LA-Don

Hope the injury to Shinnie isn't a big deal, certainly makes things interesting if it is. Hate to say it but our left back is our best central midfielder! Says a lot.......

Poor game and poor performance. Maddison certainly looks a good addition, definitely the creative spark we needed in the middle of the park. However, Hayes not fit and should have played an hour at most, and McLean offered little. I'm a big fan of McGinn and despite the goal needs dropped/rested. The team needs a shake up, really would like to see Storie and Storey in for McLean and McGinn with a front 4 of Storey Maddison Rooney and Burns with Storie and Shinnie behind them. Hayes in for Burns/Storey when fit and McGinn back in when fresh. We just need a shake up. As said, one win in 5 isn't good enough. Top 4 will be a struggle based on what we're seeing from the team and with the tactics from the manager.

Storie has to be given his chance now since we failed to add the much needed ball winning midfielder, alongside Shinnie with Maddison ahead of them. ICT are weak so give him his start. O'Connor must be at the back too. Bizarre and disappointing window. Curious to see how Maddison does and a bottom of the league ICT is the perfect game to throw him in too. Interesting that we took him for 4 months when we could have got Shinnie for 12 and the possibility of a permanent deal.

I know the term great is certainly subjective but if you look at where we are now, the realistic expectation of a table topping challenge, pretty much the second best team in Scotland for the last three years, league challenging until late into the season, and for the most part solid performances in Europe, DM has definitely given us a higher level of credibility. Having lived through the Fergie era and all that followed, we're certainly no longer a laughing stock and compete at the right end of the table. It's not been this way for a long time. If you mean great as in winning the league and multiple trophies like the Ferguson era or close to, then we're certainly not there. Maybe he's not great but I think he's better than ok. I think he's taken us as far as he can and/or the budget can. We can all play arm chair managers and second guess coaching, tactics, subbing, formation etc but we don't know the training and the internal development and issues of the players and team. This is the first time I've really questioned him with the farcical situation of our midfield but, at the same time, if we want to improve the team that pretty much takes cash we haven't spent in a long time. DM has done what he's done paying for 1 player, the rest freebies and loans. If we want higher quality than a McGinn, Jack, McLean, Taylor, etc that costs money we don't appear to have, either in transfer fees or weekly wage. In terms of someone bigger coming for him, that's subjective too. He can make more money and have a bigger budget at a championship or div 1 team, is that bigger? I don't think so but some may argue it is. I could totally see him going to the championship and potentially taking McGinn, Rooney, Hayes and the likes with him. I'm not happy where we are right now, it's going to be a make or break season for DM and this squad.

I think we tend to over complicate things. We don't need to play one up top and defend because of the ability of the other team. While that is more the norm of top league football I still think we can play two up top and go at teams. Don't think anyone in Scotland is that good where a conservative approach is needed. I'd like to see teams have to adjust to play us and don't feel we really need to for anyone.

It's definitely early doors for this season but the Celtic game highlighted our problem. We don't have a strong midfield and when behind we have no subs to freshen up the midfield. At 2-1 Celtic didn't need to chase the game, it's easy to say we played well but, ultimately, we started badly and 4-1 is 4-1.Unless we sign at least 2 midfielders in the next few days this won't change and I'd see this as a really poor window. Yes, Jack and Pawlett will get healthy but what happens when Shinnie or McLean are injured/suspended. It's also interesting that Pawlett has done nothing to suggest improvement to gain more playing time; he's just playing by default, we have nobody else. DM has done a great job and I'm a fan. However, he's now at the stage where I wonder if he's taken us as far as he can. This season will be a real challenge at finishing second and he's being questioned more and more, plus there will be more grumbles and abuse from the fans. His signings and tactics are being scrutinized more than ever and I wonder how long he'll last. Don't see us getting rid of him but will he move on citing finances/lack of and he's taken us as far as he can?

