manc_don

I thought we played better than we did on Tuesday and I actually thought we played some good football in the second half. It royally fucked me off that we let the lead go, but you just knew unless we got that vital second goal, something like that was going to happen. It is Aberdeen afterall. Great atmosphere, did anyone who wasn't sitting in the east stand get a photo of the display? I'm not overly confident we'll pump them at Pittodrie, but we should have enough to see them off. I hope at least. Great finish from Aluko as well! Finally, welcome back Jamie Smith, by fuck was it obvious that we've been missing him! I thought him and Aluko were playing well together, I just wished he'd shot rather than pass out wide on a few occassions. Still though, great to see him playing from the start!

Thats what I guess I was trying to alude to, that we still haven't replaced Mickey Hart, Anderson or to a certain degree, Esson. Ideally we'd win the cup and finish third but the latter is looking extremely unlikely but as I said, fourth isn't out of reach and we have to remember that it is a Europa League spot and I certainly wouldn't deem it a failure, should we win/reach the final of the cup. As you quite rightly mention, the lower we finish in the top 5, the less of a break the players get and the more likely they will pick up injuries. Though it is typical Aberdeen to not have their destiny in their own hands. Roll on the business end of the season

I'd agree with this. I do however, think 3rd is out of reach as of our failure to beat St. Midden. I just don't see how (as you quite rightly mentioned) the three combinations of us playing better, hearts and the arabs messing up big style is going to happen. We've missed so many opportunities, but as Jager has said, stranger things have happened. The summer is actually quite worrying as I don't want Seve to leave and providing Smith stays fit, I don't want him to leave either. We still need a left and right back and another right winger to "cover" Smith if he's injured.

Lets just hope they don't bottle it under the pressure/expectation! Hopefully it will be a great day out in a sea of red

Thats not good news. I thought they said yesterday he'd only be out for two weeks? Will be a big miss but at least it gives Wright or Maguire to show what they can do. Moreso Wright I feel.

Completely, it is a huge IF at the moment. The unpredicatability of everything is really frustrating, but I guess in a twisted way its exciting Anyway, just watched the Huns highlights, hilarious stuff. I wish they panned onto the orc crowds, would have been comedy viewing. Just wish we could win there, I really thought this would be the season as well. Spose it still could be

Could well have been. But it just looked like he'd given it as offside. I blame erm..... the rain

BBC highlights certainly didn't mention it being offside but we certainly thought so last night. The highlights actually looked ok, Wrights header looked even more impressive. I think the keeper flapping infront of Miller was probably why he didn't get it on target, though a striker should always anticipate that.

Completely agree with this. I think JMG will be more vociferous than ever then as there will be fence sitters who will be tired of all this. We really need to get through this game with a positive result! BB don't even mention bottling it! If they do, the backlash will be bigger than previous seasons.

Usually I'd agree with you, but he is actually....wait for it....a sensible OF fan Probably one of the very few and he actually knows what he's talking about. Obviously he wants us to beat the huns at every opportunity but even he is dumbfounded as to why we can't get a win of late.

God knows, maybe they too thought that they would cruise through this then came up against a team who battled and hard and we seem to have lost the plot. Its the same old thing with us though, seem to get stuck in a rut whereby we just can't seem to get things to click. Earlier on in the season it was we couldn't help but lose, now its we just can't do enough to win. As much as I like JC you do have to question his motivational skills. Was talking to a tim mate of mine and he stated that the two reasons why he hates JC are because a) he can never motivate his teams against "lesser" opposition, and b) he doesn't play consistently good football. Both of which I do agree with because we struggle with both but the latter I can be more sympathetic with. But obviosuly I don't hate JC, i mean afterall JIG

I agree with this but I think Mulgrew definitely needs to be dropped. He has been horrendous of late and needs a rocket up the arse because he is more of a hinderence than a asset at the moment.

Agree with that. I had to ask Topcorner if he actually was a right back because it was a joke of a performance! I think we may have got him possibly a season too early. Because what I saw of him the first time I thought he looked composed and could pick a pass but after last night, I'm not so sure. He's still very young and has a lot of learning to do but I'm not convinced we should be playing him at RB, was dragged inside far too often or even just wondered there himself. I also agree re what Ajja said on the other thread about the system we were "playing" last night, I think Vidal highlighted this for me, cos he didn't seem to know who the hell he was supposed to be marking. We need to start winning games, but as I said on the other thread, at least we're not losing.

Last night I thought Aluko, but I think there were four key players for us last night. Aluko, Kerr, Langfield and Wright.

Compltely agree with that. I thought Maguire played one of the best games i've personally seen him play (not saying much really), but I will say this, I was glad to see him shooting because by fuck, our team seemed scared to shoot and invariably took the wrong option (passing it out wide) when it was easier to shoot. Hell even Maguire did that once when it looked like the defenders had parted for him. Aluko ran his socks off and seemed to cover every blade of grass at times. It was great to see J. Smith back on the pitch and as AJJA said, seemed to pull the play out his way a bit more opening up the game that bit more. I didn't recall Miller hitting the post? The only opportunity I saw that hit the post was rulled off for offside I thought? Anyway, Wright provided me with the only two real moments of entertainment the whole game. chasing after the ball to put pressure on the keeper and taking one in the face when the keeper was by the by line and then obviously the fantastic finish for the header. I thought he did quite a bit when he came on and certainly gave the St. Mirren defenders (both of them who were marking him) and thing to think about. Hopefully this will be the first of many goals for him and moreover, hopefully the players will take what positives can be taken from this performance,.I mean lets face it, midweek game in rain/sleet/snow isn't the best, but at least we didn't lose, though I feel our push for third is now all but finished. I do have big worries about Saturday

My thoughts exactly Lets hope ... wait i'm not even going to say it. Don't want to jinx him. But yes, it is worrying about MacDonald and it is quite clear to see how important he is to the team now he's not in it. He didn't have a very good injury record before did he?

I might be being daft, but does that table not say that Miller is still ahead of Maguire?

I agree with that, its easily our strongest XI but I would rather we had a LB that could actually defend But hey, beggers can't be chosers and all that and he does contribute to a number of our goals

This bit I agree with.

We need to start winning games, especially since our cushion has been taken down to only 3 points now and Motherwell stringing some good results together. I chose 5 points (last week) in the hope that I would be proved wrong, I still hope I will be, but knowing Aberdeen I figured that was what we'd get.

I was thinking the same thing. Surely the Police for a start would say no? This is why I agree with Funster in that I just don't think a joint bid would be feasable I was the same as Kowalski in thinking that something had to be done about the main stand. But maybe it was just a rumour

Wales have 3 ready or near ready, Cardiff (x2) and Swansea, presumably we'd use the ugly sisters, Hampden, Murrayfield and Pittodrie with one of the other Edinburgh Jakey's taking one? Is that enough though if they increase the size of the Euro's?

1. Mizer 2. Funster 3. GD 4. Manc_don

I thought we either had to redevelop the main stand or move to a new ground within 5 years (due to the fire certificate running out) and the main stand not meeting the new fire safety requirements? Or did I just make that up