Must win game (aren’t they all), be a great opportunity to reach hampden, home of the huns, oh I mean Scotland, for a cup semi. Away and this fixture would have been a tougher test, but confident we should have enough composure and cohesion to see us through. Think we should be sticking with the strongest XI for this, but maybe stick with palaversa rather than shinnie, give him another week to recover from whatever it was. 
 

Regardless, looking forward to this being our first fixture against them. Keep it simple please!
 

dons 2 - 0, nilsen and Morris 

Don’t want to underestimate Spartans but I’d be inclined to rest sivert and start shinnie with palaversa, give them the opportunity to gel a little, assuming shinnie is fully recovered from whatever the issue was last week. If shinnie hasn’t fully recovered then it’s same as last week. I also think palaversa will be clearly needed thru the course of the season that let’s get him match sharp for October and tougher games. I also think with two 33 yr olds, if palaversa is a player, we want him happy and extended to the 3 years (are years 2 and 3 purely our call??)

clarkson needs to get match sharp too but impossible to bench gueye. I think gueye will fade but let’s milk it while we can (although I’d love to be proved wrong!) Our team pics itself with sivert on the bench with McDonald, clarkson, sokler, Vinny, morris, mcgarry, and Ambrose.

4-0 us. Nisbet, gueye, McGrath, and Keskinen.

I think when you're only playing one game a week you don't need to rest anybody. Especially if they're on good form - keep that momentum going. 

If Shinnie is fit I'd play him. Otherwise you go into the Dundee game with him not having played for three weeks. Nilsen is playing brilliantly just now, unless he's looking tired, play him.

The only change I'd make would be MacDonald for Rubezic as I still think central defence is our weak point. However, I think unless Rubezic starts to really struggle (which he hasn't) then Thelin will likely stick with him.

 

 

21 minutes ago, Panda said:

I think when you're only playing one game a week you don't need to rest anybody. Especially if they're on good form - keep that momentum going. 

If Shinnie is fit I'd play him. Otherwise you go into the Dundee game with him not having played for three weeks. Nilsen is playing brilliantly just now, unless he's looking tired, play him.

The only change I'd make would be MacDonald for Rubezic as I still think central defence is our weak point. However, I think unless Rubezic starts to really struggle (which he hasn't) then Thelin will likely stick with him.

 

 

I use the rest term loosely, it’s more get palaversa match sharp(er) as he’ll be needed and we have tougher games coming up. Not underestimating Spartans but let’s see more of him and I don’t think he was signed to be a benchwarmer. We’re seeing JT use all his 5 subs each game for the most part and squad harmony is a challenge. I think this is a good opportunity to start palaversa and bring sivert off the bench if needed. Agreed, don’t want shinnie taking 3 weeks off but no clue what’s going on there. Yes it’s one game a week but it’s two 33 yr olds we’re heavily relying on that why not keep the OAPs as fresh as possible.

Edited September 17, 20241 yr by OrlandoDon

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

I use the rest term loosely, it’s more get palaversa match sharp(er) as he’ll be needed and we have tougher games coming up.

Will he be needed though? I don't think he starts any games for the time being unless Shinnie or Nilsen are suspended or injured.

He'll come off the bench plenty and that'll keep him sharp.

 

1 hour ago, OrlandoDon said:

Yes it’s one game a week but it’s two 33 yr olds we’re heavily relying on that why not keep the OAPs as fresh as possible.

I think people get too hung up on age. In central midfield, 33 really isn't that old. De Bruyne and Gundogan are both 33, both played 90 minutes at the weekend, and I would expect at least one of them - if not both - to play for Man City v Inter on Wednesday, and then they've Arsenal at the weekend.

If Shinnie and Nilsen were 36 going on 37 I'd be more concerned. Shinnie has just turned 33 and Nilsen is actually 32 for a few more weeks. They're not old at all. And they're not playing international football so both are getting plenty rest while playing once a week anyway.

Palaversa needs to do a Pape Gueye and go and put in the type of performance that makes him undroppable.

I think that if we're four or five up in the ninetieth minute, we should take on Ambrose. The rest of the team should huddle over by the tunnel and when the whistle goes, sprint down the tunnel and out of the ground, leaving Ambrose to go home with Spartans.

6 hours ago, Panda said:

I think when you're only playing one game a week you don't need to rest anybody. Especially if they're on good form - keep that momentum going. 

If Shinnie is fit I'd play him. Otherwise you go into the Dundee game with him not having played for three weeks. Nilsen is playing brilliantly just now, unless he's looking tired, play him.

The only change I'd make would be MacDonald for Rubezic as I still think central defence is our weak point. However, I think unless Rubezic starts to really struggle (which he hasn't) then Thelin will likely stick with him.

 

 

Going by Thelin's quotes in today's Retard, Ruby is not getting dropped soon.

Wasn't aware of us turning down a seven figure bid for him over the summer.

Did I miss this when I was abroad ? Anyone able to share the details of this please ?

7 hours ago, Panda said:

I think when you're only playing one game a week you don't need to rest anybody. Especially if they're on good form - keep that momentum going. 

