Was meaning to post this after the Hearts game but I had the same feeling watching us hump the Tims so I'll post it now.  For the first time in a long, long, loooooooong time I feel we have real balance to the squad.

 

• When someone is out injured we have suitable replacements.
   
  
• We have goals from all over the park and Saturday showed that we don't need to rely on Miller or the strikers.
   
  
• We have a player who can ping in free kicks with ease.
   
  
• We have pace and wide men to stretch games with Aluko, JVD, Smith and Mackie.
   
  
• Midfielders who are getting forward to cause teams trouble in their box and putting a foot in round the centre of the park to break up play.
   
  
• The defence seems to be settled and we have cover that can interchange when required.
   
  
• Mulgrew (and I'm betting the new lad) also look dangerous going forward.
  

 

Couple that with the fact that they're all decent players are tied down to decent lengths of contracts.

 

Things are looking rosie red!

 

Was meaning to post this after the Hearts game but I had the same feeling watching us hump the Tims so I'll post it now.  For the first time in a long, long, loooooooong time I feel we have real balance to the squad.

 

• 
  
  • When someone is out injured we have suitable replacements.

 

• We have goals from all over the park and Saturday showed that we don't need to rely on Miller or the strikers.
   
  
• We have a player who can ping in free kicks with ease.
   
  
• We have pace and wide men to stretch games with Aluko, JVD, Smith and Mackie.
   
  
• Midfielders who are getting forward to cause teams trouble in their box and putting a foot in round the centre of the park to break up play.
   
  
• The defence seems to be settled and we have cover that can interchange when required.
   
  
• Mulgrew (and I'm betting the new lad) also look dangerous going forward.
  

 

Couple that with the fact that they're all decent players are tied down to decent lengths of contracts.

 

Things are looking rosie red!

 

This I agree with but also feel it hinders us a bit. But I have to be realistic, we aren't Man Utd/Chelsea - we can't afford to have two players for every position to fit one system. So although we have a few players who can play the same position, the team needs to switch system to try and fit everyone in. Thats why when the tombola comes to play and it frustrates the hell out of me. But we're third so I can't be too unhappy.

 

I think something you must add is the team spirit that seems to be there this season too. In past seasons when we were bottom we would have crumbled but this season I didn't seem too worried, I knew it was only temporary.

 

Good post though ST.

I don't subscribe to this tombola shite.  It never seems to get mentioned when we win but is always dragged out when we loose.

 

Stuart Duff - anyone complaining he was thrown into his first game for months?

 

No, thought not.

I was actually saying after the game on Sunday, McDonald has made me forget about Nichol.. Ni... that midfielder that we were all gutted to lose. He's made far more of an impact in his first season than that thingamybob guy ever did. The team looks very well balanced at the moment and you're right, the cover seems to be there as well. The only time I'm worried is when Consi has to come in at full back.

I don't subscribe to this tombola shite.  It never seems to get mentioned when we win but is always dragged out when we loose.

 

Stuart Duff - anyone complaining he was thrown into his first game for months?

 

No, thought not.

No, i'm not complaining because he played well. I wasn't too happy when I saw he was starting. I think it's mad to say he isn't a tinkerman ST. But he's our tinkerman!

I was actually saying after the game on Sunday, McDonald has made me forget about Nichol.. Ni... that midfielder that we were all gutted to lose. He's made far more of an impact in his first season than that thingamybob guy ever did. The team looks very well balanced at the moment and you're right, the cover seems to be there as well. The only time I'm worried is when Consi has to come in at full back.

Agree Gary mac is filling the void. I'm worried when Young gets his customary 5 game run out!

I think youngs time as a regular in the first team will come to an end fairly soon, with any luck.

Agree Gary mac is filling the void. I'm worried when Young gets his customary 5 game run out!

 

I can't see that happening any time soon, as long as we stay clear of injuries then Young will hopefully be on the bench more often than not.

 

Incidentally, I acutally prefer Gary Mac on the right side of midfield to centre midfield.  He played there against the Huns at Ibrox and i thought he had one of his best games in a Aberdeen shirt.

Gary Mac is filling the void we knew he would. He's just young and took time to get back into the swing of things. I was actually singing Duffer's praises last season and don't think he's a bad player to have in the squad. Nothing more like, but a decent squad player. But I agree with your post ST  

No, i'm not complaining because he played well. I wasn't too happy when I saw he was starting. I think it's mad to say he isn't a tinkerman ST. But he's our tinkerman!

 

I think the tinkering was more to do with finding players best positions.  If you can tell me where Chris Clark's best position was then I'm all ears.  Same with Ricky Foster, Gary Dempsey and Young.

