Aberdeen vs Partick Thistle

[Kneetrembler]

4 hours ago, O_Kahn said:

McInnes said in his post-match interview that he thought the team relaxed after Welsh was sent off, but I thought it was more down to his late subs that we looked unsure.

Our defence has looked solid all season, then he moves O'Connor to defensive midfield.  If he wanted to shore up the midfield he should have brought on Craig Storie.  Stockley up front by himself doesn't work, and we had no semblance of an out ball for the last few minutes.  Burns (or McGinn up front) would've been a stronger option.  Even better, leave Rooney on.

I normally stick up for DM, but I think he got it wrong with those changes.

This was my initial thought too. However, having read the comments about O'Connor playing CDM next week, thats fair enough. But then again, up hands everyone who is confident of Taylor in the heart of defence against Celtic?

I would go with Storie alongside Jack and Shinnie in midfield. He looked composed when he came in last season, I know McInnes wont do it, but I would be happy to see him get a chance on a big stage.

[Alex_14]

8 minutes ago, Kneetrembler said:

This was my initial thought too. However, having read the comments about O'Connor playing CDM next week, thats fair enough. But then again, up hands everyone who is confident of Taylor in the heart of defence against Celtic?

I would go with Storie alongside Jack and Shinnie in midfield. He looked composed when he came in last season, I know McInnes wont do it, but I would be happy to see him get a chance on a big stage.

 

Taylor playing at Celtic Park doesn't inspire me with confidence, no. We're going to get gubbed whatever we do. Not a chance he'll chuck Storie in, he seems to be this season's Cammy Smith.

[Kneetrembler]

1 minute ago, StandFree03 said:

If O'Connor is that good then Taylor will have more protection than usual.

People greeting about Storie starting are mental.

Who's greeting? Storie played well last season and if we need another defensive midfielder on Saturday, why not play him? Taylor has made several costly errors this season in key games and had a complete nightmare against Celtic at Parkhead last season, giving away a ridiculous penalty. 

I respect the opinion of others, but my view is Storie in midfield and O'Connor at Centre Half with Reynolds.

[gazelle]

We looked nervous in the last 10 minutes, Taylor came on in the 64th. I've been extremely impressed with O'Connor but Taylor does get the ball cleared - I don't mean just winning a header, like O'Connor or not at all, like Reynolds. Taylor also provides a threat from set pieces which I feel more than makes up for his occasional blunders. 

  

[BucksburnDandy]

Glad to have won the game, though we looked disjointed at times and not the most impressive.

Up to when we changed the team, we looked fine. Storey did well, McGinn did fine though Shinnie and O'Connor were superb. The second goal came from Shinnie's persistence. Marvellous free kick for the first.

Beside Shinnie in midfield though, we were poor. Pawlett plugged away but with little end output. McLean was poor again, doesn't carry the ball forward anywhere near enough and even his passing was average.

We lost a lot of work up front when Storey went off.

Changing the defence was very disappointing too. Taylor really is rotten whereas O'Connor and Reynolds works quite well. Thought O'Connor didn't quite look so comfortable in the centre of the park as at the back.

For next week, I would leave the back four as it is and leave Taylor on the bench.

Thistle are a solid enough team, but Welsh was an utter idiot. Edwards put himself about well but Doolan should have seen more game time. Aziz is rotten.

[anotherchance]

 

Taylor playing at Celtic Park doesn't inspire me with confidence, no. We're going to get gubbed whatever we do. Not a chance he'll chuck Storie in, he seems to be this season's Cammy Smith.

Cammy Smith didn't do enough in the game time he got to make him a "can't leave out" for a team who needed to win week in, week out to maintain a title challenge.

Over the piece I don't think Storie has either and I'd go with Taylor at the back and O'Connor in the middle - if anyone is causing massive concern at the moment ahead of Parkhead its Reynolds.

Folk bump their gums about McInnes having a blind spot for the youth but circumstances are that its hard to blood youth and fling them in whereas there would be more scope for this if we were a mid table team.

Given where we are to the gaffer's judgement based on what he sees day in, day out at training will do for me.

[KingswellsRed]

Pleased to get a win yesterday. Really like the look of O'Connor at the back which is a welcome change from Taylor who makes me think we are going to concede whenever the opposition come forward.

Thought Shinnie did well again the the middle of the park and hopefully Jack is back to partner him next week in place of McLean who was very poor again.

Rooney was very poor again and I just don't see what others see in him. Loses everything in the air, poor with the ball at his feet and misses chances every game, especially in big games. Good to see Storey get off the mark to hopefully offer some competition.

[Alex_14]

19 minutes ago, anotherchance said:

Cammy Smith didn't do enough in the game time he got to make him a "can't leave out" for a team who needed to win week in, week out to maintain a title challenge.

Over the piece I don't think Storie has either and I'd go with Taylor at the back and O'Connor in the middle - if anyone is causing massive concern at the moment ahead of Parkhead its Reynolds.

Folk bump their gums about McInnes having a blind spot for the youth but circumstances are that its hard to blood youth and fling them in whereas there would be more scope for this if we were a mid table team.

Given where we are to the gaffer's judgement based on what he sees day in, day out at training will do for me.

