Aberdeen V Kilmarnock

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

22 hours ago, BucksburnDandy said:

DM didn't even make all three subs despite us playing terribly and even when he made subs it was too late. Having stood behind the dugouts yesterday, the difference between DM and Clarke was notable. DM was quite slow with his subs and got very emotionally invested in the match. Clarke by contrast generally was quite reserved and thoughtful taking a step back analytically, while being sharp with his subs. In fact Clarke barely shouted, he tended to make small tactical tweaks by confiding in his players who would then pass it on. Very different styles, notably different and Clarke seemed to get it spot on.

 

It seems to have been airbrushed from history that Kilmarnock were utter shite for 40 minutes and would have been out of the cup by that time if playing a more confident Dons team (or a better side in general).

Killie have become more solid under Clarke, but to suggest that he's an amazing tactical genius because he stood there and did nothing like a rabbit in the headlights for 40 minutes is laughable.

It's easier to criticise a manager who has been at a club for years and who's team is going through a dip from the generally high standards that have been consistently set, rather than have a go at a new manager who took a shite team and made them a bit better........I get that.

But even against a Dons team firing on one cylinder, Kilmarnock didn't win the game or even come close to winning the game.

Some serious over-reactions going on here.

 

Edit to say that it's correct to criticise McInnes on his lack of action in bringing on a sub. From an early point it was fairly obvious that May and Rooney weren't working all that well together, and it would have made sense to bring GMS on earlier. For one thing he would have been more comfortable dropping back to act as an extra defender and his pace would have been a weapon when Killie had to open the game up a bit.

I don't know why he wasn't in the starting XI. Carrying a knock ? Or maybe McInnes felt the conditions weren't right for him ? I would expect to see him starting at Rugby Park though.

 

[paul wright scores]

7 hours ago, Estragon said:

12 hours ago, paul wright scores said:

I remember Killie fans singing to the 'Hey Jude' tune in the 60s

Fucking anti-semites

?????????

[BucksburnDandy]

14 hours ago, Dons_1988 said:

 

 

Whilst I’m normally a huge fan of your match reports, I do think you’re a bit harsh on mcinnes.

Coming from a position where i firmly believe that any manager in any industry suffers highs and lows, I would afford Derek a bit of leeway. We were forced into a huge turnover of players last summer and it’s safe to say he hasn’t got it quite right. The squad is unbalanced and we just aren’t quite clicking. But when you have to put a squad together in the space of 4-5 weeks mistakes are bound to be made.

Whilst publicly Derek defends this squad I would imagine privately he knows we’re not good enough currently. Yes he’s had pay rises but tangibly how has his job changed? I’d suggest not very much.

If this season is to just be a dip in mcinnes’ tenure then so be it. Judge him on how we react to it, what we do over the summer and how we build again.

Let’s get behind them.

Come on you fucking reds.

 

 

Perhaps I am being very harsh and withering in my assessment. However, by his own high standards set, we are slipping below them this season. The enjoyable and attacking style of previous seasons has gone, and we have lost a lot of our fight, which was one thing we could rely on generally even when playing poorly.

 

There were a couple of small changes that could have been made more quickly to prevent what we saw in the second half in particular, moving Shinnie into midfield was a no brainer, and if it meant having to play Reynolds or Harvie a left back, for the greater good of the team, it was the right thing to do.

 

This is the first time he has had widespread criticism in his time, and he's a big job ahead in summer.

 

27 minutes ago, Bob Mahelp said:

It seems to have been airbrushed from history that Kilmarnock were utter shite for 40 minutes and would have been out of the cup by that time if playing a more confident Dons team (or a better side in general).

Killie have become more solid under Clarke, but to suggest that he's an amazing tactical genius because he stood there and did nothing like a rabbit in the headlights for 40 minutes is laughable.

It's easier to criticise a manager who has been at a club for years and who's team is going through a dip from the generally high standards that have been consistently set, rather than have a go at a new manager who took a shite team and made them a bit better........I get that.

But even against a Dons team firing on one cylinder, Kilmarnock didn't win the game or even come close to winning the game.

Some serious over-reactions going on here.

 

Let's get serious here, no one is saying Kilmarnock were brilliant. No one is even calling Steve Clarke a tactical genius. And no one wants to have a go at DM who has brought significant improvement.

 

However it is perfectly valid to criticise DM, because the problems on Saturday were obvious long before the equaliser. He waited too long to change the game when we had a number of underperforming players.

 

By contrast Clarke made changes that brought Killie back into the game. Not once did I say they looked likely to win it, merely that the changes brought them back into the game. Even DM acknowledged the importance of the Erwin change in his interview on the AFC website. So if DM acknowledges it, I think it is also fair to praise SC for it. 

 

If you think that's an overreaction, that's entirely up to yourself of course, but I'm happy to stand by what I have said, that DM waited too long to change it.

