Panda

Well, a few things on that. Firstly, the standard of the Premiership is higher this season than last season. Rangers are conceding a lot more than last season too. Secondly, if you're changing the defence then you're going to have to give them time to create an understanding. We're playing two young guys at full-back and new signings (Bates was culpable for a few goals in his early starts) and McCrorie is adapting to a new position. Thirdly, we've had a lot of injuries in our back line this season. I mean, if you want to rely on statistics, you could say we've only conceded 0.8 goals a game in the last five matches, which shows a level of improvement? I wouldn't say at full strength our defence is unbalanced. If everyone was fit, we'd have two right backs (Ramsay/Gurr), two left-backs (Mackenzie/Hayes) and five centre halves (Considine/Gallagher/Bates/McCrorie/Devlin). But is essentially a back-up. I don't think he dislodges McCrorie or Bates when both are fit, and is probably behind Considine too.

Glass has done quite a few good things that he hasn't really been given credit for due to the results. He's pretty much changed the entire defence. Has made a defender out of McCrorie, who has definitely gone up a level from last season. Bates could turn out to be a very shrewd signing, and in Ramsay he's about to land Aberdeen a few million quid for a player McInnes didn't think was worth a single minute of football. Mackenzie too considered a big loss when injured yet was relatively unknown until now. Without Glass we wouldn't have Scott Brown or Christian Ramirez; both been good for Aberdeen this season so far. JET is a bit of an enigma but I think it's too early to say he's a failure - there's something there and he's a player who needs worked with. Gurr seems a bit pish though, but again maybe he's someone who would improve with games likes Bates. The others: Jenks/Longstaff were loan signings so no loss there. Gallagher was probably worth a punt because he was a free transfer. He's a back-up anyway so it doesn't worry me. Tactically, his substitutions tend to suggest Glass is reading the game and trying to make an impact. They're never going to work 100% of the time of course, but there are plenty of examples this season when substitutions have positively impacted the performance. To me Glass is actually growing into the job, has made mistakes but is learning from them and I think that's clear to see in a lot of what he does rather than him stubbornly sticking to plan A. At this stage last season after 20 games we had 39 points (27 just now) and were third (currently sixth) so on paper we look to have gone backwards. But, we won just two of our next 13 games, and gained just 10 points from 39. The next 13 games I'm confident we'll pick up far more wins/points. I don't think Hearts are all that and we can close that nine-point gap. At the very least I'm confident of fourth which, while nothing to celebrate, would be acceptable considering the way the season has went. But if we don't finish third we need a cup win, because that place this season is bringing guaranteed European football until Christmas (we're 11th in coefficient so no chance of it being taken off us like what happened to St Johnstone this year) so that would be huge.

I disagree. That suggests we're only good enough to beat the bottom six and not the top six - that's not really true based on results. We have 24 points; 11 of them from the top six and 13 from the bottom six. Likewise, 15 at home, 9 away. There seems to be no correlation in our results or performances. Sometimes we turn up and look pretty good, sometimes we don't, sometimes we look like we've turned up but the defence hasn't. There's every chance we could splatter Dundee 3 or 4 nil, or lose 2-0. I don't think we're any worse than Hearts, Hibs, Dundee United or Motherwell. I certainly didn't think last night we were outclassed at any point and I don't we've ever really looked second best, even in defeats, to anyone above us bar Celtic. It's just a strange season really. We're in an Aberdeen bubble but take yourself out of it and swap with any other team and we'd still have plenty to moan about. I've seen almost as much as Hearts this season as I've seen of Aberdeen (and I'll be watching their game again on Sunday) and they're no better than us - if it wasn't for Craig Gordon's heroics against Livingston, St Mirren, Rangers & Hibs, that's four games I can think of where he's probably stopped them dropping at least six points. And take away Motherwell's two wins versus us, where they didn't play well in either of them, where would they be? It's just a strange season. At the moment I'd give us the same odds for seventh as I would third.

Funnily enough, the plans appear to show a roof that tapers down the way.

