RicoS321

I would say some, not many. Some have improved. I think Shinnie, McLean, McGinn, Hayes, Considine, Lewis, Logan, Cosgrove (so far), Rooney were all better than under McInnes than they had been previously. They all seemed to enjoy playing for him too. The biggest issue for me is his inability to turn young players like Scott Wright, McLennan and so on into regular first team successes. He tries to make things far too difficult for players breaking through rather than give them basic instructions and a few simple tasks and allow the 7-8 more senior players to cover for their deficiencies and then increasing the instructions as they gain experience. Lack of ambition has to be tempered with realism though surely? If we were offered £5M+ for McKenna (I agree with you, we wont - certainly not this summer) then the only question is if we can get a good replacement for a significantly smaller sum that would allow us to develop elsewhere and put the remainder towards future development of youth through better training facilities or a shitey stadium in the middle of nowhere. I think I could buy a good centre half and a good striker that would make us a better team for £2M whilst still losing McKenna and putting the remainder toward capital investments that helped to create more McKennas. That's not unambitious, that's just good logic. I don't want the club to be beholden to a hoose builder for constant investment.

There is rarely optimism and false hope in any of my posts if you were to look at them. I think I'm quite a realist. Me suggesting that McKenna hasn't regressed is hardly an example of blind faith, if there is regression, it's very marginal. In terms of the team, again I'm a realist. I stated at the very beginning of the last two seasons that I thought our recruitment was poor and that we had a poor team that would struggle to win anything or finish in the top two and that's exactly what happened. I'd say that it was my realism in how poor a team (squad, really) we'd assembled that meant my expectations were low. I think that our recruitment has been terrible in the last few years and mentioned it in nearly every single post. I'd say it's the primary cause of our poor form, our very ugly performances and thus a reduction interest in AFC. We went from a team that scored a record number of goals in a season, playing some really really good football on the way - under McInnes - to one that deliberately stifled games to see out results in an absolute desire for points on the board over performance (which actually worked when we pipped the hun for second, but showed its obvious flaws in the cup). I've mentioned a hundred times my thoughts on AFC's plans. McKenna was not infiinitely better in my opinion, it's just that most people were uncritical of the mistakes that a young loon was regularly making. He carried quite a few of those into his second season but finished the season strongly and looks fitter and stronger still this season. I don't think that your example of Andy Robertson is particularly relevant to McKenna as I don't believe McKenna has ever been close to that category of player and nor is likely to get there with his skillset. I don't believe McKenna will (or would have with some other manager) make it to the level of Ryan Fraser, but even he experienced a good couple of years where he struggled to make any impact (indeed, his performances even dipped in his last month or so with the dons as defenders worked out how to double up on him and make things difficult). Maddison flew onto the scene as a youngster before ending up at the dons on loan. It happens to almost every young footballer as they try to re-invent themselves and really work out what it is they need to do to get to the next level. Russell Anderson a very notable example for the dons. I have not suggested that McInnes is the man to turn McKenna into the next Alex McLeish but he's got a player that's playing regularly for Scotland and a player that plays with absolute confidence in his own ability with a fantastic temperament. I'm happy to criticise McInnes - and regularly do - with regard to his handling of youth players, but I see very very little to criticise in the case of McKenna.

I've yet to see any evidence of the £6M offer, and I don't believe it occurred. There only seemed to be confirmed bids of around £3.5M last year and I could see that being matched this season. I also dont believe McKenna has regressed at all. He had numerous poor games and a temporary dip in form as you'd expect from a youngster, but I think his overall game has improved and I think that'll begin to become more obvious this season as he gets more and more confident. I think we'll start see him imposing himself a lot more and taking the ball forward a lot more too. He's not worth more than £3-4M in my mind, but I think that a good 6 months could see him stretch that a good bit.

Aye, McGinn cannot be relied on for a season of creating like. I took positives from the fact that we had to dick about with the formation several times tonight but managed to grab a goal. The Georgians were definitely more organised at the back than the Finnish mob I'd say, but we nullified ourselves by covering for Bryson and having Hedges as a wing back. I think that's fine at this stage of the season.

Just watched the last episode tonight on channel 4. Fantastic. Jonathan Meades on Jargon on BBC4 right now folks. Worth it.

Bit harsh and McKenna, who had an excellent game. We were okay in spells, kept it tight and got the away goal. Cosgrove did alright in the second half too, some good movement. Hedges did well out of position, McGinn quiet and Gallagher pap. Bryson lethargic as to be expected and Logan had a decent second half in spells too. It must be difficult to go and play in a hot environment and unsure of yer opposition, so fair play. I'd like to see us take the game to them in the second leg as we should be stronger than them. I'd give Bryson a rest and let Ferguson and Ojo do the business in midfield with Wilson or Wright in front. Considine showed that he's a significantly more qualified defender than Taylor, so if Leigh is anywhere near fit then get him in or find a left back fae anywhere else.

I hope McInnes' decision to make one change from my line up will not come back to haunt him.

What's the injury to Leigh anyway? It's a vital position for us given the previous impact of Lowe in that role. Considine has been fine in far bigger games than tonight and if he gets on top of his man he'll be an asset, but it isn't something we can contemplate for the remainder of the season. This boy better be decent when he gets fit, I'm a little concerned that he might be one of our signings that doesn't do the business. Based on nothing like, I'm just apprehensive. Anyway, I'd go: Logan-----Taylor-----McKenna-----Consi ----------Ferguson---Ojo/Bryson-------- --Hedges--------Wright--------McGinn-- ----------------Cosgrove----------------- Depending on fitness of the two midfielders obviously. I'm going for Wright ahead of Gallagher for fun. I'd like to give him a few more games this season before giving up on him entirely. Games like these need to be the test of the loon.

