Panda

I'm very much for big away supports, no matter who it is. This whole cutting away supports thing is total shite.

I would be very surprised if Rangers or Celtic were who they were referring to. Rangers aren't going to give us a bigger allocation than they give to Celtic, and even if they did then we'd have to take a 2500 allocation apparently which we probably wouldn't sell as it's an away fixture many avoid. Would imagine it's Hearts and Hibs. We're not going to let Hearts have 1500 tickets here if they're giving us 600 there.

Also noticed on the sky sports video from Pittodrie today that they're upgrading the dugouts.

Thing is we don't know what Dadia has been signed as. A RB, a RWB, or to play right of a back three. I tend to think if Robson gets all his signings in, that formation yesterday would be different. Teklic (I know he's not signing, I'm just picking a player he targeted) wouldn't have played RWB I don't think. And, you may be right about getting Sokler, Miovski and Duk into the same team. Was never gonna happen yesterday because Miovski not fit enough for 90 minutes yet (and neither is Duk probably), but who knows. A 5-2-3 maybe.

So looking at how we're shaping up. Robson says he's hoping for two defenders and two midfielders. I'd hazard a guess that a RM is on the shopping list since that's what Teklic would have been, while yesterday showed a central midfielder with an attacking edge is needed. Then a LCB, and I'm kinda presuming Rubezic is a done deal as everything seems to suggest it is. Duncan was playing LWB / LM when he came on yesterday, so looks like he may be the one pushing Hayes for a place there. Besuijen didn't feature at all yesterday which - unless he's injured or not fit - doesn't bode well for him, especially if another two midfielders come in. We need eight (I think) home grown players in the European squad, four of which need to be trained by the club. So Bavidge, Marshall, Duncan, Barron, Mackenzie, Milne, Ritchie, Devlin, Doohan, Shinnie - that's 10, so maybe Marshall and Milne go out on loan? You kinda feel Mackenzie would benefit from a loan, but because he's a left footed defender he's probably going to play a lot. Especially if Scales comes back on loan. Below graphic in case we opt for four at the back, which would suit Dadia and Devlin you imagine.

First half they passed it through us all too easily and the defending wasn't great. Second half we definitely improved defensively, while Clarkson and Duk got more involved, but don't think we had a single shot on target. We should have had a penalty for the foul on Duk which would have given us something, but doesn't take away from the above. The improvements really came from Preston making a number of subs and sending on a lot of young players, yet at no stage did we ever control the match. Disappointing. But hopefully a few changes, more signings and a better showing against Charlton next week.

2-0 down in the first 20 minutes. Two good finishes to be fair, but unmarked for both. Early observations... Duk playing on the right rather than the left. Devlin playing centre of the back three. Probably because of the lack of experience there. During the pre-match handshakes, it was noticeable how much bigger the Preston team are, and they're using the physicality to try and bully our centre midfield. Our game plan is to get it to Clarkson who punts it long looking for Sokler to run onto it.

So he is. Tbf I did think we looked a bit light up front

Ramsay on the bench. Freddie Woodman - once on loan at us - starts. Ben Woodburn (ex-Hearts), Ali McCann (ex-St Johnstone) and Liam Lindsay (ex-Partick) also start.

Not seen the Preston team yet so dunno if Calvin Ramsay is starting. Game is being streamed by Preston. £5 which is pretty good value.

Defence not looking too clever without MacDonald or Williams. Interesting (perhaps not that big a surprise though) that Milne preferred over Stewart. Morris definitely being given a chance to impress. Sokler picked over Miovski. No Duk in squad.

So the chat is we're trying to get Liam Scales back on loan, because we've been priced out of a permanent transfer by Celtic. Clever by Aberdeen I'd say. Don't pay over the odds if you don't have to. He clearly doesn't have a future at Celtic and no-one is going to pay an inflated fee for him.

Well at Aberdeen he completely changed his style, which was the problem. He went from an unspectacular but generally pretty solid 3-5-2 at St Mirren, to trying to be a 4-3-3 attacking maestro at Pittodrie. I would have thought Goodwin would have learned from his mistakes at Aberdeen, the china in a bull shop approach of telling experienced players they can't be coaches (Brown/Mulgrew), doing the whole "I only want players who want to be here" (Considine/Bates/Levitt/Fletcher) and tearing into the rest of the squad. But apparently not. Appears he likes upsetting the dressing room, then replacing the dressing room.

One of the mystifying things in football is how managers get worse over time. You'd think they'd improve with experience but Goodwin isn't the first to just seemingly get go on a downwards spiral. Mark McGhee at one point was highly rated. Now he's a joke figure. You can't say it's an age thing as Goodwin is still a young coach.

But my point still stands, he did the city of Aberdeen proud by representing us all in a European final.

Be interesting to see who would play LCB. Looking at Wyscout, Rubezic has been playing RCB. He's only filled in at LCB when there's been injuries or suspensions. Rhys Williams has actually played more games in his career at LCB. Anything Stewart also often played on the left side of defence before signing for Aberdeen...

Apparently close to signing Serbian centre-back Slobodan Rubezic. He's right footed. Last season we had an obsession with right sided wingers, this year it appears to be right sided centre-backs.

Tbf to him, and it hurts me to write it, but he's played in a European final and scored while winning a Scottish Cup final. He's done alright. But he's always been a bit of a luxury player - which he was at Aberdeen - which makes him holding down a permanent place at a big club unlikely. I wouldn't take him back at Aberdeen. I doubt you'll get 20 good games out of him a season. He's no Duk is he?

Had a wee watch of Or Dadia's highlights there. Played mainly right back although likes to cut into his left, and has played the odd game there, so could be an option. Although I doubt we're signing him as a first choice LB. He looks alright, I wasn't exactly as enthralled watching him as I was Teklic, but he's a very Barry Robson player.

Saw the new strip today in Tesco.

We've a 28.4% chance of making the Europa League group stages, apparently. I didn't actually realise until now that every team we could face has a better coefficient than us - except Lugano, who we probably don't want to face anyway. Olympiakos have a high coefficient, but got hammered by Maccabi Haifa (another possible opponent) in the Champions League qualifiers last year, scraped through against Slovan Bratislava and Apollon Limassol on penalties to make the Europa groups, then finished bottom of a group that involved Freiburg ,Qarabag and Nantes , which I suspect is why they're being written off. Think I'd still prefer to get Flora Tallinn, who are currently 1-0 down to Rakòw Częstochowa after the first leg of their Champions League qualifier.

I play golf with a Leeds fan. He wasn't that excited about the signing of Pirie. What have you done Lewis?

Off topic: But the forum admin may wish to know that I was disgracefully denied the ability to post until I uploaded a profile picture. Wouldn't let me go anywhere on the forum until it was done. Eventually I have relented, but if Miovski or Duk or a potential new signing is trying to access the forum they may not have a profile photo to hand and then what?

I really want him to be a success. Seems a really decent bloke. Was just never captain material - the more you think about it the more it becomes such a bizarre decision by Goodwin. Get him in against the Broch.

Aye was training by himself when pre-season started. Don't think it was anything serious though so might make an appearance against the Broch.