I don't completely disagree with you but Cammy Smith was limited to a lot of 5 minute appearances. Messi would struggle to make an impact in 5 mins (maybe not). 

[O_Kahn]

4 hours ago, KingswellsRed said:

 

Rooney was very poor again and I just don't see what others see in him. Loses everything in the air, poor with the ball at his feet and misses chances every game, especially in big games. 

FFS. What did the Romans ever do for us, eh?

[Alex_14]

4 hours ago, StandFree03 said:

This is where we are now, the pressure to win most weeks means we can't piss about with youth players when first picks are available. By all means bring them on when we are a few goals up towards the end of the match but wanting Storie to make his first appearance by starting at parkhead isn't really how to do it. We may see him feature if it isn't working and we need someone with more physical presence in the middle but I doubt it.

I think the biggest worry isn't Reynolds, it's McLean IMO. Seems to have completely lost the plot.

 

It's a bit paradoxical this IMO. We aren't ever a few goals up towards the end of the match because we are making negative 'game-management' substitutions - it's the McInnes pragmatic way. Therefore, we cannot bring on young players, rinse and repeat. 

I agree on McLean. I fear the whole game will pass him by vs Celtic. 

[highland_mechanic]

Agree with you Alex_14 on McLean.  He has been awful all season so far.

Rooney seems to be well off form too and with Hayes missing we don't have much of an outball.

Thought it was a nervy performance v Partick but the result is all that matters.  Do wish McInnes would stop being so negative though as this game management stuff means its as exciting as watch paint dry once we are in a lead.

[shootingboots]

Pretty poor game. Wins a win though. We miss Hayes so much it's not even funny. 

[shootingboots]

10 minutes ago, StandFree03 said:

Not getting this "Rooney well off form" business TBH. 

He was very poor on Saturday don't you think?

[anotherchance]

Not getting this "Rooney well off form" business TBH. Is this because he hasn't scored in three league games?

I'm sure he had a bit of a mini barren spell at the start of last season (including the Euro games), scored a pen and went on a run from there.

[Mackiemyday]

Rooney off form stuff is rubbish, let be honest he never has "stand out" games but he does what he does - score goals.

The service the strikers have been getting so far this season has been criminal, also the fact he was played out wide for large parts of the game on Saturday did not help. Why the manager does this i will never know, stick your most prolific striker out wide when the other team has the ball ?

I was let down by Storey thought he was pretty terrible, the defender gifting him the goal probably glosses over a poor performance.

Baffling call to drop Burns also.

[Dons_1988]

Rooney off form stuff is rubbish, let be honest he never has "stand out" games but he does what he does - score goals.

The service the strikers have been getting so far this season has been criminal, also the fact he was played out wide for large parts of the game on Saturday did not help. Why the manager does this i will never know, stick your most prolific striker out wide when the other team has the ball ?

I was let down by Storey thought he was pretty terrible, the defender gifting him the goal probably glosses over a poor performance.

Baffling call to drop Burns also.

Agreed on rooneys form, there are always people who call him shit as soon as he goes a few games without scoring.

We all know his hold up play and link up play isn't amazing. We know what he does best. He scores. A commodity that people seem to under value.

Not so sure on the playing out wide though, he doesn't exactly play as a winger. I think it's more he holds his position out there to then drift inside and make runs in behind or alternatively we play diagonal balls up to him out wide. He's scored plenty from out there.

[KingswellsRed]

1 hour ago, Dons_1988 said:

 

Agreed on rooneys form, there are always people who call him shit as soon as he goes a few games without scoring.

We all know his hold up play and link up play isn't amazing. We know what he does best. He scores. A commodity that people seem to under value.

Not so sure on the playing out wide though, he doesn't exactly play as a winger. I think it's more he holds his position out there to then drift inside and make runs in behind or alternatively we play diagonal balls up to him out wide. He's scored plenty from out there.

 

My main problem with him is that he never does it against the better teams in the league or Europe. Last season he was worse than a man down against Celtic and Hearts for example. Half of his goals were also penalties. He is fine for a few goals against the bottom 6 but he doesn't exactly strike fear into the opposition.

[Dons_1988]

2 minutes ago, KingswellsRed said:

My main problem with him is that he never does it against the better teams in the league or Europe. Last season he was worse than a man down against Celtic and Hearts for example. Half of his goals were also penalties. He is fine for a few goals against the bottom 6 but he doesn't exactly strike fear into the opposition.

I think you are being slightly dramatic given he scored against both those opposition, twice against celtic, even if two were pens, last season.

I get the argument that sometimes we need more from a striker in the tougher games as unless he gets service he's unlikely to do anything too special.  I just don't get the criticism, we know what we're getting from him, so if Mcinnes plays him, he's picked him to do what Adam Rooney does best, score goals.

[Alex_14]

He also scored a header at Celtic Park to make it 3-1 last season.

[KingswellsRed]

9 minutes ago, Alex_14 said:

He also scored a header at Celtic Park to make it 3-1 last season.

Once the intensity of the game had dropped off and Ambrose had been taken on. He missed a sitter at 0-0 in that game and also did the same against Hearts at Pittodrie in December and Maribor at home off the top of my head. I would be delighted to be proven wrong and him to score a couple on Saturday though.