Dons V Well (League Cup Quarter Final)

[BigAl]

As I've started two match threads this season., both of them being cup games and the only games we've avoided defeat in, thought I'd get in early and start this one.

Motherwell this season seem to like a draw, so expect this one to be pretty close and may not see a decisive outcome within the regulation time.

Frankly we can't be choosy how we get it, we just need to get the victory. A fortuitous deflection of someone's arse in the 96 minute would be welcome.

Out

Golf

Red TV (hope to fuck it is a damn site better than the Livingston game) Half the time it froze, another part of the time it showed the Falkirk v St Mirren game)

1-1 Lazetic, with us winning on penalties

Absolutely no idea.

[Kowalski]

[Elgindon]

Am away this weekend,and going by ticket sales a large chunk of the home support look like they will be too.

 Hope for Thelins sake we find a formation that works.Luck must be due a change soon 

  3 - 0 Dons. Karlsson x2,Milanovic

  

[RicoS321]

I just got my ticket. Very excited. Could be game of the season.

[BigAl]

Given Yengi & Ambrose both scored this afternoon against Ross County can we expect Jimmy to start them up front together on Saturday 

The other goal in the 3-0 victory was by youngster Sam McLean

[OrlandoDon]

24 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Given Yengi & Ambrose both scored this afternoon against Ross County can we expect Jimmy to start them up front together on Saturday 

The other goal in the 3-0 victory was by youngster Sam McLean

Any lineup/game info? Curious to know who played.

[Jute]

Would expect team to be very similar to one that started against Livingston with maybe Clarkson coming in for Nilsen or Shinnie. Motherwell seem to score a few but also open at the back so this might be the game that there is space for the inverted wingers to work. 
 

In

Pub

Y

Beers in town

2-1 Nisbet and Clarkson

 

[manc_don]

You’d think we have to change the central pairing. We need goals and some pace through the middle to recycle the ball quicker, so I’m expecting a change. Desperately need something positive around the club after the pretty embarrassing start to the season. Hopefully the midweek win against county gives them a boost (yes, I know it was the b team). We should at least see Milanovic back, hopefully give keskinen a rest.

out

bed

bed

Sunday market

2-1 dons, Milanovic and Nisbet.

[OrlandoDon]

3 hours ago, manc_don said:

You’d think we have to change the central pairing. We need goals and some pace through the middle to recycle the ball quicker, so I’m expecting a change. Desperately need something positive around the club after the pretty embarrassing start to the season. Hopefully the midweek win against county gives them a boost (yes, I know it was the b team). We should at least see Milanovic back, hopefully give keskinen a rest.

out

bed

bed

Sunday market

2-1 dons, Milanovic and Nisbet.

Problem is, who are our best central midfielders? I don’t think we have two players with the full attributes needed in a 4-2-3-1. Possibly our only failure this window. I partly think JT went with sivert and shinnie last week since we were blooding new players and they had experience, plus shinnie played left side to support gyamfi. I also think with three flair players behind the forward, Clarkson is too lightweight for the role, despite being a good player.
i don’t know what Shinnie offers. I don’t think he’s box to box any more, he’s not an overly physical presence, not a disciplined holding mid, and not a great passer. I’m a huge fan, I just don’t know how he fits now.
sivert is slow and unathletic but we played our best stuff last year with him in the team. He’s also vocal and a leader. Maybe him and palaversa are our best fit? (not best players!?!?)

expect milanovic on the right and topi on the bench. A week fitter and sharper nisbet will help too. Also eager to see gyamfi again now that his debut is out the way. Curious if Armstrong starts over aouchiche, plus I know it won’t happen, but would love devlin at right back. I rate Jensen more than most, but I think devlin offers more despite being less technical.

3-1 us. Nisbet karlsson and milanovic.

[RicoS321]

8 hours ago, OrlandoDon said:

i don’t know what Shinnie offers. I don’t think he’s box to box any more, he’s not an overly physical presence, not a disciplined holding mid, and not a great passer

He was all over the pitch in the first half against Livi, and he dominated their midfielders, but he took an extra touch too often because he doesn't have the passing ability as you mention. He was still good though, and he didn't struggle with the pace and work rate required. Unlike Palaversa when he came on. 

