RicoS321

There has not been a left wing government in the US since FDR, there has never, ever been a far left government. I'd have thought that as a Scot you would have access to what those things actually mean. You know, healthcare free at the point of use, unionism, state railways and buses, council houses, state owned energy, free nursery, cooperatives, state education, free higher education, disability allowance, and a focus on ever decreasing income inequality through taxation on wealth. Not just a couple of those, all of them, and that would get you to a basic social democracy, still a long way from socialism. Distributive policies that have been proven worldwide to reduce crime and homelessness (not socialism). I suspect that this is in large part why folk from across Europe and the wider world are looking on in horror. The overton window, as it's called, is so far right in the US that the arguments aren't even on the same planet. Biden is about as far left as David Cameron, which is to say, not remotely. I guess that thirty years in the US has somewhat clouded your view. Again, I'm not disagreeing with your political position, I'm saying that you are demonstrably/factually incorrect when you use the term left wing to describe US government at federal or state level. It's important because it leaves a gaping hole in the purview of the US citizen. There's this weird dichotomy where folks pine for the "better times" of the fifties and sixties (Trump voters in the US, reform voters here). They are pointing to a time that is so far left (huge taxation for example) that it's no longer in their frame, because of the eclipse of neoliberal politics, which is the only offering in the UK and US in the last fifty years.

Two Cole Burke's

Clarkson was a joy to watch yesterday, he's the type of player you go to see and hope that he's on form. It requires a level of patience though, as he tries things that have a low percentage chance of coming off, and can often be risky, or wasteful. His form has meant that many had lost patience, but hopefully his recents displays have shone through. He tried a first time cross yesterday, on a moving ball, that was just magnificent technique. The Utd defender put in a superb diving header to prevent Nisbet connecting, but it was such a difficult ball to play, and there wasn't a player on the park capable of doing it other than Clarkson. That said, Clarkson benefitted massively from Jim Goodwin's tactics of throwing away leads (I can only assume by now that it's deliberate). Clarkson was collecting deep and quickly releasing, reminiscent of the time under Robson where he flourished. That requires a team sitting in, and lots of space for Clarkson to work in, which means either two high pressing midfielders (Shinnie and Ramadani previously), or some derivative of that (high fullbacks and a front two like we had in the second half). It's quite high risk too, and needs a directness that maybe doesn't suit Thelin. All in, I'm not sure Thelin will go for Clarkson from the start of games because of that, in a similar way that Morris doesn't start. I think he'd be happier playing out from the back, trying to draw players in, and hope that something comes off up front to give us a lead rather than trying the risky approach from the start and then maybe not having the bench to change it. It seems to me that after 6 months, Thelin is still no closer to knowing his best eleven, or even his best formation. Perhaps that's a good thing, as it suggest we have options.

I wasn't joking, not really. I found the European group stages too much. The fact that we were parachuted into them probably didn't help, but towards the end it was just a saturation of football that ruined it for me. I didn't even go to the Frankfurt game at home (I had a ticket) because it was just too much football. Might have been the only game at Pittodrie I've missed since COVID, certainly hasn't been more than three. The effect lasted the entire season too, I was jaded and bored by that point, and it wasn't just because we had a crap season, I was very pleased when it finished. The extra games in a knockout format don't have the same effect, as they're spread out, and you know that you won't last long. It's an abomination of a format, that's ruining leagues across Europe, and is nothing when compared to the cup winners cup, European and uefa cups of old. It feels dirty just being in it, it's a format for Huns and Tims.

European group stages were a bore, fuck them. Unearned pish. Today's game was hard going at times, thought the first half would never end. Nisbet excellent today, Clarkson very good when he came on, as were Morris and Shinnie. Okkels must have something on Thelin, he's done absolutely nothing to deserve to start in any of the games he's played so far. He's just a nothing player, I'd rather have Matty Kennedy back. Gueye was pish too. I'm assuming MacKenzie was injured, because there were at least five players requiring subbed before him. It was a strange sub that left us playing Keskinen through cramp for the last half hour. The only other reason I can think for it was the big argument he had with Nilsen in the first half. Nilsen did his trademark: shite pass, followed by shouting at the player who had no chance of getting it, and MacKenzie correctly shouted back at him. Anyway, Shinnie was good when he came on. Palaversa poor for the second start in a row, and started the second half like he'd never seen a football before. Clarkson has to be ahead of him now, he ran the show when he came on. The back two were fine. Knoester looks good. Losing goals to crosses and set pieces is a tactical thing, we're clearly setting up wrong. Although Mitov should have saved the first quite easily. He was otherwise good, building quickly from the back.

One of the first chants my daughter learned, and when to shout it, was "dig a hole". A classic. Although I did have to stop her shouting it at a Dons Womens' match, which was a nice lesson on the boundaries of acceptability.

Have you even said thanks once to the moderators for letting you post on this forum today?

