far.

 

Thought we  moved the ball far too slowly in midfield with Gleeson especially to blame. Think he and Forrester were maybe taken by surprise by pace of game.

 

Ball at right back was as bad as expected. Hopefully Hoban back for next week.

 

Would hope Anderson starts next week as he deserves to.

[Orion]

^^

Gerrard has to have some respect for The Famous.

 

He is just a mouthpiece for Sevco.

 

He should keep his mouth shut. If this his reaction for a draw what the f*ck is he going to spout out when his team is hammered.

 

 

He is a disrespectful little wank, fuck him and the pretendy club he manages.

[Kowalski]

Never mind Gerrard, what about this pish from DM before the match “"I expect an improvement from Rangers because they have been nowhere near it in recent seasons”. Nowhere near what? We don’t seem to know how to beat them.

 

And I see DM’s focus is now on bolstering the defence 

[Lencarl]

Most folk would rather be kissed with a lie rather than be slapped with the inconvenient truth. The queue for answers that are simple but wrong always exceeds the line for complex and right, not that complexity itself can be simplified.

 

Gerrard was right. Aberdeen had no idea and they were a class above us.

 

And anyone who can't see this doesn't understand fitba. There is zero doubt that Gerrard will finish above McInnes at the end of the season.

 

What a heap of crap Rocket Man... If you can not see that Gerrard is a Sevco mouthpiece then it you that knows nothing about football

[rocket_scientist]

What a heap of crap Rocket Man... If you can not see that Gerrard is a Sevco mouthpiece then it you that knows nothing about football

 

I think you should quieten your emotions and stick to the debate.

 

Are you saying he was wrong? On which of the two points?

[rocket_scientist]

Without McLean and Christie, we have even less options in the middle of the park and that's the area where games get won and lost. It's an indictment of how bad this squad is when a player who largely cheated the fans until he got a move to Norwich and a player who was on a severe declining trend were infinitely better than anything we have to replace them.

[Elgindon]

 

Thought Sevco were better than us,but dont see them as an improvement on last season.

We were powder puff.Hoping it was a typical meek display v Sevco,and not a sign of whats ahead on a regular basis.Dont think I could stomach a whole season of high balls up to Cosgrove,and therefore hopeful Anderson might have done enough to be played more often and with a more creative style of football.

  Defence looks like it could be an upgrade this year,and hopeful if Deek sees improvement there,along with an addition or 2, he might loosen the shackles a bit more attacking wise.

 

 

 

[Lencarl]

 

:laughing:

[baggy89]

Games are won and lost in the transitions. These happen all over the pitch.

 

Difficult for creative players playing final balls if there is no one making the runs and the opposition are giving no space. That’s why ours played so many long diagonals.

 

Sevco sat in like a poor team playing a top team because they wanted to counter the fact we would be playing Cosgrove.  We were poor today. Their goal was a penalty following an offside that wasn’t given. All their chances were from a hoof forward on a counter. We had one chance and took it. They have all their signings in, I would hope that we’ll have another 3 or 4 in by close of the transfer window.

 

Taking nothing away from the huns it was a very good defensive performance, but if Gerard thinks it makes them a class above he’s in for a shock. Based on today, the tims will stick a 3 or 4 past them each time they play, as will Hibs if our remaining signings are the right ones I’d expect us to also.

 

 

[Lencarl]

Aberdeen were poor today, no getting away from that. The plus side is we can get better with signing a few more players. Sevco have spunked their cash already and look no better than they did last season. 

 

 

 

[ayrshire_don74]

as long as we sign quality

[Dunty]

Weren't great today, but neither were Rangers. They're getting the plaudits because they had 10 men, but all I saw was they were solid defensively while we lack a real threat up front. But bear in mind we had a fair few players out and had to switch tactics a few times. We'll improve over the season.

 

As for Gerrard's comments. I'm glad he said them. Stuff like that always bite you on the arse. Our team will hopefully use those comments to motivate them.

 

 

[tom_widdows]

Just watching the Anderson goal. What exactly was the Sevco no.6 trying to achieve?

Looks to me if he had just stood still the shot would have been blocked but he seems to have decided the shot was going over the merkland roof.

[RicoS321]

That was piss poor today like, we were lucky to get a draw.

 

Huge worry in midfield like. We signed cover for Logan and he was injured, so I can accept that Ball was the best of the other shite options to go in there. Fair play to the guy, it's clearly not his position, but he was okay at times and at least he got wired in a few times unlike several of the other wanks on the pitch today.

