The Famous Aberdeen - Season 2022/23

[1GregStewart]

3 hours ago, Ampersand said:

Over in the new manager thread, in the absence of a new manager to discuss, a few posters were reflecting on our transfer/scouting policy of the last few windows, and how to strike the right balance between data-led recruitment and more traditional scouting (you know, watching a player play football in person). There was also some chat about combining more ambitious international scouting with more pragmatic, safer signings from within the SPFL (as far as any signing is safe).

Hearts have got a few solid if unexciting pre-contracts tied up in the form of Penrice, Spittal and Dhanda. Who would folk like to see us approaching in a similar mould?

I realize this is pretty moot without a technical director and head coach in place, so we'll likely miss the boat on pre-contracts anyway, but going off the contracts ending list on transfermarkt - https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scottish-premiership/endendevertraege/wettbewerb/SC1 - the pickings look slim.

Maybe bringing Bruce Anderson back as a fairly solid Premiership striking option? Assuming Bojan is sold and Gueye moved on somehow. He screams McInnes-signing, so I'd expect to see him at Killie.

Scott Tanser at St Mirren, maybe? Probably more reliable than McKenzie and less injured than McGarry. Meh.

ETA: I've discounted anyone who, to me, is simply unrealistic, namely Keanu Baccus, Ryan Strain (both heading south I assume) and Beni Baningime (staying put or down south too).

If Anderson and Tanser are the pick of that list, foreign signings it is for the foreseeable. 

[DukDukGoose]

4 hours ago, Ampersand said:

Over in the new manager thread, in the absence of a new manager to discuss, a few posters were reflecting on our transfer/scouting policy of the last few windows, and how to strike the right balance between data-led recruitment and more traditional scouting (you know, watching a player play football in person). There was also some chat about combining more ambitious international scouting with more pragmatic, safer signings from within the SPFL (as far as any signing is safe).

Hearts have got a few solid if unexciting pre-contracts tied up in the form of Penrice, Spittal and Dhanda. Who would folk like to see us approaching in a similar mould?

I realize this is pretty moot without a technical director and head coach in place, so we'll likely miss the boat on pre-contracts anyway, but going off the contracts ending list on transfermarkt - https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scottish-premiership/endendevertraege/wettbewerb/SC1 - the pickings look slim.

Maybe bringing Bruce Anderson back as a fairly solid Premiership striking option? Assuming Bojan is sold and Gueye moved on somehow. He screams McInnes-signing, so I'd expect to see him at Killie.

Scott Tanser at St Mirren, maybe? Probably more reliable than McKenzie and less injured than McGarry. Meh.

ETA: I've discounted anyone who, to me, is simply unrealistic, namely Keanu Baccus, Ryan Strain (both heading south I assume) and Beni Baningime (staying put or down south too).

I was delighted to see Hearts go for those players.

A 'Devlin' as we call it.

[RandomGuy.]

On 01/04/2024 at 13:26, Dons_1988 said:

I put a higher bar on believing stuff like that, because if it were true then I’d move immediately to get cormack out of the club. Thats ludicrous over reach from a chairman. 

Tbf it wouldn't be unbelievable if he's asking for any manger that comes in before the end of the season to at least know how to play that system, seeing as your squad over the past few windows seems to have been built with that shape in mind.

[Dons_1988]

11 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Tbf it wouldn't be unbelievable if he's asking for any manger that comes in before the end of the season to at least know how to play that system, seeing as your squad over the past few windows seems to have been built with that shape in mind.

Nah Goodwin’s summer window was (allegedly) geared to a back 4 and he stated pretty clearly at the time that’s how he preferred to play. He reverted to 3 because his defence was utter shite then robson adopted it and built a team in that manner. 

Glass also preferred a back 4. 

Edited April 4 by Dons_1988

[RandomGuy.]

4 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

Nah Goodwin’s summer window was (allegedly) geared to a back 4 and he stated pretty clearly at the time that’s how he preferred to play. He reverted to 3 because his defence was utter shite then robson adopted it and built a team in that manner. 

Glass also preferred a back 4. 

Fair enough, feels like you've played a back 3 for years now.

I fucking hate that shape with a passion and want it outlawed.

[1GregStewart]

26 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Fair enough, feels like you've played a back 3 for years now.

I fucking hate that shape with a passion and want it outlawed.

It’s mainly a back 4 these days as well to be honest, except for the odd Warnock brain fart team selection. 

[Dons_1988]

40 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Fair enough, feels like you've played a back 3 for years now.

I fucking hate that shape with a passion and want it outlawed.

Every manager seems to dabble in it. I don’t hate the shape, but it seems (and this may sound silly) like a more specialised formation in terms of it requiring certain types of players with certain qualities in certain positions to work well, and if it doesn’t it’s pish. 

Moreso than the humble 4-2-3-1 anyway. 

[DukDukGoose]

10 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

Every manager seems to dabble in it. I don’t hate the shape, but it seems (and this may sound silly) like a more specialised formation in terms of it requiring certain types of players with certain qualities in certain positions to work well, and if it doesn’t it’s pish. 

Moreso than the humble 4-2-3-1 anyway. 

