Leerichardson40yrds

But Calderwood is hardly going to come out and say "Partick Thistle? Brilliant, just what we wanted as they are a load of pish and we will horse them". He will obviously give Partick a bit of extra credit. I don't think that because Calderwood has said the draw isn't easy he deserves to be criticised for that. He has a point. Although we have had two shocking performances in the cup, we have had two nasty draws as well.

Does anyone know if the club are going to (even try) arranging (or recommend) ways for fans to go to the away leg? I have waited for 5 years for a proper away trip, and I don't want to totally rule it out yet...

Because Miller (I feel) was seriously hampered by the arrival of Brewster. Lovell does need to get a run in the team, but his confidence really does look down. Calderwood clearly doesn't see eye to eye with him either. Personally I think he is the best striker we have had since Stavrum, but he flits in and out of games, has never looked fully fit or committed, and it is far more frustrating that we know he is good but has never shown his abilities 100%.

Good news Good news on a few levels really. Should force the hand of the board to keep Hart, Clark and Nicholson. Then start sorting out Maguire's future. I would prefer to keep Miller and Diamond as well. Lovell should probably stay, but I doubt he will unless he gets 10 this season.

The standard of the Championship is comparable with most of the SPL. I would imagine that most of the SPL sides would more than compete in the Championship.

Heathrow to Kiev for the away date is 219 pounds return. Not so bad...

I am deeply disturbed that I had to start my day today with a picture of Steve Fulton. That was incredibly unfair, without warning. I feel violated. Even if it was a young Steve Fulton, when his head was less like a deflated American Football.

Surely there is a chance we will draw a qualifier? Considering there are more qualifiers than Seeds/CL Dropouds?

Has anyone else heard anything on the rumour for a move for a certain ex-Hearts captain now out of favour somewhere else? Dobie wouldn't be the worst signing in the world. He isn't a striker, but he is a proper target man which we don't have at the moment. Unless Miller decides what sort of player he wants to be.

It is one in a long line of Edinburgh names. People called Alisdair McCameron (pronounced in an anglicised version of Scottish). If there are a set of fans in Scotland who have delusions of grandeur then they are considerably further south than Aberdeen. Maybe he should look a little closer to home. Champions League- 8 years and counting...

Most of this story is pish, but it is Pish that I can deal with to some extent. Asking questions of Mair, Souter and Derek Young is probably well justified (even if it is very one sided). While criticism of McNamara and DeVischer seems to be 'what if they are not up to it' as opposed to 'what if they live up to their potential'. What really pisses me off is this constantly recycled notion that we are pining for the days of Fergie. I don't know one Dons fan who realistically thinks we will repeat that anytime soon. We have changed our expectations accordingly. It isn't hard to guess who the man supports.

I doubt that Young will ever get a game up front. I think he was brought in as cover for the wide players.

To me it seems like the 'Egyptian Nightmare' has been blown out of all proportion. We lost a couple of games, players were in an accident that turned out to be far less serious that was first reported and the flight was delayed by a day. This doesn't come accross as the worst trip in the world. The only real problem would was the ref/fans at in the 3rd match. We probably went to Egypt because i. we were offered decent money to go there ii. it takes the players out of Scotland and lets them play in a different sort of game iii. we are looking at a link up with some sides, at some point. If you want to put a positive spin on the tour then you could say that Lee Miller and Steve Lovell are starting to look good and the players haven't been out drinking for 10 days.

To be honest, I don't really have the same 'oh my god' reaction that a lot of Dons fans are having. I actually think that Derek was underrated compared to his brother, who people seemed to rate. Neither was especially good, but one was seen as a loss when they left. If the younger Young is signed to be an alternative to Daal then I couldn't care less. I am far more worried about the fact that when one Young goes the other seems to follow.

Clark should maybe have known better than to kick the ball away, but from what people are saying it doesnt seem like Nicholson did anything wrong. How can a friendly 1000 miles away count for suspensions on the first day of the season?!

How can Gus McPherson be on the same level as any Hearts manager? If you fancy a flutter, I would bet on John Collins being the first one to leave/get the dunt. He has done a lot of sellin' and not much buyin'. It doesn't take much for anyone to upset the Hibs dressing room...

From the BBC website-

The BBC has the same story today. It is the same story as last year.

I know this may be a debate for another time, but how many points did Langfield actually cost us last season? Not many.

I think were it not for the fact that Calderwood doesn't have competition for the keepers jersey, then Langfield would have been punted immediately. Langfield can't get a Bosman style transfer, because he is still under contract to us. When contract negotiations were withdrawn it was regarding an extension. What grounds would he have to break his contract? 'I got pissed, slagged off my boss and demanded a move to another side...' I agree that we probably won't sign anyone, but I don't think that we couldn't. Anderson was the biggest earner at the club, and if Willie is still talking about potentially adding Huevel plus another, then we obviously do have some money for wages. Considering that Neil Alexander, Scotland's number 2, is on a free transfer then that would be one avenue. Quite possible that he is on extortionate wages, but there is some money there if a freebie came along.

I agree. I don't actually think Langfield is a bad keeper. I think he is a slightly better than average SPL keeper, and considerably better than most of the goalkeepers in the league. All things considered I would have been fairly ambivilant had he started the season as number one. The problem is, he can't. He can't conceivably play for us as it undermines Calderwood, undermines anything faith Calderwood might have in Souter ('aye, sorry son, you were brought in for competition and the first choice has shot himself in the foot, but fancy another season on the bench...') and there is a very good chance that the fans will turn on him as soon as he steps on the pitch. The only thing worse than a full on Hun, is one of your own who wants to be a Hun. I think, in a perverse way, we need to hope Souter either a.Suddenly gets much, much, much better or b. Doesn't exactly 'prove himself' in Egypt and spurs the three Jimmies (Leighton has to know this too), or Willie, into making a move for a keeper. It isn't like there are no options, especially seeing as we can offer European Football. Available just now include Neil Alexander (Free Agent), Rab Douglas (Transfer Listed), Timo Hildebrand (Free), John Filan (Free). One of those is not to be taken seriously...

3-0. Two for the Brew and one for Mackie.

But Ricky Gilles turned down Liverpool to sign for us...

Yeah, Nicholson came on in the second half. What that sentence was meant to mean was 'Nicholson was a better attacking option from midfield when he came on in the second half', rather than 'he was better in the first half than the second'. Sorry for confusion.

To be honest the defence really didn't have anything to do. Touzani was strong in the tackle, but he does lack a bit in the air. Michael Hart was solid. McNamara was excellent. His link up play in the first half was great. Mair was solid as well, but they really didn't have an awful lot to do. Quite hard to judge how they would fare against a better frontline. I assume Diamond and Considine will get a run out on Sunday. DeVischer was good, although it was inferior opposition his touch was good and he always wanted to run with the ball, which is a good sign no matter what the opposition. For me the man of the match was Chris Maguire, who caused no end of problems in the first half and was always looking for the ball. He was unlucky only to have the one goal and had a good workrate throughout, even though he was wide on the left. Not that there was too much to complain about, but goalkeeping problems aside, I thought the central midfield was a bit weak. Severin got the shit kicked out of him early doors and never really recovered. Nicholson was a bit brighter in the second half but didn't get forward much. Smith was a bit quiet as well. I am not sure if that was a deliberate tactic (sit in in the centre, bomb forward on the wings) but I would have liked to see a bit more from the central players. It's not a major issue, just nitpicking.