 

I was very concerned when I saw Gleeson's name on the teamsheet. He was really poor against Burnley when he came on at Pittodrie and way off the pace. He was atrocious today and nowhere near good enough to be starting against the hun. It was a huge risk and one that was sort of forced, but I'd have done anything to avoid it. When McKenna came off, it was obvious again that we shouldn't have been taking Shinnie out of that midfield. With the extra man, we could have moved to 3-5-2 at that point. I understand wanting to retain the left footer at left side, but it was obvious that Gleeson and Ferguson weren't going to match the hun. Adding Forrester to that just made it a joke, he's clearly not got the coverage for that role (nor the ability I'd suggest). Him and Gleeson looked pap, with Gleeson fannying out of challenges and only covering a Tansey level of ground.

 

Nice goal from Anderson, with an assist from the above average Considine (Devlin also decent). Anderson should start next game assuming we haven't got the much needed striker.

 

For those suggesting more siginings, not sure where you're getting that info from, but I doubt it'll be what we need. Dom Ball is now in our first choice midfield in my opinion, and I think we need competition in that area. I don't believe that McInnes will get another centre mid though given the purchase of Gleeson and Forrester. Similar to last season with Maynard and Tansey, I'd get rid of Gleeson now and get someone else in before the window ends. He's my prediction for 2018-19s charlatan. I think we'll end up getting another defender. We'll need one for the next few weeks, but I think I'd risk going with what we've got with Logan back shortly.

 

Finally, the hun deserved what they got today. They were the better team, but a team who is "a class above" wouldn't spend 10 minutes throwing themselves to the ground and faking injury and whatever else. A decent interviewer would have pointed that out to the scouse ned. It's my belief that time-wasting changes your mindset in a game. As soon as the 6 minutes went up they were hanging on (needlessly). I think that playing that way brings on a goal. They didn't look in any danger and didn't need to time-waste so strongly. It was their entire game after Jack went off. That's nae fitba to me, and you deserve to lose a goal for doing it. I'd be disappointed if the dons took that approach - even with ten men - for such a long period of the game. It's asking for trouble.

 

So fuck the hun.

[Obanred]

Had to make do with listening on wireless today.

 

Sounded like we were horse tbh, apart from last 10 mins.

 

 

[scotfree]

 

:laughing:

That's a really well-taken goal.

[LA-Don]

Well, getting up at 5am to watch that shite pissed me off. Had the day to reflect, here’s my take -

 

Don’t care what Gerrard said, we were shite today and that’s his first impression of us. Up to us to prove we’re better than that. Bell end or not, he wasn’t far wrong with much of what he said.

 

Let’s not kid ourselves, against Burnley we were not that good either, it was mainly passion and effort/desire that made us all proud. Very limited skill and minimal quality attacking play. Today was the hangover and I accept that ‘excuse’ but I fear for the quality of our attacking play. It declined last year and is worse so far this year.

 

We were shite and Rangers weren’t impressive. None of their players looked overly good and I don’t think they are much better than last year. Positive spin is that we’ve already matched last years points total against them.

 

Our back 4 will be better for sure, Devlin is true quality. If McKenna is Scotland material no reason why Devlin can’t follow.

 

I don’t want gleeson to be treated as the next Tansey. Give the boy a chance to be fully fit and settle into Scottish football. Forrester too, let give these guys a chance. Let’s not kid ourselves with Ferguson either, he’s 18 and I’d bench him for a game or two. Great goal but we’re expecting an awful lot from him, saw little today. I’d like to see Shinnie gleeson and Forrester start the next game, Ball by default will still be in defense.

 

We missed Shinnie in midfield after he went to left back, his passion and driving forward. I know gleeson is a deep lying midfielder but wasn’t clear of the roles of Forrester and Ferguson today. We were poor in center mid today resulting is us going long ball too often.

 

Ball gets a free pass today, questionable penalty, but he was a defender by default today. I’d even argue we missed him in midfield.

 

Cosgrove is hard working but still shite. Fouls as much as he gets fouled, some good link play at times, but his presence means we go long ball too much. May is going backwards and I hope Anderson takes his minutes. We desperately need a quality forward as it will influence our entire style of play.

 

GMS has started the season well, involved in both Burnley goals and involved today. I don’t mind the tricks and flicks, they don’t always come off but he’s developing confidence and improving. HOWEVER, we are relying on creativity from two very inconsistent wide men in GMS and McGinn, three if you add Wright. Big miss not trying to sign Mallan.

 

Three games, three draws, and three very poor attacking games. Hope a week of training and a couple of signings make a difference but tactically very similar to last year which is very concerning.

 

 

[KennyFuckinPowers]

That was piss poor today like, we were lucky to get a draw.

 

Huge worry in midfield like. We signed cover for Logan and he was injured, so I can accept that Ball was the best of the other shite options to go in there. Fair play to the guy, it's clearly not his position, but he was okay at times and at least he got wired in a few times unlike several of the other wanks on the pitch today.