I hope we don't make as big an arse of what they've made of their main stand though. Projected to be £12m, has cost double that, is still not finished. I've stood in the tunnel and was notable there was damp on the ceiling which you don't expect to see in a brand new stand. Also has no executive boxes so presumably the club are missing out on a fortune there each matchday. The idea of putting the media section at the front of the stand was also inspired, meaning people turn up with expensive recording equipment, laptops etc and get it all soaked by the rain. But, to the average punter, it's a good ground. I also like Easter Road.

Cormack's answer when pushed on wanting 15,000 season ticket holders while building a 17,000 seater stadium smacked of someone who hadn't thought it through and was thinking up an answer on the spot. As it goes I would, reluctantly, accept a smaller capacity stadium if it was going to be a cracker of a ground. But they need to show a bit more imagination than the all the single tier artist impressions they've released so far. Lask Linz's plans for their new stadium are far more appealing. 18,000 capacity when all seated, otherwise 20,200. They also plan to close off the top tiers to make it a 12,000 capacity for smaller league games (their current stadium holds 6,000, and they move to another stadium for UEFA games where they average around 12,000/13000). Article, including more photos & video, here:- https://www.coliseum-online.com/austrian-club-lask-introduces-new-home/

Lowering capacity and creating more of a supply and demand, I would urge caution on championing the club's motives on this. The Breidablik game showed the club's hand when, thinking there would be a surge for tickets because it was the first game allowed at near full capacity, set the prices at £32-34 while all the other Scottish clubs in Europe were much cheaper. Smaller stadium, less tickets, bump the prices right up. I can see Aberdeen fans paying through the roof if they get to the group stages of any European competitions. Also, "17,000 is big enough":- 2018-19 season: Four crowds over 17,000 2017-18: Eight crowds over 17,000 2016-17: Four crowds over 17,000 That's with an old stadium and a team that hasn't made the group stages in Europe since 2008. Fix both those and the crowds go up, no?

Similar issues to us in that they feel they're playing well but can't score (one goal in last five games). Keep Curtis Main quiet and we should do alright...

Think it's seven points we've picked up against bottom six sides this season - six of them against Livingston... (the other being a draw with Ross County).

Aberdeen -1, telt you. Maybe didn't quite get the pumping but by all accounts it appears we were unlucky not to score more. I didn't actually watch the game as was on St Mirren v Ross County, the second St Mirren game in a row I've watched, and ahead of Saturday's game against them I'd say they've been hugely unlucky in both games. Tough game coming at the weekend which makes the three points tonight all the more important.

If you want some extra spending money over Christmas, Aberdeen -1 is 5/2 and -2 is 7/1. We're going to pump them. I can feel it.

Thought we played well first half. Celtic pressed us high and that helped us as we passed it through them and found gaps and got at them down the wings. They got wise to that in the second half by simply sitting off us, and it meant every time we got possession we'd try and build from the back, get to their halfway line and find too many bodies in front of us, and then just pass back the way. Very few had the confidence to go take players on. Frustrating because Joe Lewis had a good game but can do nothing about the winning goal.

In fairness, it was talking about the last three games, so everyone should go easy on the person who wrote that....

Interesting stat. Motherwell are currently bottom six so should that make us worried?

I'm loving the sense of humour Aberdeen City Council appear to have developed recently.

On Ferguson, I agree I don't think he was great. The chance he had at the start of the second half where he pretty much passed the ball to the keeper, then another one when we had Hearts stretched, loads of options, and he tries to take on two players and loses it. He's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. Always wants to win the game himself rather than pass it. But...what he does have is heading ability. He scores a good goal, was unlucky with another header, scored a few weeks ago against Celtic in the air. You take him out of the team and you lose that. Only other player in midfield who might have that would be Jenks who is quite tall, but don't think he's done enough to justify starting games and not actually seen him win a header either.

That's three games in a row where three sides at the top end of the table haven't actually created a lot against us. Of the three goals conceded, all have been set pieces with two of them penalties (though, to be fair, Ginnelly probably does score if Lewis doesn't foul him). Solid at the back and playing some nice stuff going forward. The scoreline makes it seem tight but really 3-1 or 4-1 would have been a fairer reflection of the game, dominated it. That's five times I've watched Hearts this season, they've been bang average in all of them. That six point gap between us and them can definitely be cut. Brown superb again. Really happy to see McGeouch & Campbell coming in and adding to the team, both terrific passers of the ball and with the pace we now have in Watkins, Hedges & Hayes we can really stretch teams. Currently going through my what's apps and giving it tight to everyone who wanted Glass out two weeks ago...

