Panda

I've not been watching (might try finding a stream for the second half tho as it seems to be a thrilling game). I'm intrigued how Elfsborg have had 39% possession yet the majority of the chances. Hibs fans are going to hate us.

Two clean sheets in a row, that offers me some hope. Maybe, just maybe, we can recreate the spirit of 1990 and take it to penalties. I think we'll lose 3-0 though.

There seems to be an unwritten rule about criticising Peter Leven, like he's the young goat herder that is putting out the village fires in the absence of a properly established fire brigade. However, let's not forget he's one of the Cormack Park coaches that has helped create this shambles of a season. His fingerprints are all over the match box, even if he didn't light them (I'll stop now). And under his interim management - it's not something we've only just began doing, but I'm noticing it so much now - out attacking strategy appears to be to get to the edge of the box, then someone lobs it in and hope it falls for someone. So often over the last few weeks we have this wee school ground style stramashes in the box. It's embarrassing to watch us. See the whole "I hope Leven is part of the new coaching set up, he deserves it". I would clear out every single one of them. How the hell do we have a team of talented players performing this badly week after week?

Almost done Though kinda going off him the more I hear the way the surname is pronounced. Say what you like about Robson but he kept it simple.

Well this post has just jinxed the whole thing. FFS Orlando.

Well that's our glamour pre-season friendly sorted. The 1983 v 1987 ECWC winners. There's not a stadium big enough to host that fixture.

The only game after the cup final is the relegation play-off I'm sure he'll be watching every game. If anything, if I was an Elfsborg fan I'd be annoyed as his focus will be elsewhere, but I'm sure he'll see plenty of the Dons. They've got dodgy fire sticks in Sweden don't they? NB: Breaking news tonight is that Thelin is pronounced Te-leen, with the emphasis on leen. I find if you say it out loud that way you can't help but sound Swedish. You just said it out loud didn't you?

As much as I'd like Thelin in charge now so he can begin his magic at Hampden, it makes sense for him to wait until summer. Big move, uprooting his life from Sweden to Aberdeen, being thrown straight into a huge game v Celtic and working with players he won't know. It didn't do Glass, Goodwin or Warnock any good in the short-term (or long term) taking over a struggling team towards the end of the season. He could have a few early defeats and have fans doubting him early. Makes sense to move when he's been able to watch from afar and get to know a bit about the team, and come in summer ready to rock and roll. By all accounts he's very "boring", not one to criticise referees or make outlandish statements. But Henrik Larsson was the same and until now he's the most successful Swede in Scottish football, so I'll take it.

That would involve having to go onto the hat. I'll wait until he finds his way over here.

It means Peter Leven will be the first interim manager since Valdas Ivanauskas in 2006 to win the Scottish Cup. You can have that for your next pub quiz.

Reports in Sweden saying Jimmy Thelin to Aberdeen is done, but he'll join on 1 June, along with his two assistants. https://www.fotbollskanalen.se/allsvenskan/uppgifter-allt-tyder-pa-att-thelin-lamnar-elfsborg/

Ajax had been on somewhat of a comeback after their horrible start to the season, but plugged 6-0 off Feyenoord at the weekend. Ajax Aberdeen - having terrible seasons.

He should be sacked for being 17 points behind Jim Goodwin. Also, he's lost home and away to Scott Brown's Ayr United. A failure.

Apparently we have our man, announcement expected this week. Dunno if that's Thelin or someone else.

Yes. Duk has the most assists and is the third top goal scorer.* Though Miovski has the most goals and is the third top for assists.* *in the league

No point celebrating goals now until after the VAR checks. No-one gained an advantage from the offsides. As for the game. Meh. Hopefully a new manager before the semi-final.

We're fortunate that Livi's Dan Mackay can't cross the ball, because they've done us repeatedly down our left hand side.

Rubezic obviously not fit enough for the bench. Or maybe they don't want risk him on the plastic pitch. No Phillips either.

Cracking weekend of football. I presume all the leagues get together and organise twice a season we'll have stand out fixtures on the same weekend? Livingston v Aberdeen Roma v Lazio Man Utd v Liverpool Feyenoord v Ajax Sporting Lisbon v Benfica Rangers v Celtic Can't be a coincidence they're all on the same weekend?

Sorry, only just noticed this. I don't work on the website anymore, which is why it's gone downhill. But I think from memory that's the page the match report goes on. So they have a preview written on it, then it gets rewritten as the match report, and it's likely not just updated quick enough. True story (maybe).

Have to say, Hearts' promotion has been night and day compared to Aberdeen's. Loads of videos from previous semi-finals to get fans in the mood and excited about going. It's been six days since Aberdeen have even mentioned the semi-final, and that was just to say they were on sale. In that time Hearts have made six posts about their semi-final, including video content.

You're not going but you're hitting out at other fans for not going? No it's not, because we sold around 20,000 for a 3pm kick-off at Hampden v Dundee United in 2015. Good kick-off time, not on TV, the club in a good place, the support will come out. Likewise, as I've pointed out, Hearts have in the past have poor ticket sales. For the 2012 semi-finals, they actually sold fewer tickets than Aberdeen & Hibs. Circumstances change. Sometimes our support will be big, sometimes it won't. If Aberdeen appoint Jimmy Thelin on Friday and we put five past Livingston on Saturday, you might see a spike in sales come Sunday night. The "justification" is simply this: it's a semi-final, both clubs deserve to be given the same chance of winning it. The game being in Celtic's own city is already an advantage. Them having the bulk of the support is another. We're at a disadvantage before a ball is kicked. If we win, anything less than 50% for the final would be a disgrace, the semi ticket sales should be an irrelevance, in the same way I wouldn't expect Hearts or Rangers to be given a goal start in the final because their performances over the season suggest they deserve the cup more.

It's not a poor turnout, 7,000 is actually a huge away support all things considered. There's not a club in Scotland who would sell that in our position (both geographically and in football terms). Hearts sold less than 10,000 tickets for a cup semi-final in their own city v Inverness. I haven't bought a ticket, not because I think we'll get beat, but because the club is a fucking shit show at the moment. "All just excuses", if you say so, but I don't need to blindly follow the club anywhere, especially when I've shelled out for plenty games this season. It's that attitude that's allowed the club to have such disdain for the support the past few months because they think we'll all turn up regardless. I'll buy a ticket if from now until then they sort their shit out. I have my doubts.