Games coming thick and fast now.  Dundee's results have been improving of late but i've no idea if they're actually playing better or just getting the rub of the green.  Hoping our confidence continues to grow, and happily take a scrappy win.

 

Shinnie and Ferguson need to be rested, and if there was a game they'd probably be rested for, it would be this one.  Ideally we wouldn't change a winning combo, and i suspect McInnes will stick rather than rest.

 

Out

Waiting at Welly airport

Flying and then waiting in Auckland airport

Stuck in jafa land waiting for my next flight

2-1 dons, McGinn and May

4-0 up at home and ball comes on for May?!

wilson on for mcginn would have thought giving forrester gleeson gametime and resting ferguso  might be sensible

5-1

Forrester takes 3 corners in a row...makes a pigs arse of every one 

Got my third correct first goalscorer up in a week!!!  Had £8 (6/1) on Niall McGinn last Tuesday against Livingston, £10 (5/1) Stevie May versus St.Mirren at weekend now have £8 (4/1) Sam Cosgrove tonight!!!

Not sure I've ever done that in watching The Sheep 27 years.  Having said that I don't back every Aberdeen game throughout a season or even three in a row like last week gone.  Only when near a betting shop!!  Very annoyed to hear our fourth goal should be disallowed as we did £12 for 4-1 Aberdeen (20/1) like!!!!

 

Ten goals in a week one can't ask for better from the lads.

Thought it would be a tough game.

We won at a canter.

Great win.

COME ON YOU REDS!

 

Handsome win.We played very well,though I think there's room to also play up a notch.

Never been a fan of Sams inclusion in the line up,mainly because we more often than not,resort to lumping long balls up to him,but we moved the ball about well,and played a lot of balls to him facing goal and looked more dangerous.He actually looks pretty useful with the ball at his feet attacking wise.

  Was desperate for May to get on the sheet,and he played well,but thought he backed off a bit on a couple of occasions,one time when thru on the keeper.Injury fear maybe.

  McLennan IMO seems to give us a more consistent contribution during a game as opposed to GMS irregular spectacular moments.

 

  A good win,at a good time of season. COYR 

 

What a win, managed to miss all the goals, was boarding at the first, then all the rest happened after I stopped watching during the flight. Typical!

 

Who is this madman that's scoring goals up front!?! Have to say from what I saw, I thought we looked hungry and the only team who tried to play football. Great to see the goals spread across the team too. Hopefully we can keep this momentum going

Would happily have taken a scrappy 1-0 just to keep the run going but what a pleasant surprise! Granted Dundee were absolutely atrocious but some of our attacking play especially first half was great to watch.

 

Obviously Cozzie and Consi get plaudits for their goals as does McLennan for his plus his overall contribution but m.o.m for me today was Shinnie. I know his overall game is limited but when he sticks to doing what he does best....winning the ball and giving it to more skilful players who can damage the opposition.....he is an asset.

 

Forrester cameo told us exactly what we already knew......there is a player in there. Unfortunately that player is the ghost of Bessie McGinty from Auchenshuggle Rovers Ladies reserves 1947-48. Wilson not much better....

 

Onwards to the Hearts game on Saturday. Hopefully Hivs and 'Well can do us a turn tomorrow night.

 

SF

Shinnie was my MOTM, good performance.

 

I take back what i said earlier about the weather, it was a lovely night for a game of football.

 

Bit annoyed at myself tonight as if counting Hamilton Academical 3-0 win in October one has now missed a third midweek home victory since being diagnosed with the anxiety and depression.  Just feel I'm still struggling regarding the whole public transport aspect of life.  Hindsight a great thing but if I'd not had any of the troubles 2018 has brought one would have been at these games in a heartbeat.  Again knowing said benefit of their respective final outcome these three matches might have been what we needed to rise once more.

 

Guess yours truly should just be proud I made the Burnley European game in July as I've seen them play Dundee, Livingston and them lot from Lanarkshire so many times these last 27 years both good and bad in experience so trying to not be too hard on myself for not making an effort given what we've been through this year as a whole.  Just I'd promised myself after getting Mam's inheritance and more so when new stadium was announced that I'd make more effort to attend midweek Pittodrie games because they are my favourite occasions. 

