The Famous Aberdeen - Season 2022/23

[Thenorthernlight]

25 minutes ago, tarapoa said:

He can play well in the middle of a three - move him to the right and it’s different gravy, as we saw earlier in the season.

Thought he ended up exposing Milne as a consequence, not helped by HJK’s best player being their left-winger (worth a look?).

As for Gueye - just not going to happen. Dandies generally do not take to target men types and he’s way down the pecking order. In amongst the dreadful first half from every player, there were actually one or two nice touches suggesting there’s something there. Also he was good enough to play in the Belgian top flight - but the club maybe just need to cut their losses. 

The midfield needs bolstered and Hayes looks more and more done with each passing appearance.

The errors come when he’s in the middle of the 3 too. 
He has no filter. 
Dives in & is rash. 
He’s cost us a few & needs taken out the team just now IMO. 

[HarleyQuinn]

All things equal, we're a better side than Helsinki and really should have beaten them both times we've played each other. I hold the same sentiments towards the Hacken matches. However we didn't. 

I'm proud of our performances in Europe this season. We've come up against some good sides and had it not been for some dodgy officiating I honestly believe we'd still be in the fight for qualification going into the last match against Frankfurt.

I really want to see more of Sokler. He made such a difference when he came on today. Given the lack of starts he's certainly sharp and Fast. I think he has the potential to fill the void left by Miovski (when sold). Duk is looking more like his former self too. I'm going to remain patient with Gueye however he's looked consistently shocking when he has played. There are time where he genuinely looks like he's never played football before.

Jamie McGrath has been a brilliant signing. I'm already hoping we can extend his contract length. Same applies to Barron. Roos despite his kicking recently is another I hope stays beyond this season. He kept us in it during the first half with some good saves.

MacDonald deserves more game time. I thought he looked solid especially considering he's barely played. So strange he's been frozen out the team given his heroics of last season. Unless he has been injured of course.

Was pleased to see Robson actually use/rotate his squad. But why has it taken this long. Had he actually utilized his full squad up until this current stage of the season there's a probability that performances, results and league table placement would have looked more positive.

Things should hopefully improve domestically once the European campaign is officially over. After Sunday's away match to Hibs, 5 of the next 6 matches in the league are at home in a period where every club is suffering from fixture congestion. There's an opportunity to climb the table. It's up to the players and Robson to seize it.

Edited December 1, 2023 by HarleyQuinn

[ham1sh68]

The current set up at Pittodrie is the most puzzling there has been for a while. Every so often a good ( and possibly even really good) spell bursts out of a mediocre performance.

Somewhere in the huge squad at his disposal Robson comes up with something which works.

There seems to be a pretty decent side hidden in there.

 But is Robson the right man to work out the best eleven to put on the park?

Extenuating factors such as the difficulties in coping with European involvement, travel , lack of time on the training pitch, injuries etc, make it difficult to decide.

We will possibly get some answers in the upcoming Cup Final, where a good performance could lead to an upswing for the second half of the season, but another inept performance could leave the club floundering.

I personally like Robson so I hope he can sort things out but conversely I fear the worst for him and his staff.

Any thoughts on your best starting XI plus subs?

[HarleyQuinn]

26 minutes ago, ham1sh68 said:

The current set up at Pittodrie is the most puzzling there has been for a while. Every so often a good ( and possibly even really good) spell bursts out of a mediocre performance.

Somewhere in the huge squad at his disposal Robson comes up with something which works.

There seems to be a pretty decent side hidden in there.

 But is Robson the right man to work out the best eleven to put on the park?

Extenuating factors such as the difficulties in coping with European involvement, travel , lack of time on the training pitch, injuries etc, make it difficult to decide.

We will possibly get some answers in the upcoming Cup Final, where a good performance could lead to an upswing for the second half of the season, but another inept performance could leave the club floundering.

I personally like Robson so I hope he can sort things out but conversely I fear the worst for him and his staff.

Any thoughts on your best starting XI plus subs?

Regarding the league cup final, The Ranger's draw last night is a great result for Aberdeen. The Rangers now go to Seville having to get a result against Real Betis. Desperate for a win they'll most likely play their strongest 11 whereas we'll have one eye on the cup and will probably rest players against Frankfurt. It's arguably our best opportunity of silverware since McInnes' won the league cup back in 2014. 

It's hard to say what our best 11 is given the lack of game time a number of players have received. I would have liked to have seen MacDonald feature more this season. Rubezic the most obvious candidate to be rotated out for him. Vinnie would have been useful in a number of matches and Sokler is proving to be a good player which is why it's slightly baffling the lack of game time he's received. Miovski has been brilliant but he's looked tired after European exertions. Both Clarkson and Duncan haven't benefitted at all from the current formation. Robson has neglected the bench this season which has resulted in some strong European performances often followed by tired and lacklustre performances domestically. Robson's lack of belief in his overall squad could be his undoing. That, his unwillingness to alter his tactics when needed and lack of subs and/or often far too late subs. He comes with his frustrations.

