Deep thoughts for McGhee in New Firm derby clash

dons manager can cast envious glance at size of levein’s united squad

 

By Michael Gannon

 

Published: 23/10/2009

 

Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee would not swap his best team for Dundee United manager Craig Levein’s best, but McGhee can be forgiven for casting an envious glance at the depth of the Tannadice squad ahead of tomorrow’s New Firm derby at Pittodrie.

 

McGhee has been unable to make the wholesale changes his counterpart Levein has made at the Arabs in the past two season.

 

It was a similar tale last year when McGhee was with Motherwell, when the 53-year-old insisted the Taysiders had strengthened their squad rather than their team.

 

McGhee’s point was proven as Motherwell won two and drew one of three meetings with United last season, including a resounding 4-0 victory at Tannadice.

 

But the manager’s words were to prove prophetic.

 

Motherwell’s season collapsed when an injury crisis condemned the Steelmen to the bottom six after the split, while Levein’s large squad proved vital as United claimed fifth place.

 

McGhee can see parallels this season as he has a threadbare squad once more and he still believes the Arabs’ strength revolves around safety in numbers.

 

He said: “I put my foot in it with Dundee United at the start of last season.

 

“I was asked the question about them making a lot of signings when we had not.

 

“Eventually we were caught out because we had injuries to five key players and only picked up one point from seven games.

 

“It is possible Dundee United were able to stay a bit longer with the pace because they had a bigger squad.

 

“What I did say was I felt they had strengthened their squad but not their team. Therefore at that stage I would have still taken my best team ahead of their best team.

 

“We proved that by going to Tannadice and beating them 4-0.

 

“This season is similar in many ways.

 

“That is not something I hold against Craig. He is trying to work miracles and he has found one or two nuggets for nothing, or for very little money.

 

“I think he has some really good players and some who have improved, such as David Goodwillie.

 

“They have lost a few, but I do not know if the ones he has brought in have necessarily strengthened the team rather than maintained the level.

 

“That said, outside the Old Firm, they are as good as anyone else in the league on their day.

 

“We have got to expect them to be as good as they can be on Saturday and therefore we will have to be at our best.â€

 

McGhee will today decide whether to hand new signing Maurice Ross a debut against United.

 

The 28-year-old is in the squad after receiving international clearance yesterday and the manager has been impressed by the former Rangers defender’s fitness, despite him not playing a competitive match since the end of last season.

 

Ross came through 90 minutes in Tuesday’s bounce game against Dundee and is a contender for the right-back slot tomorrow.

 

Really could do with a win tomorrow just to maintain a close distance with HIVs. Hopefully the team can build on what were clear positives last weekend and get a couple of goals and 3 vital points.

Nobody got pass marks today, perhaps maybe Maurice Ross who was ok.  Miller's miss was utterly shocking as was Fyvie's but I think at least in Fyvie's case you could say he thought about it too much and was exceptionally early in the game.

 

I thought Ifil had a pretty good game, looked very composed throughtout.

Exactly, he would have spunked it on players like: Nicholson, Severin, Mulgrew, Miller, Aluko, Smith, et all.

Remind me, how much have we made from those players, dave?  Also why not include the money on Sammy Stewart, the guy fae Norway, Richie Byrne, Dave Bus, Sven Baas, Mixus brothers, Dyron Daal and soo many more.

 

Ifil was shakey at times, also got caught out with pace on the odd occasion.

I thought Ifil had a pretty good game, looked very composed throughtout.

 

His distribution is worse than Kerr's.  Won some good challenges but concedes possession far too cheaply

Remind me, how much have we made from those players, dave?  Also why not include the money on Sammy Stewart, the guy fae Norway, Richie Byrne, Dave Bus, Sven Baas, Mixus brothers, Dyron Daal and soo many more.

 

Ifil was shakey at times, also got caught out with pace on the odd occasion.

 

Because we only sign players to make a profit off them? Grow up!

 

And that's amazing that over 5 years he signed some good and some bad players. But he's gone now, so move on.

It you guys that can't let go, fuck we lost our first game of the season today and already the jimmy chat is in fullflow.

 

I'd also say that over his time here he signed more duds than good players, and it would have been nice to recoup some money from those players but sadly we never.

It you guys that can't let go, fuck we lost our first game of the season today and already the jimmy chat is in fullflow.

 

You should go to more games.

In the League, Dave, the League!

In the League, Dave, the League!

 

Come on, third time lucky, you can get this right!

Woops, I had forgotten about the Celtic game, thinking about the positives rather than the negative, maybe you could try that, oh fuck sorry, everything is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG now that Jimmy is away.

Woops, I had forgotten about the Celtic game, thinking about the positives rather than the negative, maybe you could try that, oh fuck sorry, everything is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG now that Jimmy is away.

 

Perhaps you could point me towards some of the positives to take from todays then?

