OrlandoDon

I disagree regarding the space comment, although there’s a very good chance you’ll have seen him play more than me. Polvara is very skilled, has lovely touches, think he’s good in limited space. He’s not physical enough though, I’d agree if that’s what you mean. Not combative/a battler. He’s a lightweight Rama (more skilled) but playing in the heavy weight division. As has been mentioned, if he was more physical/aggressive and more imposing he could be very good, but he’s a typical American player, lacks the ‘Scottish’ qualities. think we’ll play well tomorrow….ha….. 3-1 us, bojan, clarkson, McGrath

Told you John Hughes was a better option despite poorer English.

I’d agree, it’s ruby that is pollock’s replacement. Don’t think ruby and pollock are our perfect partnership. I think in an ideal world we have devlin at right back, Mackenzie and Jensen to compete for left back, and ruby and one other in left central defense. A scales type but affordable, perhaps thelin has lined up the Swedish scales? Macdonald is the odd one out unfortunately but I think it’s he or ruby and ruby has the bigger upside. id certainly take scales back, but I’d compare him to Ryan Christie. Solid loan with us, game time at Celtic as a result, and now we can’t afford him. (If we ever take a Celtic player on loan again a fee has to be agreed prior to the loan even happening.) id like to see us find the next Kenny McLean, Lewis Ferguson, Johnny Hayes, mcginn, shinnie etc, quality talent from the rest of the league. Plus Scottish players. Anyone rate Glenn Middleton? Armstrong from killie? Or is he the next Matty Kennedy? Baccus was linked before…

Perhaps the return of warnock needed as intern until Jimmy gets here?

Lost 2-1. Hopefully they hire their new guy asap and send jimmy to us early. Makes sense to both parties.

Scales and 10 mill and I’d pay attention. FWIW, hasn’t scales been one of their better players this year?

The one I don’t like, much like yesterday, is the foul in the build up. Either call it in the moment or don’t. Call the foul before the goal or play on and allow the goal. Case and point the miovski goal (against Celtic I think, maybe hearts??) where there was the accidental contact with miovski and defender and play continues and he scores. Call it there and then or let the play go. Undermining a ref and picking up on things he missed isn’t the ideal way to work with refs. Let the games flow in the moment. VAR also takes everything so literal that it manufactures fouls rather than letting the game flow in a natural manner. A number of penalties this year where I just don’t think are really fouls. Major change needed for the good of the game.

I think VAR and refereeing in general is now totally out of control. It used to be the case that in good games you didn’t see the ref, or weren’t at least that aware of his presence, and we’d always say we didn’t want the referee to have a heavy influence in the game. VAR ultimately has completely reversed this where every week VAR/the on field ref play a significant part in the outcome. I think that’s what’s so frustrating to fans is that every game has a long stop where VAR/the ref influences a game. How often do we have games now where VAR and the ref don’t influence a game? I’m speculating but I say a lot, how often is post match pub chat now about VAR and calls versus quality play and players? It dominates the game which cannot be good. there has to be a sensible step back from the powers that be. Reflect and evaluate priorities. Football is a product for fans and I dont know how many fans say VAR has positively impacted their enjoyment of the game. Many/any?? The beautiful game was not about refs and calls, but it’s now a significant and determining factor.

Ha, would be something. I just think of how he’d perform if he had the players around him Adam Rooney had. An in their prime hayes mcginn and McLean, he’d score a ton!

The allowing play to continue does not add to the game either, just leads to confusion. Besides blowing late for a free kick because we didn’t gain an advantage/keep possession, how does allowing play to continue help our game??

I’d say we did. But as I said before, look at who we had take them, 2 kids and a loaner. I compare to scotland for example, we’ve been very good in shootouts, all experienced regular penalty takers. We had 2 guys who probably take penalties, McGrath and sokler, then Macdonald is pretty solid, but the rest are inexperienced kids or, to be honest, not very good players. Surprised we maybe didn’t see gartenmann but I wouldnt really want Morris or roos on one, and that leaves youngster Mackenzie. as proud as I was of the performance in the end, today we saw a poor Aberdeen squad. Did the best we could but yet another big summer ahead.

