The Famous Aberdeen’s European (Tour?) 2020

[tarapoa]

42 minutes ago, AngusTheBull said:

I don’t think that’s very accurate. I think on the whole people are disappointed following today, but also realistic about the fact they’re the best team we’ll play all season.
 

And looking back to games at this stage in previous years where we have gone out (Kairat, Maribor, Limassol etc.), the reaction after those was not exactly a meek acceptance, particularly amongst fans following Limassol.

Are they though?  They finished behind Braga, who were knocked out by Sevco last season...................and the key thing was this was their first competitive match, which perhaps should have been a bigger leveller than their squad disruption due to Covid.

Normally I would file a defeat to Sporting in with the Sociedad/ Burnley category, but this time there was genuine cause to travel with an element of hope. 

The other ties you mention; Apollon, Kairat and especially Maribor were bigger sickeners - as we should have prevailed in at least one of these..............but each time, let things get away from us for one reason or another. 

Maybe I'm applying my own thoughts - I was in a cold sweat over beating Viking last week (a lot down to work reasons and forever having that over them Noggie fks !) - tonight I was relatively relaxed, and kind of expected the outcome we got and will move on easily enough from it......

[BawWatchin]

Anybody saying Lisbon were there for the taking simply doesn't get it. They didn't get out of 1st gear because they didn't have to. They have the experience to know when to hold back and save their best against superior opposition. They would have kicked it up a level if they had to.

[Illgresi]

2 hours ago, tarapoa said:

Hmmm, that is slightly overstating things.

I think we played well from 15-35 mins and then had a flurry in the last 15 mins................other than that, very passive and in many ways content to let a side in their first competitive match play things at their pace - and manage the game and the Montenegrin referee, who was opposite of the guy we got in Stavanger last week in how he treated physical contact.

Coates may be a 'diving c**t' as someone said, but a Uruguayan who knows how to get things done - whilst we have our honest-as-they-come players running around whinging at the injustice of it all...........happens every season, and all it does it wastes time and energy.

It is the same movie with us in Europe - play to our seeding, but never really threaten to break through the glass ceiling - and if we're being honest, the club, players, management and fans alike don't seem too pissed off about it................almost a bit of a meh shoulder shrug as we look forward to the delights of Dingwall.

As much as I agree that Coates was a class above in all-round play, I felt the Ferguson was our one player who showed that nuance. He continually impresses me that boy, because he can play, but he's damn smart. Even against the 30th best team in Europe, he's always looking to win the slight advantages...just like Coates.

 

1 hour ago, Merkland Red said:

Absolutely but he was uncharacteristically poor on the ball in the second half. Ferguson could have taken that position earlier than he did and let Wright come on to play with the space they were leaving.

If Hernandez is not good enough to play ahead of an aged Logan and McGinn at wing back then that should be someone at the club out of a job. Allegedly cost more than 3/4 of a million and he's stuck on the bench. It's been over twenty years since we've made a signing of that cost.

For me there are three possibilities here:

1. Hernandez is simply not very good (in which case someone needs to tell the Venezuela coach)
2. McInnes feels he just isn't fitting with the squad/style of play.
3. McInnes rates the boy, but he is holding him back like a pitbull on a chain.

Chances are it's #2. That said, as much as I love Logan, I'd give Hernandez his chance.

1 hour ago, AngusTheBull said:

Their defence was also pretty excellent, gave Watkins, poor as he was, nothing all night.

 

I don’t think that’s very accurate. I think on the whole people are disappointed following today, but also realistic about the fact they’re the best team we’ll play all season.
 

And looking back to games at this stage in previous years where we have gone out (Kairat, Maribor, Limassol etc.), the reaction after those was not exactly a meek acceptance, particularly amongst fans following Limassol.

They were actually, pretty excellent. It's far too easy to criticise, but realistically, that's still a better defence than we'll face all season.

Nuno Mendes is a superb player, and I thought Logan, and Hoban especially, did an exceptional job to keep him quiet. The two banks of three did very well for most of the game. The goal they scored, we were caught in a transition from defence to attack. Taylor and Considine pressed, Hoban and Logan didn't. That's the sort of mistake that will rarely be punished in the league; but if it is, it's mainly by Celtic. In hindsight, if all 4 stay deep the boy still plays the pass, but Considine is close enough to put him off/block/tackle. These are the fine margins at this level.

[Raidernation]

Dons out? Oh! What a shame!

f**k
OFF
c**t

[Dons_1988]

Not sure I'm following the level of negativity after that.

They are, quite simply, a cut or two (or three) above us as a team, even if you wouldn't class them as an elite European side. 

The early goal was a sickener and felt Considine was caught sleeping but otherwise we were excellent defensively. Yes we conceded a couple of chances but we always would.

Our shape was good, transition was good and our build up play was threatening. Final third let us down but as has been mentioned, their defence was near flawless against us tonight. Anyone suggesting we should have played with the intensity of the last 15-20 minutes (or maybe even first 20 minutes) for the entire 90 is simply asking far too much of the team. In these games you always need to pick and choose your moments. In the first 20-25 minutes our pressing was brilliant but you can't keep that up.

