Well, now that the management situation has settled, hoping to see some action when the window opens.

 

GK - solid

 

Defense - would love to see us get a left back. No idea who...

 

Midfield - major issues - I’m pretty sure we’re stuck with Tansey and O’Connor but we need a holding mid to partner Shinnie. We also need pace and width, wouldn’t be surprised or disappointed to see McGinn back, and he can play #10 too. Would like to see us swap McLean for O’Hollaran but pretty certain that won’t happen now. With Christie, Stewart, and Ross capable of playing attacking mid McLean can go sooner rather than later.

 

Forward - so far May hasn’t been great but I put that on the team and the lack of service plus tactics that don’t suit him. Would like to see us offer Rooney and cash for Moult. Crazy talk but a front two of May and Moult would be tasty.

 

Realistically, a left back and a holding mid must be acquired in January. Unrealistically, add Moult and O’Hollaran and those four would suit me nicely. With Stewart and Christie gone in the summer picking up McGinn too works for me!

 

 

 

 

Chatter about Dylan McGeouch, can’t say I’ve seen him play much. What type of midfielder? A replacement for Christie or the deeper more heavily lifting role that McLean has been playing of late?

 

Does the spade work that makes McGinn look good according to green spoon burners in my work. Overrun along with McGinn by our midfield twice this season.

Does the spade work that makes McGinn look good according to green spoon burners in my work. Overrun along with McGinn by our midfield twice this season.

 

Not saying he's necessarily the player we need, but sounds like the type of player we need. And to be fair, I think we were lucky to beat them in Edinburgh earlier in the season, don't recall our midfield dominating that game. He's played in a midfield that's performed well against the old firm, can't really say that about many of our midfielders over the last couple of years.

Chatter about Dylan McGeouch, can’t say I’ve seen him play much. What type of midfielder? A replacement for Christie or the deeper more heavily lifting role that McLean has been playing of late?

 

Quite a controversial youth player, was with Dhims as a schoolboy but left to join oldco aged 14. At 17 he rejoined Dhims and oldco were awarded compo......around £75k IIRC.

 

I think the player closest in stature and style we have had to him in recent years is Willo Flood. I'm a bit meh about McGeouch but if McLean does go to Norwich in the next week or so there's no doubt our midfield will be short of options so I'll trust DM on this one if he gets him in.

  I like MacLean,but we seem(ed) to be willing him to hit form more often than watching him do so.I think a change might be in the best interests of both.His hunnishness didnt bother me,but it was enough to put doubts in minds and affect the general vibe IMO,and I think it possibly affected his own form.

  Depending on what players are available now,and if its a case of one out one in,I think we could widen our search options by trying Greg Stewart further back alongside Shinnie,and looking for a proven L/B,(either that or Shinnie at L/B and get in a ball winning midfielder).Think filling one of these slots rather than replacing MacLean would get us closer to a more complete line up,though it would still be thin for cover.

    A couple of good loans in instead,if better men are free at the end of the season.

    Frustrating when you can see what our front boys are capable of.Honestly think one very good signing in the right area could be enough to lift the rest of the team,like when Flood and Robson signed,you just knew that was what we needed at the time.

I’d be happy with McGeough and Devlin. Probably have to wait until summer though but we may have to sell McLean now to finance creative pre contract offers? Not heard much about Arnie other than gossip about him wanting a new deal. Not fussed if he goes, hasn’t looked overly better than AOC at the back.

 

I was never sold on McLean. Always expected a box to box midfielder, a frank lampard type. But he’s a big puss, doesnt score enough, create enough, assist enough, and tends to be the guy who lost his marker or didn’t track back on a goal. I cringe when he shoots, so rarely hits the target. Pisses me off too that’s he’s playing quite well now, I assume because he’s putting himself in the shop window. Seems to have improved in the deeper midfield role but he’s still too weak for me. Shinnie has turned into the better central midfielder, plus plays in a manner with effort and passion that the fans love. Based on the comments, I’d take McGeough ahead of McLean alongside Shinnie any day. I was a fan of both flood and Robson. McGeough sounds more of a Robson with a bite of bite and flair, which we badly need in there.

I’d be happy with McGeough and Devlin. Probably have to wait until summer though but we may have to sell McLean now to finance creative pre contract offers? Not heard much about Arnie other than gossip about him wanting a new deal. Not fussed if he goes, hasn’t looked overly better than AOC at the back.