[Fide]

46 minutes ago, Bob Mahelp said:

 

But even against a Dons team firing on one cylinder, Kilmarnock didn't win the game or even come close to winning the game.

Some serious over-reactions going on here.

 

 

But even against a Killie team firing on one cylinder, Aberdeen didn't win the game or even come close to winning the game.

Some serious over-reactions going on here.

[Dons_1988]

1 minute ago, BucksburnDandy said:

 

Perhaps I am being very harsh and withering in my assessment. However, by his own high standards set, we are slipping below them this season. The enjoyable and attacking style of previous seasons has gone, and we have lost a lot of our fight, which was one thing we could rely on generally even when playing poorly.

 

There were a couple of small changes that could have been made more quickly to prevent what we saw in the second half in particular, moving Shinnie into midfield was a no brainer, and if it meant having to play Reynolds or Harvie a left back, for the greater good of the team, it was the right thing to do.

 

This is the first time he has had widespread criticism in his time, and he's a big job ahead in summer.

 

 

 

I agree and he's absolutely to be criticised for some of his decision making this season.

I think my problem is that football fans sometimes seem to expect that 'progress' is a constant upward curve without any dips.  We are going through a dip, the team are underperforming and Mcinnes has yet to find the answer.  For me that's natural, we have a manager who is not perfect and in any long term managerial career there are bumps along the road.  Absolutely criticise his mistakes but some of the hysteria I've seen (from places like AFC chat, not yourself) is just ridiculous.

You have hit the nail on the head though about a loss of fight though.  This team simply does not respond to adversity.  I've attended every 'big game bottlejob' this season and the reaction to going behind has been nothing short of a disgrace.

I was going absolutely spare a few weeks ago at Easter Road, not because we were losing but because we so openly surrendered.  Whether that is down to players or manager I don't know but it's unforgivable.

[Dons_1988]

10 hours ago, WeWereThePeople said:

Aberdeens favourite song is about a Rangers player that one of their donkeys injured about 30 years ago. Some nerve them saying another team is obsessed with the famous.

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

1 hour ago, Fide said:

But even against a Killie team firing on one cylinder, Aberdeen didn't win the game or even come close to winning the game.

Some serious over-reactions going on here.

Glad we agree.

 

 

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

1 hour ago, BucksburnDandy said:

 

Perhaps I am being very harsh and withering in my assessment. However, by his own high standards set, we are slipping below them this season. The enjoyable and attacking style of previous seasons has gone, and we have lost a lot of our fight, which was one thing we could rely on generally even when playing poorly.

 

There were a couple of small changes that could have been made more quickly to prevent what we saw in the second half in particular, moving Shinnie into midfield was a no brainer, and if it meant having to play Reynolds or Harvie a left back, for the greater good of the team, it was the right thing to do.

 

This is the first time he has had widespread criticism in his time, and he's a big job ahead in summer.

 

 

Let's get serious here, no one is saying Kilmarnock were brilliant. No one is even calling Steve Clarke a tactical genius. And no one wants to have a go at DM who has brought significant improvement.

 

However it is perfectly valid to criticise DM, because the problems on Saturday were obvious long before the equaliser. He waited too long to change the game when we had a number of underperforming players.

 

By contrast Clarke made changes that brought Killie back into the game. Not once did I say they looked likely to win it, merely that the changes brought them back into the game. Even DM acknowledged the importance of the Erwin change in his interview on the AFC website. So if DM acknowledges it, I think it is also fair to praise SC for it. 

 

If you think that's an overreaction, that's entirely up to yourself of course, but I'm happy to stand by what I have said, that DM waited too long to change it.

 

Maybe you didn't see it, but I did edit my post to agree with you about the substitution issue. I've no idea why he persisted with the May/Rooney plan, which wasn't working anyway and left us vulnerable when Killie brought on Erwin.

 

Just on your first couple of paragraphs there.....up to 3 games ago we were battering in goals left, right and centre. 18 in 5 games since January, until unexplicably the arse fell out of us at half-time at Easter Road.

And while McInnes brought a lot of criticism on himself for the Celtic game, I didn't think we were as awful as many made out. Equally, on Saturday, I thought we were playing OK and were far the better team up until half-time......a second goal (I'm thinking about the save from Arnason's header) would have killed the game and seen us into the semi-final.

We're going through a wee blip, but we haven't become a bad team overnight and sooner rather than later we'll get our mojo back. I'm just happy we're still in the cup while playing below the level expected of us.

[anotherchance]

Perhaps a lack of expectation may help us in the replay, or rather pressure on Kilmarnock who many now expect to go through.

 

 

[PrestersKTID]

1 hour ago, anotherchance said:

Perhaps a lack of expectation may help us in the replay, or rather pressure on Kilmarnock who many now expect to go through.

