RicoS321

It was more of a 3-4-3, but we can call it a 3-4-2-1 . It suited us.

Aye, as everyone has said, it was a very good performance. Dundee were gash, and we took full advantage by pressing them hard all over the pitch. The front three did a lot of good work and pressing (Nisbet worked hard despite not getting on the end of anything). The two young lads, Shinnie and Armstrong's movement in midfield was immense, Shinnie winning everything and Armstrong dragging them around all over. Karlsson looked like a real footballer. The defence rock solid, and carried the ball well. Gyamfi had his best game, despite a slow start, and a great run and finish for the goal (brilliant from Armstrong). The subs ruined the flow quite a bit, and the midfield two didn't reach the standard of those they replaced, but Lazetic was decent again. Milanovic disappointed a little, but the game was over and we were just cruising. These games are perfect for blooding young players, it's a shame we don't have any.

I'd only have him back if Yengi, Nisbet or Lazetic are leaving. Anderson never really had the pace to make it for us, and I don't see that as having changed. He's probably just a little too similar to what we already have, and is also at his best in a front two. I think it'd have to be him or Nisbet for me, which is a choice we could probably have made in the summer, so I see no sense on dwelling on that now. I'd look elsewhere for someone that offers us something we don't already have, either pace or battering rammery.

Devlin played there when Tobers went off the other week, and it was fine. It takes away from Devlin's game a bit, but if he's the fitter of him and Dorrington, then there's no issue with him playing right centre back if they want to maintain the back three. To be honest, I quite like to see us use the squad in that way. It would also mean that Devlin has to do less running, but also gives him game time. I think it will be along the lines of how we finished the Motherwell game.

Just play a 3-5-2. Best of both worlds. I'd give Karlsson a rest from the start and play Lazetic and Nisbet for an hour.

Marshall looks like a really good footballer, but I think he might lack the physical attributes to make it. Hopefully not, but he seemed to lack the pace and athleticism, and there might be a limit to what we could get out of him in that regard. He reminded me a bit of someone like Nicky Low. Really good footballer, but just a touch below where we are. Similarly Bavidge didn't look like he would ever reach the required level physically either. Just lacking that yard of pace that would get him in front of strong defenders in the SPFL. Of course, both have got time on their side, and it was just my first impression. The problem that I see is that they'd both need a lot of work, and we don't seem to be willing to do that as a club. We never seem to manage the transition to first team effectively. Whilst there are plenty of games left until January, does anyone see Lobban getting good minutes rather than the twenty games he'd have got on loan? If we are to get Bavidge or Marshall back, do we think there'd be any plan for their integration?

"Lutz Pfannenstiel, a candidate for the sporting director role at Pittodrie, was at Friday's Aberdeenshire Cup final between Aberdeen and Formartine United." Oh well, best looking elsewhere for a new technical director

It's certainly true that Milne went for looks over managerial ability when choosing a manager. Sometimes you forget just how ugly Alex Miller was.

Seems fair. From my view in the lower deck, I'd say that the cross for their second was an absolute peach, and he fairly whipped it in. It's not specific to Mitov, but it does seem like goalies aren't told to go directly at a player when making a challenge, they always seem to stop short and make themselves big, instead of doing almost like a volleyball block right in front of the players coupon.

I'd have shagged prime McGhee, but he'd let himself go by the time he returned as manager. Is that the sort of thing you're after? What about Robson's body, with Willie Miller's face?

Aye. I couldn't tell, but it sounded like more than the red shed. The same happened with Rubi too. It's Hunnish as fuck.

Aye, it's obscene. It was always going to be. There's still a huge volume of people who won't admit it though, and blame the people operating it, or suggest a few tweaks, or say that it should only be used for really clear and obvious errors. We wouldn't have got our pen last night of course, but that's probably the first one this season that I can think of that VAR has intervened where there is little contention on clear and obvious. Two things about the Tim one also: it took about 3 minutes to make the call. We were watching without commentary in the pub and couldn't work out what they were trying to adjudicate on, because the ball very clearly hadn't touched a hand. Any life left in the stadium must've been drained out in that period. The second is that even if the ball had actually glanced off his arm in that incident, so fucking what? Does anyone really think it was a deliberate unsporting act to gain advantage? Or did it just bounce up and hit him, as happens all the time in the sport? Again, it's the absolute inconsequential, subjective, shite that 90% of the calls get involved in that is the big issue.

