http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/768290

ABERDEEN’S front men are ready to match the 30-goal target set for them by manager Jimmy Calderwood.

 

That’s the verdict of reserve team coach Sandy Clark after spending the last month sharpening up their front-men for the big SPL kick-off.

 

Calderwood wants his four main strikers to deliver at least 30 goals between them to bolster Aberdeen’s chances of qualifying for Europe.

 

That’s something that has happened only twice in the last 10 seasons. But Clark is convinced Lee Miller, Darren Mackie, Chris Maguire and new man Tommy Wright have it in them to give Calderwood what he wants.

 

“It’s a very reasonable target,†said Sandy, who was a top-class striker himself with Hearts, Rangers and West Ham.

 

“All four are capable of delivering their fair share and will get their chance over the course of the campaign.

 

“It is very rare nowadays for one strike pairing to get the luxury of playing together all season.

 

“Injuries and suspensions mean you tend to find the combinations change quite a lot.

 

“But a target of 30 goals means they will need to get about seven or eight each.

 

“It’s not really a lot when you look at it that way, so we will all be disappointed if they stay fit and can’t deliver that total.

 

“Lee was our top scorer last season and I’m sure he will score more than his fair share again.

 

“Darren is fit again and eager to make up for lost time after only getting four last time.

 

“Darren always seems to score the important ones though, and I am certain he will continue that.

 

“Wee Chris is going to be a lot more involved as well and I’m excited by the thought of what he could achieve in the new season.

 

“Tommy will do his bit as well.

 

“I was sent to watch him play and was impressed by his aggression and sheer will to get in about defenders and win the ball.

 

“If we get the ball wide so that it can be delivered into the area the way Tommy likes it, I am certain he will score a good number of goals.â€

 

In the days when Sandy was a player, most Scottish clubs had one striker who was expected to deliver the bulk of that 30-goal target on his own – but he accepts times have changed.

 

“Football has become more squad orientated, so you don’t see many teams sticking with the same strikers all of the time,†he said.

 

“In one of the seasons I played for Hearts, we only used 14 players the whole season.

 

“When you are playing every week it stands to reason that you will have more chance of scoring goals.

 

“But strikers now find their playing time restricted because their club may choose to go with one up or make some other tactical change.

 

“I played with Ally McCoist at Rangers and John Robertson at Hearts, who were among the greatest of what you would class as old fashioned poachers.

 

“They did very little in games at times, but would then pop up with the goals that mattered.

 

“Few clubs can afford the luxury of players like those now.

 

“The strikers have become the first line of defence, so they have to be a lot more mobile and be willing to track back a lot more than some of the great names from the past did.â€

 

Sandy spent extra hours in Holland supervising special shooting drills at their training ground in Delden.

 

He was delighted with the way the players improved the quality of their shooting and movement over the course of 10 days.

 

“They are looking sharp and are now ready to go,†he said.

 

“Strikers are only as good as the delivery they get and that is something we worked on a lot.

 

“Most of our drills involve moving the ball about at pace and firing into the area early for the strikers.

 

“We also incorporate a bit of competition to add a bit more bite to the training.

 

“They take part in various shooting competitions and you would be amazed at how competitive they get at times.

 

“The quality of finishing was exceptional at times. But the strikers now have to prove they can do the same when the real action starts.â€

 

I too agree its a very reasonable target and you could say a higher target should be set as if you dont aim high mediocrity can set in.

Certainly played as a striker, or in the hole behind the strikers for pretty much all of the game last night

 

Played in the hole just in front of Helen st Mirrens rearguard.  Difficult job in such damp conditions.

Certainly played as a striker, or in the hole behind the strikers for pretty much all of the game last night

 

Seve's played at the back plenty but that doesn't make him a defender.

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Squad/firstTeam/0,,10284,00.html

 

22-Sone Aluko-Midfielder 

 

22-Sone Aluko-Midfielder 

 

Right,  get his goals off the strikers tally.