Cosgrove looked like a striker tonight. Just needed a third with his left for the perfect hat-trick. Likely would have got it if he’d had 90 minutes, too.

 

No coincidence he’s coming into form at the same time as May, McLennan and McGinn now we are playing 2 up front and two wingers. Don’t think May is too far off a few things coming off for him and hitting top form.

 

Substitutions baffling. Ball for May? At 4-0? Why not a straight swap for Anderson? Wilson for McGinn? Surely Wright? Cosgrove for Forrester? If you’ve got to make it then maybe Wilson (based on my earlier changes) but I’d rather one of our young ones had been on the bench.

 

Great shift from Ferguson and McKenna and as already said May, McLennan with an assist (or was it two) and goal, McGinn with two assists but had to be Cossie MoM. Hope he kicks on for 15-20 goals this  season now.

 

 

Highlights for those who weren't able to watch:

 

A great win for us last night and we played well for the whole game, Dundee were woeful, but it shouldn't detract from our performance as wouldn't be the first time we have struggled against a shyte side.

 

Big Sam looking more like a player now and if May could just get a little bit more luck in front of the goal he would go on a scoring run also, we are a far better team when we attack I understand why we don't attack some teams, but we should line up like this far more often.

 

McLennan is a good player, but there are times when his inexperience shines through, but you always get a bit excited when he is on the ball.

 

I would say our choice of subs was frustrating, Ball on for May at 4-0 was baffling.

 

I have to go for Cosgrove for my MOTM, led the line well and scored 2 good goals and unlucky with a great shot in the first half which the keeper struggled to hold, but I thought we played well as a team as a whole.

 

Expecting a tougher game against Hearts on Saturday who will be brutal to play against Saturday after their humiliation against Livi last Friday, I just hope we attack them and not hold off against them.

Substitutions baffling. Ball for May? At 4-0? Why not a straight swap for Anderson? Wilson for McGinn? Surely Wright? Cosgrove for Forrester? If you’ve got to make it then maybe Wilson (based on my earlier changes) but I’d rather one of our young ones had been on the bench.

 

Agreed. My hope is that Ball has done little wrong this season and McInnes wants to keep him happy as we'll rely on him in some big games. My biggest fear is that it was in preparation for Saturday. That we'll play Ball, Shinnie and Ferguson against Hearts rather than stick with the working attacking setup.

 

I've said on many previous occasions that we should have a strategy for youth, which meant that if we are 3+ goals ahead in a match that our young players on the bench should be given priority. If we explicitly built this into policy, then guys like Ball, Wilson and Forrester wouldn't feel hard done by when not getting their ten minutes to shine. Neither Wilson or Forrester did anything to merit their appearances again and - Wilson especially - those minutes would be far better utilised on a return on our youth investment. If senior players aren't ready, then they won't ever be. With obvious exception for players returning from injury.

 

Anyway, great performance last night. Battered them.

 

 

 

 

 

The best part for me was Sam showing that he can actually fire in a shot. The first was bravery and commitment in the header, which is what we expect from him but nice to see it rocketing off his feet for a change. Buried the 2nd. Great job by all and exactly what we should be doing against shit teams with a woeful points haul, although one of those was this month against the poisonous cretin tink who reckons they're a class above. Emphatic 3 points.

The best part for me was Sam showing that he can actually fire in a shot. The first was bravery and commitment in the header, which is what we expect from him but nice to see it rocketing off his feet for a change.

 

I wondered if you'd spot that. I was in total agreement with you when you mentioned it earlier in the season, and I think that's the first time I've seen him kick the ball with any force toward goal. The only thing I would say is that it took a few steps to get his feet ready for kicking, so maybe it's an effort for him! Will see soon if it's a one-off, or he just needed a bit of confidence to get going.