[Dons_1988]

Fucksake lads, when will we learn the lesson of “[insert OF team here] have a big European game a few days before we play them, what an opportunity”? 

[DrewDon]

Rubezic is a more aggressive and front-footed defender than MacDonald. The main trade-off is that he also makes more mistakes than MacDonald. Thing is, they both need to play in the middle of the three to be effective, but it's definitely not a case of it being a like-for-like swap if MacDonald was coming in for him. Rubezic is also happier to go into spaces that a more traditional defensive midfielder would typically be occupying, so things would have to change a bit if Robson did make a change there. 

[DukDukGoose]

Looking to book parking for Hampden. Using Just Park. A few locations available.

What sort of area am I breaching in to 'Rangers End' territory? Keep in mind that I will have 3 children under the age of 13 with me!

[STFU_Donny]

Angus wins UECL Goal of the Week.

 

 

[STFU_Donny]

11 hours ago, HarleyQuinn said:

All things equal, we're a better side than Helsinki and really should have beaten them both times we've played each other. I hold the same sentiments towards the Hacken matches. However we didn't. 

I'm proud of our performances in Europe this season. We've come up against some good sides and had it not been for some dodgy officiating I honestly believe we'd still be in the fight for qualification going into the last match against Frankfurt.

At the time I felt Hacken was a missed opportunity but looking back it was probably for the best. They currently sit bottom of their group with 0 points and -13 goal difference having scored 2 goals. Our Euro run has been far from brilliant but at least we’ve competed in our games, scored a few goals and picked up some points. 

[Dons_1988]

6 minutes ago, STFU_Donny said:

At the time I felt Hacken was a missed opportunity but looking back it was probably for the best. They currently sit bottom of their group with 0 points and -13 goal difference having scored 2 goals. Our Euro run has been far from brilliant but at least we’ve competed in our games, scored a few goals and picked up some points. 

I think we’d have done better than hacken. Their style of play opens them up to be battered by teams that are significantly superior. Not that I’m saying we’d have competed but I think we’d have got a point or two. 

[STFU_Donny]

9 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

I think we’d have done better than hacken. Their style of play opens them up to be battered by teams that are significantly superior. Not that I’m saying we’d have competed but I think we’d have got a point or two. 

Yeah possibly, plus they lost their star man right after playing us. 

[Dons_1988]

7 minutes ago, STFU_Donny said:

Yeah possibly, plus they lost their star man right after playing us. 

Oh yeah, forgot about that wee maggot. Just remember watching both games against them thinking ‘a good team will absolutely murder this lot’ 

[Caledonian1]

Ferguson v Ramadani in midfield battle in the Lecce v Bologna game on TNT - it's all Lecce and they should be a couple of goals up. 

[kingjoey]

On 01/12/2023 at 12:05, DukDukGoose said:

Looking to book parking for Hampden. Using Just Park. A few locations available.

What sort of area am I breaching in to 'Rangers End' territory? Keep in mind that I will have 3 children under the age of 13 with me!

Just stick to the Kings Park area.

[kingjoey]

I know that Barry Robson keeps going on about it, but after today's match we will have played 23 competitive games this season with only 8 at home.

[NorthernLights]

Feels like Robson era is heading towards it's inevitable conclusion.

[Otis Blue]

On 01/12/2023 at 12:05, DukDukGoose said:

Looking to book parking for Hampden. Using Just Park. A few locations available.

What sort of area am I breaching in to 'Rangers End' territory? Keep in mind that I will have 3 children under the age of 13 with me!

I've always used on street parking and usually Carmunnock Rd to the south of Hampden (fairly easily accessed via the East Kilbride Express way from the M74) and then walked down Aikenhead Rd to the stadium which should suit the Dons tickets - granted most of my visits have been for Scotland games/concerts barring the odd cup semi-final or final along the way ... 

[kingjoey]

3 minutes ago, NorthernLights said:

Feels like Robson era is heading towards it's inevitable conclusion.

Without going on to the pitch and trying to knock in a couple of our multiple chances today, I’m not sure what else he could have done. Ridiculous to criticise him for today’s outcome.

[DukDukGoose]

4 minutes ago, kingjoey said:

Without going on to the pitch and trying to knock in a couple of our multiple chances today, I’m not sure what else he could have done. Ridiculous to criticise him for today’s outcome.

The first half set up was terrible though Joey.

 

[STFU_Donny]

17 minutes ago, NorthernLights said:

Feels like Robson era is heading towards its inevitable conclusion.

5 of the next 6 league games are at home. See where we’re sitting at the winter break. He needs a run akin to what he did when he took over as caretaker.