Dons vs Paisley saints

[BigAl]

Second half was a bit of a damp squib to be honest but would have been delighted with a 4-1 win pre kick off.

Hopefully injuries to Coulson & Roberts are not too serious

Good to get the first three points in the bag.

First goal for Duk and what a fucking screamer from Clarkson

[SeeBass]

Did I miss a substitution because one thought we'd only made four when Callum Roberts went off injured so a fifth replacement was allowed right????

[OrlandoDon]

I guess at 3 up against 10 5 or 6 would have been nice, but zero complaints from me. Some tidy football and a good game to further the chemistry. 4-0 would have been more appropriate, never a penalty, hayes touches him but not enough for a penalty in my eyes. Clarkson looks a good addition, and Vinny being given the 10/free role seems a good one. He’s brimming with confidence and heavily involved. Hope the injuries aren’t an issue, another positive week making progress. As much as Europe would have been fun, having another full week of practice is essential given all the squad change.

[manc_don]

 

[Elgindon]

Just in,very enjoyable first half especially.We look like we may be better at opening up stuffy teams this season. Good pacy footwork and link ups at times around the box,which can only improve as understandings develop.Should have stuffed them by more but gotta be happy.

   Scales was a stand out,great appetite and attitude.Besuijen very good,potential no10.Ramadani had a great game and great to get Miovski and Dook among the goals.

  Only got a short spell seeing Coulson but the signs are good,think he'll be quality. Richardson needs teased out of his cautious side.More often than not, turns away from play to safety.Think he has the attributes to be a great player though

   Well done Clarkson too

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Elgindon

[manc_don]

Seemed like a decent crowd today? What was the atmosphere like?

[Panda]

3 hours ago, redordead said:

I know we're all supposed to think miovski is brilliant but Ramirez would've had three or four from those chances so far.

Ramirez spent most of the League Cup group stage blowing sitters - against Raith Rovers in particular.

2 hours ago, SeeBass said:

Did I miss a substitution because one thought we'd only made four when Callum Roberts went off injured so a fifth replacement was allowed right????

Only have three substitute "moments" though. 

Coulson sub

Ramirez/Duk double sub

And Roberts coming on for Kennedy.

[Panda]

Having seen how poor Charles Dunne was today, I retract any statements I have previously made about us signing him.

 

[Elgindon]

24 minutes ago, manc_don said:

Seemed like a decent crowd today? What was the atmosphere like?

Looked about 12/13'000 inside? Atmosphere started off good.Once the first goal went in we sort of sat back a bit waiting for more

14'400 apparently - AFC heritage

Edited August 6, 2022 by Elgindon

[RicoS321]

Shite game, terrible performance. Nae gan back. 

 

[Panda]

35 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Shite game, terrible performance. Nae gan back. 

 

You're a week early. It's Motherwell next - we'll all be saying that for real in seven days.

[BigAl]

39 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Shite game, terrible performance. Nae gan back. 

 

Knew the boo boys would pop.up eventually.

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

15 hours ago, manc_don said:

Seemed like a decent crowd today? What was the atmosphere like?

Looked yesterday a wee while before kick off and there were about 6 tickets available for the main stand yet watching the highlights last night there were empty seats all over the place, presumably season ticket holders.  Cannot believe folk pay over £500 for a season ticket then don't turn up, just bizarre. Even more so the fact that it was the first home game of the season.

[manc_don]

Re-signed up to RedTV after a few years' hiatus. Watched the first half back and we were good. Saints were definitely poor, but there were a lot of positive linkages between particular players. I know it was only St. Mirren, but we're potentially going to be very exciting to watch this season. Really hope Coulson's injury isn't a bad one, it definitely didn't look great and he was looking very lively with Besuijen. 

Looking forward to seeing how this team develops. 

[Panda]

If Coulson is injured, do you think it's likely Scales will now continue at left back, McCrorie centre half and Clarkson in midfield?

I don't see Goodwin bringing Mackenzie back in and dropping one of them. If he did, Clarkson would be the most likely candidate, but how do you drop him after yesterday? 

 

 

[RicoS321]

20 minutes ago, Panda said:

If Coulson is injured, do you think it's likely Scales will now continue at left back, McCrorie centre half and Clarkson in midfield?

I don't see Goodwin bringing Mackenzie back in and dropping one of them. If he did, Clarkson would be the most likely candidate, but how do you drop him after yesterday?

I was very surprised when McRorie got shifted back to defence on Saturday (not yesterday...!), but it worked. However, the sending off came so soon after the injury, it's difficult to tell how that midfield two would cope against a strong/physical pairing. Given McRorie was shifted defence on Saturday, and against the Tims, I don't see him choosing a different option against Motherwell. Mackenzie will play only when ready, but it sounds like that won't be on Saturday, so I think the Clarkson dilemma will wait for another week or so.

