Well, at least the beer should be good…such a shame that our first group stage game is probably going to be an absolute horsing. Feels odd just hoping that something will change but I’m not seeing any green shoots just yet. 
 

a counter attacking strategy will probably work here, just not sure we have the team to play it. Unless they’ve been fooling us all along 😂

Regardless, hoping that all those making the journey across have a class time. Sounds like there should be a decent number at least.

out

bed

work

work

5-0, no dons scorer

Decent performance that frustratingly should have been a draw.

Agree Jensen and Gartenmann look good. I'd be inclined to play MacDonald ahead of Rubezic though.

Clarkson just couldn't get it going tonight. At points he was getting in the way of others players, like me trying to play fives. Was a brave call from Robson to take him and Shinnie off, but it worked and Barron was excellent when he came on. Is there a set-up to get Barron, Clarkson, Shinnie and Polvara all playing at the same time? Maybe at the expense of McGrath who has disappointed so far and could see Miovski getting frustrated with him tonight.

Devlin though. Aye I fucking like him. Cracking signing.

 

As for the match experience. Police marched us through a forrest for about 20 minutes to get to the away end. It was just bizarre looking out into the trees and seeing random coppers standing there keeping an eye on everything.

Afterwards, though, with it raining heavily, it wasn't fun being marched back through that forrest.

3 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

On his wrong foot? Not convinced. Not many players around scoring one like that. Very difficult to get your foot over it at the last minute. 

Disagree, a forward at this level on his stronger foot should be scoring there.

5 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

Disagree, a forward at this level on his stronger foot should be scoring there.

Apologies, I was referring to Miovski on his wrong foot. I'm still not convinced though. Ball behind you, an awkward height, a difficult chance. He'd have had to throw himself in the air to get above it, and there wasn't a huge amount of time to react after it came over the heads and into sight.

7 hours ago, Panda said:

Decent performance that frustratingly should have been a draw.

Agree Jensen and Gartenmann look good. I'd be inclined to play MacDonald ahead of Rubezic though.

Clarkson just couldn't get it going tonight. At points he was getting in the way of others players, like me trying to play fives. Was a brave call from Robson to take him and Shinnie off, but it worked and Barron was excellent when he came on. Is there a set-up to get Barron, Clarkson, Shinnie and Polvara all playing at the same time? Maybe at the expense of McGrath who has disappointed so far and could see Miovski getting frustrated with him tonight.

Devlin though. Aye I fucking like him. Cracking signing.

 

As for the match experience. Police marched us through a forrest for about 20 minutes to get to the away end. It was just bizarre looking out into the trees and seeing random coppers standing there keeping an eye on everything.

Afterwards, though, with it raining heavily, it wasn't fun being marched back through that forrest.

James and Alan? Sounds brutal.

Yep, I mentioned going for a 3-4-2-1 last night. Shinnie and Barron sitting with Polvara and Clarkson supporting Miovski. That can change to a 3-4-1-2 to allow Duk on if we're chasing it. Clarkson regularly struggles when he's not either sitting behind or in front (see Gilmour for Scotland a few years back), because he likes the space for his side to side movement. I think that if we're experimenting then having him further up the pitch is a good idea, he's played well there before, although as a 10, behind the striker(s). It's still a little bit shoehorning like. Barron is comfortable in a two, so is fine alongside Shinnie and that would give Shinnie a well deserved break. 

Agree about McGrath, he's not been great. A good squad player to have, nothing more. His position is probably similar to Clarkson's more forward position and I think he should be used as cover for that role. He's not a bad signing in himself, just that he doesn't fill the role we needed. Thought McKenzie did okay despite the penalty, but maybe McGarry (who I've not been particularly impressed by either) back in for his pace going forward versus County. Duncan did okay when he came on, but I still think his best position will be through the middle when he comes of age.

2 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

James and Alan? Sounds brutal.