Feel exactly the same and have said too many times already, we're 2-3 players close to a solid squad. What drives me nuts is that if we were so limited in funds why sign Morris when we have McKenna and other u20s. We have more cover at the back.......whether they are shit or not is a different story. We also signed one too many forwards if we're stuck for cash. Stockley was needed for a different type of forward, but why Burns and Storey? Why not sign only Storey and give Smith and Wright more of a chance. I think it's good experience for Smith at Dundee Utd but if we were this tight Burns is a luxury we couldn't afford. Or take Burns instead of Storey. And since we're playing a left back and centre back as our central midfield pairing, why sign Alexander. Make Ash Taylor the back up GK.....

So DM said squad size was an issue last year and that we'd have a bigger one this year. He goes ahead and signs 7 players and did say more would follow. Then it goes quiet. It made no sense to sign goalkeepers, defenders, and forwards, have Robson retire, release Flood and send Smith on loan, and then stop. The squad is smaller and clearly unbalanced. What changed? Did the club refuse more funds, cut back, or did we bank of Aucho being the savior??? This doesn't make sense to me. Anyone can see the gaping hole in our squad. What happened?

We fucked up the Flood situation. He was under contract yet we give him a freebie. Why not release him once we've signed a replacement, or at least get something in return? Grass is always greener, but i was open about him being a good player for us and I agree, we missed him today. I'd also argue Paul Quinn could do a job for us.... Shinnie and O'Connor can't be faulted for effort but a team with top of the league ambitions should not be playing these guys as our main midfielders, alongside a guy lacking in confidence and off form who should have been dropped weeks ago. O'Connor was subbed instead of Reynolds I'd assume since Reynolds has the pace, yet I think he got beat for speed on the penalty? And what does Craig Storie need to do to get a game, he did well last year?!?! With the current squad we're a mid table team and the first 4 games, plus the league cup, have shown that. That's not a knee jerk reaction, very obvious reality.

Didn't watch the game but did we play with our left back and primarily a central defender as our midfield pairing? While they may have played well (did they?), surely this isn't the plan/solution??? If we don't sign a couple of central midfielders before the window closes this will have been our worst window in a long time. Yes, we got Stockley, Lewis, Storey, and Burns, but the gaping hole in the middle of the field being filled is huge to the success of our season. 5 points from the first 4 games is concerning regardless of the bullshit being said about fatigue and the euro run (same schedule as last year) - we certainly aren't a top 3 team and I'd say we'll struggle for top 6 with the current squad. Games are won or lost in midfield unless we plan on being a long ball team and we are both weak and thin in there.

I'd take another Grant, Simpson, or Cooper, and Doug Bell, Billy Stark or Bett. Please.

Well, apologies for sounding like a broken record but with Jack injured and McLean off form, that gaping hole from the loss of Flood, Smith, and Robson is only getting bigger........WTF. Oh, and I believe Pawlett is injured too. While we've added some good players to the squad we've definitely weakened in centre mid.

Bobby, fully agree with you. However, we're playing 3 or 4 attacking players per game, add subs, and we've got Burns, Stockley, Storey, McGinn, Hayes, Rooney, and Wright. That's only 7 players, factor in a couple of injuries and a couple of suspensions, we don't have the numbers and Wright is needed. In my opinion Wright should be sent out on loan but we need to add 2 players before that can happen.

Agree totally about O'Connor's lack of mobility. While I still think he was initially signed as our holding mid based on the number of centre halves we have, I think performances have shown he needs to stay at the back. Don't think we should be sending Wright out on loan, we just don't have a big enough squad. If anything, we should have kept Smith and sent Wright on loan. Didn't see the game yesterday but sounds like Shinnie played well. With Jack out and McLean off form what other options do we have in there??

I think it's fair to say O'Connor was signed as a centre mid. With Taylor, Reynolds, Considine, and the signing of Morris, plus McKenna etc, I think we've got depth there already. It's just we've been pish at the back that he put O'Connor there and it worked out. Hence the scramble/panic for another centre mid and the fact we've seen Shinnie playing there pretty much every game. Although, saying this, he is listed as a defender in the club website 1st team squad.

