RicoS321

Yep, wasn't the right turn of phrase.

That wasn't the worst Dom Ball at right back performance to be fair. At least he showed some fight and some effort despite being relatively gash. He was unlucky for the goal too, he misjudged the deflection, and was out of position and brought the player down (although there was barely a touch on the fanny, who was clearly frightened to go on and have a shot). Also, after the Motherwell game it was good of him to even agree to play there again. He wasn't even close to being the worst player on the pitch on Sunday either. The huns possibly wasn't the right game to test Harrington, so get him in for Dundee and see how he gets on. Keep a traffic cone on the bench to bring on if he's playing shite.

Sit doon.

On the conspiratorial comments by Gerrard, Michael Stewart asked if Adam thought that Rangers were unique in feeling like they've been on the end of bad decisions. Adam replied, "yes, all of the teams are unique in that regard". Thick as shite like.

That's what happens when statements go unquestioned. It's really dangerous (probably not in this case of course, but in general). When the guy who's just turned up this season makes comments about years of perceived injustice, then it's an interviewer's responsibility to ask for more information. He wouldn't have been able to explain himself, as there is no evidence of whatever his issue is, or he would have lied and shown his desparation further. As you point out with the Traynor comment, it's clearly club policy/dictat. It's sinister. Shows that Gerrard has no mind of his own, and that bodes well for the rest of us.

^^^ Good post sir. It's very relevant. Although I haven't actually seen any knee jerk reactions, but I know what you mean. I think it's good to give our thoughts on the coming season without getting too carried away though. Much like in recent seasons, I think our first 11 will be decent eventually, but our strength in depth will be non-existent. That said, I wouldn't advocate going out and getting another defender based on our current injury list. I don't think we can retain that many defenders in a squad based on the rarity of having four (maybe five if Devlin is struggling) players in defence missing. The striker signing we just need to be patient on. We're clearly putting in offers with a limited budget in a difficult market. We need the right striker, not the easiest to get. If that means we don't get maximum points in our opening few fixtures then we'll just have to cope. We can muddle through with what we've got until the end of the month. If we don't have a striker by the end of August then I think we go mental and panic.

I can confirm it was in Burnley. Fantastic ground, with a great atmosphere. Nae funcy bogs, or new facilities. Just a stadium in a good location. Reminded me a little of Easter Road. Showed exactly what a stadium doesn't need, with nae bells and whistles, just a bunch of mis-matched stands with pubs available nearby. Felt like you were in a town rather than a shopping centre. T'was good.

I like to call things early as it's a fitba forum, with the obvious caveat that I'd be delighted to be proved wrong. His coverage yesterday was poor, and he let the game pass him by in large spells. He had a couple of nice passes. He was weak though, and did pull out of a few challenges, most notably one near the tunnel where he had a good half a second advantage on their player yet was second to the ball. We needed a dominant midfielder, and he looks like a Rob Milsom. Put another way: he's nae as good as Dom Ball. Our best midfield at the moment is Ball, Shinnie and Ferguson. I don't think Ball's passing ability is good enough for him to start every week, so I think we need someone that's better. Early days etc, but Gleeson looks like a player that doesn't have the attributes we need. Forrester will also need to up his game as he's very much a poor version of Christie.

Ferguson?

^^^^This. He's ace. Him and Considine did well as a partnership after McKenna went off too. He reminds me of Anderson, very stabilising.

That was piss poor today like, we were lucky to get a draw. Huge worry in midfield like. We signed cover for Logan and he was injured, so I can accept that Ball was the best of the other shite options to go in there. Fair play to the guy, it's clearly not his position, but he was okay at times and at least he got wired in a few times unlike several of the other wanks on the pitch today. I was very concerned when I saw Gleeson's name on the teamsheet. He was really poor against Burnley when he came on at Pittodrie and way off the pace. He was atrocious today and nowhere near good enough to be starting against the hun. It was a huge risk and one that was sort of forced, but I'd have done anything to avoid it. When McKenna came off, it was obvious again that we shouldn't have been taking Shinnie out of that midfield. With the extra man, we could have moved to 3-5-2 at that point. I understand wanting to retain the left footer at left side, but it was obvious that Gleeson and Ferguson weren't going to match the hun. Adding Forrester to that just made it a joke, he's clearly not got the coverage for that role (nor the ability I'd suggest). Him and Gleeson looked pap, with Gleeson fannying out of challenges and only covering a Tansey level of ground. Nice goal from Anderson, with an assist from the above average Considine (Devlin also decent). Anderson should start next game assuming we haven't got the much needed striker. For those suggesting more siginings, not sure where you're getting that info from, but I doubt it'll be what we need. Dom Ball is now in our first choice midfield in my opinion, and I think we need competition in that area. I don't believe that McInnes will get another centre mid though given the purchase of Gleeson and Forrester. Similar to last season with Maynard and Tansey, I'd get rid of Gleeson now and get someone else in before the window ends. He's my prediction for 2018-19s charlatan. I think we'll end up getting another defender. We'll need one for the next few weeks, but I think I'd risk going with what we've got with Logan back shortly. Finally, the hun deserved what they got today. They were the better team, but a team who is "a class above" wouldn't spend 10 minutes throwing themselves to the ground and faking injury and whatever else. A decent interviewer would have pointed that out to the scouse ned. It's my belief that time-wasting changes your mindset in a game. As soon as the 6 minutes went up they were hanging on (needlessly). I think that playing that way brings on a goal. They didn't look in any danger and didn't need to time-waste so strongly. It was their entire game after Jack went off. That's nae fitba to me, and you deserve to lose a goal for doing it. I'd be disappointed if the dons took that approach - even with ten men - for such a long period of the game. It's asking for trouble. So fuck the hun.

