http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1190289

 

Will Aberdeen FC make Europe?

Dons legends give their views

 

Published: 27/04/2009

 

CRUCIAL: Joe reckons Aberdeen’s clash with Dundee United will be vital in the race for Europe.

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WITH the post-split fixtures starting on Saturday, we challenged our columnists to predict what will happen in the climax of this season’s SPL.

 

Aberdeen FC legends Joe Harper and Stewart McKimmie give their verdicts on the big question of whether their former club can finish in the top four.

 

The duo also have their say on how the top six will end up, who will win the title and which club will slip through the relegation trapdoor to the First Division.

 

YES, says JOE HARPER

 

ABERDEEN FC will qualify for Europe next season, because they are at their best when written off.

 

With Zander Diamond, Derek Young and Jamie Smith all out injured, people are starting to question whether Aberdeen FC have the strength to finish fourth.

 

But Jimmy Calderwood’s side play well when they are labelled underdogs.

 

It’s when they are favourites that they can sometimes blow it.

 

The evidence for that lies in the recent cup defeats to lower league Dunfermline, Queen of the South and Queen’s Park.

 

The most important game will be against Dundee United at Tannadice, and I am backing Aberdeen to come out on top.

 

Calderwood will go there to play for the win and that will pay dividends for the Dons.

 

Lee Miller will be back from suspension having missed two games in a row against Celtic.

 

The break will have done him good, and Miller will be ready to rediscover the form that got him into the Scotland squad earlier this season.

 

The crunch clash at Tannadice comes in just the second round of the post-split fixtures.

 

I believe it will set the tone for both sides’ run-ins.

 

After that game, Aberdeen are at home to Hearts, while United have to go to Celtic.

 

With the Hoops going for the title, they will be too strong for Craig Levein’s side.

 

United will get beat and that will knock the stuffing out of their challenge.

 

But Aberdeen will have to be content to finish behind Hearts.

 

I always believed they would survive the loss of former skipper Christophe Berra to Wolves in February.

 

I said it was United who would eventually be left trailing, and I am sticking with that prediction.

 

NO, says STEWART McKIMMIE

 

IT’S GOING to be a disappointing end to the season for Aberdeen, as they will finish fifth in the SPL.

 

It is between the Dons and Dundee United for fourth place, because Hearts will definitely come third.

 

But United will edge the race to claim a Europa League spot due to the fact they will be stronger in central defence.

 

Losing Zander Diamond for the rest of the season is going to be a big blow for the Dons.

 

In comparison, United have someone at the heart of their backline who I believe should have been nominated for Player of the Year in Lee Wilkie.

 

It is vital at this stage of the season not to give away any cheap goals and United have a far better chance of avoiding that problem.

 

Aberdeen are also experiencing difficulties at the other end of the park because they are not scoring enough goals.

 

Diamond’s absence means they are more likely to concede and that would result in the Dons having to score at least twice to win a game.

 

They don’t currently look capable of doing that against the leading sides in the SPL.

 

United on the other hand have Francisco Sandaza up-front, and he is a player that revels in big games.

 

The two North-east clubs will have to fight for fourth as neither are capable of winning three games after the split.

 

That is what it would take to catch Hearts, who have surprised me.

 

I predicted they would fall away before this stage of the season.

 

My belief is that they would be behind both United and Aberdeen.

 

But Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo has done a fantastic job and they will pick up enough points to consolidate their position in third place.

 

I say yes!

 

But anyway, doesn't Harper write McKimmie's atricles? Harper trying to look like the good guy for once?

i say no.  We are playing pish and have been for the past 3 months

 

I say yes, it'll be via a 4th place finish though

http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1190289

 

I say yes!

 

But anyway, doesn't Harper write McKimmie's atricles? Harper trying to look like the good guy for once?

 

Does Charlie Allan not write both their articles?

 

I say "no". It's stating the obvious going on the rest of the season, but we just don't score enough goals and without Zander the defence will be weakened and it wasn't too great to begin with. The performance against Celtic was one of the most insipid I've ever seen from us. Looks like the players just want the season over and done with...I know the feeling. 

Does Charlie Allan not write both their articles?