What I'm struggling to understand is why Aouchiche is getting off the hook after Saturday. He was terrible. His decision making was rank, and he didn't offer anything in attack or defence. It was like having a slightly lazier Keskinen (who does help defensively). For me, the midfield two were absolutely fine, and a large part of the reason we kept possession and didn't have any problems at the back (until they went off). The problem is that Thelin did not listen to me, and play both Nisbet and Lazetic from the start. Nisbet likes to drop deep, so when he does, Lazetic stays put - and vice versa. Motherwell will try and pass it through us, so I think if we can keep it solid, we can break to the front two and get something. Basically, keep Nilsen and Shinnie for this game. 

 

[tlg1903]

4 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

He was all over the pitch in the first half against Livi, and he dominated their midfielders, but he took an extra touch too often because he doesn't have the passing ability as you mention. He was still good though, and he didn't struggle with the pace and work rate required. Unlike Palaversa when he came on. 

What I'm struggling to understand is why Aouchiche is getting off the hook after Saturday. He was terrible. His decision making was rank, and he didn't offer anything in attack or defence. It was like having a slightly lazier Keskinen (who does help defensively). For me, the midfield two were absolutely fine, and a large part of the reason we kept possession and didn't have any problems at the back (until they went off). The problem is that Thelin did not listen to me, and play both Nisbet and Lazetic from the start. Nisbet likes to drop deep, so when he does, Lazetic stays put - and vice versa. Motherwell will try and pass it through us, so I think if we can keep it solid, we can break to the front two and get something. Basically, keep Nilsen and Shinnie for this game. 

 

Agreed

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

Consistency of selection is a big factor for me.  Pick a team for a few games and stick with it rather than chopping and changing it all the time.  It is almost like Thelin has run out of ideas and is hoping he might stumble upon something that works, which is a classic manager under pressure tactic.  The whole subs for the sake of subs is doing my head in.  Why do you need to be subbing players in their mid 20s after an hour, just one month into the season?  In the Falkirk game he had made 4 subs before the hour and 5 subs by minute 72 against Livi.  Just pick the right team for a start and have a bit of faith in the game plan.

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

Consistency of selection is a big factor for me.  Pick a team for a few games and stick with it rather than chopping and changing it all the time.  It is almost like Thelin has run out of ideas and is hoping he might stumble upon something that works, which is a classic manager under pressure tactic.  The whole subs for the sake of subs is doing my head in.  Why do you need to be subbing players in their mid 20s after an hour, just one month into the season?  In the Falkirk game he had made 4 subs before the hour and 5 subs by minute 72 against Livi.  Just pick the right team for a start and have a bit of faith in the game plan.

Okay Steve Clarke!

The Falkirk game followed a European game on the Thursday and both we had ten men in, I can understand the changes. The game plan wasn't really working in either game too. The Livi game was just a mess of subs. Not so much the timing, but the volume and randomness of them. The problem we have is one of Thelin's making though, in that we have players that are very similar to one another, with very little option to change. Other than the random playing of Polvara at left wing, the rest are virtually like for like substitutions. So I'd say that he does have faith in the game plan , but as you say, the subs are to alleviate tiredness. I actually think there is some merit in that though. They all have those monitor things attached to them, so I'd expect that they are using that data to determine if and when there is a drop off in coverage or pace of players on average over ninety minutes. For example, imagine Keskinen only did 90% of the work after 70 minutes each week, would you say that he's 10% better than Milanovic (I'm not looking for an answer to that, just giving an example of what they might be seeing)? If not, you bring on the latter. For me, the biggest issue with the subs is that they don't change the plan at all. There's no Morris factor. I completely agree with you as to consistent team selection. It's fine if you're confident in your best eleven, and you're merely trying to use the squad better because of Europe, but it seems like we're not close to settling on that best eleven. Although I remember regularly giving McInnes a hard time for not knowing his best side by October, and he had a much more settled squad.