Guys of Cosgrove's size always look ungainly when on the run. Their centre of gravity is just too high for their own good. Throw in a ball at their feet and the results can be hilarious/catastrophic in equal measure. Remember van der Ark? 

 

Same thing happens in nature. Look at giraffes running...

Caught the majority of the game on a stream.

 

Considering the amount of game time the same players have had since the Cup Final, you can't help but admire the fitness of these guys. I do think there are some tired body and minds out there, probably evidenced clearly with Calvin Miller's goal last night, Lowe completely done by a simple turn, Logan showing a left footed player the wrong side by trying to show him onto his left foot  and McKenna backing off and off until the player gets his shot away, not for the first time that's happened. But that's being pernickity.

 

Stevie May again, working hard and making a nuisance of himself, but I fear his inability to strike a ball with conviction and belief are gone, even the shot that Kenny Miller cleared at the back post, wasn't going in and wasn't hit with any real conviction, despite him being unmarked and under no pressure. But his overall game is in a better place so again, fingers crossed he starts taking these opportunities.

 

Cosgrove, I have praised time and again on here, claimed he was our most effective Striker on here, while knowing that he wasn't a lone Striker by any stretch of the imagination, also knowing that he's still rough around the edges, but I like him, I always have, his game isn't as rounded as Stockley's, but he's certainly improving with confidence. Also dd to that his game is better because he has another Striker working hard beside him, meaning he has less responsibility in terms of winning the ball and holding it up all on his own.

 

Don't think many players put a foot wrong last night, found it odd that we put May wide left and also found it odd that we replaced a forward player for a CDM despite us controlling the game, fairly sure we conceded soon after that change? An unnecessary one in my opinion, I'd have liked to have seen Gleeson replace Ferguson, out of everybody that looks leggy, Ferguson is the biggest, but he performed well last night, so no slight on his performance. Also felt really bad for Forrester, 3 attempts to put a decent ball into the box from a set play, and he hit the 1st man every time, not sure if it was a training ground tactic or if it was just sheer amateurish, in any case, didn't like to see that.

 

Overall, we seem to be heading in the right direction, we're scoring goals and when Devlin & Hoban return, hopefully we go back to being solid as fuck at the back as well as keeping the momentum up top, if that is the case, then I take back what I said a few weeks ago regarding not even finishing in a European place!

 

 

Also felt really bad for Forrester, 3 attempts to put a decent ball into the box from a set play, and he hit the 1st man every time, not sure if it was a training ground tactic or if it was just sheer amateurish, in any case, didn't like to see that

 

It looked like the first one was aimed at the run of Ball, the second and third just pap. The worst thing was that he just threw the ball down on the corner spot without placing it on each occasion. You would never get McGinn or anyone else doing that. There could have been divots, one of the attempts was closer to the corner flag than any normal player would take a kick and if you can repeat a kick from exactly the same spot each time, why wouldn't you? It was like he was in a training environment.

 

 

 

Overall, we seem to be heading in the right direction, we're scoring goals and when Devlin & Hoban return, hopefully we go back to being solid as fuck at the back as well as keeping the momentum up top, if that is the case, then I take back what I said a few weeks ago regarding not even finishing in a European place!

 

I have to admit after going 12 points behind Hearts so early in the season that, despite Celtic and sevco almost starting as badly as us, I'd pretty much written off any hope of qualifying for Europe through a league placing. That we have not just caught Hearts but actually overtaken them prior to Xmas is pretty astonishing. But they have suffered an injury list to their first choice players that no one could have foreseen and it turns out Levein's Galactico's back up options are nowhere near the standard required.

 

Hivs, who also had a substantial lead over us, have bizarrely crashed in an even worse fashion without suffering an obvious run of injuries other than can be expected over the course of a season. They are now showing signs of a recovery and absolutely showed us the way to take on the Dhims at the weekend.....have a f@ckin go!

 

Kilmarnock have punched far above their weight ever since Clarke took over. The winter break is coming just at the right time for them but their squad is paper thin and even a couple of injuries to the wrong men after the break would surely see them tumble down to a mid table position where they really should be.