I couldn't see anything at the game, and I've watched the highlights back, but I'm struggling to find the mistake Mitov made for any of the goals? He had a bit of dicking about at one interchange with Milne where he fucked up a clearance, but it was a position Milne shouldn't have put him in, and the ball was blowing about as he kicked it. I'm not seeing it to be honest, Mitov has pulled off some brilliant saves this season and generally been one of our better (if not our best) performers. The Utd error was a bad one, but it was a shite shot that wrong footed him. Most of the stuff with the ball at his feet are when he's trying to be too elaborate - he's generally very good with the ball.

Did you ask him what the fuck all that had to do with his number 6 throwing himself to the ground in the box in an attempt to win a penalty? I'm not saying it was worse than those wars, but it's certainly close. Sounds like two tier refereeing to me.

Thon VAR decision against the Tim has - hilariously - taken shite refereeing to a whole new level. I think I'd have asked the players to walk off. Brilliant.

Aye, that was a good performance tonight. They were a very good team, they'd wipe the floor with the Tims. Some of the stuff they played was top class, and their pressing and movement was exceptional, we barely got a second on the ball. Bit harsh to blame anyone for second and third goals, the cross for the second was sublime, and the entire move for the third was top class. I didn't get a great view of the first, but looked a decent finish too. Milne, Devlin and Lazetic absolute stand outs as everyone has mentioned. Milne looks as good as McKenna was, but probably better on the ball, and just as quick. Devlin is just ace, and there's no chance on earth that Jensen would have been there to score that header, and if he had, he'd have been second to the ball too. The shoulder barge to win the one-on-one was just class too, although I suspect some of you think that shoulder barges should be a foul..... Clarkson wasn't great, in a very unfamiliar role, Palaversa was average too, and Armstrong didn't get himself involved enough. The three replacements far outperformed them. The booing was pathetic, I'm not quite sure what Nilsen has done to deserve it, and he played well tonight. Keskinen worked hard, but his decision making was poor, but a few more weeks with Karlsson and against poorer opposition and we could have something. Mitov was okay, the conditions were difficult for a keeper, especially down the RDS end, where the wind was blowing the ball about a lot, even on the ground when kicking. Will be interesting to see how we use the squad for Sunday. There were a lot of tired legs out there at the end. I could see justification for Jensen ahead of Devlin in that regard.

Jane Goodall too. Sad day for the chimp world.

No, I don't recall anything being mentioned. I'm wondering if there was an inkling within the coaching staff that it might be the case, and that is why we got Dorrington back? Anyway, I'm assuming Knoester is fit after his early subbing? Molloy and Polvara as backup centre backs is absolutely fine to be honest. Milne will get a good full season too, which is good.

Latvian Mikey Devlin

Is that all one sentence in morphine-land?

Ah, that explains why Devlin got a chance at the weekend.

Goalies take ages to develop, and then last forever. We'll no doubt have a rake of them in five years time. Scott Bain probably the best performing Scottish keeper just now. Archie Mair throwing them in for Morecambe these days.

Young goalie returns for Scotland

Although the fact that none are very good is probably not helping matters. I don't think it's just Thelin who doesn't have a clue what the least shite option is. The negligent part is having three well over the age of thirty, who aren't managing ninety minutes really, especially when Palaversa can't either.

He was responding to the point where you suggested Thelin was inept, and giving examples to show otherwise. We haven't progressed, nobody is suggesting that, just that it might not be down to ineptitude. Similarly, the massive financial advantage isn't necessarily of benefit to the manager though. Nor a source of criticism either. How that budget is being spent is of far greater concern to me than the current performances for example. Of our new signings, none really look capable of coming into the current team and performing well (maybe Armstrong, and probably Karlsson?). Milanovic, Aouchiche, Nisbet, Gyamfi, Yengi, Lazetic, Bilalovic (the last two maybe have something) all look like distinctly average players that would need a lot of work. They're toiling a bit, through lack of confidence, but I haven't looked at any of the summer signings and thought we'd signed a player. They all look like squad filler players who might have a good run at some point, but we'd likely be trying to offload next summer, or shortly thereafter. For me, the biggest issues surround recruitment and squad building. We've got old players and young players, with little in-between. Project players and more project players. Zero balance. That is a hindrance on any budget. That is on the club, not the manager. Or at least it should be.