Agree with you mostly except left mid. Don’t think hoilett has the legs, and duk doesn’t have the brain. I can also see duk leaving this summer, we’ll get offers. For the first 11 we definitely need a starting keeper, central defender (although I’m not certain ruby, Mackenzie, or Jensen should be a starter either), center mid, left mid, right mid. Wouldn’t mind seeing sokler given his chance, I think he’s more suited to Scottish football than miovski, not a knock on bojan. that’s 4 strong quality signings needed, 5 if it’s not sokler at 9. We also need depth, as I said the other day, I can see around 10 signings this summer.

Another game, a semi final, where we’re left scratching our heads with VAR. I guess we’d be scratching our heads with referee calls but I just don’t see how VAR has made the game better. Certainly hasn’t added clarity. It definitely doesn’t add enjoyment, and it’s been a year where VAR seems to have impacts games and results. what were the real time referee calls for both incidents today? Didn’t see the scales one, certainly though with the hoilett one a penalty had been awarded??

A world without VAR. we can hope. I can honestly say I dont celebrate goals now, didn’t today, instead waiting for the ref/VAR to get involved. Definitely changes the game for the worse.

Didn’t see the first two goals but Macdonald is certainly a likable guy. Made a mistake but more than made up for it. Good captain for the day!

Rico, agreed, tough to say they were soft today. But in general we dont have a lot of strong personalities so that needs fixed this summer. didnt see the scales incident and the second one has questions, but both no doubt go in the old firms favor.

And I am bitter. If it was rangers or Celtic the attacking team they get one or both of those penalties.

Yeah, my dig is more at the character. McGrath and Macdonald set the tone, we’re a bit of a soft bunch. Huge credit for 3-3 but you need the experienced guys to step up at penalties, although other than gartenmann all we had left were kids.

Yes it’s a loss but ton of credit, great battling, some baffling decisions that went against us. 5 wins to finish the season please! the fact that we had 2 kids and a loaner taking penalties says a lot about our squad.

Like a new signing! Forgot about him. Unfortunately Anthony Stewart is out of contract.

Would still take baccus from st mirren, Armstrong from killie perhaps. Liked Lyle Cameron at Dundee but we have clarkson and McGrath who play a similar role. Haven’t suggested Mikey Johnson in a while, maybe Stephen welsh from Celtic too? would like some proven SPL players and not just random foreigners to fill the squad.

We have a piss poor squad if you ask me, plus too many nice guys and not enough guys with a nasty bastard side to them who will get stuck in and scrap. Add that bojan, Barron, and possibly duk will move on this summer, ton of rebuilding yet again. honestly dont care if the following never play for us again, most are average at best - Roos, Doohan, gartenmann, Jensen, Morris, mcgarry, Phillips, Morris, Hayes, sokler, Duncan, Milne, gueye, vinnie, Macdonald, polvara… I get that some will be with us next season, but who do we ultimately have that we really dont want to lose?? we’re probably stuck with Morris, gueye, and mcgarry but certainly take any money on offer for them, add devlin, Macdonald, ruby, Jensen, Mackenzie, shinnie, clarkson, doohan as back up, sokler, McGrath, polvara, Duncan, were around a starting point of around 15. Can see close to 10 coming in this summer, possibly devlin, Mackenzie, shinnie, and clarkson, maybe ruby, are the only legit starters we have? Not sure if sokler can be our 9. McGrath is good but not a right mid and shinnie McGrath and clarkson aren’t my ideal center mid group, prefer another physical athlete in there with shinnie and clarkson or McGrath. hope jimmy brings in some Scandinavian talent, we need it!

What a load of shit. Watched it through twice and he never once said ‘are you with me.’ Clearly not the coach we are looking for.

Curious to the optimism of this game vs Celtic. You’ve said it more than once too and, over the last week in particular, we’ve been piss poor against weaker teams. While this isn’t the best Celtic of recent years they’re still a handy bunch. Nothing in our performances of late tell me a shock is on the cards. Someone posted we’re the second worst team in the league at the moment, 3 league wins and 2 cup wins in 2024 doesn’t fill me with confidence against our league leaders. Why so optimistic?

Love autocorrect. Split!