Just setting off to Brexitland as we speak. Got my phrasebook packed for the journey and have been practicing: "Fucking immigrants. Go back to your own country. We've taken back control." Is that right lancy? Will I fit in? Is there anywhere I should avoid when down there? Anything worth seeing? Should I bring coins for the stray kids of England, or will that just lead to them pestering me? Anyway, looking forward to going to turf moor. Looks like I might need my sunglasses as it might still be in the late teens during the game. Should be a good one. In hope more than expectation of course. 0-3 McGinn, Devlin and Greg Stewart.

Many happy, belated, returns ye al cunt.

He'd be deluded if he thinks he can get that. He'll get £2-2.5K if he's very lucky. Hearts won't be offering him £4-5K per week that's for sure, and nobody else would want him. Birmingham will also probably pay to get him off their books, so I doubt he'd be getting a signing on fee. He's not in demand by anyone bigger than us, ergo we dictate the offer. Birmingham will pay him part of the difference for the remaining year of his contract in order to ditch him.

Aye, probably harsh! Although Stewart scored 10 or so for Dundee a couple of times, with 10-15 assists in those two SPL seasons. He was in for SPL player of the year at one point, and would be good enough to play for any team below Hibs. I'd say that is comparable to Paul Wright at the time, regardless of whether Wright was a better player or not.

You're sort of answering your own question there. You mention shoe-horning various players into the wide and number 10 roles (Shinnie?, Ferguson?, May? - neither of those should be anywhere near those positions). Stewart provides depth of cover so that we don't ever have to play those guys out of position. He's not a striker and won't be being bought in place of one either. If we don't get a striker in it's because we can't get one who's better than what we've got. If we bought a wide player who walked into the starting eleven then it would definitely be at the expense of a striker. It it was me, I'd give Stewart a miss and wait and see if McKenna leaves. If we get some funds then splash out on a striker and a good wide player. I certainly don't think we need Stewart before the window slams shut, or even the huns game. I suspect it's all agent chat anyway.

Ferguson had some shite squad filler too though. Ian Robertson, Paul Wright etc. I'd put Stewart in at a Porteus level in today's game (above average SPL). I think that we already have those youngsters in Wright and Ross, but I don't see the problem with adding Stewart as another option in case they don't cut it. If he's on the type of money TenCaat is suggesting, then obviously that's an entirely different case. I doubt it though, he'll just be a cheap squad filler who might return a few goals here and there. I think it's pragmatism rather than anything else, we could easily end up with another Maynard or Parker type if McInnes goes to market again. He adds a bit of depth where it's needed. I'm more concerned about Forrester and Gleeson if I'm honest, so I'm okay with an above average known quantity. Agree about Cosgrove's shot on Thursday. It was like it travelled in slow motion off his boot. Compare that to Vokes at the other end, which shows what a big lad should be doing when striking a ball. Even Stockley could belt a shot. Concerningly, that type of technique probably doesn't improve with age. Haven't seen him shooting enough to accurately comment (doesn't normally stop me) though.

I said "reasonably high level". In other words, better than average SPL, which I think Stewart is (hence why a top 6 team is trying to sign him, probably with a view of going into their first 11). I suspect McInnes likes him to, and knows him. Your logic doesn't really hold water too, the ambition of a manager doesn't effect his budget. Within that budget you've got to allocate funds to positions. He'll have an idea of the limits he has for a striker and whatever is left over for a wide player. He'll look at the salary offer and think, "can I get a player better than Stewart for the money?". The answer might be yes, but then he'll look at the associated risk of getting someone he knows over someone he doesn't. No manager will sign a worse player than they can afford to; ambition doesn't come into it. Whether they can get the best out of that player is a whole different matter.

