Panda

Goodwin was being coy about it in the press conference, saying there's concerns over one or two, but Jonny Hayes was the player put up and he said he's fine fitness wise. So my guess would be Duk and Scales perhaps. Roos Kennedy McCrorie Mackenzie Coulson Ramadani Barron Shinnie Hayes Miovski Watkins That team is good enough to do the job. Let's not put Hearts up on a pedestal here, they're bang average. Just need a few battlers in there to fight fire with fire.

Confirmed by the player he's not headed to Pittodrie. Apparently Stewart wore a Motherwell top at a Celtic/Motherwell cup final a few years ago so he was returning the favour.

Not sure if this should be in this thread or maybe even the January transfer window one. But there's Motherwell's Bevis Mugabi and Charles Dunne at Hampden yesterday. Matbe not that big a deal since they live locally and are pals with Anthony Stewart. But Dunne - linked before with Aberdeen and out of contract in summer I think - is wearing an Aberdeen top..

True, but that's tactical / Duk's limitations despite being the GOAT. Seebass questioned the players' mentality and attitude. I think that's incredibly harsh. The team turned up at Hampden, no question.

Sorry, I know Manc usually starts these but I get impatient Huge game really since a defeat leaves us nine points behind, and with Hearts' general level of consistency that might be third realistically over. Stewart I imagine is out. Unless Goodwin is going to pull a rabbit out of the hat with a new signing, it means McCrorie at centre back and Kennedy or Richardson at RB. Shame since McCrorie at RB been working well. Wonder if we'll see Myslovic. Duk and Hayes in particular looked like they picked up knocks at Hampden. But I would try and start as close to the semi team as possible. With five subs I don't think you need to make too many changes from the starting line-up. Winnable game, Hearts aren't great shakes and St Mirren deserved more on Friday. But a draw wouldn't be the worst result, would keep them within catchable distance and we've still to play them twice.

We didn't have the wrong attitude or mentality though. We were clearly up for it. Gave as good as we got. Were prepared to close them down while keeping our shape. Players went looking for the ball and Duk, Shinnie and Scales in particular had very good games. Was a bit of fortune about their equaliser and by the time of the second goal we were down to 10 men. On another day it goes our way.

Everyone apart from Stewart deserve plaudits for at least giving it everything. Heavy pitch, 120 minutes - 30 of them with 10 men. That's the least I ask for, go there, be brave and give it everything - and we did. But Stewart min. That's the second time in four games he's got himself sent off and essentially cost us the game. And Goodwin again couldn't read the game and make positive changes. Ramirez for Miovski made no sense. Miovski wasn't too tired because he was buzzing about in the last of the 90 minutes. Ramirez being a hold up man isn't what he's good at. Watkins would have been a better shout, and yet he was on too late. Opportunity missed as Rangers weren't all that.

When we win today I'll make sure the 2018 cup final preview is properly updated.

Pitch is going to make it interesting. Might work in our favour and slow down Sakala and Tillman who are the big threats. Colak out (unless Beale is at it) and Morelos more overweight than I am, so it's those two I worry about and a heavy pitch makes it harder for them AS LONG AS WE DON'T DEFEND TOO DEEP. Capitals are justified on this one. I would have suggested dropping Miovski and I would have liked to see Hayes or Duncan in behind instead, but now I want to see two strikers. I can actually see him scoring too. 1-1 I think and into extra-time then who knows.

Today was the first time I had read the article, and I work there. And that's why things like that get repurposed from time to time, because although it might be an "old" article, it's new to others who haven't seen it before. I've a Dundee Scottish Cup article I flog on the site every year around this time.

Goodwin today saying no players will be signed before Sunday. He even said it would be a distraction ahead of the game. Leaves us a bit short in defence with Milne going out on loan (could we not have waited until someone was in the door?). Good job we're going to win anyway because Duk & Shinnie.

Goodwin doesn't have a plan B, so it would be wasted on us.

I watched the whole press conference. This isn't a criticism of Stewart, but he was the least confident out of all four captains. Was probably the most media he's ever faced, and it showed. Some of his answers looked panicked. And it just hits home why he should never have been made captain.

Eh? Do you mean you want Celtic to win tomorrow? Or are you referring to McInnes winning four semi-finals while with Aberdeen?

No, don't think strikers are our priority, and it's not like Ramirez has been playing much. Use the wages to bring in a top defender & to get Shinnie signed up permanently.

He's actually been struggling for game time and the loan was looking like a bit of a waste of time. Even against Villa he was a sub. Hopefully this leads to a better run of games. Although I dunno how he fits into the Aberdeen team, I think his time here has maybe gone.

Wasn't Morelos (he was suspended), was Umar Sadiq and even Beaton couldn't give that one with a straight face (he booked him for diving). I don't tend to buy into all the conspiracy theories, but Beaton has been chronic and has certainly given Rangers a leg up against us more than once (2-2 game at Ibrox particularly springs to mind).

Apologies for the extra long quote although the original article was posted in a Calvin Ramsay thread. After the debate last season, and him being played in both attacking mid (league cup) and defence this season, is McCrorie now finally in a position that suits him at right-back? And will Goodwin actually keep him there? If he does, with Shinnie in the door too, I think we're a centre half away from being a pretty good team.

For a few weeks I was apathetic about this game - the long build-up and then our dreary return after the World Cup. But now? Shinnie back, McCrorie finally being allowed to bomb down the right wing, Duk emerging as the GOAT. Now I'm believing again. I still fear we'll cough up cheap goals, but I'm confident we can get at them too. Hopefully Goodwin doesn't go too daft with the tactics.

Interesting quote from Goodwin, saying we now have five very good central midfielders in Shinnie, Myslovic, Clarkson, Barron and Ramadani. Poor Dante Polvara at the back

Actually, ignore me, Myslovic won't be able to play until he has a work permit. If Ramadani & Miovski are anything to go by we could be waiting a while.

Disappointed with that tbh, would have been good to continue with McCrorie at RB and start the new Slovakian guy. Is Saturday's Considine's first return to Pittodrie since Goodwin took him away from us? And now it's been overshadowed by this Shinnie character?

MŠK sports manager Karol Belaník: "Aberdeen lost a player in his position, who was also on loan. Therefore, he should get the space and it will depend only on him if and how he succeeds. He has the football qualities for it, he can prove it during his half-year loan." The three loan players are Clarkson, Coulson and Scales. I don't see why Liverpool would benefit from cutting Clarkson's loan short - he's playing every week and isn't exactly going into the Liverpool team. Unless they have a loan lined up with an English Championship team where, presumably, they feel it'll be a higher standard. Or Rangers. Clarkson worked with Michael Beale there...