Drew Peacock

Well, from a purely selfish point of view I sincerely hope it's off - i cant make tonight but I might be able to go to the rearranged game.

Plus - We've got a squad ravaged by injuries.  By the time next week comes we should have most of our guys fit again, Barry Robson and their polish goalie might have fucked off to the bigot brothers, and the game might get televised which will bring in some extra bucks.

Bummer for those of you on your way down but uit's better to know now i suppose - by all accounts the prospect of the game going ahead sounds a bit gloomy .

So is the game on the box anywhere in the UK??? 

i cant make it due to work so i'm hoping that i can get to see it on TV - is there any way of getting Setanta Eire over here / somewhere that has it?

Bah!

Wonderful book. I've just started "Ajax Barcelona Cruyff", which appears to be a series of articles on Cruyff throughout his career. David Winner translated it into English although he's not actually written any of it. If it's worth a read I'll let you know and i'll send it on to you.

Fantastic - cheers loon. 

I must admit i never appreciated just how much of a legend Cruyff was / is over in Holland.  Certainly ahead of his time in terms of asking questions of the establishment and making people think differently about things.

It's a very clever book - the crossovers between the likes of Dutch art and architecture, and they football they play is not something i've ever heard of before.  Plus, it's really well written.

Thought I'd ressurect this thread to see if anyone's read anything of note recently.

 

I'm still struggling on with Catch-22 which really is quite funny but very, very difficult to read for some reason.  About a chapter at a time is about all I can manage.

 

Thought about picking up other books in the meantime but I'm stubborn, so I'm going to persevere with it until it's finished.

 

I was the same withe Catch-22 - it's a really good book, and like you say, very funny in places - however, i don't think it's the kind of book you can read in big chunks.  I don't know the reason behind that as it's not one of those that loads you with detail until you feel exhausted from reading at the end of a chapter, nor is it anything to do with it being written badly as well, it's written very cleverly.  Weird.

I've read all three Stuart Macbride books and loved them all - I think I read each one in the space of a week and had difficulty putting them down.

I'm now back onto Brilliant Orange by David Winner http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brilliant-Orange-Neurotic-Genius-Football/dp/0747553106 - bought it ages ago (via a reccommendation on a similar thread elsewhere ) prior to getting into the Stuart Macbride books.   

It got put on the backburner as a result - I've only just started reading it a week or so ago and it's superb thus far.  Good insights into the "Total Football" culture and an interesting block about the Dutch hatred of the Germans all coming to a head after losing to them in the 1974 World Cup.

Definitely worth a look.

Judging by the quality of our recent forays into the transfer market, i wouldn't get too excited by any potential signings this week....

I personally think Maguire is fucking terrible.  I know he's just a young lad, but i just don't see anything with him that makes me think he will ever make it or develop into a decent striker.  why we brought him on instead of Lovell on saturday when the hearts center backs were hoofing everyone in sight i really don't know - effectively we were a man down upfront the second that happened.  His first touch is almost as bad as darren mackies', and he always looks a light breeze away from falling over.

Considine - i don't know.  I just think he's too slow - if he made up for that with positional awareness or speed of thought then perhaps he's got a chance.  However, these are not things he's got at the moment but they are things that can be coached into him with the correct guidance. 

Playing at left back however, like he did on tuesday night, will not help his cause one little bit.

The jury's out in both cases for me i'm afraid. 

Are you sure it was his door?

 

I'm going to give (The) 'Radiohead - In Rainbows' a blast now.  Had it on download for a while and completely forgot about it.

 

*Opens mind to the possiblity it won't be shite like the last two.....

Well, i wasn't that much of a fan of Hail to the Thief, and Amnesiac was ok.

In Rainbows however, is a belter IMO -  Some absolutely brilliant stuff on there.

Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War

Bilbo - what would you say Stars are like? 

I completely forgot, but one of my mates was raving about them a couple of months back - i've not heard any of their stuff yet. 

If we had a scouting system coming up with dross like that there would be plenty of people complaining. I honestly don't think any of them would be much use at Pittodrie.

I was thinking the same thing to be honest. 

Craig Conway aside, i don't think much of the rest of them.