 

You obviously didn't see his performance yesterday. Utter bombscare at centre back. Marginally better at defensive midfielder but really isn't of the quality we require as a club moving forward. I hope he doesn't get contract extended.

You obviously didn't see his performance yesterday. Utter bombscare at centre back. Marginally better at defensive midfielder but really isn't of the quality we require as a club moving forward. I hope he doesn't get contract extended.

 

Only the highlights. I’m not an AOC fan, just pointing out that I don’t think Arnie has been the rock we need in there, plus being 35 is not the long term solution.

Football fans on all fan chat sites will speculate on new signings, moves out, moves in etc... at this time of the year.

 

There are players in the Aberdeen team that a few of us don't like for whatever reason. There are players in other teams that we might like to have in our team, but we either do not have the cash to buy, or the manager doesn't think they'd fit in with the group he already has.

 

Quite a lot of Aberdeen fans weren't really bothered when they thought it was inevitable that Derek McInnes was on his way.

Whether or not you rate him as a manager, is beside the point.

Hopefully he has a few players earmarked for signing to improve the team in either this or the Summer transfer window.

 

None of the names currently mentioned as potentially turning up at Pittodrie excite me.

1. Quite a lot of Aberdeen fans weren't really bothered when they thought it was inevitable that Derek McInnes was on his way.

 

2. None of the names currently mentioned as potentially turning up at Pittodrie excite me.

 

1. And whilst I was certainly in that camp, the folk on Sportsound are gushing in their praise of him.

 

Caught most of the second half of the Embra cup derby on my drive home from Embra today. They were then reflecting on yesterday's fitba and were pretty unanimous about the "wonderful job" he's doing and that he's "taken AFC to the next level". This interpretation does not sit well with me.

 

2. Agreed.

 

Quite a lot of Aberdeen fans weren't really bothered when they thought it was inevitable that Derek McInnes was on his way.

Whether or not you rate him as a manager, is beside the point.

Hopefully he has a few players earmarked for signing to improve the team in either this or the Summer transfer window.

 

None of the names currently mentioned as potentially turning up at Pittodrie excite me.

 

Absolutely. It was fun to noise up the Huns, but realistically we’d just lost two games to then because of the whole charade. dm has cemented us as the second best but the trophy return has been diabolical, don’t think a change would have been bad for us.

 

Neither of those two, even docherty really impress me. But I’m not sure if many players in the other teams (affordable) really do.

 

I’d actually happily see AOC leave and arnie stay. The biggest impact arnie has had has been coaching McKenna. Losing him and allowing bombscares like aoc and Reynolds to stay would be lunacy. It may cost us a bit in the short term (money wise) but the long term benefits is we could have a very conpetent centre back in McKenna.

The biggest impact arnie has had has been coaching McKenna.

 

They were talking about the youngsters at Hearts and how Naismith's presence will help them in their development. Apparently 16 year old Cochrane was tremendous today, again. Southampton took on a 17 year old today.

 

22 year old McKenna is held up as an example whenever I dare to suggest that one of McInnes' weaknesses is youth development. He got one chance and played so well he picked himself thereafter.

 

Word elsewhere seems to be that MacLean has signed for Norwich for £200k,but is being loaned back to us for the rest of the season 

Word elsewhere seems to be that MacLean has signed for Norwich for £200k,but is being loaned back to us for the rest of the season 

 

Knew £500k was to good to be true, so happy enough with that arrangement.

Hope we've managed to get a percentage sell on clause just in case

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/aberdeen-kenny-mclean-norwich-300k-11890771

 

Like this version better

This makes no sense at all.

 

I'm aboot greetin, we've got to thole the cunt for the rest of the season 

This makes no sense at all.

 

I'm aboot greetin, we've got to thole the cunt for the rest of the season 

 

You're not wrong about it making no sense.

Why pay £200/£300k now and loan back when you could sign on pre contract now and leave him playing for us until season end. Something doesn't sit right with this.

I’d be happy with McGeough and Devlin. Probably have to wait until summer though but we may have to sell McLean now to finance creative pre contract offers? Not heard much about Arnie other than gossip about him wanting a new deal. Not fussed if he goes, hasn’t looked overly better than AOC at the back.