 

So European qualification is now purely in our own hands. Looks like we are losing Lowe and probably McKenna in January so we will need  to recruit well in order to maintain our place. Sevco will spend a few million on 2 or 3 new acquisitions but with a bit of ambition from the board there's no reason we cannot finish above them yet again.

 

 

Great summary TC. Spot On.

 

Kilmarnock have indeed been a surprise start and as you say, their squad nowhere near good enough (for depth) but all credit to Clarke for getting some great performances out of Burke, Brophy, Greg Stewart et al.

 

Once Celtic find their gear, and them qualifying for the next stage of the Europa League helped us all, then they will pull away. It was the fact that they got duffed up on Thursday and all the emotional rollercoaster that went with it that explains their flat, untypical performance on Sunday although all credit to Hibs as Lennon had them fired up and they were slick and sharp, helped by a dream start of course and some superb feet by Slivka.

Caught the majority of the game on a stream.

 

Considering the amount of game time the same players have had since the Cup Final, you can't help but admire the fitness of these guys. I do think there are some tired body and minds out there, probably evidenced clearly with Calvin Miller's goal last night, Lowe completely done by a simple turn, Logan showing a left footed player the wrong side by trying to show him onto his left foot  and McKenna backing off and off until the player gets his shot away, not for the first time that's happened. But that's being pernickity.

 

Stevie May again, working hard and making a nuisance of himself, but I fear his inability to strike a ball with conviction and belief are gone, even the shot that Kenny Miller cleared at the back post, wasn't going in and wasn't hit with any real conviction, despite him being unmarked and under no pressure. But his overall game is in a better place so again, fingers crossed he starts taking these opportunities.

 

Cosgrove, I have praised time and again on here, claimed he was our most effective Striker on here, while knowing that he wasn't a lone Striker by any stretch of the imagination, also knowing that he's still rough around the edges, but I like him, I always have, his game isn't as rounded as Stockley's, but he's certainly improving with confidence. Also dd to that his game is better because he has another Striker working hard beside him, meaning he has less responsibility in terms of winning the ball and holding it up all on his own.

 

Don't think many players put a foot wrong last night, found it odd that we put May wide left and also found it odd that we replaced a forward player for a CDM despite us controlling the game, fairly sure we conceded soon after that change? An unnecessary one in my opinion, I'd have liked to have seen Gleeson replace Ferguson, out of everybody that looks leggy, Ferguson is the biggest, but he performed well last night, so no slight on his performance. Also felt really bad for Forrester, 3 attempts to put a decent ball into the box from a set play, and he hit the 1st man every time, not sure if it was a training ground tactic or if it was just sheer amateurish, in any case, didn't like to see that.

 

Overall, we seem to be heading in the right direction, we're scoring goals and when Devlin & Hoban return, hopefully we go back to being solid as fuck at the back as well as keeping the momentum up top, if that is the case, then I take back what I said a few weeks ago regarding not even finishing in a European place!

 

I actually thought Stockley was decent, scored a peach against Partick, but wasn’t ever going to get the benefit of the doubt from refs. Think it’s similar with Sam and the refs but I think he’s a very different player. Big Sam scores headers. I just remember Stockley missing headers. I also don’t recall Stockley holding the ball up and linking as well as Sam, and Sam has generally shown more skill. I think we’ve seen more from Sam of late because the service has been better rather than chasing lost causes or competing for endless high balls, so the team in general has improved.

 

However, the Motherwell and st Johnston’s games weren’t that long ago and it’s the same squad. I’m not getting carried away. We were shite against hearts last time and usually poor against Celtic. It comes down to DM. Will he stick to the same formation that has got us playing better or go back to more defensive pish. Hearts should be blasted off the park and Celtic are mediocre, definitely two games we shouldn’t be adapting tactics for in my eyes.

I just remember Stockley missing headers.

 

He was very much like Dyron Daal, for a big fella, it amazed me how he seemed to jump lower than the ball from standing position.