Having a look at that Hearts line up, it looks very defensive. Billy McKay & Ben Woodburn, two attacking & creative players, put on the bench. Looks like five defenders named too. Hearts very much preparing for a defensive slog. Bit of a cliche, but first goal today massive. They get it they'll frustrate the hell out of us. We get it they'll need to make changes.

I knew it was 1-0 because had I had checked twitter, but then put the phone in my pocket and started running. Got to the turnstile and the steward said "you've already missed two goals" and presumed it was 1-1 until I got in and heard our support giving it big licks, stuck my head out and saw the scoreboard. I missed the Rangers goal too because then decided to grab a drink and despite three people serving they still took an age to do it. Well worth the £32 though.

Got away from work late but made it to Ibrox just on 19:45 to be told the away fans car park was full. By the time I got the car parked, walked down and got in we were already 2-0 up! Missed the bounce for both goals. Fair play to Glass tonight. Taken a lot of unfair stick lately, but tactics spot on and it's two set-pieces that have done us in. Other than that I didn't see Rangers scoring despite their second half pressure. Been saying for ages I'd like to see Brown in the centre of a three-man defence and McGeouch playing more, so hopefully that's what we'll see for the timebeing. Campbell too deserves a run at left-back. Saw Calvin Ramsay after the game. Good that even though he clearly wasn't going to play he still made the trip down. Proper red. And Hayes - that man will be bombing down the wing well into his 50s.

Yeh I replied to the wrong post, was the fella before you I meant to aim it at. But you're right. Let's be honest, there's people hoping someone shouts something.

We've been involved in plenty of minute's silences at Ibrox without incident. The most recent of which was two years ago when they held a silence for Eric Caldow. I'd be surprised if anything happens, though you do hope there's not the one or two drunken idiots who think they're being funny.

You describe McAllister as experienced. His managerial experience wasn't a great deal more than Glass and his last job was 10 years ago. Well then maybe we shouldn't be calling for the manager's head just because we've temporarily fallen to 8th or 9th, especially since one of the guys above was being tipped to replace McInnes, by many on this forum. Glass is nothing like Cathro. Their experiences in football are totally incomparable. Glass played in Scotland and England at big clubs and for a range of different managers before forging a coaching career. Cathro was, above anything else, an oddball. As for Glass' qualifications. When McInnes left, I wanted the replacement to revamp the whole backroom set up, change the squad and play attacking football. He's done two and is trying to do the third. I said in summer before a ball was kicked it'd be a difficult first season. I didn't expect the run we've been on, but everyone is losing their heads a bit too quickly. If we're still shite in March then I'll jump on the bandwagon.

Speak for yourself, I for one thought it was worth a shot & still think he deserves time. The Glass-Cathro comparisons are fucking ridiculous. Why not compare him with Gerrard, who took a job after even less management experience than Glass? Or Callum Davidson? Or Jim Goodwin?

I'm in for this one. I've been at three games this season and we're yet to win any of them, and with covid and all the stadium closures, and the fact I generally work Saturdays, I don't think I've actually seen Aberdeen win a game in person since we beat Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup in March 2019!! Since then I've been at two Aberdeen-Rangers games (one home, one away) and both were draws. So I don't know if that's classed as a good record or not. From what I've seen of Rangers recently, they appear to have 20-30 minute spells in games where they're really good, get their goals, and the rest of it they're bang average and even outplayed much of the time. Survive that 20-30 minute spell when they inevitably get on top and we've got half a chance. I don't think we're going to go there and get battered for 90 minutes. With a bit of luck, one of their lot will have a kick out at Brown and get sent off (Yeh I read that back and laughed too). In Rangers' last three home league games, they've drawn with Hearts & Motherwell, and were behind to Hibs before Porteous' red card. It's not that daunting a trip, especially now we're back to being the best team in the world again. By the way, anyone coming down for this - leave early. Loads of road closures this week in Glasgow due to Cop 26 so going to be busier than usual.