 

I was very concerned when I saw Gleeson's name on the teamsheet. He was really poor against Burnley when he came on at Pittodrie and way off the pace. He was atrocious today and nowhere near good enough to be starting against the hun. It was a huge risk and one that was sort of forced, but I'd have done anything to avoid it. When McKenna came off, it was obvious again that we shouldn't have been taking Shinnie out of that midfield. With the extra man, we could have moved to 3-5-2 at that point. I understand wanting to retain the left footer at left side, but it was obvious that Gleeson and Ferguson weren't going to match the hun. Adding Forrester to that just made it a joke, he's clearly not got the coverage for that role (nor the ability I'd suggest). Him and Gleeson looked pap, with Gleeson fannying out of challenges and only covering a Tansey level of ground.

 

Nice goal from Anderson, with an assist from the above average Considine (Devlin also decent). Anderson should start next game assuming we haven't got the much needed striker.

 

For those suggesting more siginings, not sure where you're getting that info from, but I doubt it'll be what we need. Dom Ball is now in our first choice midfield in my opinion, and I think we need competition in that area. I don't believe that McInnes will get another centre mid though given the purchase of Gleeson and Forrester. Similar to last season with Maynard and Tansey, I'd get rid of Gleeson now and get someone else in before the window ends. He's my prediction for 2018-19s charlatan. I think we'll end up getting another defender. We'll need one for the next few weeks, but I think I'd risk going with what we've got with Logan back shortly.

 

Finally, the hun deserved what they got today. They were the better team, but a team who is "a class above" wouldn't spend 10 minutes throwing themselves to the ground and faking injury and whatever else. A decent interviewer would have pointed that out to the scouse ned. It's my belief that time-wasting changes your mindset in a game. As soon as the 6 minutes went up they were hanging on (needlessly). I think that playing that way brings on a goal. They didn't look in any danger and didn't need to time-waste so strongly. It was their entire game after Jack went off. That's nae fitba to me, and you deserve to lose a goal for doing it. I'd be disappointed if the dons took that approach - even with ten men - for such a long period of the game. It's asking for trouble.

 

So fuck the hun.

 

Whilst I agree with the majority of your summary, I can't wrap my head around your take on Gleeson. He misplaced one single pass today, he came looking for the ball, and moved it out wide when he got it, he was doing his job, unfortunately the problem lay when it got out wide, they didn't do much. I can't remember him shirking any tackles and in fact, remember him going in strong on Jack in a 50-50. I think once he's up to full fitness and settled, he'll be a key player. He has very decent pedigree and only in my opinion, will be too good to just fizzle away.

 

 

[RicoS321]

Whilst I agree with the majority of your summary, I can't wrap my head around your take on Gleeson. He misplaced one single pass today, he came looking for the ball, and moved it out wide when he got it, he was doing his job, unfortunately the problem lay when it got out wide, they didn't do much. I can't remember him shirking any tackles and in fact, remember him going in strong on Jack in a 50-50. I think once he's up to full fitness and settled, he'll be a key player. He has very decent pedigree and only in my opinion, will be too good to just fizzle away.

 

I like to call things early as it's a fitba forum, with the obvious caveat that I'd be delighted to be proved wrong. His coverage yesterday was poor, and he let the game pass him by in large spells. He had a couple of nice passes. He was weak though, and did pull out of a few challenges, most notably one near the tunnel where he had a good half a second advantage on their player yet was second to the ball. We needed a dominant midfielder, and he looks like a Rob Milsom. Put another way: he's nae as good as Dom Ball. Our best midfield at the moment is Ball, Shinnie and Ferguson. I don't think Ball's passing ability is good enough for him to start every week, so I think we need someone that's better. Early days etc, but Gleeson looks like a player that doesn't have the attributes we need.

 

Forrester will also need to up his game as he's very much a poor version of Christie.

[CtS]

Think it’s time for cool heads, not ridiculous knee jerk reactions. As an intelligent fan base we should be better than that.

 

I prefer to focus on the positives. They were desperate to beat us yesterday, but they couldn’t. And as a result Gerrard’s pre-rehearsed post-match soundbites sounded like paranoia and sour grapes. He was gutted and already the pressure is on him. It’s a bonus point for us, one up on last season, with a stretched squad, key players missing, and on the back of a draining week against good opposition in Europe.

A young local loon popped up with a fantastic and dramatic equaliser, then spoke about ‘dreams coming true’ and ‘hopefully more to come’ afterwards. McInnes is turning to youth players more often now, that’s what we all wanted, wasn’t it?

We’ve proved in recent seasons we can go on 8/9 game winning streaks, often on the back of a bad result, so the manager and the players deserve our patience in my opinion. Three games against tough opposition and we’re undefeated, let DMC do his business in the transfer market this week and let’s see where we are after that.

 

Hang in there fellas, keep the faith.