[Panda]

Totally unrelated to the Motherwell game (but no-one reads the support forum), but is it just me who is seeing the options to reply to posts with emojis now covered up?

Screenshot below so you can see what I'm on about.

Appears to have happened after I stupidly updated to iOS 26 on the iPhone.

[Panda]

As for the League Cup.

We have a brilliant chance to win the trophy, with Rangers and Celtic there for the taking, and the greatest Hearts team in history somehow knocked out by St Mirren. Would be a sickener to pass up the chance to at least make the semis.

My team would be:-

I think Aouchiche has a lot of potential, but at the moment he's strolling about in a sort of free role, with us hoping he'll produce something special. A few long distance shots that go close, but generally very few killer balls or bringing others into the game. 

I'm dreading the reaction to this game if we don't win. 

 

[manc_don]

2 hours ago, Panda said:

As for the League Cup.

We have a brilliant chance to win the trophy, with Rangers and Celtic there for the taking, and the greatest Hearts team in history somehow knocked out by St Mirren. Would be a sickener to pass up the chance to at least make the semis.

My team would be:-

I think Aouchiche has a lot of potential, but at the moment he's strolling about in a sort of free role, with us hoping he'll produce something special. A few long distance shots that go close, but generally very few killer balls or bringing others into the game. 

I'm dreading the reaction to this game if we don't win. 

 

I’d be happy with this, and think he should be trying devlin at RB again anyway, but somehow I still expect him to be stubborn and not yield systems. 
 

on a side note, I’m getting a black background to my emojis but still seeing them clearly. It’s a conspiracy!

[RicoS321]

3 hours ago, manc_don said:

but somehow I still expect him to be stubborn and not yield systems. 

@Panda's suggested system was actually how he setup after the subs against Livi. Palaversa was in front of the defence, with Armstrong and Clarkson in front, and Polvara wide left. It became very congested, and disjointed, but if they have a week to practice it could be good. I'd say that we would be better without the inverted wingers in such a system though. 

The only reason I wouldn't go for it, from the start anyway, is that we're finally up against a team which our normal system would suit. In which case, we'll probably change. 

[OxfordDon]

11 hours ago, Panda said:

As for the League Cup.

We have a brilliant chance to win the trophy, with Rangers and Celtic there for the taking, and the greatest Hearts team in history somehow knocked out by St Mirren. Would be a sickener to pass up the chance to at least make the semis.

My team would be:-

I think Aouchiche has a lot of potential, but at the moment he's strolling about in a sort of free role, with us hoping he'll produce something special. A few long distance shots that go close, but generally very few killer balls or bringing others into the game. 

I'm dreading the reaction to this game if we don't win. 

 

Close - looks like Jensen for Devlin and Aouchiche rather than Clarkson.

No Tobers on the bench, surely he's not injured again?

Edited September 20 by OxfordDon

[RicoS321]

[RicoS321]

Will be good to see Armstrong starting, see what he can offer. Should help the inexperienced Shinnie through the game. That front four can count itself very lucky to be being given another shot after last week, but hopefully the extra week of training has got them on a better wavelength. In fairness to them, I suspect that if they actually got a goal we'd see a huge lift in their performance. 

European football really is a pain in the arse. We're carrying a huge squad. Tobers, Molloy, Yengi, Ambrose, the Finish lad, Bilalovic all not even in the side, and no young players. That's a lot of waste. 

[OrlandoDon]

Interesting it’s shinnie and Armstrong doing the heavy lifting. I don’t know Armstrong enough to know what to expect. Given we’ve yet to find the perfect partnership in there, maybe this is it?

Topi or milanovic, does it really matter? No goals or assists from either season to date. What I will say it’s that topi on the right does not appear to be inverted. Hoping to see some legit wing play.

[OxfordDon]

3 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

the Finish lad

a criminal omission given we are crying out for finishers

[OrlandoDon]

Still too slow. As JT said in the pre match, lacking intensity.

[OrlandoDon]

Shocking miss by kneuster, should be one up!

[OrlandoDon]

Dominating but Motherwell have had two very good chances, one off the line, one big mitov save.  A goal would do us wonders.