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DUK v Motherwell Minutes played: 29 Shots on target: 50% Accurate passes: 67% Successful dribbles: 43% Losses own half: None Recoveries opposition half: 100% Offensive duels won: 50% Touches in penalty area: 7 Progressive runs: 4 Accurate through balls: 100% Passes to final third: 100% Accurate forward passes: 100% Back passes: 100% A warrior. I will not hear criticism of him this weekend or even this year.

He wasn't losing possession that much though (I'll check the stats properly later). Usually he was either getting shots off (granted, should have been more clinical), winning corners (we had 16, we scored from one of them) or was drawing defenders out of position then passing to Devlin in space to put in a cross unmarked (although Devlin wasted many of them). All this playing in an unfamiliar position as he's not really been played on the right much.

Very harsh. Red certainly helped us, but think the switch of Duk on for Barron was a big factor too. Gave us good width, Hoilett & Duk terrorised them in the second half, and we should have finished off far more than the one chance that we did. A 4-0 win wouldn't have flattered us.

I wouldn't say we missed Shinnie v Celtic, but have read some nonsense about the game proving we're a better team without him in it. If Shinnie plays and Barron and Clarkson play to the level they did v Celtic, Motherwell won't be able to live with us.

I'm just spreading some positivity in this dark, negative world you and Rico are creating. If either of you ever fancy coming on Sportsound we'd love to have you on.

Is not bias though, it's understanding our audience and what content they're digesting and what they're not. You could argue we're more of a football department than a sports department for example. Glasgow Clan ice hockey team gets more fans through the door than a lot of Scottish championship teams. This will shock you, but I like Kenny. He's actually a good c**t.

Well, I dunno about that. I think we're allowing the draw with Celtic to gloss over the previous weeks, namely dour 0-0 draws with Dundee & Livi. He gets a bit of a free pass as they aren't his players, but the problems this season have extended beyond Robson.

Far too inconsistent and that's in the Championship

There is content from all 12 Premiership teams and beyond on all the BBC output (tv, radio, online & social). You may even have enjoyed a special feature on the highland league title conclusion. Is there more coverage to the old firm than others. Yes, that's because we don't have as many Livingston fans as we do Celtic fans. Likewise, Aberdeen get more coverage than most too. Our dedicated team pages - the stats are eye opening. However, great coverage is given to every team within a limited budget. You can't say the BBC don't care about Aberdeen, go see the tranche of coverage Jimmy Thelin was getting on all the output. We had a commentary team, reporters & pundits out at every Aberdeen European away game plus live TV coverage of the qualifiers. So no, you can't compare it to Viaplay/Premier.

Well done premier sports for their commentary on that incident. That makes up for them literally only giving a fuck about two teams.

Would he be that big a loss? Would he be any bigger loss than Barry Robson was to the coaching team? He's done okay for an inexperienced manager. He still takes his share of the blame for whatever the players were being coached all season.

It wasn't penalty though, was outside the box.

Scales is an interesting one. Was arguably at fault for our second and third goals, but in the main I thought him and Miovski had a really good battle. That Miovski edged the battle is more down to him being a magnificent player and Aberdeen doubling up on Scales & Taylor - Miovski always had Duk or Clarkson to play off of, while Barron kept tearing forward to battle for any knockdowns. I do think we should make another move for him. I think he might realise he'll be back up there next season.

Go on then, what was wrong with the BBC coverage?

What a prediction. I knew it would go to penalties and that we would concede three goals. The thing to note about the penalties - Brendan Rodgers said Celtic practiced them that week in training, I don't think (or at least it didn't look like) we did. Maybe it's just a standard thing Celtic do before a cup tie, but was interesting they considered the prospect of spot kicks while we didn't. They certainly all looked more confident from the spot than we did.