The main issue for me is you need quick wing backs to play it. 

[Ampersand]

1 hour ago, DukDukGoose said:

A 'Devlin' as we call it.

Formerly known as a Kennedy.

[Dons_1988]

20 minutes ago, DukDukGoose said:

The main issue for me is you need quick wing backs to play it. 

Yeah wing back is the main one. And case in point, even if you find players that fit it, ultimately injuries and suspensions means this gets filled with utility players who don’t necessarily suit it, because a premiership Diddy side aren’t going to have depth in a specialised position. Fine for a game or two but suddenly you’re doing it every week. Generally your front two then end up trying to create themselves out of nothing. 

Other things like your centre halves or at least one or two need to be able to join the attack and carry the ball, but ultimately these guys on our budget tend to be shit at defending if they’re strength is in ball playing.  

 

[VincentGuerin]

4 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

Yeah wing back is the main one. And case in point, even if you find players that fit it, ultimately injuries and suspensions means this gets filled with utility players who don’t necessarily suit it, because a premiership Diddy side aren’t going to have depth in a specialised position. Fine for a game or two but suddenly you’re doing it every week. Generally your front two then end up trying to create themselves out of nothing. 

Other things like your centre halves or at least one or two need to be able to join the attack and carry the ball, but ultimately these guys on our budget tend to be shit at defending if they’re strength is in ball playing.  

 

It was magnificent at times when Hearts did it on the rare occasions that Souttar was fit. With a player like that available playing the back three transformed Hearts as a side and made much more of the other players in the team.

If you don't have someone that good at carrying the ball and passing the ball at centre half it can end up just being a jumbled mess. Like anything to do with tactics and shape, it's a good idea with the right players.

Edited April 4 by VincentGuerin

[capt_oats]

37 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

Every manager seems to dabble in it. I don’t hate the shape, but it seems (and this may sound silly) like a more specialised formation in terms of it requiring certain types of players with certain qualities in certain positions to work well, and if it doesn’t it’s pish. 

Moreso than the humble 4-2-3-1 anyway. 

Not that it has anything to do with Aberdeen or anything but we are kind of the opposite.

I think you have to go back to the McCall era to find a Motherwell team that the 4231 worked for. We've been absolutely cursed any time we've tried it since. Hammell tried it last season and it was shambolic.

Whereas variations on 352s have probably been our more successful teams - Robinson's 433 being the exception.

As I say, f**k all to do with Aberdeen but I'm quite amused by the idea that certain shape work for some teams more than others.

[Dons_1988]

10 minutes ago, capt_oats said:

Not that it has anything to do with Aberdeen or anything but we are kind of the opposite.

I think you have to go back to the McCall era to find a Motherwell team that the 4231 worked for. We've been absolutely cursed any time we've tried it since. Hammell tried it last season and it was shambolic.

Whereas variations on 352s have probably been our more successful teams - Robinson's 433 being the exception.

As I say, f**k all to do with Aberdeen but I'm quite amused by the idea that certain shape work for some teams more than others.

Now that we’re in wanky formation chat, it is now quite wild to me that when I was growing up every team played 442 and if not it was 451 to be defensive. 

442 doesn’t actually make much logical sense at all as a formation, but then maybe that’s just because everyone else has 3 guys in midfield now. 

Who knows, just sign some good players Aberdeen eh! 

[DukDukGoose]

1 hour ago, Dons_1988 said:

Now that we’re in wanky formation chat, it is now quite wild to me that when I was growing up every team played 442 and if not it was 451 to be defensive. 

442 doesn’t actually make much logical sense at all as a formation, but then maybe that’s just because everyone else has 3 guys in midfield now. 

Who knows, just sign some good players Aberdeen eh! 

Being involved with kids football now, almost every team at 7s plays 2-3-1. When I was a kid is was 2-2-2 to then play 4-4-2 at 11s

[Ampersand]

4-4-2 is due a comeback I reckon. Pep or Julian Nagelsmann will start using it and it'll be billed as a radical reinvention.

[Dons_1988]

18 minutes ago, Ampersand said:

4-4-2 is due a comeback I reckon. Pep or Julian Nagelsmann will start using it and it'll be billed as a radical reinvention.

The pequeno y grande front two will be a pioneering tactic for the gegenpress teams of the future. 

[Ampersand]

13 minutes ago, Dons_1988 said:

The pequeno y grande front two will be a pioneering tactic for the gegenpress teams of the future. 

Particularly effective when the 'buenos pies para un hombre grande' variant is deployed.

[coprolite]

Given we need a minimum swing of +10 gd to have any chance of making the top half, I’d like us to go back another 60 years* and go 2-3-5 at Livi.

* (or at least to Jimmy’s last minute “bugles”)

[Bogbrush1903]

When I were lad we all played 4-3-3 (right-back, left-back, centre-half, sweeper, right and left sided midfielders, centre mid, right and left wingers and a centre forward).

It's everything you need in a formation, well balanced, defensive cover and attacking threat from both wings.

Edited April 5 by Bogbrush1903

[STFU_Donny]

I renewed the ST last night. Wasn’t even drinking.