RicoS321

Yep, agreed, another player that can play through the middle! He was good though, looks a player. Not a terrible game, but perfectly highlighted our biggest weakness, which is the front man. Neither looked good enough, nor offered anything that the others wouldn't. I think it's our number one priority. Can we carry one of the strikers through the campaign? Possibly. Not sure we should though. It's difficult for Thelin, he's adopted two average strikers and the data lads have identified an even worse one, but chopping and changing them until January to try and find something isn't a great solution. Anyway, not many standouts today. The back four were good enough, the midfield two solid and McGrath was good as usual. Topi great and Besuijen did well when he came on (hopefully ending this season's Shayden Morris experiment).

I think he could use the "shite at football" excuse without too much argument.

We're establishment, permits are fast tracked for likes of us.

Hilariously bad decision for the second yellow. Brilliant.

It's not quite the swap deal for Morris we were all hoping for, but it seems like a decent signing. Hopefully he'll feature against Queen's Park.

That would make sense. It's a strange move though, I didn't think it would be a priority position with Molloy starting well. I've seen him briefly for the Scotland u21s, but I don't remember anything about him. I assume he'd be leaving Fulham to get regular games, and I'm not sure he'll get that here. Whilst Jensen might not be happy on the bench, he's probably first cover for left centre half, left back and sitting midfield, so it's likely he'll see plenty of game time. In theory, Milne can be the same on the right, and I think that's a nice efficient way to run a squad when there is no European fixtures and a high turnover of players. Unless this lad is more versatile than it reads, then there's a chance that he's just bulking the squad a little, which again goes back to my earlier point about offloading some of the duplicates.

Thank fuck. He was shite at the weekend, didn't even touch the ball.

I don't think it'll have been the intention, originally, to have to sign a replacement, but I think Thelin will know by now that he'll need to if he has any chance of Europe. The number nine is vital in a 4-2-3-1, otherwise we sacrifice likes of Clarkson or the new guy to accommodate a 4-4-2. It might be that the new guy and the new winger (if it actually goes ahead) are good enough to carry an average striker, but I think that'd be high risk. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to have time in this window to try out our best team with, say, Sokler up front to see if it bears fruit, so the pragmatic thing to do would be to get a striker in (even on loan) instead of gambling until January. Obviously, that is dependent on us having a target that will come and at the right price. As I said previously, we need to be shifting players on ASAP to give the squad room to breathe and allow for new signings. Otherwise it's another lopsided season with too many [nothing] players vying for the same role. I'd happily punt the first and last scorers from yesterday for example (I'd prefer Ambrose to leave over Gueye, but that would be difficult! I have a feeling it might quietly happen in January), but it could be Duncan, Morris or whoever.

There's no way we'll be getting rid of Miovski and not replacing. Sokler will be either a second striker in a two or, more likely, a sub again. He was more interested in trying to win a foul when he was through on goal today and he was generally poor. As @OrlandoDon says, he does have good movement, but that was completely missing today when Miovski wasn't playing. So far, he's not returned this season any better than he was last. He's the best of a bad bunch, but it is a bad bunch.

I'm fairly certain that if you know, so does Robinson. He's just pandering to his own fans, he'll know they were convincingly beaten and offered little. Anyway, we were quite good in spells. Shinnie (legs gone etc) motm, he was excellent, especially his cross. McGrath and Nilsen also good and as was Devlin. Morris nearly had me fooled for around six minutes until he remembered he was shite. Sokler was poor, and hasn't done much to show that he can get anywhere near replacing Miovski - his best performances all coming alongside Miovski. Gueye was below average, and the subs are nothing players more generally. We need to offload several players, we can't be keeping guys like Vinny, Morris, Gueye and Ambrose content all season. I'm not saying get rid of all, but the process has to begin, it's simply a case of picking one or two and shifting them on, it's much and such the same who comes off the bench. When Miovski leaves, we'll be replacing him and that replacement will be ahead of Sokler, Gueye and Ambrose for a single position (we'll move to a 4-2-3-1, I expect, when Clarkson or the new guy are fit). We can't sustain that number of average players in the squad.

Through the middle though, out the way, none of the right wing pish. Flick-ons and head down and charge. He's getting a goal. Edit: I've warmed to him since the open training session when he hit the kid in the face with one of his shots. He has the potential for legend status.

Gueye might have some use in winning flick-ons and running in one direction with the ball, but there's no way he has the intelligence and slight of touch to play in behind Sokler. I think Miovski will still be here anyway (he's certainly still in Aberdeen), so it'll be a moot point, but I think if we're playing Gueye then it should be as a strict two, keeping him largely out of the way of any defensive duties.

Dear Girona, Get fucked Sincerely, Dave

Yep, highest fee, although Winters is arguably the highest in total. More recently, we had an apparent £900K spent on a South American superstar.

Dons' legend masterminds 5-0 victory over Airdrie.

Great to see us upping the ante.

Obviously the exception being Clarkson getting time ahead of Barron.

Aye, I was trying to remember how long that took. Slightly different situation though, given that we're a trusted club with over 100 years of history, not some new start with an unsustainable business model and no stadium.

It'll be as soon as the window closes. It's bizarre that a player can play for a club without a fee having been agreed. What if the Huns can't afford him?

Shame like, think he could still have a big role to play at the Dons this season and in future.

Could you imagine McGrath with Nicky Devlin's mouth? What a player we'd have on our hands.

I know, I was there. In my opinion, he looked physically under-developed for a season in the SPFL, but definitely not lacking in ability. The plan would be to get him minutes playing against men, as I said. Jess was much more athletic when he started for the Dons, and was 18, Boyd only 16. In fact, his age may mean he doesn't yet go out on loan, I don't know.

It's slightly different with a guy like McGrath though, he's of an age where he won't be getting a move to a significantly bigger club. I think he'll have other priorities, like family or maybe wanting to expand his horizons (or not) or whatever. Realistically, this is the first point at which we'd have opened talks with the change in management anyway, so I don't think it's a case of running down a contract. He's basically put himself in the position where he can expect a deserved pay rise. If his family (if he has one) are settled here, then I'd expect him to stay, but otherwise I would expect him to keep his options open and see what's out there. He doesn't owe us anything and he's not a young lad. If Thelin gets him enjoying his football then that'll have a big factor on his decision.

Neither Boyd nor Bavidge looked anywhere near ready for the first team when they got their cameos at the end of last and the previous seasons respectively. Bavidge has had a year since and been out on loan, so you'd have to hope he's pushing for minutes. Boyd would benefit from a loan I think, and Marshall scored at the weekend for Cove, so a good start. They just need minutes against men, and as many as possible. If they're only going to get 20 minutes every 4-5 games here, then it's better to get those 4-5 games in the lower leagues.