LA-Don

Thought quite a bit about that game the last 24 hours. Reminded me a lot how the Dons have played over the last few of years. Plenty of possession but all in front of an organized defensive opponent, and no central attacking creativity or threat. Like you hear me cry too often, seriously lacking a number 10. Very disappointed in Christie, he can play that role very well but he didn't get much of the ball. Get the #10 on the ball centrally and you attack with Robertson Dykes and Fraser alongside and ahead of you. It was all too slow and predictable.

Haven't seen much of Turnbull, is he that type of player? Or is he yet another box to box midfielder. Who else can bring central attacking creativity? Would rather see Fraser there than wide, James Forrest??

52 minutes ago, Jute said:

Fraser in for Adams.
 

 

I think you may see Fraser at wing back for Patterson and Christie up top. Like McTom in midfield for McGregor, he was good pushing forward against Israel.

17 hours ago, HaarDon said:

Adams injured for Faroes game.

 

Step forward Mr Nisbet

Would rather see Christie play, or Fraser up with Dykes. We need more creativity to break down teams like this. Other than that, same team and get it done. Plus Christie takes penalties!

Well, big game tomorrow. Surely the camp is buzzing knowing that a win is a huge step towards 2nd and the playoffs........but I'm not dismissing a disaster against Moldova or the Faroes.

See McTom replacing Hanley, would like to see Fraser alongside Dykes, that seemed to be a solid partnership before Fraser got injured. Would prefer Turnbull ahead of McGregor but don't see that happening. Prefer McKenna for pace at the back but really don't know who is better, Hendry, McKenna, Gallagher, or Cooper.......but I'd assume it wont be Gallagher given he's not consistently playing for us and hasn't looked great.

Gordon

McTom McKenna Tierney

ODonnell McGinn Gilmour McGregor Robertson

Fraser Dykes

2-1 us, Fraser and McGinn

I am not doubting Lewis' poor play and lack of confidence......but......

Last 3 seasons we've bounced between a back 3,4, and 5. In 3 seasons we've had Logan, Devlin, Taylor, Considine, McKenna, Leigh, Hoban, McCrorie, Hayes, Ramsay, McKenzie, and Bates, Gurr, and Gallagher. That's 14 players. 15 if you add Jon Gallagher. Plus we've had changes in management, coaches, and tactics/style of play. Have we ever really developed shape, formation, understanding, and continuity/chemistry? A strong, stable, and consistent defense always makes your keeper look better.

While I rate Ramsay and McKenzie, they are youthful and naive, and they don't have a solid and stable central paring to help them, or strong and consistent players around them. In the past we used to praise the work of McGinn and Hayes when helping Logan and Considine, or Shinnie, our young guys don't have the same experienced and effective support.

Lastly, have we had a consistent midfield protecting the defense, particularly a strong holding mid filling that central spot?? Again plays a factor in a shit defense and that affects' a dodgy keeper.

1 hour ago, HaarDon said:

Adams was very selfish when he could have squared it to Christie for a great opportunity.

However, they all played excellent and did their job.

It's very positive again but hope they don't now fuck up against Israel or the lower ranked teams.

And we still have a mini league play off after that.

I don’t think he could play the pass, defenders were in the way and if he played it ahead of Christie the keeper gets it.

3 hours ago, HaarDon said:

We will definitely be playing for a draw which is pathetic!

I fully expect Austria to score at least 2 goals.

We must score at least 2 imo before they do to give us any chance of beating them.

 

SCOTLAND: 'we can't afford to lose'

AUSTRIA: 'we must win.'

^^^^^^^^^That's the difference in approach.

 

Can’t stand that attitude. Today is must win, especially since we drew with them at home and they just got pumped by Israel.

I thought dykes and Fraser paired up quite well when they played together, surprised Clarke didn’t try that today. Also wondering how much the austria game and three games in a week played into who and how we played today. Thought Tierney would have rested today and McKenna play, especially with his injury record. Likewise, I wouldn’t have played Gilmour today. No doubt club managers will take issue with those boys playing all 3 games.