Well, window has been decent but all has dried up of late. DM said he wanted a bigger squad but that hasn't happened, plus I'm pretty sure he said way back after the last signing that he wasn't done. Perhaps Wright stays and plays wide allowing McGinn to be the flair in the middle of the park we are crying out for. When McGinn played centrally a few years back he had a very strong season. Maybe play off Rooney (or Stockley) with width from Wright, Hayes, Burns, or Storey, and the two deeper being Jack and Shinnie. Smith, Robson, and Flood played 56 games between them lasy season, who is filling that void? My fear is.....O'Connor will be the steel in the middle of midfield when Morris is fit and playing in the middle of defense. Shinnie is like a new signing in midfield, that's his home now. Considine/Reynolds are like new signings too in their new home at left back.....

Well, Shinnie signed with Hibs and DM saying he might not be done in the transfer market. With being paper thin in CM I hope we have things lined up. Disappointed as Shinnie would, in my eyes, have been a good addition.

I'm all for us being and staying debt free and certainly the stadium and training facilities are a priority. But we're at a point where there's a good chance we drop back to 3rd best in Scotland at best. Last season we were a player or two from potentially winning the league and we weakened the squad in January. We're in the same situation again where we've lost players in key positions and haven't replaced them. I'm not asking for millions to be spent but pushing the boat out a little more. As my post mentioned, it looks like we may even have cut costs. It's not panic with two 0-0 draws. We've weakened the middle of the park and haven't signed one central midfielder. Robson and Flood need replaced, Smith too. We cannot rely on McLean, Jack, Storie, and our left back carrying centre mid for an entire season. Even DM said Jack and Shinnie were gassed against Hearts, we have an issue we have to address. I'm sure (or certainly hope) we're not done in the transfer market. You don't think it's fair to ask Milne to throw 500k to help the cause? It's not out of the question to ask an owner to do that. That's not breaking the bank, throwing us into debt again, but asking a him to back the manager and improve the squad a little more. I think there's a few players out there who went down south, haven't excelled, and bringing them back is affordable eg Shinnie, maybe John Fleck who just signed for Sheffield or the likes, that could really help us.

Milne fucked up the running of the club, gambled and lost, and was only bailed out by a couple of nice and friendly grand parents who gave AFC over $10 mill, correct?? We are now debt free but obviously are looking at the new stadium. We are 2-3 players away from a good squad. I see no money spent this summer, all incoming numbers replaced those who left, but I think we're a smaller squad? I'd also argue Flood, Robson, and Goodwillie could well have been on more than any of the incoming players so have we even cut costs? Shinnie was an inspirational signing and a signal of intent. I'd say Goodwillie was a 'big' signing. While I like the look of Lewis, Stockley, and O'Connor, and I think Burns and Storey will be solid, why can't Milne free up some pennies? If a couple of OAPs can throw money at us, surely he can help fix the obvious squad problem. The January and current window so far have been real disappointments and while I don't know how good Andrew Shinnie is, if he goes to Hibs that's a blow in my eyes/missed opportunity. The last guy who I think went from Caley to Birmingham, didn't do so well so came north was Rooney. I'm optimistic to think Shinnie could have a similar impact in an attacking creative central role, a position we MUST fill. I don't grudge losing out on Jackson Irvine and Will Vaulk as a holding mid. While we'd probably be afford the fee it's the weekly wages we cannot match. But we MUST get a holding mid. We have 2 weeks to fix this or for a second window running we haven't improved squad depth, the issue DM addressed at last seasons end. I don't see us being second with this lot. We've weakened centre mid by losing Robson, Flood, and Smith, the most important area of the field. SM needs to man up!!

