Aberdeen v Celtic - Premiership

[dons8321]

35 minutes ago, redordead said:

Positives: Milne done well in his cameo, shady mo looked in Celtics class. Can't blame mitov for any goals really.

All in all is not a pretty picture and I'm really not sure Jimmy can fix it. He's basically got this week to save his job. If it ends in a loss then a spanking in the final he starts next season under serious, serious pressure.

Don't understand that - a week to save his job : so if we lose at DU and get spanked the following week he gets sacked he won't be here next season.

[OrlandoDon]

2 minutes ago, Panda said:

Celtic have scored five goals or more against 10 different teams this season.

They're too good for Scottish football at the moment. Yes we can play much better than tonight, but they're spanking everyone.

We would probably have had more chance tonight had they played their strongest team. Instead they played a side desperate to impress, and for a "reserve" side I think nine of them would be starters for us.

 

If we beat United then win the cup, the job he has on his hands is still the same.

We started the season with arguably a worse squad than last season following the loss of Miovski and Barron. Whether you rated Barron or not, his departure still weakened our midfield, we haven't replaced him, and we certainly haven't found another Miovski yet. 

People say Thelin has thrown money at the squad, but he's had to because cheap signings were not going to improve us, but it doesn't necessarily mean all the problems would be fixed in one season.

He's spent most of that money on the defence. It was poor tonight and at Ibrox, but I think most can see that Tobers-Knoester are an improvement on Rubezic-Molloy. Nilsen's loss is hitting us harder than expected. The other two big money signings - Jensen and Keskinen - I think will eventually do well for us. 

But we need a left back, a Barron replacement, a McGrath replacement (hopefully Milanovic is it) probably two strikers if Nisbet doesn't stay and an attacking midfielder. Basically half a team.

Change the manager if you like. Jump in at the 11th hour and get McInnes, go get Stephen Robinson, fuck it offer Kjell Knutsen the universe. But they'll all need at least another two transfer windows.

Who hacked panda’s account? Agree with most of this!
like you say, we need multiple windows and we had such a shit squad to being in with, the early run certainly papered over the cracks. Was thinking earlier how a sivert player is essential, but a younger more mobile and more athletic version for sure, and that costs money! And a leader, were spineless right now.

[Panda]

33 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

going back to what panda asked (I think), have we improved?

I think people forget how poor we were at times last season. Miovski's 26 goals saved the season from being even worse.

I also think this squad is a lot worse than people thought in October. 

Thelin has made his fair share of mistakes recently, but he's the first manager we've had in a long time that I have any faith in. Some shite results recently, but fourth and a cup final is improvement, yes. 

33 minutes ago, OrlandoDon said:

Can’t lose this weekend, although is there a better euro draw for 4th than 5th?

No. Fourth (providing we don't win the cup) gives us two cracks at Europe, as we begin in the Europa league, and if we get knocked out in the qualifiers we have another crack at the Conference.

But, we'll be unseeded for the play-off rounds and it'll take a huge effort to reach the groups. 

[OrlandoDon]

Mitov

jensen

tobers

kneuster

clarkson

topi

id say that’s 6 starters for next season, and that’s assuming we’re all in on topi improving. Need to buy the rest. 

[RicoS321]

14 minutes ago, Panda said:

Celtic have scored five goals or more against 10 different teams this season.

They're too good for Scottish football at the moment. Yes we can play much better than tonight, but they're spanking everyone

This needs its own thread. They've averaged exactly three goals a game with one game to go. Over 70% possession on average for the season. It's not sport. They shouldn't be in our league. Something has to be done. It's ruining the game. 

[Panda]

1 minute ago, OrlandoDon said:

Mitov

jensen

tobers

kneuster

clarkson

topi

id say that’s 6 starters for next season, and that’s assuming we’re all in on topi improving. Need to buy the rest. 

That's fair. There's still a place for Shinnie and Nilsen, but we need more pace at left-back and midfield as starters.

Milanovic hopefully is the real deal. Nisbet hopefully stays. 

What I would give for Miovski's return.

[OrlandoDon]

2 minutes ago, Panda said:

I think people forget how poor we were at times last season. Miovski's 26 goals saved the season from being even worse.

I also think this squad is a lot worse than people thought in October. 

Thelin has made his fair share of mistakes recently, but he's the first manager we've had in a long time that I have any faith in. Some shite results recently, but fourth and a cup final is improvement, yes. 

No. Fourth (providing we don't win the cup) gives us two cracks at Europe, as we begin in the Europa league, and if we get knocked out in the qualifiers we have another crack at the Conference.

But, we'll be unseeded for the play-off rounds and it'll take a huge effort to reach the groups. 

Agree we were awful, and we’ve benefitted from mediocre players having purple patches. Both gueye and Morris had a good run of games for example, but they are squad players at best. 
We have minimal leadership on the field. And shinnie is aging, we can’t rely on him or old sivert. We need serious personalities in the squad. Think tobers is one but we need major mental and physical toughness from multiple players.

We’re losing McGrath and I assume Mackenzie. And to your point, would anyone argue if we never saw a return next season of doohan ruby Richard Jensen gueye morris okkels palaversa mcgarry dabbagh Vinny Sokler Duncan Ambrose? We have a lot of average at best? It’s still a very poor squad.