 

I was never sold on McLean. Always expected a box to box midfielder, a frank lampard type. But he’s a big puss, doesnt score enough, create enough, assist enough, and tends to be the guy who lost his marker or didn’t track back on a goal. I cringe when he shoots, so rarely hits the target. Pisses me off too that’s he’s playing quite well now, I assume because he’s putting himself in the shop window. Seems to have improved in the deeper midfield role but he’s still too weak for me. Shinnie has turned into the better central midfielder, plus plays in a manner with effort and passion that the fans love. Based on the comments, I’d take McGeough ahead of McLean alongside Shinnie any day. I was a fan of both flood and Robson. McGeough sounds more of a Robson with a bite of bite and flair, which we badly need in there.

 

I don't think you're wrong in the summation of McLean's negative points.  For the natural talent he has he should be doing better. 

Your point about Shinnie however... is Shinnie a better centre midfielder? or is Shinnie a left back playing in centre midfield and merely showing the same tenacity he always shows, regardless of position?

 

Shinnie is an asset in the middle of the park because he covers the ground so well, he shuts things down and gets us going forward.  But, his passing has to be better, his composure has to be better and he has to be more measured in possession. 

 

Shinnie is loved in the same way Hayes was favoured over McGinn for a lot of fans. They have this all action style, Hayes always looked as though he was running 120mph when he was actually only doing 30mph  , and fans lap that stuff up.  But, McGinn was equally as creative/dangerous in the last season of the two of them being in the team, and more-so over the course of their time at Aberdeen.

 

Now, I love Shinnie (as I did Hayes), but we need to see past the rough and tumble styles and look at the quality they're bringing in relation to the position they play. Comparing Shinnie to McLean... well, McLean is a better passer of the ball, and to replace McLean we need to make sure we get someone who has that passing range.

 

 

In saying that, i reckon in 2 years time McGinn will be one of our centre midfielders....

You're not wrong about it making no sense.

Why pay £200/£300k now and loan back when you could sign on pre contract now and leave him playing for us until season end. Something doesn't sit right with this.

 

Could be that Norwich know he won't play just now - if they know certain midfielders are leaving in the summer, probably better for them to have McLean playing week in week out.

 

Maddison has been linked with a 20m pound move to Spurs 

You're not wrong about it making no sense.

Why pay £200/£300k now and loan back when you could sign on pre contract now and leave him playing for us until season end. Something doesn't sit right with this.

 

This might be unlikely but maybe McLean said "show me how much you want me; give the mighty Dons a couple of shekels now and loan me back or I'll hold off signing until June to see if I get any better offers" or words to that effect. Unlikely as I say but can't think of another explanation that makes any sense.

Surely it’s just a case they want to secure his signature, hence the fee up front. Nothing more, nothing less?

This might be unlikely but maybe McLean said "show me how much you want me; give the mighty Dons a couple of shekels now and loan me back or I'll hold off signing until June to see if I get any better offers" or words to that effect. Unlikely as I say but can't think of another explanation that makes any sense.

 

I'd like to think that's true, especially given the amount of "he'll go to the Huns for free like Jack, the Hun cunt that he is" type nonsense he's had.

 

Good deal for us though, although I'm very much of the opinion he'll be difficult to replace, especially how the transfer market is. If the young Kenny was available from St Mirren now, the Huns would be trying to sign him, and even the Tims might be sniffing around as a "buy to let" type signing as they did with Morgan and Christie.

Surely it’s just a case they want to secure his signature, hence the fee up front. Nothing more, nothing less?

 

They could do that on a pre contract without giving us a penny.

They could do that on a pre contract without giving us a penny.

 

True, but this is guaranteeing it and preventing him from speaking to anyone else.  Fuck knows what his agent has been telling them in terms of interested parties. It could be that he's done exactly as you've said. I'd like to think so anyway.

If this is true there has to be more too it. Could he have had a clause in his contract here if he plays x games we have right to exercise an extra year?

Surely it’s just a case they want to secure his signature, hence the fee up front. Nothing more, nothing less?

 

They could have done that purely by getting him to sign a pre contract. Only scenario that fits for me is the one where McLean has insisted on the transfer now thus gaining us a nice fee.....yes it is a generous thing for him to do but of course he will pocket a chunk of that transfer fee as is the norm plus he still will get a signing on fee from Norwich into the bargain.

 

As has been said also, they prob have a couple of players going out of contract who similarly to KM, have told Norwich they are leaving in the summer but at present are first team regulars who would keep KM from playing so best all round he gets a regular game with us for now.