It's that time of year when we're all so optimistic about doing well in the new season, which usually stops at the final whistle of the first game.

The Dons take on last season's champions runners-up Heart of Midlothian at 5:30 pm on Saturday 3rd August. Hearts have given away their manager, top scorer and best player to their big brothers in Glasgow. Nevertheless, it will be a tough game, and I fancy a 1-1 draw, with Nisbet on the scoresheet for Aberdeen.

Hearts looked far better than the 4-0 score line suggested v Sturm Graz. But they miss Shankland, and Wouter Vrancken has struggled to sort his defence at every club he's been at. Be interesting to see if Vrancken can take them up a level or if McInnes' title challenge was a one-off.

Because we've bought so many players we're probably tougher to predict than they are. Don't think Robinson is quite sure of his strongest XI yet. Nisbet, Lyons, Ronan, Happe, Mayo probably all start - and good chance one of them is the new captain - but rest of team could be anything.

I'd love us to do to them what they did to us on the opening day last season, although Hearts appeared to have a lot more momentum and excitement behind them after the League Cup group stage than we do this time. We still have 3,500 tickets left so wouldn't say it's caught the imagination.

Think we've missed a trick not having a decent level friendly on Tuesday, a bit more of a test than the group stage was, especially as Hearts play in midweek anyway. Even a bottom half English Championship side would have given us more of an idea of where we're at.

I meant 1st August, not the third.

Chatting to a mate of mine who’s a die hard Jambo. He says they are all over the place. Defence is a shambles, they played Findlay against Raith yesterday and he was terrible, nowhere near ready after his op. He reckons Vranken is trying to get them to play the ball forward too quickly and they just continually cough up possession as the players aren’t adapting quickly enough. Also lots of their players aren’t fit enough.

I think Robinson knows his starting 11, bar our right back.

Expect some movement on the RB front this week, both in and out.

We looked confident yeaterday, which isn't always the case, in those matches and should bode well for the opening games, in the league.

In

South Stand

Drinks

Food & Drinks

2-0 Nisbet and Ronan

Seeing the slow increase of optimism amongst fans online . Possibly just the excitement of the season starting proper and keen to see where we sit in reality. I’d be happy for a draw tbh, as I think they’re still decent but there to be got at. Certainly not at the level they were at last season, but then again, neither are we. Have no idea what to expect apart from a bit of stifling game.

Out

Bed

Bed

Unsure, hopefully something outside

1-1, nisbet

Think we have to treat them as a really dangerous opponent and not be too drawn in by the lack of structure/confidence etc. They are starting this season like we did the last but have still got players to hurt us if we go in thinking beating Kelty comfortably makes us stick on top 4.

Difference in prep for them is a couple of competitive European games will be much more beneficial. Last season we hadn’t played FCSB when we played them at what I’ll now be referring to as Vranken’sTyne Castle.

Edited July 28Jul 28 by Ajja

Its a strange fixture this which in recent years the home team nearly always wins. Lets keep that trend going for now.

1-0 us

Got a decent level of optimism and confidence for this one.
As usual, come Saturday I will probably lowered my expectations again but for now I fancy the Dons to get their league campaign off to a 2-0 winning start Nisbet and Lyons

COYR

If last week's game against sturmgraz is anything to go by all we need to do is put plenty crosses into the box and we should win comfortably. Under Robinson we are putting a lot more crosses into the box so I'm feeling confident 2bh.

3-0 dons Nisbet 2 and Mouloua

4 hours ago, Ajja said:

Vranken’sTyne Castle.

I'm stealing that one.. 😆

57 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

If last week's game against sturmgraz is anything to go by all we need to do is put plenty crosses into the box and we should win comfortably. Under Robinson we are putting a lot more crosses into the box so I'm feeling confident 2bh.

3-0 dons Nisbet 2 and Mouloua

Loving this @tlg1903 😊

The scarf twirlers done 2-0 at home v Sturm. 6-0 on the accumulator.

Ryan Stevenson predicting that they make get a doing at Pittodrie.

13 hours ago, Ajja said:

Vranken’sTyne Castle

They looked worse tonight than in the first leg. They don't look fit. Odd line-up choices too.

Is this Vrancken fella another... I'm trying to think of another foreign manager who recently didn't quite fulfil his promise in Scottish football.

I still think it's 50/50 on Saturday, but we've got a great chance to go get an early win over them and set down a wee marker.

I am being lulled into a false sense of security and starting to believe we’ll scud them 5-0 under the lights at Pittodrie.

What a delight that would be.

In

RDR

5-0 Happe, Lyons, Nisbetx2 Olusanya

10 hours ago, Panda said:

They looked worse tonight than in the first leg. They don't look fit. Odd line-up choices too.

Is this Vrancken fella another... I'm trying to think of another foreign manager who recently didn't quite fulfil his promise in Scottish football.

I still think it's 50/50 on Saturday, but we've got a great chance to go get an early win over them and set down a wee marker.

One of my first thoughts when watching the SG game last week was their defence very much reminded me of ours at this point last season. Wide open and unable to deal with any high ball into the box.

They did look worse last night too, only player that caught my eye was Miller. Schwollow as well 2bf but he's away today. Braga looks a busted flush and not sure he still wants to be there after the summer departures. Macentee and Spittal looked all at sea in the middle of the park too.

6 minutes ago, tlg1903 said:

One of my first thoughts when watching the SG game last week was their defence very much reminded me of ours at this point last season. Wide open and unable to deal with any high ball into the box.

They did look worse last night too, only player that caught my eye was Miller. Schwollow as well 2bf but he's away today. Braga looks a busted flush and not sure he still wants to be there after the summer departures. Macentee and Spittal looked all at sea in the middle of the park too.

Argh, tlg, your optimism is rubbing off. That last paragraph was exactly what I wanted to be reading. Fuck yes, get into them!

Out

Golf

Premier Sports

Nae Idea

2-1 Nisbet & Happe

Crowd - 16,584

Anything less than +4 and I'm throwing my ticket in the sea.

17 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Anything less than +4 and I'm throwing my ticket in the sea.

That's the spirit!!! 😆

1 hour ago, tlg1903 said:

That's the spirit!!! 😆

More to the point

What spirit has he been on 😉

8 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

One of my first thoughts when watching the SG game last week was their defence very much reminded me of ours at this point last season. Wide open and unable to deal with any high ball into the box.

They did look worse last night too, only player that caught my eye was Miller. Schwollow as well 2bf but he's away today. Braga looks a busted flush and not sure he still wants to be there after the summer departures. Macentee and Spittal looked all at sea in the middle of the park too.

Be still my beating heart 🫡😁

10 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Anything less than +4 and I'm throwing my ticket in the sea.

Hope your ticket is not on your phone.

Amazingly, Hearts are favourites for this match. We’re currently about 2/1 for the win. Having some of that!

7 minutes ago, STFU_Donny said:

Hope your ticket is not on your phone.

It's on my brain implant.