Brutal. Yes we missed a ton of chances but they were truly awful. As has been mentioned, no consistency of players or formation. We have no style of play or continuity, not exactly sure what we are trying to do when we have the ball. I understand you can only pick the available players, but at least implement a system and formation for a squad to learn.

he scored the winner but I think dykes looks worse with every game. He and Nesbit are not a partnership either.

3 minutes ago, HaarDon said:

We have some very good outfield players LA Don.

What we don't have and haven't had for a decade since McFadden (who was brilliant), is a striker who can score goals for Scotland. 

 

Maybe maybe not. Dykes certainly had a rough euros but do we create enough chances for any striker to score? Can’t blame the forwards if we don’t create. I rate Adams, don’t know enough about nisbet, but as a true 9 on the last man I think Adams does a job. Play Christie at 10, and width from Fraser and Forrest for example. Or perhaps Christie wide and turnbull through the middle at 10 because I know we really don’t have a left winger.

problem is, much like Aberdeen, we have an abundance of box to box or holding midfielders, mcginn, mcgregor, mctominay, Gilmour, McLean, fleck, jack, that we cater to. Add Ferguson to that list. We don’t play flair, and don’t create enough. And yes, we are limited with creative wingers, i’d even play Robertson as left mid/wing ahead of Tierney at LB.

I think we’ve got a decent squad to play a 4-2-3-1 but obviously need players fit and available. Plus in Paterson and Ramsay I think we are set at right back for a long time. Much as glass has done with Ramsay, clarke needs to pick both in the squad and play them. They are good enough.

Here’s what I see, same applies to us at club level too. 
 

we dont work hard enough. When we have the ball we cannot keep it. Other teams force a mistake or force us to go long. We’re also desperate to go forward instead of keeping the ball so play it long. Keep it until theres an opportunity to really go forward. Boring going sideways and backwards but it’s a game of chess, not route 1. We don’t work hard enough off the ball to create simple passes. Other teams do. That’s coaching and tactics.

defensively we dont work hard enough. Other teams make it hard for us to play, we don’t make it hard enough for them. Case and point Denmark’s first goal, far to easy to play the ball forward for the boy to score. Horrible goal to lose (regardless of tierney’s shit defending.)

when we played England we worked hard enough. Still went long too much but we rarely see that effort.

I also think it’s an excuse to say we don’t have the players. I think we do, our premiership players, plus a few from Scotland, are good enough to field a solid national team. The primitive tactics and poor effort prevent that. 
 

I agree about minnows having flair players. Same reason I’ve cried out for the dons signing a true #10. I’d play Ryan Christie every game. But he doesn’t fit the more direct style of tactics. Just like the dons, we naturally go long when we have a target man, dykes or Sam cosgrove. Change the mindset and play through and around teams. We do have the players at national level and we see many of them do it in the style of play their club team plays.

1 hour ago, Panda said:

Playing two games a week and adding new players every few days (it feels like it), there's not many training sessions really and therefore it's difficult to get any sort of tactical identity or cohesion.

The international break will be good for us. Recharge the batteries, some proper training sessions now for Glass to work on things, and a chance for the new guys to properly settle.

Tough run of fixtures now (Motherwell A, St Johnstone H, St Mirren A) - 7-9 points is doable though. Would like to see one more in before the window shuts (have heard whispers we might beat Hibs to Jamie McCart) but I'm pretty easy with the squad we have until January.

I always think the start of the season is tough because with Europe it’s two games in a week while still trying to piece a squad together. Realistically we will sign players at the end of the window and, like this year, by the time we get to the crucial stage of Europe we’re restricted with personnel, injury, and ultimately little practice/training. It is what it is. Add to the fact we’ve a new manager and coaching staff, they basically coach and try to apply new ideas during preseason then it’s very little on field training when it’s pre game prep and post game rejuvenation.

Today was interesting, I think we started the game with 4 central midfielders, minimal real and natural width, and none are overly creative. I really hope, but don’t see it, that a natural winger and a creative midfielder are signed. Rumors have been said about Ferguson, have to assume with longstaff and jenks signed that lewis is away.