If Shinnie is fit I'd play him. Otherwise you go into the Dundee game with him not having played for three weeks. Nilsen is playing brilliantly just now, unless he's looking tired, play him.

The only change I'd make would be MacDonald for Rubezic as I still think central defence is our weak point. However, I think unless Rubezic starts to really struggle (which he hasn't) then Thelin will likely stick with him.

 

 

MacDonald's all the player he'll ever be, while Rubezic has miles of room to grow and already appears to have done quite a bit of that since last season. On that basis it's Ruby in the team every day of the week for me (and Jimmy) with MacDonald being a competent backup for both Ruby and Malloy.

8 hours ago, Panda said:

I think when you're only playing one game a week you don't need to rest anybody. Especially if they're on good form - keep that momentum going. 

If Shinnie is fit I'd play him. Otherwise you go into the Dundee game with him not having played for three weeks. Nilsen is playing brilliantly just now, unless he's looking tired, play him.

The only change I'd make would be MacDonald for Rubezic as I still think central defence is our weak point. However, I think unless Rubezic starts to really struggle (which he hasn't) then Thelin will likely stick with him.

 

 

Exactly this. We won't need to rest anyone really at all this season.  It's the big advantage that we have over the likes of the ugly sisters and Hearts. Pretty much every game we play this season we should be able to go with our strongest available 11.  It's one of the reasons I really fancy us to push for second. 

2 hours ago, wee toon red said:

MacDonald's all the player he'll ever be, while Rubezic has miles of room to grow and already appears to have done quite a bit of that since last season. On that basis it's Ruby in the team every day of the week for me (and Jimmy) with MacDonald being a competent backup for both Ruby and Malloy.

The thing is we're asking two young guys (three of you include Jack Mackenzie) to learn together.

I don't actually see a big improvement in Rubezic. I don't think he's as rash, but I still see him making the same basic mistakes - mainly being out of position and his poor distribution. I think you play the best players and I'd still say MacDonald is better than Rubezic at the moment.

You cant go with your ‘best’ 11 every week. Impossible to keep a squad happy, particularly as you sign better players. You have to manage personalities and egos, and players need minutes. I’m proposing one change against Spartans at home in the cup to develop and further integrate a former 7M player, I didn’t suggest we play our bench next time we go to ibrox.

agree we can go with less rotation since we dont have Europe, but we still need a first team squad who are match sharp and playing regularly.

38 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

You cant go with your ‘best’ 11 every week. Impossible to keep a squad happy, particularly as you sign better players. You have to manage personalities and egos, and players need minutes. I’m proposing one change against Spartans at home in the cup to develop and further integrate a former 7M player, I didn’t suggest we play our bench next time we go to ibrox.

agree we can go with less rotation since we dont have Europe, but we still need a first team squad who are match sharp and playing regularly.

But like I said, how do you keep that match sharpness? 

ie, Palaversa plays v Spartans. But he doesn't start v Dundee, Hearts and Celtic, he's lost any match sharpness he's gained from playing against Spartans.

I'm not against Thelin making changes v Spartans. By all means play the fringe players, especially if any of our favoured starting XI aren't quite 100% fit.

I just don't agree playing Palaversa means he'll be match fit a month later, and don't think Shinnie and Nilsen at this stage of the season are in need of a rest (unless Shinnie still not 100% after his illness).

29 minutes ago, Panda said:

But like I said, how do you keep that match sharpness? 

ie, Palaversa plays v Spartans. But he doesn't start v Dundee, Hearts and Celtic, he's lost any match sharpness he's gained from playing against Spartans.

I'm not against Thelin making changes v Spartans. By all means play the fringe players, especially if any of our favoured starting XI aren't quite 100% fit.

I just don't agree playing Palaversa means he'll be match fit a month later, and don't think Shinnie and Nilsen at this stage of the season are in need of a rest (unless Shinnie still not 100% after his illness).

You're probably right, I think it's about keeping confidence up as much as sharpness. I'm very glad we didn't do more business in the window for this very reason, and would have been happy to see at least another out. Even with the smallish squad, very few are missing out. I don't like five subs, I think it gives games the air of a friendly. It is allowing Thelin to give more guys minutes in games, although I'd argue it's been to the detriment of performance, with things descending into confusion and a lack of shape. The difficulty for Palaversa, MacDonald and Milne is that they're in positions that I think Thelin will regard as vital. Areas where you build partnerships between a pair, like central midfield and defence. The idea being that the more you play as a pair, the stronger that unit becomes. It's less of a thing up front, and especially our up front where the players tend to link with several others individually rather than as a pair. That's just the way we play of course, when I was a lad there was always a front two (big lad and fast lad), with the midfield of secondary importance. There appears to be more link between Gueye and McGrath, than Sokler or Nisbet, which is fine. 

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

when I was a lad there was always a front two (big lad and fast lad), with the midfield of secondary importance. 