Also agree we look better at the back with OConnor in there, but not convinced with Considine or Reynolds at left back. If we can get the necessary addition(s) in the middle of the park I'd be inclined to go with a back three of Taylor OConnor and Reynolds and Shay and Shinnie as wing backs. They're fit and fast enough to get forward then get back and support a back 3. Still, that can only happen with a holding mid protecting in there which we currently don't have - 5 in the middle would allow Jack and McLean to play right and left centre which is probably more suited to them. Both I think are being asked to do a job which is not their natural preference, square peg in round hole, which leads to the abuse for not performing to a high standard.

We definitely had chances in Europe against teams with limited knowledge of us but against teams who know our players so well we seem pretty easy to shut down. We're predictable and limited.

Andrew Shinnie linked with Hibs? Were we ever linked with him, thought he was a good player? An upgrade on McLean or Pawlett?

Well, here's my take. I'm pissed off. Hearts should have won with the Watt chance towards the end. While we didn't look like losing we didn't really look like scoring. We are so predictable. We rely so much on Hayes and McGinn, and I'll say Burns is probably a similar winger type, and when that gets shut down we just lump it up the park. With Hayes hurt more emphasis is on McGinn, a guy who barely had a summer break and who, as I've said before, will burn out and have an average season. If we are going to go long then we need numbers up the park for the second ball and we don't really do that. We have little or nothing in central midfield which is the most important are of the field. We've had two 0-0 games for a reason. We failed to beat Maribor but should have, struggled against Ayr Utd to an extent, we're not the finished article. We don't have a commanding boss in there and we don't have a creative spark. Until we have a flair player in there teams will shut us down. We need a central threat to draw teams inwards to give the wide guys space or pick penetrating passes. Right now that's not happening from what I see. Not sure if Andrew Shinnie is the answer but we need a guy with skill who can beat a man or play a killer pass. That's not Jack, Graeme Shinnie, or McLean right now. We also need a tough defensive mid to protect the back 4, particularly if we are going to encourage the full backs to push on which we do. Jack and Shinnie don't seem to be doing that and we're getting exposed. We look vulnerable on counter attacks and Hearts showed that today in the second half when they had space and numbers but fortunately didn't capitalize. Our central defenders get exposed because of the lack of protection infront of them. What is Graeme Shinnie's role? Is he the new Willo Flood? What is Jack's role? I don't quite understand what we're trying to do in the middle of the park but there's little or no threat. All we seem to do is get the ball wide and rely on wide guys beating a man (individual creativity), Logan overlapping, or we get a shit cross or the ball lumped long. When Shinnie plays well going forward it's usually when he ends up on the left. If that's the case stick him back at left back, or play him wide mid while Hayes is injured. Until we fix the middle of the park, both with steel and with creativity, we're going to be vulnerable defensively and predictable and limited in attack. Teams know what we do because we're most the same team that rely on Hayes, McGinn, and Rooney, and while we can pass and look pretty we have no central threat or penetration and we're relatively easy to defend because we don't stretch teams. Shockley alone up top makes us worse because we just end up going long ball, hit and hope. If he plays, go two up top with Rooney. DM said after the game today Jack and Shinnie were gassed. No surprise there, a lack of squad depth in CM. I'm the most optimistic fan normally. Must be the time of the month....

I think if Storie or O'Connor was the plan for CM we'd have seen them there by now. I think there's more chance of O'Connor replacing Taylor but I'm disappointed we haven't seen Storie yet. Think you put Storie in with Jack and you can put McLean back at attacking mid where he did well last year, or play 2 up top.

3-0 dons, Stockley, Rooney, Storey Curious to see the strategy here, don't want to mess with the line up too much but it will be 4 competitive games in 2 weeks and wins Wednesday and Sunday will certainly put us right back on track. I'm all for Alexander getting the nod, important to get him a game and familiarity with those around him. Give Shinnie a breather and I think McGinn is carrying a knock. Also good to further develop the OConnor Reynolds partnership. Tempted to go with Storie for McLean but maybe a good game for McLean to get some confidence back. I'd go with Alexander Logan-OConnor-Reynolds-Considine Storey-Jack-McLean-Burns Rooney-Stockley