Panda

For those at the game, did Sandro Schwarz get any sort of reception when he appeared on the big screen?

I guess it's hard to get too up or down about his potential appointment. Did well at Mainz and Dynamo Moscow, without any real success though. Has struggled in his next two jobs, but even the fans there haven't given him much grief for it as he never really had the tools to work with.

Was having a look at what he played at New York Red Bulls. A 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 was what he came with from his previous clubs, but he played a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-1-4-2 often last season.

Would love to have heard his thought on us after the Celtic game.

We had the right idea in playing Nilsen in the centre of defence, and playing two up front. We had some good width too with Frame. 

But, not enough quality throughout the starting XI to press home when we were on top (for about 15 minutes in the first half and the last 10 minutes). Although had Nisbet scored with that header at the start of the second half, would have made for a very interesting game.

Leven - from memory - started with a 3/5 at the back at Ibrox when he began his interim spell (was that his first game or am I imagining it?). And then since then hasn't bothered with it until the second half on Saturday at Tynecastle. I think he should probably stick with it. It's not spectacular, but makes us a little harder to beat and a touch more dangerous on the counter. I don't think we have the squad to play an expensive 4-3-3 at the moment.

56 minutes ago, Bukta Bertie said:

He's gone off the deep end. Offering people square goes. At least it shows fighting spirit.

This requires context.

Quite funny how it's all worked out.

When this game was originally due to be played, we planned to have Eirik Horneland as a guest.

Now it's been rearranged, tonight we plan to have Sandro Schwarz as a guest.

1 hour ago, Ajja said:

Listened to that one a few times but it always seems a bit AI generated. Is it a real guy? 
There are a few decent Dons ones kicking about. Here We Go is the best for analysis. ABZ is decent banter, but more fun. Red Tinted Glasses is somewhere in between with OK analysis and less fun. 

I actually listened to the recent episode on the way home yesterday after it was advertised on here, and I had AI vibes too. 

I've been on the HereWeGo podcast a few times in the past as a guest, but sullied myself each time by talking shite. I think I'm better off with the written word rather than trying to have real life human interactions.

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

Word of a DonsTalk XI being invited.

What's the eligibility? Like, can we use posters from the English forums if they have grandparents that post on Donstalk?

1 hour ago, Bukta Bertie said:

Not even a plague. 

That's just a fever dream. 

46 minutes ago, Bukta Bertie said:

 

Have we ever retained the Scottish Cup? 

 

Yeah, twice, but they don't count because that prick Ferguson wore a maroon tie on Saturday, so we've disowned anything he won. 

19 hours ago, Panda said:

I think Celtic will win at Ibrox but drop points at Pittodrie.

My predictions are clearly shite. 

Like I said before though, I'd play the players who can't play v Dunfermline (Geiger for one, is anyone else suspended?) and give those who need minutes - Frame, Lobban, Morrison, Armstrong, Bilalovic, Lazetic, Aremu, a run out.

Our entire season is now all about the cup.

Without Nisbet, I don't think we have the players to play an effective front three. I'd play a front two.

3 minutes ago, irnbru1903 said:

Please don't quote the troll

Aye, it's too obvious now.

The man was clearly wearing a red scarf yesterday, in the support of his team.

There's bigger problems in the world to worry about.

1 hour ago, swaddon said:

Play the strongest team.

Do we have such a thing?

9 hours ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

. Your view may differ, but I would prefer a Dons team full of Scots that finishes fourth in the league than a team with nine foreigners that goes on to win the Champions League for us. For me, that is Hun behaviour and akin to cheating.
 

Is it a full moon all this week? 

I think Celtic will win at Ibrox but drop points at Pittodrie. Not because we're any good, but because this season is fucking mental and it's going to end with Hearts winning the league and Aberdeen beating Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi then Mitov failing to save a single pen in the shoot out v Jim Goodwin's Dundee United.

I've went off on a bit of a tangent there...sorry.

Play the reserves & Geiger, and save everyone for East End Park. 

Odd behaviour this from McInnes.

Geiger overreacts, but why do it in the first place? You've won an important match and are nine games away from becoming a legend at Hearts and probably Scottish football. Enjoy it.

According to some Hearts fans, he also made some derogatory comments about Aberdeen in midweek at a supporters event.

Bit needless and a fine way to lose goodwill with a club who gave him an opportunity in 2013, treated him very well and paid him handsomely for the privilege.

Watching that today felt like watching a Barry Robson team. Was a lot of long balls that didn't really have much purpose behind it. Hearts played the same way at times, and it was a rubbish game for the neutral, but Hearts are a bit more adept at it and had players they actually found with their passing. 

Then, late on, we were just knocking it around our back line and going nowhere.

The main difference (among many failures for us) was Hearts' positioning. They knew when to double up on a player, when they passed they found players in space (space we gave them because our positioning was so bad), they just had players in the right position while we look so badly coached.

Positives (few, but there were some). Some of Mitov's goal kicks were poor but generally thought he played well. He's still our number one in my eyes. Frame was hitting the byline well when he came on. Nilsen played okay. Also thought Nisbet played as well as he could with no service, but as @RicoS321 pointed out, twice he was screaming for the ball in a great position and someone else made the wrong decision (I actually think it may have been three times as Frame couldn't find him late on when he had made an intelligent run).

We're determined to pump it long, which means Geiger and Cameron are barely in the game, but are being pushed high anyway, which means when Hearts break they just breeze through all the space we've given them. 

Hearts are also wise to us trying to find Keskinen and Olusanya out wide, so are covering them, and after a shaky opening from them they now look relatively comfortable.

55 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

Armstrong is back in squad for tomorrow according to Leven.  

I dunno if I'd start him. I think Olusanya and Nisbet do manage to cause a wee bit of havoc together if played as a front two, which I think we've been trying to do (looking more closely at the average positions v Dundee United). It's like we're 4-3-3 out of possession but a 3-1-4-2 in possession.

1 hour ago, Bukta Bertie said:

I'm in a lot better mental shape than Mr. Ferguson of the Hun parish. 

Going by your posts, I doubt that very much.

3 hours ago, Bukta Bertie said:

Speaking of managers. What are we thinking about the behaviour of Alex Ferguson in recent years? It's quite clear he holds no special place in his heart for Aberdeen.

Are you well? 

37 minutes ago, Ajja said:

Looks like a spot the difference game that. For the record, other than 26 becoming 6, I failed to find anything. 

There are no changes, it's the same image but with Nilsen in place of McIntyre. Like I said  - it's the average positions for the full 90.

I don't know how accurate it is though (source was Opta) and I don't have a breakdown for first/second half.

A heat map (I should have posted that) shows Nilsen was going forward a lot more than Molloy, and Milne covering the space, so that perhaps gives the impression of a three. 

5 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

 I was certain it was a back three.

5 hours ago, Jute said:

At the game it looked like a 4 to me 

I don't know who is right as I was only half watching it. But here's the average positions if these help (these are for the full 90, there's not a breakdown of first half/second half)

With McIntyre on:-

With Nilsen on (seemed to play in a various similar position to McIntyre):-

I don't know how accurate it is. 

The east section of the main stand (what Hibs got) isn't on sale to either support yet. Likely Dunfermline waiting to see how home sales go first.

So every chance we get extra tickets.

3 hours ago, Elgindon said:

I thought it was a decent turn out for a Tuesday night,and given how crap weve been lately.Most of the shed,and was it some of the fehr pleh stand?

It absolutely was a decent turnout. Just the lowest I can remember for a long time. It's usually always between 2,500 & 3,500.

Was just an observation, wasn't making any specific point.