It is a big dilemma though, as I don't see him dropping McRorie. The biggest problem for me though is that Clarkson is very similar in style and position to Barron and I think it's imperative that Barron gets opportunity over this guy. I don't buy into the whole playing your best team every week thing if it doesn't take into account long term thinking. Barron is more than good enough to start every week in the SPFL, and will likely give us a good return in the summer. Clarkson doesn't look so much better that we should risk that, and I don't see a way to fit both into the team. This type of thing happened a lot under McInnes, where we built bloated squads that kept young players' minutes to a minimum. I really like the look of Clarkson, obviously, but he's not ours and he leaves very little room for the cultivation of players. For me, we should have been looking to get a player that can cover two or three positions (like McRorie, but left sided) rather than someone like Clarkson who plays solely in one position at the expense of our own players. With Ryan Duncan sidelined for Kennedy, Roberts (I thought he looked fairly pish, to add) and others we're now in a position where we have no young players coming through from our academy this season, and Barron at risk of being usurped. I think we could have recruited a little bit more sparingly this window if I'm being critical, and allowed opportunities from injury to be taken by young players. Goodwin will have a real challenge keeping everyone happy.

[OrlandoDon]

47 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I was very surprised when McRorie got shifted back to defence on Saturday (not yesterday...!), but it worked. However, the sending off came so soon after the injury, it's difficult to tell how that midfield two would cope against a strong/physical pairing. Given McRorie was shifted defence on Saturday, and against the Tims, I don't see him choosing a different option against Motherwell. Mackenzie will play only when ready, but it sounds like that won't be on Saturday, so I think the Clarkson dilemma will wait for another week or so.

It is a big dilemma though, as I don't see him dropping McRorie. The biggest problem for me though is that Clarkson is very similar in style and position to Barron and I think it's imperative that Barron gets opportunity over this guy. I don't buy into the whole playing your best team every week thing if it doesn't take into account long term thinking. Barron is more than good enough to start every week in the SPFL, and will likely give us a good return in the summer. Clarkson doesn't look so much better that we should risk that, and I don't see a way to fit both into the team. This type of thing happened a lot under McInnes, where we built bloated squads that kept young players' minutes to a minimum. I really like the look of Clarkson, obviously, but he's not ours and he leaves very little room for the cultivation of players. For me, we should have been looking to get a player that can cover two or three positions (like McRorie, but left sided) rather than someone like Clarkson who plays solely in one position at the expense of our own players. With Ryan Duncan sidelined for Kennedy, Roberts (I thought he looked fairly pish, to add) and others we're now in a position where we have no young players coming through from our academy this season, and Barron at risk of being usurped. I think we could have recruited a little bit more sparingly this window if I'm being critical, and allowed opportunities from injury to be taken by young players. Goodwin will have a real challenge keeping everyone happy.

Perhaps clarkson gets used like Maddison? If memory serves me correctly, he didn’t play every minute of every game. We also have to factor in injury, Barron is now, and we only have 4 center mids, one who will slide back to central defense. Challenge to keep them all happy when fit, but how often will all be fit? I can also see one of our league hammerthrowers smash clarkson this weekend to make a point, and in future weeks.

I don’t see this as a year to develop youth, we need top 4 and Europe, the pressure is on. Saying that, hope Hancock and ideally Duncan get developed on loan and push for the first team squad next year, plus Barron and Mackenzie get to improve. That’s four loons that should be developed this year…….and what if clarkson has a signing option?

based on JGs comments, I expect Ramirez, McLennan, maybe even bates and Watkins away this week. You are kinda right, the challenge will be minutes for some. I’d say Hayes will get rested sometimes and miovski is our 9 backed up by Duk, prob Vinny our 10, but Kennedy Hayden, and Roberts competing for time is healthy competition and will get time.

[ayrshire_don74]

good performance and some good goals, expect the same next week against a rank rotten Motherwell

[BigAl]

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

.and what if clarkson has a signing option?

 

Wouldn't hud yer breath on that O.D 

[OrlandoDon]

44 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Wouldn't hud yer breath on that O.D 

Of course I tend to agree with you but many of us are talking a lot about clarkson when he’s only played one game. Time will tell, but I’d certainly like to have both clarkson and scales permanently.

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

Perhaps clarkson gets used like Maddison? If memory serves me correctly, he didn’t play every minute of every game. We also have to factor in injury, Barron is now, and we only have 4 center mids, one who will slide back to central defense. Challenge to keep them all happy when fit, but how often will all be fit? I can also see one of our league hammerthrowers smash clarkson this weekend to make a point, and in future weeks.