Aye, but that has to be weighed against the fact that Okkels. Yes, you can bench him, especially if it's down to fitness. I also agree though that Nilsen and Shinnie were better than Nilsen and Palaversa in the previous game (Clarkson was also better than Palaversa when he came on in the same role). If I were dropping either of the two, though, it'd be Nilsen. Despite having the better game on the ball, he was largely responsible for the gaping holes in behind as he doesn't get back and doesn't sit when Shinnie goes. Of course, that was against a good team, and not hugely relevant against utd, where we'd probably want his ability on the ball. The biggest thing for me though was that he was down to walking pace when he came off. Ten minutes prior, MacKenzie was 2 on 1 at left back, and was pointing for Nilsen to track his man, but he just stood in the worst possible position, because he knew he wasn't going to be able to match the run, leaving MacKenzie to pick up both players.

You could see why when Gueye came on. He just sort of wondered about, not taking up particularly good space, and not shutting down the angles in defence, he just looked lazy. Not a player for a game against the Tims. The midfield was a slight surprise, although Palaversa wasn't particularly good at the weekend. The biggest surprise was Doohan, as I think even if Mitov had a leg missing I'd have played him.

Shady Mo with the moral victory.

Mental that Nisbet is off rather than Dabbagh.

I think we can forgive the giving the ball away by Shinnie and Nielsen (Shinnie started poorly but improved), as they close quickly, and we're trying to play tight balls rather than just aimless punts. I agree about the poor play for the goals. I would add the Knoester was poor for one of them. Maeda was very obviously making space for the wide player, and Knoester allowed himself to be dragged right across his other centre half. He can see Tobers, all he has to do his stop his run,playing Maeda offside, and being in place to cut out the wide player. It was poor from a centre half.

Yep, Doohan been poor. Okkels been gash. Otherwise, we've been not too bad, and the scoreline flatters them. Dabbagh struggling a little up front too.

Apart from the first twelve games, where it worked extremely well. I actually think they're our most suited pairing, they rarely get in one another's way, unlike Nilsen and Palaversa. They just both got knackered at exactly the same time and started making errors turn about.

Hoilett would have been handy during first half of the season, but he'd have been sub, not a starter. McGrath and Gueye would both have started ahead of him. The intention would always have been to replace him in January too (although I don't think Okkels has reached the level hoilett did yet), so a two year deal would have been far too long. McGrath on a four year deal is different. There's a good argument for just giving him the deal with a view to getting 2-3 good seasons out of him. I can completely understand why the club wouldn't go for it though, especially as they've likely already begun scouting for a replacement. It seems that Hibs aren't outbidding us, just offering more security.

The whole team chucked it after that. He was running on fumes in that game, and the ones after. He seemed to get more game the more tired he got, playing 80+ minutes every game bar one (and mostly the full 90) from the draw with Tims, where he was brilliant, to the point he got injured. Despite the fact that that was the point he needed the rest most. He was really good up until that point, where he was being taken off in 60-80 minutes most weeks, having done the hard work. The creative parts of your game are the first to go when you tire, which doesn't leave guys like McGrath or Clarkson much to work with. I think we'll struggle to replace him (guys like Okkels are nowhere near the level), but I wouldn't have given him a four year deal either.

It's a very good signing for them. I'm quite surprised that he's not just running his deal down to see if he gets more offers in the summer. His injury came at the wrong time for us, as we could have shipped him out in January for a small fee. It's worked well for Hibs in that they don't have to bother with the fee. A step sideways and perhaps a little bit downward, but I suspect the money on offer would have been similar to here, so likely a family decision. He's been a good signing for us. Hope he breaks his leg.

Fucking Hibs? Cunt.

I intercepted a ticket in the mail for this one, but I'm not bothering to go.

That's the staunchometer broken

Ferguson until the end of the season. Hilarious if true. The last few times I heard him speak he'd been doing a good job of not coming across as a rabid Hun fuck, showing a bit of humility and self deprecation. That'll go full circle as he pivots back to his rangers man persona. It'll be like wee cheeky chappy Coisty again.

Gads. I don't know why our supporters hate McInnes that much.

Great win today, in a game where Killie couldn't get close to the ref in terms of slowing it down, he was fucking awful. We were the better team and deserved our win. The subs made the difference. Gueye disappointing, needs to work far harder, looked like he'd been out on the lash. He wondered around the whole pitch without actually doing anything, it was like watching a Jet performance. Keskinen and Okkels not particularly good either. Shinnie, Clarkson and Dabbagh all very good when they came on, and Devlin did what he does and put his body on the line where others wouldn't (not sure it was a booking for their lad like, or a foul). Nisbet MOTM again though, he was really good with the ball. He's like a different player with another forward alongside him, and despite his poor performance, Gueye made a lot of room for Nisbet to take it into feet and use the wide players. Jensen did okay again. He put in a good tackle near the end, but special mention to Morris who ran sixty yards to double up on the guy to make it easier for Jensen. Mitov good, great to see him back.

Possibly. Raith maybe. Although, surely these things can happen in fairly short order, it's not like a proper signing.

That's the opposite of a martyr. Who the hell puts their kids ahead of football?