 

I say "no". It's stating the obvious going on the rest of the season, but we just don't score enough goals and without Zander the defence will be weakened and it wasn't too great to begin with. The performance against Celtic was one of the most insipid I've ever seen from us. Looks like the players just want the season over and done with...I know the feeling. 

 

I thought we had the 2nd or 3rd best defensive record in the league?  A bit harsh BB

Does Charlie Allan not write both their articles?

 

I say "no". It's stating the obvious going on the rest of the season, but we just don't score enough goals and without Zander the defence will be weakened and it wasn't too great to begin with. The performance against Celtic was one of the most insipid I've ever seen from us. Looks like the players just want the season over and done with...I know the feeling. 

 

We have the 3rd best defence in the league. Only the OF have better defences. Plus Lanfield is joint top with boruc with clean sheets. Both have 13, 1 better than Mcgergor

I thought we had the 2nd or 3rd best defensive record in the league?  A bit harsh BB

 

3rd, only the OF have conceded less.

I'm saying yes. I think the team will scrape 4th.

I've said no I just can’t see it happening. If we’d have remained in 4th place, I’d be a little bit more optimistic. We are severely weakened without Zander and don’t score many if any goals. But then again, stranger things happen. I pray that I am wrong, but I’m not optimistic for the next 5 games at all. As I think it was BB that said, the players appear to just want the season out of the way.

C'mon guys, where's the belief ? If we treat every game in the top 6 split like a cup game then......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...aye, OK 5th it is 

We have the 3rd best defence in the league. Only the OF have better defences. Plus Lanfield is joint top with boruc with clean sheets. Both have 13, 1 better than Mcgergor

 

Regardless, the defence isn't great.  Any given weekend there'll be people on here bemoaning the use of both Foster and Mulgrew as full backs, which seems to signal that the centre halves and keeper are carrying that defence. As Zander is a first pick centre half, I stand by what I said.

I reckon we'll finish 4th!

i say fourth , hearts 60 points , i dons 55 points and united 53 points easy 

If I am being honest I think that we shall finish 5th. Altough our defensive record is good we still conceed too many silly/soft goals (the second against dundee utd for example) and diamond will be a big loss. Also our record against the teams that are in the top six with us is poor to say the least. I may be wrong but is it not only celtic that we have beaten out of all of them this season? In addition to this our inability to score has been pronounced this season. All of this leads me to belive that we will struggle to get fourth.

If I am being honest I think that we shall finish 5th. Altough our defensive record is good we still conceed too many silly/soft goals (the second against dundee utd for example) and diamond will be a big loss. Also our record against the teams that are in the top six with us is poor to say the least. I may be wrong but is it not only celtic that we have beaten out of all of them this season? In addition to this our inability to score has been pronounced this season. All of this leads me to belive that we will struggle to get fourth.

 

You are!

 

We've beaten Hearts & United too.

You are!

 

We've beaten Hearts & United too.

 

When did we beat United?

When did we beat United?

 

3rd May 2008

 

3rd May 2008

 

 

I remember that.

You are!

 

We've beaten Hearts & United too.

 

3rd May 2008

 

 

I remember that.

 

I don't.

 

I seem to have mixed it up with another Utd game this season

 

 

But I think it means now we'll definately win at Tannadice

I don't.

 

I seem to have mixed it up with another Utd game this season

 

 

But I think it means now we'll definately win at Tannadice

 

First I laughed, then I actually felt bad that you didn't realise it was last season you were talking about. I hope to fuck your logic works out. But what with our inability to score many goals, lack of passion and united knack of scoring late goals, I can't see it. Here's hoping though 

You are!

 

We've beaten Hearts & United too.

Okay I mine the hearts game noo. We won 1-0. My bad.

 

If my memory does not fail me for a second time this evening we have been beaten twice by United and drawn once this season (the 2-2 game that I was alluding to in my OP). Still think my other points are reasonable enough though. 5th for me.

I don't.

 

I seem to have mixed it up with another Utd game this season

 

 

But I think it means now we'll definately win at Tannadice

 

When did we last at Tannadice in the league? Last week?

We'll finish 4th. You heard it here.

When did we last at Tannadice in the league? Last week?

 

Was it 2005 or something like that? Before Levein took over?

When did we last at Tannadice in the league? Last week?

 

2nd March 2005, if i'm not mistaken?