I don’t see this as a year to develop youth, we need top 4 and Europe, the pressure is on. Saying that, hope Hancock and ideally Duncan get developed on loan and push for the first team squad next year, plus Barron and Mackenzie get to improve. That’s four loons that should be developed this year…….and what if clarkson has a signing option?

based on JGs comments, I expect Ramirez, McLennan, maybe even bates and Watkins away this week. You are kinda right, the challenge will be minutes for some. I’d say Hayes will get rested sometimes and miovski is our 9 backed up by Duk, prob Vinny our 10, but Kennedy Hayden, and Roberts competing for time is healthy competition and will get time.

Maddison was very inconsistent with us, which is why he didn't play every minute, but he also played in a more advanced position where players tend to get shifted about a little. That central midfield position, traditionally, is a 90 minute one unless you're playing shite or injured, which is what worries me. Clarkson looks like a Billy Gilmour type and we'll have an extremely slim chance of signing him (basically, if they find some indecent images on his PC and Liverpool want rid of him before the press get hold of it!). Unless they can do some sort of job share, where Barron plays one week and this guy the next, I just don't see Barron getting in ahead of him despite having earned his place in the starting eleven, and I don't see a way to fit them both in. I think it's fairly particular to this one player (and possibly Maddison as you point out) I suppose. You could say that Coulson is pushing out Mackenzie for example, but Mackenzie is well beyond development age, hasn't really earned his spot in the team in the way Barron has and Coulson is well within our means if he became available. Clarkson is a guy that is miles beyond what we can afford and heading well above our level (he'll be inconsistent of course).  I agree on the other guys you mention, but Duncan needs to go on loan in this window (Cove must be in with a shout as they only have a few subs, but I'd like to see him play at a higher level) now that we've got the massive squad.

[OrlandoDon]

2 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Maddison was very inconsistent with us, which is why he didn't play every minute, but he also played in a more advanced position where players tend to get shifted about a little. That central midfield position, traditionally, is a 90 minute one unless you're playing shite or injured, which is what worries me. Clarkson looks like a Billy Gilmour type and we'll have an extremely slim chance of signing him (basically, if they find some indecent images on his PC and Liverpool want rid of him before the press get hold of it!). Unless they can do some sort of job share, where Barron plays one week and this guy the next, I just don't see Barron getting in ahead of him despite having earned his place in the starting eleven, and I don't see a way to fit them both in. I think it's fairly particular to this one player (and possibly Maddison as you point out) I suppose. You could say that Coulson is pushing out Mackenzie for example, but Mackenzie is well beyond development age, hasn't really earned his spot in the team in the way Barron has and Coulson is well within our means if he became available. Clarkson is a guy that is miles beyond what we can afford and heading well above our level (he'll be inconsistent of course).  I agree on the other guys you mention, but Duncan needs to go on loan in this window (Cove must be in with a shout as they only have a few subs, but I'd like to see him play at a higher level) now that we've got the massive squad.

Agree Clarkson plays deeper, still oping there's a place for Ronan.

[RicoS321]

54 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

Agree Clarkson plays deeper, still oping there's a place for Ronan.

I'd have had Ronan over Clarkson*, but not sure there's room for them both. He's a fairly dynamic midfielder who likes a shot. He'd probably fit into the number 10 role, but I can't help but think he'd be trying to get up and down the pitch and getting in folk's way, rather than stay close to Mivoski. Someone like Besuijen will happily stay up the pitch out the way and try the funcy shite. I can't help but think Goodwin would play him as a midfielder rather than a number 10. With the 850 players already in the forward areas, we'll be running out of numbers.

 

Edit: *as the assumption would be that we're buying him

Edited August 8, 2022 by RicoS321

[Panda]

M

2 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

have had Ronan over Clarkson*

See Ronan (and I know this is the wrong thread but means I can pretend I never said it if we do sign him), but honestly, just end the chase for him now. 

He wants to stay at Wolves, and he has little interest in us and clearly would be here for a season at most so no buy option on him. Spending all summer chasing some fairly decent player who did alright for St Mirren - give me strength.

Clarkson and Barron can both play as advanced midfielders, as can Vinny. Get us a left sided central defender and lock the chequebook away before Goodwin signs another winger.

[BigAl]

3 minutes ago, Panda said:

M

See Ronan (and I know this is the wrong thread but means I can pretend I never said it if we do sign him), but honestly, just end the chase for him now. 

He wants to stay at Wolves, and he has little interest in us and clearly would be here for a season at most so no buy option on him. Spending all summer chasing some fairly decent player who did alright for St Mirren - give me strength.

Clarkson and Barron can both play as advanced midfielders, as can Vinny. Get us a left sided central defender and lock the chequebook away before Goodwin signs another winger.

This 100%