[OrlandoDon]

9 minutes ago, Panda said:

That's fair. There's still a place for Shinnie and Nilsen, but we need more pace at left-back and midfield as starters.

Milanovic hopefully is the real deal. Nisbet hopefully stays. 

What I would give for Miovski's return.

I honestly wonder if a miovski loan is possible. Get him some confidence and form so to advertise and help them get a return on a sale? Or he’s that good they give him another shot.

center mid is a huge issue. I just don’t know how we complement Clarkson. He’s a deep lying mid and neither shinnie or sivert work well with him. I like those two but sivert isn’t mobile or athletic, and is careless. I don’t know where Shinnie plays, is he out of gas for the season or aging. He’s not the midfielder he was. Plus the 10 ahead of them is massive on how we attack and we don’t have that player in the squad. I think we thought that may be Clarkson but he’s clearly not.

[redordead]

48 minutes ago, dons8321 said:

Don't understand that - a week to save his job : so if we lose at DU and get spanked the following week he gets sacked he won't be here next season.

No, if you read the next sentence . He starts next season under real scrutiny. How many managers are given a decent run at a new season if the start poorly following a poor end to a season?

Usually they get a few weeks then the trigger is pulled if they have a slow start. In our case that start may include a rebuild .

Since our miraculous run we haven't been anywhere near decent. You could see the empty seats tonight very few believed we had a chance.

I'm not saying he has to win the cup but he needs a decent last game and not another 5 or 6 in the final to give himself a fighting chance of seeing this project through.

[Panda]

25 minutes ago, redordead said:

Since our miraculous run we haven't been anywhere near decent.

 

On 26/04/2025 at 17:02, redordead said:

Best performance in a while for me. Looked in control. Created a few decent chances and the boys at the back looked solid. 

Clarkson in fine form again, credit to topi probably his best decision making game and what a signing knoester has been. 

 

Your second quote is you after the Hibs game just two and a half weeks ago.

I could probably go find another one after the Motherwell game.

It's been three really poor defensive  performances, but I don't think there's a single board member who is considering their position on Thelin.

[OrlandoDon]

14 minutes ago, Panda said:

 

Your second quote is you after the Hibs game just two and a half weeks ago.

I could probably go find another one after the Motherwell game.

It's been three really poor defensive  performances, but I don't think there's a single board member who is considering their position on Thelin.

That’s the thing, I thought we played well against hibs, a good opponent. Then three total shit performances after that. Why??? Especially in games that matter.

I truly think you add two strong center mids, let’s say a Rama and a Ferguson, and we’re a different team. McLean jack Hayes and mcginn, Christie, maybe hedges, maybe Mackay Stevens, we’d be pounding teams so it didn’t matter if we weren’t great at the back. Yet since those guys it’s not been great in midfield. All of a sudden we’re attacking versus defending.
 

The 6 ahead of our back 4 today, only Clarkson, probably topi but that’s 50/50,  possibly nisbet but he’s hit/miss, should be starting. Morris gueye and palaversa are all good to bring off the bench.
If you don’t dominate in midfield you end up with pressure on the defense. Our central 3 don't dictate games, even sivert does, maybe Clarkson at times. Mcginn and Hayes also did a good job defensively, Morris can’t defend and topi is average. Still think topi develops.  Nisbet up top needs good players around him. He’s not good enough to create on his own, not mobile enough to cause problems with pace etc. Miovski bailed us out many a time with his pace and ability.
 

[dons8321]

48 minutes ago, redordead said:

No, if you read the next sentence . He starts next season under real scrutiny. How many managers are given a decent run at a new season if the start poorly following a poor end to a season?

Usually they get a few weeks then the trigger is pulled if they have a slow start. In our case that start may include a rebuild .

Since our miraculous run we haven't been anywhere near decent. You could see the empty seats tonight very few believed we had a chance.

I'm not saying he has to win the cup but he needs a decent last game and not another 5 or 6 in the final to give himself a fighting chance of seeing this project through.

I did read your next sentence..you said he had a week to save his job, so if we lose on Saturday and get humped on 24th he's out (that's how I interpretated your wording phrase "he's got a week to save his job"). Apologies if that's the wrong interpretation but I've had a couple of consolation beers and then another couple and then 1 for the road.

[DantheDon]

I think to be fair, there is no doubt that the job Thelin is doing is under a bit of scrutiny at present. We are on 53 points but 31 of those were gained in the first 11 games. So that’s 22 in the last 26 games. So to then be taking a couple of hammerings in a week doesn’t help. Celtic maybe in a different class at the moment but Rangers are poor.

I think if we compare Thelins tenure to that of Robsons there are some striking similarities. Both start off on an amazing run then fall away. You can’t say we are in a terrible place but we aren’t playing well and are we convinced we are going to turn it around anytime soon? 
 

Now I’m not saying we should rush to sack the manager, on the contrary I think the recent pattern of replacing managers only for the process to repeat proves that we need to stick with Thelin a bit longer. But should we start the next season in the same form I think we might start to see some discontent from some sections of the support. 
 

It’s also particularly depressing to be heading into a cup final wondering how many we will lose by. I can’t remember a time where I just can’t imagine the prospect of us sneaking a victory at least.