Do you mean cannot? Or should not? Is he injured, I mean, or is it just that you think that he's pap?

I voted Yes, but I only ever used the "England could even vote for Boris Johnson as PM and there's nothing Scotland could do to stop it" as a ridiculous example that would never actually come true.

I wonder who will get the number 83 shirt?

Nae announcement yet, ye certain?

Ferguson did look knackered, but there were also no alternatives last season with Gleeson being pap. If Ojo and Bryson are as good as we assume that they would be, then Ferguson can be rotated with those guys further back, or rotated with Wright or Gallagher further forward. Campbell also seems to be progressing nicely, so I'd rather see him used as a good backup if he's not going out on loan. I'd rather we signed a striker as I don't think Cosgrove is quite good enough, and I don't think Wilson is the answer to many questions.

Well done LA-Don. I'm away to check the likely opponents in the play-offs.

Bojo. Jesus christ.

For me, it's a case of bad recruitment rather than wrong useage or tactics. I don't think we should have had to adapt our system completely in order to accomodate May, but I think we'd have probably had to in order to force it to work and I don't think he'd have been worth it. St Johnstone might want to adapt their system to get May scoring, perhaps alongside a bigger partner in a two up front. That may make the difference between them finishing bottom 6, top 6 or being in the play-offs. We've reached a ceiling that May returning 15 goals would be of little use to us as he simply isn't good enough to take us beyond the levels that we reached with Rooney there - no amount of tactics would have helped us in that regard I don't think - where we had a striker that was good versus the bottom 9 clubs but not good enough against the Tim and in Europe. We've seen that replacing him with Cosgrove can get us back to that 20+ goal a season that Rooney had us at. I don't believe Wilson will take us beyond that either and I'd like to have seen us sign a good striker that could take us further than Cosgrove. Good luck to May like, a hard worker and good professional.

Probably not, but the huns have a better team than us and should overcome the Danes, so it'd have been nice for them to have had a much harder draw. I'm assuming that both they and us would be unseeded for the playoff game now though (I don't think we'll get through for what it's worth)?

I think that it is bad luck for this to have its own thread. Especially as we don't have a round two thread yet.

Decent enough performance in spells. We should have scored 4 or 5. Cosgrove poor (although improved in the second) - he's just nae very bright. Gallagher looked good, will be a handful for quite a few teams with that pace - looks a bit weak on finishing. After a good game, Logan gave away a stupid pass, but Ferguson was very poor defensively the whole game and gave the guy too much pace to make what was an excellent pass. Definitely need another midfielder. Some pretty nice stuff from us times though and moving the ball quickly, which was nice to see. Wasn't convinced by Hedges, he was okay in parts, but didn't seem to understand the defensive side of the game at all, it was like watching Stewart. We need to just deal with them over there, we're a far better team than them. The back four looked decent, but little protection from midfield. Campbell could do with a loan move to get used to the pace of the game at first team level. Good to see Wilson wearing number 8, which should mean Gleeson hasn't been given a strip.

That's more like it: A foreigner, palindromic surname. Can't get better than that.

Aye, yer right. Sunderland and der hun would easily match what we're paying him obviously, but his options are indeed limited. It's a bit of a rock and a hard place for any prospective AFC manager I suppose. It'd be a huge jump to get anywhere close to the Hun or Tim in spending power (to the point of bankruptcy) and so the base target for any manager is third with a high of 3rd and a cup (in terms of the realistic targets that could be placed on a manager). If he got to the Europa League then I expect a few might take note. That's what the club will be aiming to do. The notion that we wouldn't be is ridiculous - we try and win every game, but we quite quickly lose points to the point it becomes mathematically impossible quite early (generally speaking). However, if the club produced an equivalent to their recent strategy document that said the aim was to be winning the league, what benefit would that produce? Would it make it more likely that we would win the league? Would we make McInnes and the players' bonuses contingent on winning the treble? Or would that just sow division and make the players perform worse? What exactly would the point be of setting a target of first place in front of the wider public?

This'll set the cat up the hoops of the pigeons. I suppose it is deserved. Milne trying desperately to avoid having to choose another manager in case he fucks it up like every other appointment. Despite his detractors in this regard - and regardless of whether ye think he's worth it - McInnes has fairly shown a decent amount of commitment to the dons. He clearly enjoys being here.

What a bizarre/irrational attitude. Why would any player or manager who doesn't support the club think of us as anything other than a finite part of their career? The only issue with surrounding McGhee's appointment was the fact that he said it to the press instead of just saying he was sorting out his family situation or some such. But it's a fairly unique example and one that isn't really applicable to a manager. Logan didn't want to come to Aberdeen, GMS's form wasn't affected by him not wanting to be here, Shinnie knew he wasn't staying beyond the end of the season and many other examples - in fact the overwhelming majority of dons players. Stewart wanted to be here last season and turned out to be pish. The only relevance is whether a player wants to give his all when he's here and I don't doubt McGeouch - with his work ethic - will be an issue in that regard. If he joins any other team, then he can go and fuck himself obviously.

Do we really need players to be absolutely committed to the dons as their number one choice without looking at any other options or assessing their personal situation? If it takes a few weeks, then it takes a few weeks. It's quite a big decision to move town, especially if there is family involved, so a few extra days isn't the end of the world.