If GMS or McGinn (or Forrester) get injured he isn't a shite replacement. Reasonably high level of back up as he was last season. He's better than Ross probably. Wright has the potential to be better, but only the potential at the moment. He's nae Nicky Maynard, basically, and is a low risk signing. We need to spend the majority of our budget on a striker so I don't think we can afford to splash out on a guaranteed first 11 wide player as well. I wouldn't give a shite if Hearts outbid us of course.

That basically means: "he's for sale". £5M would be a large amount of money for a dons player. He's got it all though (or the potential to have it all). Wait until after the hun game. Spend a wedge on a decent striker.

I think we can all agree that Westhill is a shite location for any sort of sporting activity.... Although Westhill has that great hole that you play at a 45degree angle along its narrow length. I actually, marginally, prefer Westhill to Portlethen by virtue of the fact that the A90 doesn't run right by it.

I'm not convinced by the computer games thing. I had a computer when I was a kid and used it heaps. Kids before me watched TV a lot. I spent a lot of time indoors. However, I also had free access to lots of outdoor space to hit a golf ball or play fitba. Space which I could walk or cycle to without being run over (actually, I did get hit by a car on my bike once, but that was an isolated incident probably). There was a definite safety in numbers aspect too, to ward off the molesters (actually, I did get moles...). I think the problem these days is development. Green space is removed and housing developments are completely unplanned with housing profit the only required outcome. Any green space that does is exist is now usually in the form of a plastic pitch that is either pay-to-access or by appointment as it were. Derelict green space is usually behind housing away from the visibility and (perceived) safety. Football has now moved into a highly organised activity with paid-for coaching and often difficult-to-get spaces for all kids. Housing estates are thin roads with cars parked either side, so unless you or yer mates have a big garden that the parents don't mind you using, then the audi owners (I have one) will be out in force to ensure that you don't hit their precious metal box. All spontenaity is gone. Parents have to take their kids to play, and if the parents can't be arsed the kids can conveniantly be placed in front of a computer (I think the rise in computer use has as much to do with ease for parents as it has with addiction in kids). Kids don't just turn up at their mates houses, they go on fucking "play-dates". Phones are definitely an issue, and I suspect it promotes a poor attention span, but it's clearly as much of an issue in parents as it is children (not that you were saying otherwise). I'm happy to admit that I could be speaking shite, but planning and design of our living communities is the actual issue in my opinion. Computers are just a fallback.

On BBC Scotland yesterday, when reading the sports headlines, they said: There are 3 all-premiership ties in the draw, with Celtic at home to Partick and Rangers travelling to Kilmarnock. It's in-built into our impartial broadcaster. If they'd said: "with Kilmarnock playing Rangers in the pick of the ties" it would have been fine but that wasn't why they were doing it, it was implicit that these were the two teams that everyone cares about.

The problem for me growing up was the pretentious golf wanks that riddled the local club. Cunts that took themselves too seriously and looked down upon you for having 4 clubs and a shite bag. Golf seemed to surround itself with complete and utter dicks. It wasn't until I was older that I realised that actually most folks were alright and that the wanks were in the minority and could be easily ignored for the insecure thick fucks that they were. That said, it wasn't too many years ago that a golf wank asked me why I wasn't wearing a collar, at Portlethen* golf course. That pathetic dress-code shite is disgusting and absolutely put me off as a child. Posh-minks invoking snobbery cause it's the only opportunity they get. I was able to walk away with a smile because he was such a pathetic little cunt (and he had his kid with him). *Portlethen, about £30 odd quid for a round, completely empty and devoid of any charm whatsoever. Long, flat, with little or no redeeming features. Ugly as sin, characterless, shite. I suppose the clue was in the location, but there you go.

Oh aye, I completely agree that the punishment is different dependent on the club (although I think the punishment can just be a fine, so Hertz might still have got away with it in the knock out stages). It's just frustrating that nobody that is paid to cover our game is questioning how this can still happen in 21st century and fans are quick to jump on Hearts or whoever when they (should) all know that this could easily happen to their own club due to clerical error. It's the same dicks that go on about "the blazers" running our game, but fail to call them into question when the opportunity arises. I don't get why people, in general, are so quick to judgement and punishment. It's very much anti-sport. Hearts weren't attempting to cheat, they made a clerical error. Posnan were thrown out of "the biggest tournament in the world" for taking on a player in the last minute of a game they'd already won. On every occasion, sport loses.