Another game where our lack of individual creativity kills us. We were by no means bad but we’re incredibly predictable. We need a #10 who can cause problems centrally. He’ll score, create for the #9, and suck in defenders giving our wide guys more space. Other than hedges jet (who doesn’t seem to know how to use his ability) and young Ramsay we don’t seem to have anyone who is dangerous on the ball. Maybe samuels too but we’re mainly huff and puff athletes.

for what it’s worth, Ramsay is a total stud. Best players we’ve produced in donkeys. Going to be another Andy Robertson.

42 minutes ago, Slim said:

Walsall get their first win of the season, climbing off the bottom of English League 2 after dropping Ash Taylor.

Strange he can look fairly competent for us but stinks the place out in the English bottom tier, same happened last time he left us IIRC.

I’d suggest we’re a more long ball league and he’s pretty solid in the air. Gets less exposed for his limitations up here.

Is bates a left sided central defender/leftie?? I’d be happy with him.

haven’t heard of longstaff, creative attacking midfielder or the same as what we have? I think we are more than covered for holding/box to box midfielders, and I even see jenks as more of the defensive type. You’ve all heard me bitch about it, has to be a creative attacking mid.

oh, and another winger please.

This game shows our lack of squad depth for sure. The two signings are forwards, with Watkins playing wide at times too. We need attacking options in central midfield, someone who can change and dictate a game.....even the Kenny McLean type if not a Ryan Christie. We are so predicable and I don't see that changing much.

I'd agree, although I will say that Ramsay and Brown are a class above the rest of our team. Brown makes mistakes, but we are bang average as a team. Just proves the lack of ability in previous opponents, both home and in Europe. 

No creativity at all. Frustrating to watch. Dribble to we lose it or hit and hope. Crying out for that #10 we should have had when Christie left.

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

Watkins returns? Strange one if true. He was good for us last season, but why wouldn't we have moved for him last week? He'd have been extremely useful tonight. Happy if he signs, but strikes me as the type of business that should be done ahead of European fixtures.

Edit: I don't mean ahead of all the fixtures as he's not long been released, but just one we should have been ready to snap up if we were interested.

Under contract at Cardiff until the end of august I think, hence the timing??

Saw little of the game but it looked like another very physical game and McLennan going off injured. Ferguson and Hayes seem to get beaten up every game and I fear for Thursday, will we have enough fit and fresh players. Don’t know the rules but a signing or two that can play Thursday would really help. 
any news on Mackenzie? Considine? Hedges?

as for the game, see virtually nothing from jenks, very disappointed in him so far, and getting less impressed with JET by the game. Lazy and not the smartest. A player with talent and skill but not much else. 
another game where I’m crying out for a creative #10….

I don’t care about the next round, we haven’t progressed and next week will be very difficult. The pitch was shit yesterday and they’ll appreciate pittodrie too. We can easily lose next week, certainly hope that’s not the case though. It’s a tough ask.

I think we’ve played two weak teams in Europe so far, this will be our first real test. They have been decent in Europe and done better than us in recent years, but I think with our strongest 11 (don’t think we have much depth) we’re not a bad side.

I’m going for 1-1, Ramirez.

19 minutes ago, sancho_panza said:

Some variant of this argument has been used to defend just about every terrible player we've had in the last 20 years (the classic line used to be "remember when everyone thought Russell Anderson was shite after his first few games"). As an argument it's basically a recipe for saying nothing.

You have to judge players on something. I don't like Gurr on paper and I don't like much of what I've seen from him on the pitch as he seems to lack basic technique (his error was directly linked to that as he clearly wasn't confident using his wrong foot and waited too long on the ball coming as a result). If you've seen something you like and disagree then I don't have a problem with that, but this isn't a peer-reviewed academic study where we have to wait for six months of data before reaching a conclusion.

My take on Gurr is that he’s very similar to Jon Gallagher. He started the same way doing some good things which we all saw and acknowledged but over time, and pretty quickly, we saw how limited he was. Gurr has done some nice things but he’s bang average at best. The fact that Ramsay has emerged makes me thankful that Gurr is a clear back up.

Never thought I’d even say this, so feel free to punch me in the face. He’s like a new signing!

Maybe those scouting Ferguson will see Ojo and give us 5 mill for him instead. I’ll get my coat….

Very sloppy game tonight, didn't think we played that well but well enough. Rode our luck a little and they could have scored more than 1, but I suppose we could have scored more than 2. A win is a win!