Yep, I mentioned going for a 3-4-2-1 last night. Shinnie and Barron sitting with Polvara and Clarkson supporting Miovski. That can change to a 3-4-1-2 to allow Duk on if we're chasing it. Clarkson regularly struggles when he's not either sitting behind or in front (see Gilmour for Scotland a few years back), because he likes the space for his side to side movement. I think that if we're experimenting then having him further up the pitch is a good idea, he's played well there before, although as a 10, behind the striker(s). It's still a little bit shoehorning like. Barron is comfortable in a two, so is fine alongside Shinnie and that would give Shinnie a well deserved break. 

Agree about McGrath, he's not been great. A good squad player to have, nothing more. His position is probably similar to Clarkson's more forward position and I think he should be used as cover for that role. He's not a bad signing in himself, just that he doesn't fill the role we needed. Thought McKenzie did okay despite the penalty, but maybe McGarry (who I've not been particularly impressed by either) back in for his pace going forward versus County. Duncan did okay when he came on, but I still think his best position will be through the middle when he comes of age.

Given our lack of cm's I hope he comes of age very fucking quickly 

Last night could have been brutal and I suspect most of us were expecting it to be, especially with the early goal.  We did well to hang in there against a good side.

On the positive, that is likely to be the toughest match (on paper) that we will play this season and I don't think we should necessarily be planning our remaining games on the same basis.  Against Ross County, playing five at the back and two holding midfielders is just overkill.  No way in the world should we be setting up with that many defensive players on the park against Ross County at home.

5 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

that would give Shinnie a well deserved break. 

I make that 9 games we have played in 48 days, one of which was against a league one opponent.  That is hardly a torturous schedule Rico.  Why is he needing a rest already?  He just had two weeks off over the international break!  

5 hours ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

I make that 9 games we have played in 48 days, one of which was against a league one opponent.  That is hardly a torturous schedule Rico.  Why is he needing a rest already?  He just had two weeks off over the international break

Because he's been asked to do the job of at least one and a half midfielders in those games. We're lucky he didn't pick up an injury to be honest. Ironic that when he got the most support he's had all season last night, he was taken off early. As you say, the international break would have helped, and hopefully we'll see an end to the ridiculous strategy of pretending that we have more than one box to box midfielder.

Well that was the trip that was.

Really enjoyable, met some great folk, had laughs, beers snd the team did us proud. Met a number of Feankfurt fans and had great craic discussing football, the universal language of many worldwide.

Journey home turned into a bit of a nightmare with German rail network seriously failing to live up to the German efficency theory. Almost missed the flight.

Had a health scare yesterday and as a result was advised to go to a German hospital but took the chance on getting my flight instead and subsequently spend over six hours at A&E when I got back to Scottish soil, eventually being given the all clear to go home at 5.30am this morning.

So after forty three years of European trips, has it put me off, has it fuck, see you in Helsinki at end of November.

Stand Free  fellow Dandies.

Hope all is well @BigAl, glad to hear you made it back at least.

1 hour ago, Panda said:

Hope all is well @BigAl, glad to hear you made it back at least.

Cheers Panda, i will require a follow up procedure but just great to get home mate. Yesterday really was the day from hell.

Hope you enjoyed your trip 👍

Hope everything is alright Al, glad you were able to make the trip back home 👍

6 hours ago, BigAl said:

Well that was the trip that was.

Really enjoyable, met some great folk, had laughs, beers snd the team did us proud. Met a number of Feankfurt fans and had great craic discussing football, the universal language of many worldwide.

Journey home turned into a bit of a nightmare with German rail network seriously failing to live up to the German efficency theory. Almost missed the flight.

Had a health scare yesterday and as a result was advised to go to a German hospital but took the chance on getting my flight instead and subsequently spend over six hours at A&E when I got back to Scottish soil, eventually being given the all clear to go home at 5.30am this morning.

So after forty three years of European trips, has it put me off, has it fuck, see you in Helsinki at end of November.

Stand Free  fellow Dandies.

I read that as too old to have been on the lash in Greece last month and Germany this month. 
 

 

 

Only joking Al hope every is okay. 

1 hour ago, Jute said:

I read that as too old to have been on the lash in Greece last month and Germany this month. 
 

 

 

Only joking Al hope every is okay. 

Can't really argue with that Jute.

Fair element of truth in that.

Sad but true 🙄

Glad you're alright Al 👊