 

 

We've not beaten the dons in what 18 games or something. And never beaten you in the cup. Pressure is fully on Aberdeen. 

The trip up was a lot better than last time i was there (got scudded 5-0) but that wee corner of the stadium for fans is a joke. One food stall for 1400 fans, the barrier to the left means half the folk can't see the full pitch and open to the elements at the end. 

Sooner you get your new stadium the better. 

[Frank Grimes]

^^^ far too used to sitting in sparse Away ends type post 

[Squirrelhumper]

22 minutes ago, Frank Grimes said:

^^^ far too used to sitting in sparse Away ends type post 

I've been to Pittodrie about 40 times watching us and the view is shite regardless of how busy it is.

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

It's a shite part of the ground, and by far the worst arrangement for away fans in the SPL.

It's not all the club's fault though, as logistically that's the only place we can stick away fans that gives them a clear route back to their buses or to the city centre. The club tried for years to house away fans in the Merkland stand but that led to chaos after OF games.

Away fans were then housed in our beloved Beach End, but once the Big Dick went up another arrangement had to be found.....unfortunately one that's no longer fit for the 21st century.

If anyone should be grateful for a new stadium for Aberdeen, it's probably away fans.

 

[Lurkst]

4 minutes ago, Bob Mahelp said:

It's a shite part of the ground, and by far the worst arrangement for away fans in the SPL.

I wouldn't say it was far worse than the away corner at Celtic Park.

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

2 minutes ago, Lurkst said:

I wouldn't say it was far worse than the away corner at Celtic Park.

I suppose the away corner at Celtic Park has the advantage of being enclosed. At least you're not getting soaked or hit by a North sea wind.

I actually don't mind it there. As long as you're away from the massive f*ck off pillar, it's OK. 

[tarapoa]

3 hours ago, Bob Mahelp said:

Just on your first couple of paragraphs there.....up to 3 games ago we were battering in goals left, right and centre. 18 in 5 games since January, until unexplicably the arse fell out of us at half-time at Easter Road.

If you look at the recent convincing home wins, a large part of these reason for these results have been an on-form Mackay-Steven. 

Now, there's a reason GMS was sold to us - inconsistent, can be kicked out of things and defensively lacking at times (albeit he's tried to improve this) - it can be a be a bit of a lottery picking him, but in a home cup tie against a side we have a great record against, it was a thoroughly strange decision to leave him out and then watch our most prolific centre forward running up and down the left.

I am presuming the Kilmarnock full-back O'Donnell, who does look a player, came into our manager's thoughts - and then the negativity took over again, leading to yet another shuffling of the pack due to the opposition rather than concentrating on what we've been doing well.

 

17 hours ago, naegoodinthedark said:

I thought the Killie fans were great yesterday, it really doesn’t bother me what songs they sang.
 

Doesn't bother me either - over-riding feeling was that it was great to see them travelling in those numbers.  Less home fans and more away fans seems to be the pattern in the cup.

The songs were just an observation - would have enjoyed Paper Roses more than their versions of all too familiar tunes that we normally hear from the unwashed, as there wasn't much noise coming from the home stands - especially in that brutal second half.

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

1 hour ago, tarapoa said:

If you look at the recent convincing home wins, a large part of these reason for these results have been an on-form Mackay-Steven. 

Now, there's a reason GMS was sold to us - inconsistent, can be kicked out of things and defensively lacking at times (albeit he's tried to improve this) - it can be a be a bit of a lottery picking him, but in a home cup tie against a side we have a great record against, it was a thoroughly strange decision to leave him out and then watch our most prolific centre forward running up and down the left.

I am presuming the Kilmarnock full-back O'Donnell, who does look a player, came into our manager's thoughts - and then the negativity took over again, leading to yet another shuffling of the pack due to the opposition rather than concentrating on what we've been doing well.

 

 

I see that McInnes is in the paper today heavily criticising the Pittodrie pitch. Says that it doesn't suit our more skilful players and forces the team into playing 'percentage football' (that is, lump it up the field to May and Rooney).

I reckon that's more the reason why GMS was left out, rather than who plays right-back for Killie.

He'll be back in for the replay.

[Jim McLean's Ghost]

1 hour ago, Bob Mahelp said:

I see that McInnes is in the paper today heavily criticising the Pittodrie pitch. Says that it doesn't suit our more skilful players and forces the team into playing 'percentage football' (that is, lump it up the field to May and Rooney).

I reckon that's more the reason why GMS was left out, rather than who plays right-back for Killie.

He'll be back in for the replay.

So Derek will be demanding an astro pitch for the new stadium then?

[Dindeleux]

I’ve heard today that replay tickets will be £10 adults and £5 concessions with both clubs happy that this game is bonus income (not sure if game is on tv yet).

[tarapoa]

McInnes needs to shut up about the pitch, he’s like a broken record - if he’s so annoyed, go and kick the groundsman’s backside.