Hoilett looked a player today. Is there scope to keep him beyond summer? A full pre-season and we could get a good campaign out of him. Duk showed he is still an exceptional talent, if raw. Barron I thought was great, but seems very unlikely we'll have him next season. We need a few like him in summer; energetic midfielders comfortable with the ball at their feet. He didn't need to do anything exceptional - it was Clarkson making the nice through balls. But someone doing the dirty work, pressuring Celtic in midfield, and making the simple passes was needed. Sokler doesn't have the finishing instincts of Miovski, but a year being his understudy, he might be worth a chance and he played well at Hampden. Likely will still need another striker though. The defence. Gartenmann, MacDonald and Rubezic all have their good and bad moments. We could improve on all three. Likewise, you expect Rubezic to stay and maybe one other. Clarkson, there's still a talented player there. McGrath, like someone said on the match thread, sometimes hard to know where to play him. Doesn't offer width, not massively skilful, didn't really hurt Celtic. But he's not someone I'd write off either. He sometimes looks his best playing almost as a second striker. At least five big signings needed, presuming Miovski & Barron leave.

What a video

Drained. Gutted. But, I will say, the sight of the limbs in the Aberdeen end at all three goals was better than seeing the northern lights.

See Celtic have a tifo planned for tomorrow. As far as I'm aware we've not organised one, and Rangers/Hearts were told they're not allowed as they couldn't get in the day before.

We have 881 unsold as of midnight Friday, out of an allocation of maybe just under 10,000 it looks like. Celtic have been selling tickets up to section B1 in the west stand, and up to N3 in the South Stand upper deck, so there's going to be a lot more green than what's on the below map. If my maths are correct (not always so) then we're taking just over 9,000, despite a lunchtime kick-off in Glasgow, live on the BBC, off the back of a horrendous season, lost 6-0 to Celtic on our last trip to Glasgow, no wins at Hampden over Celtic since 1992, an aggregate score of 19-2 I think it is in the past 14 years v Celtic at Hampden, no permanent manager yet in place, our captain suspended, and a referee who consistently gives us nothing. I'd say that's a terrific support.

Tbf, Aberdeen kicked up a hell of a fuss in 2000 when they were refused a 50-50 split for the final. At one point they threatened to boycott the final (would Gordon Bennett have been CEO at the time? Sure it pre-dated Keith Wyness) and it even made it onto Watchdog. They didn't get their wish for that final, but the result was that ever since then, non-old firm teams have always been offered a 50-50 split for the Scottish Cup final if they want it, and Aberdeen (2017), Hibs (2001, 2013, 2016) and Hearts (2019 & 2022) all got 50/50 splits v the old firm. (Notable ones that didn't get were Dundee United & Motherwell but I'm sure they didn't ask for 50/50). Jim Leighton getting injured in the final and us having no substitute goalkeeper also led to five subs being allowed in the Scottish Cup, so our pain was for the benefit of Scottish football. So, chances are if we make the final we get a 50/50 split, so this whole narrative of "semi final sales will determine..etc" would be a change in previous procedure. Obviously, semi-finals and the League Cup final are different. Any sensible person should accept if you're going to play the semis in Glasgow with a lunchtime kick-off, most clubs will be affected by that and accordingly will sell fewer tickets. Amazing we still have to explain this to the SFA & the Old Firm every season.

Yes. Okay, Malcolm.

Fuck it, I'm going to this now. Club have played a blinder waiting until cup semi week to announce the new manager knowing the feel good factor would lift the players and support. I'm actually going to both semis, which ain't a great omen as last time I did that was 2012 when we lost to Hibs on the Saturday then Hearts beat Celtic the next day. Or is it a good omen cos Celtic lost their semi that year? Either way, Miovski 1-0.

If the man on the right can be as big a legend at Pittodrie as the man on the left we'll be alright. Mal Panton gets nowhere near the credit he deserves for the work he does there. But anyway, I can't fucking wait for the Jimmy Thelin era. Just got a feeling this guy is gonna do the business.

I like to think my speed, timing and accuracy embodies the new Jimmy Thelin era.