The pitch held up well, and I only got a minor splashing fae the rain.

The pitch held up well, and I only got a minor splashing fae the rain.

 

Good points. Kinda says it all about the football on show though.

Indeed, see though, McGhee comes in and the pitch holds up, told you he was good.

I can see some positives, the introduction of the young player Fyvie being the obvious one.

 

The Mark Kerr situation is pissing me off, this is a player I had really high hopes for, is it a coincidence he's been shite since the Priory incident? One thing's for sure, we cant blame the poor form of individual players on the manager. Many of our current squad need to have a look at themselves.

The Mark Kerr situation is pissing me off, this is a player I had really high hopes for, is it a coincidence he's been shite since the Priory incident? One thing's for sure, we cant blame the poor form of individual players on the manager. Many of our current squad need to have a look at themselves.

 

Look at Lee Miller, he was doing alright at Dundee Utd until Brewster was manager, when he became so bad he got punted on a free. Was decent for us until we signed Brewster, where he became shite again until Brewster left. So it's not outwith the relms of reality that McGhee's arrival has had an effect on his game, however, the fact he's been made captain suggests that he must have some sort of decent relationship with the gaffer.

 

Or, maybe he just hasn't taken to the captains job like we all hoped and it's ruining his game.

 

Or, the Priory incident is having an effect.

 

But most likely a mix of all of them, just a shame that our new Kerr-McDonald partnership which was one of the biggest positives of last season have both fallen from grace so far that both would stuggle to get into my 5's team come this Friday

It you guys that can't let go, fuck we lost our first game of the season today and already the jimmy chat is in fullflow.

 

I'd also say that over his time here he signed more duds than good players, and it would have been nice to recoup some money from those players but sadly we never.

 

Ehm! Having read this thread there was an off the cuff remark re: Jimmy from CtS before YOU started with the "jimmy chat" so maybe it's you and your puppet masters who can't let go.

 

Also I'd hazard a guess that Jimmy's net transfer spend was "+".

Look at Lee Miller, he was doing alright at Dundee Utd until Brewster was manager, when he became so bad he got punted on a free. Was decent for us until we signed Brewster, where he became shite again until Brewster left. So it's not outwith the relms of reality that McGhee's arrival has had an effect on his game, however, the fact he's been made captain suggests that he must have some sort of decent relationship with the gaffer.

 

As far as I remember Miller was crap before, during and after Brewster.........

Why don't the JIG and JMG/MMIG groups just get together in a big field and.....in the words of Harry Hill....FIGHT!!!

The SPL is pish.

 

The fact that we are mediocre mid-table in a table-full of mediocrity is just painful.

 

We should go up there mob-handed, kill the entire playing and management squads and then throw ourselves into the North Sea.

 

(Am I taking our current form too much to heart, do you think?)

The SPL is pish.

 

The fact that we are mediocre mid-table in a table-full of mediocrity is just painful.

 

We should go up there mob-handed, kill the entire playing and management squads and then throw ourselves into the North Sea.

 

(Am I taking our current form too much to heart, do you think?)

 

No! We should all just get together and Lemming like throw ourselves off a big cliff, it's never going to get better!!!!!!!

How infuriatingly frustrating!!!

 

Last week we were under pressure for much of the match almost as if we were the away team. Second to every ball. Hearts playing much more of an attack-minded game. Exactly the same happened yesterday. Every time we got our foot on the ball we passed it backwards where as United (and Hearts last week) would be striding forward.

 

We got what we deserved from yesterday's game.

 

You can't miss chances like we did and expect anything from it. It was bad enough that Fyvie missed the chance he did but he's just a kid so I was able to reluctantly cut him some slack but Lee Miller? From just a few yards out should be fucking burying it! He's been a passenger for most of the season and because we're a shite team he's got no need to worry about his starting place. The cunt probably couldn't care if I was dropped. He started off yesterday looking like he was in the mood but that faded away quicker than the pre kick off dry weather. I know he wasn't the only one (Kerr!) but he was fucking woeful. Disinterested and as far as I'm concerned he can fuck off. I've lost patience with this lazy fall-about clown.

 

On a positive note, I spent the afternoon in the pub and couldnt get the piss ripped out of me as the rest were all Hearts and Falkirk fans

 

I'm bored of AFC just now. There's no difference this season for me - and hearing idiots making plasterer's radios over everything McGhee says in the paper just makes it all the more ridiculous when the product on the park is worse than it's been for years.

 

That's bollocks mate.  I know you're not happy with things just now and I respect your opinion but that is nonsense. The entertainment factor under JC was nil, under McGhee it's nil.

At least we're consistent at something  

I'm bored of AFC just now.

 

Same - can't be bothered watching us just now, or the SPL in general.  Used to enjoy going for a few beers and watching the football, but it's getting difficult to justify the £100+ when the only enjoyment is the train journey!