When Miller won that penalty that Seve missed on Tuesday, I forgot how good De Visscher's through ball to Miller was until i saw it again last night.

Jamie Smith's free kick was a carbon copy of the one he scored against Motherwell at Todders earlier this season - brilliant effort.

He fucking is.

Too fucking right.

Jim Bett is in the process of selling up and moving to Iceland (yes, the country), so whatever he's doing over here he won't be doing it for much longer.

His house in Aberdeen just recently came off the market, and him and his wife are going to be taking over his father in law's business over there.  He had been doing some media work for the english FA covering scottish games - don't think he's doing the scouting stuff anymore though.

Legend.

Patrick Cregg, Ian Black or Steve Hammell Please.

Although i get the sinking suspicion it'll more than likely be Scott Wilson, Darren Young or Sol Bamba.

Aye,but expect forty minutes of the thriller, Huns V E Stirling, fifteen minutes of Murderwell v LSC, and the remaining five minutes split 60/40 in our favour over the Partick v Dunfermline game

42 minutes of the huns game to be precise.  although that included a wankfest over how good Kris Boyd is because he scored a hattrick against the worst team in the scottish leagues.

Couldn't believe how bad the coverage was, but then again, i wasn't entirely surprised.

I had a baton rouge once.

It was nothing some cold water and cotton wool couldn't soothe though.

I too am listening to Boxer by The National.

Bloody excellent it is too - recommend it.

 

I still don't see it with this guy

Thats because you only watch us when we're on telly...

And by a similar token, if JDV doesn't get a game tonight then you've got to ask why the fuck was he signed in the first place?  From what I've seen of him I'd have him playing for us most weeks, perhaps not always away from home but definately at Pittodrie where we should be on the front foot most of the time. I know he lacks pace, but he looks as though he has a football brain and the talent to go with this. He knows how to keep possession and he is always looking for the ball. Criminally, we don't have anyone else like him.

The guy can pick a pass, that's for sure.  Christiano Ronaldo he aint, but he cartaily provides us with a good option on the right side of midfield.

However, Jimmy's preference of playing headless chickens like Young and Clark has been his biggest blocker from getting a starting place.

Just an idea for tonight, why not focus on our attacking options and have a right good go at with all out attack.

Given our defensive options, i don't think we have much choice.

Also, it's easy to see how much pish the P & J talk - since when has having Byrne, Mair, and Duff out constitute a "crisis".  "Blessing in disguise" would have been a better headline.

I agree that it's unlikely that Lovell will start but if it was my choice he would.  Maguire will probably start alongside Miller...

And yes, i sincerely hope De Visscher is in tonights starting eleven. 

DONS' SCOTTISH CUP INJURY CRISIS

 

Aberdeen go into tonight's Scottish Cup tie against Falkirk at Pittodrie with half their team ruled out in an injury crisis.

 

Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood is faced with having to make more changes to his side for the fourth round replay against Falkirk.

 

He is without six players due to injury or illness and new signing Stuart Duff is ineligible.

 

Richie Byrne has suffered a recurrence of the hamstring injury which kept him out of the side for almost a year, while Karim Touzani, Richard Foster and Michael Hart are also injured.

 

Lee Mair is ill, while forward Darren Mackie, who made his comeback in the 3-0 defeat by Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday, is also out of the game following a training ground injury yesterday.

 

Calderwood said: "I have had to change my back four every game for the last six weeks due to illness or injury and it shows no signs of getting better.

 

"Touzani may be back on Saturday, while Mackie took a knock in training which, hopefully, won't be too bad. We don't know how long Byrne will be out for as he has injured his hamstring.

 

"It is the same one which kept him out for a long time but he came off the field in time so, hopefully, it will not be too serious.

 

"I would have liked to freshen up the team for the game but I can't do that now. I don't think I have played the same back four all season."

 

Calderwood was still clearly irked by the performance of his players against United and he has urged his senior players to lead by example against John Hughes's side tonight.

 

He said: "There is a fear factor where players don't want the ball if there is an opponent within 10 yards of them.

 

"As a whole, the team is averaging five or six out of 10 and we need sevens or eights if we want to win games.