If you're suggesting the big lad, can't be the fast lad, then Panda is going to be having words with you 😂

3 hours ago, BigAl said:

If you're suggesting the big lad, can't be the fast lad, then Panda is going to be having words with you 😂

Over thinking about Panda recently? 🤔  ......It was dons8321 re big lad/fast lad  😬

18 minutes ago, Elgindon said:

Over thinking about Panda recently? 🤔  ......It was dons8321 re big lad/fast lad  😬

Aye fuck sake min, that's fit I meant.

Combination of age and trying to do too many things at once mate 😂

Serves me right for trying to be a smart arse 😉

@Elgindon are you doing a spying mission this evening given Elgin are entertaining Spartans 🤔

Think we should start with strongest side available get the game put to bed then make changes. On that basis if Shinnie had recovered from whatever the illness was then he should come back in for Palaversa. Once we are two or 3 up then make changes if we need to. Easier to defend a lead than have to bring players on to chase the game. 
 

Saw Spartans draw 0-0 with Peterhead a couple of weeks ago and can’t say they really had anything that should frighten us. Jamie Dishington and Blair Henderson are their best players along with Hamish Ritchie but he is injured currently. 
 

In

train then pub 

Y

Night out in Aberdeen

4-0 Nisbet x2 Gueye and McGrath

 

ETA - Ritchie made his return from injury at Elgin tonight from the bench and scored. 

34 minutes ago, BigAl said:

@Elgindon are you doing a spying mission this evening given Elgin are entertaining Spartans 🤔

No but heading up to Peterhead for the clash of the Div 2 titans in a few weeks. Currently 0 - 0 at H/T at Borough Briggs

Ps did you catch any of the great City sides and cup runs in the early 70's when you were in the area?

Edited September 17, 20241 yr by Elgindon

Finished City 1 - Spartans 1

58 minutes ago, Elgindon said:

No but heading up to Peterhead for the clash of the Div 2 titans in a few weeks. Currently 0 - 0 at H/T at Borough Briggs

Ps did you catch any of the great City sides and cup runs in the early 70's when you were in the area?

Wow, you're taking me back o'er fifty years now.

Can mind certain bits and probably missing certain bits but seem to recollect Scottish Cup games against Burntisland, Stenhousemuir and Kilmarnock where there was 11,000 inside Borough Briggs and of course I was at the game in '71 at Pittodrie when we lost 5-0.

Left Elgin for pastures new in April 1972.

3 hours ago, Jute said:

Think we should start with strongest side available get the game put to bed then make changes. On that basis if Shinnie had recovered from whatever the illness was then he should come back in for Palaversa. Once we are two or 3 up then make changes if we need to. Easier to defend a lead than have to bring players on to chase the game. 
 

Saw Spartans draw 0-0 with Peterhead a couple of weeks ago and can’t say they really had anything that should frighten us. Jamie Dishington and Blair Henderson are their best players along with Hamish Ritchie but he is injured currently. 
 

In

train then pub 

Y

Night out in Aberdeen

4-0 Nisbet x2 Gueye and McGrath

 

ETA - Ritchie made his return from injury at Elgin tonight from the bench and scored. 

Kind of, but what is our strongest 11? Does a fit clarkson start ahead of an on form gueye? Is palaversa as good or better than shinnie or sivert? We don’t know yet.

We have to remember that while we are not guaranteed a win , they are 4th in league two! I would not be surprised to see clarkson and palaversa start, although I hope we play gueye and clarkson off the bench, and I hope he doesn’t play clarkson for McGrath and move gueye wide. Wouldn’t be surprised if Vinny started over keskinen given he was away on international duty and had travel and two more games. 

its a big advantage that we haven’t chopped and changed weekly but we still have to prioritize long term. Our starting 11 is pretty much oozing confidence, I think we can tweak it a little to get others up to game speed without sacrificing quality. sivert doesn’t need another full game, he’s an experienced pro who can do without another 90 minutes and another booking! I use the term resting as that’s the word used these days, but much like we rotated Simmy Cooper and Dougie Bell, we can do likewise to have all three in the middle contributing strongly.

I'm actually gonna disagree with everything I've been saying, and agree with @OrlandoDonthat Palavera and Clarkson should start.

Would actually be good to see Palaversa get a wee run of games (including the Cove friendly) just to see how good he really is, and if Clarkson can get more minutes under his belt then I'd probably want to see him back in the starting XI soon.

 

No Duk on the menu this weekend according to Thelin, too early for him.

32 minutes ago, Panda said:

No Duk on the menu this weekend according to Thelin, too early for him.

It's a 17:30 kick off.

4 hours ago, Panda said:

No Duk on the menu this weekend according to Thelin, too early for him.

Don’t mind if we never see duk play again for us. At the same time, he’s come back , apologized, and pretty much silence since which suggests he’s keeping a low profile and working. The fact that he came back in arguably the best shape we’ve seen him in is a plus, even though I’m sure he was training in order to impress elsewhere.

id certainly prefer to see duk off the bench than Ambrose who has done nothing to suggest he can contribute at our level. Give duk a few regular minutes so that we can get some pounds for him later in the season.