Ajja

Having mulled this over and looking at some of the clues; - we triggered a clause to be able to speak to him - he mentioned he knows Lutz well and we know Burrows link - Lutz assertion that we need someone who knows the Scottish game Could it be that we have been doing this dance with SR for a few months as first option and the other candidates have been courted because we didn’t want to spend whatever the ‘clause’ demands? Could explain why St Mirren have been absolute dugshit for months if his head was gone. Just a theory.

So any development on Sandro? We’ve been so public about him I would have thought he’s a shoe-in. Out of work since Oct so can’t see any gardening leave issues. it’s hard to get a grip on his history, as Panda has already pointed out. Kept Mainz in the German top flight which was seen as a success of sorts as a small club in a cut throat league. Hertha were a shit show before he arrived so his time there was chaotic. No idea what he did in Moscow or NY but they have had a lot of managers in their short history, looks like they change them every year to 18 months and they’ve never had much success. It’s all a bit unknown, could go either way.

Preaching to the converted here buddy

I’m not sure either but I’m certain it should involve a leather glove and pistols at dawn. Modern football demands statistical analysis to provide evidence of success or failure beyond goals scored. I guess it’s part of the disease that money brings, along with VAR where big investments require certainty and security around everything to justify and protect their spend. That said, we are clearly far too light middle to back and so easy to cut through. Maybe we need to start winning those duels/duals/jewels

Pretty sure the rules are that if the stadium has VAR capability and it’s on TV it has to be in place for the game. Assume Dunfermline won’t have it?

In fairness to them, they did qualify some of it around the role players have on team/defence etc. for example, Milne is there for positional awareness and clearing rather than ‘battling’. Agree, these stats are only a part of the picture (RIP Ebbe) and no surprise, just thought they were interesting…apologies, will try harder next time

Not particularly specific to last nights game but was listening to the HWG Podcast this week and they did some interesting analysis on winning duels from the Hearts game. Talked about how we have tried to build a squad of technical players when physical battles is increasingly the dominant trend in the premiership. Even Motherwell (aka Ajax circa 1973) are battling to win possession. Stats for duels won (aeriel and ground) at Tynecastle; Milne 1/9 Morrison 9/13 Nilsen 9/12 Geiger 2/12 Hearts 55 Dons 45 This is a big issue for us and our ability to control games, breed confidence and create platforms to build on for the front line.

We’ve been generally quite good at keeping things under wraps when it comes to this sort of intel in recent years. I find it curious that in this process we have been quite public about who we are courting. I don’t think it’s a good strategy and is trying to appease the irrational fan base and media who want to know everything all the time and demand it of the club. All it serves is to build up expectation and then makes us look fools when it falls through. Seems logical to conclude that if Schwartz was a guest last night and his assistant was with him and DC talked about him in his interview that he’s being offered the role.

Not gonna give detailed view as I only half watched the game. What I saw gave me a little bit more hope for Saturday than I previously had. Next two games are pretty big as I reckon a couple of wins will see us safe. Beating Falkirk at home won’t be easy but we are looking a bit more lively at Pittodrie so that games a good opportunity to claw oursleves towards safety.

Only been half watching as really can’t get up for this. Looks like Olusanya is causing a bit of chaos without any control or direction. Might create opportunities for Nisbet but would probably rather see Bilalovic getting in behind than him. Agree with Jute, Nilsen needs subbed, go 4 and stick his son, Kjartansson in to screen backline. I’d love to see Shinnie in for Geiger as he’s struggled but can’t risk Shinnie with Saturday in mind.

Will be in the Elizabethan from around 3pm trying to block out the events planned circa 19:45 onwards. Expect it’ll be doors closed from about 5pm, wall to wall red army. COYR.

I’ve reconciled myself that the only way Jambos don’t win the title now is if they have an arse collapse (it’s Hearts so that is entirely likely). We need to get points. 100% we have to beat Celtic tonight, non-negotiable. Fuck worrying about other tin pot clubs who only win silverware if it was pre1903, they cheated their creditors or it was the championship title. ….or the tennents sixes. …..or runners-up in the fucking Texaco Cup.

Our run to the split is tough. Could easily be nil points. Only St Mirren are outside top 6. Going to need a significant uptick in form

For the record, it wasn’t me who suggested it was a risky comment. I merely made a joke about how he might have had an alternative meaning in it in response to WTR saying it was risky. Fully agree, he probably has to say it if he’s asked (I haven’t watched the interview so don’t know how it came about) but he could also choose not to. I’d say a measured and thoughtful leader reads the room and keeps his chest puffing to a minimum in the current circumstances.

Championship glory, full stadiums, laying waste to Airdrie and Morton. It’s a commercial man’s dream.