Dons vs Tims

[OxfordDon]

Doesn't sound like I missed much.

[tlg1903]

Death by a thousand cuts.  Only positives I'll take from that are we looked really solid at the back for the first time this season and JM played very well at cb.  

[OrlandoDon]

We gave them 80% possession for the game and they had 33 shots. It took us a month of prep to play like that!?! Defensively we didn’t look too bad but now scales comes in during the week so it’s now change. Plus let’s be honest, Celtic did miss a few chances and 4-0 wouldn’t have been unfair.
 

[tom_widdows]

So having been lost in the world of work, was this akin to say 'Scotland vs the All blacks' in the rugby world cup in 2007 ie one team just never bothered and as I see it 'cheated' several thousand people out of ticket money?

[OrlandoDon]

5 minutes ago, tom_widdows said:

So having been lost in the world of work, was this akin to say 'Scotland vs the All blacks' in the rugby world cup in 2007 ie one team just never bothered and as I see it 'cheated' several thousand people out of ticket money?

It was a 100% mcinnes tactical performances when we hold on as long as we can but eventually lose the goal. While it hurts to lose a goal so late it’s totally what we deserved. We didn’t try to win, don’t recall us having a shot, and it was 2 up top with 8 defenders for most of the game. 1 and 9 when miovski went off.

[Jute]

We looked better defensively as we had 8 at the back for 90 minutes. Jack McKenzie played well but will be dropped or moved to accommodate the return of Scales. 

[Elgindon]

Didn't miss much then,got what we deserved. I hope by the margin of defeat JG doesn't think those tactics might be worth another try.Surely knows it could have been 4 or 5. 19℅ possession??

    In for the Hun game. 

   

[RicoS321]

Just back. That was certainly the most organised I've seen us this season! An almost masterclass in discipline, until the 80th minute. As a tactical example, it was intriguing (almost impressive), but it was exhausting watching us give total possession to the opposition. Goodwin will have approached this as the first of two games rather than just an individual one, which is understandable, if a little grating. If we'd got a tanking today, the fans would have been seriously restless against the second scum. We can now be a bit more ambitious against the Hun without necessarily going full kamikaze like the last game against them. 

I don't envy Goodwin, there's very few ways in which the current squad can be arranged into a winning side against a better team. Even against weaker opposition, the tactic of putting a very attacking side on the park has led to it being flip of a coin at times between winning by three or losing. The last Hun game proved the obvious, that we can't simply play the same way. Unfortunately, it's getting that middle ground that we're really struggling to identify. The midfield is the weak point. Ramadani is a sitting midfielder who can't really be deployed to man mark or get up and down and fly into tackles, and Barron and Clarkson are good at doing the same thing as one another. McRorie would help, I think, but we have no other option in a back three, and we're weak in a four. I can't think of any good choice, and it's a shame to hear pundits on the radio being correctly critical, but without putting forward alternatives.

Hopefully we've learned that Miovski and Duk isn't an option in this type of game. We need that link between what will often be a deep midfield and a forward player. They were both poor today, but I think it's easier to nullify Miovski than Duk, so I'd go for him. Watkins, Hayes or Duncan should take his place. 

McKenzie did really well today, and Coulson switched off once but was probably his best defensive performance too. As a unit it was incredibly disciplined and the moment where Barron switched off was probably inevitable and you just have to hope they don't score as they did.

[Panda]

Goodwin, not for the first time, showing that he doesn't know how to change a game plan that isn't working.

Every Roos goal kick went to a Celtic player, which allowed them to keep coming forward. To have 19% possession at home is shocking. 

In the first half we at least looked through Coulson and Duk we could get at them. But on the other wing Kennedy and Miovski were poor. But we didn't change anything until Miovski got injured.

--

For Tuesday, I'd keep McKenzie at LCB. How about moving Scales to the centre where he's more commanding than Stewart, and move Stewart to RCB so that McCrorie can replace Kennedy at RWB?

Drop Miovski, play Hayes off Duk.

And let's not launch every goal kick at the opposition defence this time.

[RicoS321]

2 hours ago, Panda said:

For Tuesday, I'd keep McKenzie at LCB. How about moving Scales to the centre where he's more commanding than Stewart, and move Stewart to RCB so that McCrorie can replace Kennedy at RWB?

I wouldn't have McRorie near right wing back. Kennedy did a very good job against Jota in what was effectively a back five. Good shout otherwise though, but if we're moving McRorie, it should be into midfield to add a bit of strength. That's the area where we really struggled as we were forced into playing a rigid three due to their limitations (as a three, not individually). Either drop Clarkson or play him higher up the park in place of one of the strikers (I'd rather see a more attacking player).

[Panda]

6 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I wouldn't have McRorie near right wing back. Kennedy did a very good job against Jota in what was effectively a back five. 
 

Granted, he improved defensively in the second half, but in the first he was a real weak point and Jota had his number, and should have scored at least twice.

Going forward he was terrible.

6 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

 

Okay McCroroe in midfield to add a bit of strength 

But then McCrorie essentially plays as a DM, which we've tried numerous times before and he has little impact on the game. 

He's a good player going forward. Right wing back suits him as he can get forward, but also push into midfield when needed and he can generally match wingers for pace defensively. 

He's too good a player to be spending the game sitting deep.

[RicoS321]

11 hours ago, Panda said:

Granted, he improved defensively in the second half, but in the first he was a real weak point and Jota had his number, and should have scored at least twice.

Going forward he was terrible.

But then McCrorie essentially plays as a DM, which we've tried numerous times before and he has little impact on the game. 

He's a good player going forward. Right wing back suits him as he can get forward, but also push into midfield when needed and he can generally match wingers for pace defensively. 

He's too good a player to be spending the game sitting deep.

I thought the times when Kennedy was caught out were when they had a man over and he didn't know what to do. That never happened in the second, and he did alright. Terrible going forward, of course, but that wasn't what he was asked to do.

I actually agree that right back might be McRorie's best position (I even suggested it at the start of the season). All things being equal, that should be where he plays regularly and we prioritise midfield and centre back in January. I do agree that he can solve a headache in there. However, for Tuesday, we have an even bigger headache in our midfield, which can't otherwise be solved in my opinion. Ramadani causes a problem for us, because he only seems to be able to play deep. Neither of the other two compliment that, and we end up with large gaps. Goodwin recognised this and that's why he played the rigid and disciplined three in a line, where they were given a few simple instructions and told to stick to them. I thought our best midfield performance of the season came when Barron and Ramadani played in a two against Livingston (second half). That worked well, but they'd need extra support against the Hun. McRorie is a terrible passer, but he gets in people's faces and can drive with the ball. A controversial option would be to play him in front of Barron and Ramadani, right on top of whoever they choose to sit deep (Jack I'm assuming) and battle for the balls off the front one. That keeps him out of the way of the other midfielders and also takes the game to them in a way that Clarkson won't do (he'll keep dropping deep and offer little in the press).