 

"When you lose games you feel tired and it is up to the players to lift themselves for this game as it is an important one for us.

 

"We have to talk to each other and sort it out on the field. The senior players have got to take control of the situation on the pitch.

 

"The fans have every right to be disappointed with the performance on Saturday as they went to Tannadice with the same optimism I had and the players didn't perform."

 

Meanwhile, the club has confirmed all fans who applied for tickets for the away leg of the Uefa Cup tie with Bayern Munich have been successful.

 

Season ticket holders and shareholders entered a ballot to see the February 21 game in Germany. There will now be a ballot for the general sale of the remaining tickets and anyone wishing to apply should return their forms, which are available from the ticket office or at www.afc.co.uk by Friday.

DONS SCARED OFF BY PRICE TAG ON DUNFERMLINE DEFENDER WILSON

 

Aberdeen have abandoned a move to bring Dunfermline defender Scott Wilson to Pittodrie.

 

The Press and Journal can reveal the Dons expressed an interest in signing the former Rangers central defender but were unwilling to meet the First Division side's valuation of Wilson, who signed a new two-year contract with the Pars last summer.

 

Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood said: "We did make an inquiry for theplayer but a move will not be happening."

 

Pars manager Jim McIntyre is keen to keep the player at East End Park.

 

He said: "I can understand it if Aberdeen were interested in Scott - he's one of my best players and is still a valuable member of my squad."

 

Meanwhile, Preston will conduct their own medical checks before deciding whether to sign Michael Hart during the January transfer window.

 

The Dons defender hasalready signed a pre-contract deal to join the English side in the summer but the Pittodrie club is keen to recoup some money by selling him now.

 

A deal for the Aberdeen vice-captain will hinge on Preston's verdict on theinjury to Hart's hip and back which is keeping him sidelined at present.

 

Preston chairman Derek Shaw said: "Michael will be coming down.

 

"We are very pleased that Aberdeen have consented to our medical team to have a look at the injury."

1.  Tonight should be a laugh.  I would propose we go 3 at the back, given our lack of defenders avaliable.  Something like this:

----------------------Langfield-------------------

Considine-------------Diamond---------Macnamara

De Visscher---Nicholson------Seve----------Aluko

-----------------------Smith---------------------

-----------Miller----------------Lovell-------------

2. Is Jimmy Calderwood incapable of looking past "local lads who are out of contract" or players he's managed in the past when it comes to transfer targets. 

We need an experienced center half, but does Jimmy have to be so short fucking sighted?!!?!

I laughed when Dundee United brought in Darren Dods, but in hindsight, we've been crying out for someone like that to play alongside Diamond this season.

Better to be noticed than to be anonymous. 

In real life maybe.

Attention seeking on internet messageboards however, not so much.

Our home form is good dude

oops - edited.  I knew what i meant...

We'll scrape a win against Falkirk in the scottish cup. All depends on the draw provided we beat hamilton in the next round so impossible to predict.

We'll get beaten by Dundee United in the CIS semi as Calderwood seems incapable of sussing out Craig Levein's teams (our home game a couple of months ago aside, our record and displays against united are both completely shit.)

We'll get beaten by Bayern Munich at home and away.  If our defence stays as it is at the moment then it'll be a rugby score. 

The league is too open to predict IMO.  Top six, but given some of our displays and our away form i'm not even sure of that justnow.

I'm normally quite an optomistic wee soul, but i think saturday has sapped me of a lot of that...

Check out my rating! 

To be fair, you deserve every one of them...

Good on Calderwood!

These players are paid massive wages and just don't do it.

Fuck 'em! If the fans slag them off in the pub, the manager should slag them off in the press - it's not like the players will come to the pub for a dressing doon fae the fans - but at least these prima donna's might actually see a backpage headline once in a while (when they're looking up their weekly player ratings!).

Aye - all very well and good, but i don't think we'd ever hear of Calderwood coming out and saying this about one of his "favourites".

Lovell from what i hear, is a very quiet guy who keeps himself to himself.  He probably is getting singled out for attention because he doesn't go balancing buckets of water over the changing room door on a daily basis.

And yes, one up front is a farce.

That aside, these things should be done behind closed doors anyway.