Nicholl fires Dons warning shot

It is not about axeing or rotating, it is about picking a side which can win, says assistant manager

 

By Michael Gannon

 

Published: 01/10/2008

 

Wielding the axe or player rotation – the Aberdeen squad has been warned no one is assured of a place for Saturday’s crucial SPL match against Hibs at Pittodrie.

 

Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood left Charlie Mulgrew, Sone Aluko and Gary McDonald out of his starting line-up in the 3-2 defeat at Parkhead in the aftermath of Aberdeen’s League Cup exit at Kilmarnock four days earlier.

 

Defender Lee Mair and midfielders Stuart Duff and Derek Young came in and impressed in the narrow defeat.

 

With captain Scott Severin expected to recover from the shin injury which took him out of Saturday’s match, there are tough decisions ahead for the Dons management team.

 

Defeat by Hibs at Pittodrie is unthinkable for Aberdeen. It would make it five straight losses and a failure to win in their first five home fixtures of the season.

 

The pressure on manager Calderwood is building but his assistant, Jimmy Nicholl, said: “The players know the team is picked for a reason.

 

“There are better players at bigger clubs than ourselves who go through the same thing. They have to take it and get on with it.

 

“If you tell the players we are going to operate a rotational system, they accept it and do not bang on the door demanding a game on the Friday.

 

“It is not about axeing or rotating, it is about picking a side which can win matches.

 

“Jimmy dropped Gary McDonald against Celtic because he likes to bomb forward and it can leave Mark Kerr a bit exposed at times.

 

“You cannot afford that at Celtic. Charlie Mulgrew can have no qualms about being left out of the starting XI but he came off the bench and scored two, although he got caught out by failing to stop a couple of crosses.

 

“Then there is the likes of Sone Aluko, who has great quality, but sometimes you feel he is more suited to playing at home. When you play Hibs you have to contend with their diamond formation in midfield.

 

“You have to decide whether to stick to your 4-4-2 or do you adapt to cope with their formation? We coped well with Hibs last season.â€

 

While Severin is hopeful, attacker Jamie Smith and defender Andrew Considine are less than certain to return.

 

Smith met club doctors yesterday to assess his calf injury, while Considine failed to train yesterday due to his shoulder complaint.

 

The duo are unlikely to be risked if not 100% fit, especially with the international break giving them another two weeks to recover after this weekend’s match.

Just saw it again on the telly, and yes, its still the same - its a tangle of legs, not a pen!

 

It was a stonewaller 

Just saw it again on the telly, and yes, its still the same - its a tangle of legs, not a pen!

 

Mr McCurry?? is that you?........

Still haven't seen it on telly but I don't need a replay to tell me that almost everybody, no, everybody, thinks you may be mistaken.

 

Richard Gordon is with me 

 

Richard Gordon is with me 

 

 

Just now?

Just now?

 

Yes, he says hi 

Have to say having watched on tv again do not think either incidents were penalties.

The defender shouldn't allow himself to be in a position to tangle legs with a striker in that case.

The onus is on a defender to be in a position to make a tackle.

 

That said, our penalty was highly debatable.

There is no contest on the penalty against us - the ball wasn't even in play at that moment.

That said, our penalty was highly debatable.

 

Pretty short debate nookie.