He very rarely plays up front for us, he's a midfielder by and large.

 

After 16/11/08

Defence 5

Midfield  5

Strikers  8

 

 

 

Considine    1

Diamond    1

Mulgrew     3

 

MacDonald  2

Young        1

Aluko        2

 

Maguire      1

Mackie       4

Miller         3*       (* 2 pen)

 

 

Executive decision taken, Aluko's a midfielder.

Going by Redweb, the team's strikers are listed as Miller, Mackie, Maguire and Wright.

Going by Redweb, the team's strikers are listed as Miller, Mackie, Maguire and Wright.

 

After 16/11/08

Defence 5

Midfield  5

Strikers  8

 

 

 

Considine    1

Diamond     1

Mulgrew     3

 

MacDonald  2

Young        1

Aluko         2

 

Maguire      1

Mackie       4

Miller         3*       (* 2 pen)

 

 

Executive decision taken, Aluko's a midfielder.

Going by Redweb, the team's strikers are listed as Miller, Mackie, Maguire and Wright.

 

I'll take the fucking executive decisions in this thread if you don't mind 

I'll take the fucking executive decisions in this thread if you don't mind 

 

After 29/11/08

Defence 5

Midfield  6

Strikers  9

 

 

Considine    1

Diamond    1

Mulgrew    3

 

MacDonald  3

Young        1

Aluko        2

 

Maguire      1

Mackie      4

Miller        4*      (* 3 pen)

 

Strikers 9

Non-strikers 11

 

Poor show from the boys up top 

After 13/12/08

Defence 5

Midfield  6

Strikers 11

 

 

Considine    1

Diamond     1

Mulgrew     3

 

MacDonald  3

Young        1

Aluko         2

 

Maguire      1

Mackie       4

Miller         6*       (* 4 pen)

 

Non-strikers      11 goals

Strikers            11 goals

Bit unfair to qualify Miller's goals as some goals and some pens.

 

They're all goals. Someone has to have the necessary to put them away.

Bit unfair to qualify Miller's goals as some goals and some pens.

 

They're all goals. Someone has to have the necessary to put them away.

Exactly. Thats been annoying me for a while.

 

Are we gonig to qualify Mulgrews as free kicks then?

Are we going to qualify Maguires as sclaffs?

Are we going to qualify Maguires as sclaffs?

 

Only if we can qualify him as a fitba player.

 

He does seem to play very few games as a striker though.

Bit unfair to qualify Miller's goals as some goals and some pens.

 

They're all goals. Someone has to have the necessary to put them away.

 

For this purpose I think it is quite valid.

A goal is a goal.

 

 

nah - a goal's a goal

 

There was no "open play" caveat when the Hitmen were backed to bag 30 goals

 

Its not affecting the total...................

Another excuse to be negative. At the end of the season the top goal scorer charts won't have for example...

 

Kris Boyd 30 (8 penalties).

 

but will be thrown in our faces by you at the end of the season if there's not 30 from open play 

 

Nope, I think its quite interesting as it shows the distribution of goals. The more information the more interesting it is.

 

 

Another excuse to be negative.

 

From my point of view you are the unhappy one 

 

Exactly. Thats been annoying me for a while.

 

 

Nope, I think its quite interesting as it shows the distribution of goals. The more information the more interesting it is.

 

 

From my point of view you are the unhappy one 

 

 

Nope, I think its quite interesting as it shows the distribution of goals. The more information the more interesting it is.

 

Geek!

Its not affecting the total...................

 

Then let's just have the total then.

Its just an interesting statistic, get over it for fuck sake.

 

If it said:

 

Miller - 6*    (*4 pens which basically means he is not as good as he thinks he is and that he may devalue the crucial study that is taking place on Donstalk)

 

Then I'd tend to agree, but it doesn't. I'm sure you are all intelligent enough to apply your own filter to information rather than denying others the benefit of full information to support your own insignificant annoyances. OK ?