 

Bench.

Bench.

Bench.

 

Are not options. 

 

Even Seve, who nobody liked at the back is beginning to fit the bill.  Maybe JC does know what he's doing and the tombola talk and hassle he receives should stop.

Maybe JC does know what he's doing and the tombola talk and hassle he receives should stop.

 

+1

 

It'll stop when he goes this month and then we will realise what he really did for us - when we replace him with Sandy Clarke.

+1

 

It'll stop when he goes this month and then we will realise what he really did for us - when we replace him with Sandy Clarke.

 

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

 

NO

No no, etc

 

+1, but you know it's the cheapest option if Jimmy goes - and hence Wiggy's number one choice.

+1

 

It'll stop when he goes this month and then we will realise what he really did for us - when we replace him with Sandy Clarke.

 

Don't be silly.

 

That'll mean he's quit whilst his stock was high meaning the JMG idiots won't finally get to say "I told you so".

 

They'll then circle the wagons, have a group meeting and re-establish their arguement that JC was the wrong man for the job because the next 3 managers fail miserably due to Jimmy tying up players to long contracts or other such bollocks.

 

Anyway, back on topic:

 

It would be good if we had some young guns knocking on the door to the first team but I guess we're addressing that behind the scenes.

 

Anyone think we're crying out for a signing this January?

It was really nice on Sunday to listen to a game against Celtic and pretty much always feel that the game was in our control. We bossed a large part of the 1st half and everytime we let it slip and lost the lead we just went up and took it back. I haven't felt that confidence about a Celtic game in years. I think we do have a good solid unit now with a great spirit about it.

 

I'm genuinley excited to see if this new RB can give us the final balance that is required to really push us on. That will only leave us with one area of fragility in my opinion - a solid CB to partner ZD. With a decent battling midfield partnership we now have the luxury of playing wide attacking midfielders and if we can support them with pacey wing backs on either side then we are really cooking. I agree with Padre though, its the defence you are never sure will turn up or not. When they do they are good but when they don't the rest of the teams balance makes little difference.

I agree with everything except the partner for Diamond. Seve seems to now know he's a CH and not a CM. I thought he was excellent on Sunday.

I agree with everything except the partner for Diamond. Seve seems to now know he's a CH and not a CM. I thought he was excellent on Sunday.

Fair point, Seve is doing a good job in there just now. However, I never really know if our defence is going to perform well or badly in that area so I'd like to see a more consistent performer in there. If Seve can deliver that then its a much better outcome for sure.

Fair point, Seve is doing a good job in there just now. However, I never really know if our defence is going to perform well or badly in that area so I'd like to see a more consistent performer in there. If Seve can deliver that then its a much better outcome for sure.

 

This is also true. Bombscare or bombproof.

 

I also noticed that there are a damn site more lashings into row z from the back 4, this too is good.

 

In Foster's case hammering it into row a.

Would still like us to sign a decent partner for Miller as think Aluko is needed wide to create chances.

 

Also as much as I enjoyed winning on Sunday I still think we have someway to go before we are the finished article. Its only two weeks since we lost without any fight and were out played at Hamilton and made look very poor by Alloa.

In Foster's case hammering it into row a.

 

 

Would still like us to sign a decent partner for Miller as think Aluko is needed wide to create chances.

 

Also as much as I enjoyed winning on Sunday I still think we have someway to go before we are the finished article. Its only two weeks since we lost without any fight and were out played at Hamilton and made look very poor by Alloa.

 

I'd agree with this, but I think that cup games are always a one off and the conditions most definitely played a huge role in events. Hamilton, no excuses, I wonder if the team thought they just had to turn up, so in that respect, it was probably good in the long run just to give them a kick up the arse. But we'll see if this is actually true, our team has gelled and has a good team morale about the place at the moment We'll just have to see what happens in the next few weeks.

I reckon the cold/flu thing had a big part to play in the game against Hamilton, there were too many players so far off the pace against a very poor team.

 

I'm no making excuses for what was a very poor performance, just that there were so many of our usually steady players that struggled really badly against poor opposition. Same for Alloa.

 

I tend to agree with Jute about a forward getting signed. Mackie getting injured really would upset the seeming balance up front. Maguire has done fuck all this season to suggest he has taken his game on at all and we really have no idea what Wright is capable of. Miller getting injured would a bit of a fucking disaster though! 

 

 

How nice is it to be talking about tweaks rather than wholesale changes though  I'm loving this week. 

 

Catch that Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

How nice is it to be talking about tweaks rather than wholesale changes though  I'm loving this week. 

 

Catch that Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

There's abuzzabootheplace.