Not exactly glorious failure but a very decent effort against a very good team and I feel comforted that Sunday was just a horrendous day at the office.

[RandomGuy.]

7 hours ago, tarapoa said:

Are they though?  They finished behind Braga, who were knocked out by Sevco.

Braga chucked Rangers around Ibrox last season, and only the scabbiest collection of goals you'll ever see (first goal hit the post, second goal comes when Braga win multiple tackles yet the random bounces all drop to Aribo who ends up free in the box through luck, then a free kick that hits the wall and deflects in).

You're speaking as if Rangers completely outplayed them.

There's Aberdeen fans on Twitter calling for McInnes' head after that. Mental.

Sporting spent over £10m on players this Summer, and thats on top of over £25m being spent on fees last season. Its crazy to be expecting to go and stroll that game. The "first game of the season" stuff is irrelevant at that level.

[Zapp Brannigan]

I thought we played exactly how I hoped we would. I don't think the set up was negative at all. I think what really let us down was our decision making in front of goal. A bit more quality and we've got a really good chance. That's down to the players, not the manager. 

The zoomers of Aberdeen fans you find on Twitter/Facebook are best ignored.

 

[Frank Grimes]

The reaction to every time we don’t win a game is getting even more hysterical by a very vocal minority 

As you say it’s best ignored, wanting the Manager sacked after a 1-0 defeat away to Sporting Lisbon 

[coprolite]

7 minutes ago, Frank Grimes said:

The reaction to every time we don’t win a game is getting even more hysterical by a very vocal minority 

As you say it’s best ignored, wanting the Manager sacked after a 1-0 defeat away to Sporting Lisbon 

Are people really suggesting that?

I assume these are "mcinnes out" stalwarts looking for any excuse? 

Difficult to see what McInnes could have done differently. Maybe brought on Wright 10 minutes earlier, but we looked more vulnerable with Mcgeough off. 

Always felt that if we had scored, they'd just turn it up a notch

[Dons_1988]

1 hour ago, coprolite said:

Are people really suggesting that?

I assume these are "mcinnes out" stalwarts looking for any excuse? 

Difficult to see what McInnes could have done differently. Maybe brought on Wright 10 minutes earlier, but we looked more vulnerable with Mcgeough off. 

Always felt that if we had scored, they'd just turn it up a notch

Aye I think anyone suggesting that he be sacked off of last night has wanted him out for a long time and would probably still want him out if we won the league because we played on the counter at Ibrox.

[bennett]

8 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Braga chucked Rangers around Ibrox last season, and only the scabbiest collection of goals you'll ever see (first goal hit the post, second goal comes when Braga win multiple tackles yet the random bounces all drop to Aribo who ends up free in the box through luck, then a free kick that hits the wall and deflects in).

You're speaking as if Rangers completely outplayed them.

There's Aberdeen fans on Twitter calling for McInnes' head after that. Mental.

Sporting spent over £10m on players this Summer, and thats on top of over £25m being spent on fees last season. Its crazy to be expecting to go and stroll that game. The "first game of the season" stuff is irrelevant at that level.

We beat Braga in both games, did you forget that...

[Ira Gaines]

Braga were naive as f**k and Rangers were pretty much the more dangerous team at Ibrox. And then at Braga, they were actually the better team. Basically, Rangers knew exactly how to deal with them after a horrendous start.

[Ranaldo Bairn]

Downplaying Rangers beating Braga home and away is a horrendous shout.

[Ira Gaines]

2 minutes ago, Ranaldo Bairn said:

Downplaying Rangers beating Braga home and away is a horrendous shout.

Especially when after about half an hour, all Braga did was play into Rangers' hands for the remaining 150 minutes.

[TommyDickFingers]

9 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Sporting spent over £10m on players this Summer, and thats on top of over £25m being spent on fees last season.

They spent 7.5m euros on Wendel in 2018 who now has a 60m euros buyout clause. We gave an IOU to the *** for a youth player with potential.

 

45 minutes ago, bennett said:

We beat Braga in both games, did you forget that...

 And so you should be. The Rangers spent 7.5m? alone on Ryan Kunt who is soon to be a full Englandshire international player apparently. How much overall has Gerrard spent getting you these results?  40m? 

 It's almost as if spending millions of pounds gets you better quality players and in turn better results. Which is fine if you can afford it 

 

1 hour ago, Ranaldo Bairn said:

Downplaying Rangers beating Braga home and away is a horrendous shout.

why? Should The Rangers not be expecting to win or at least be very competitive in these games ? big fees , big players, big club no ?

 

5 hours ago, coprolite said:

Are people really suggesting that?

I assume these are "mcinnes out" stalwarts looking for any excuse? 

Twitter top red: Aberdeen are boring to watch , never get an upset in Europe. SaCk mCiNnEs.

Voice of reason:  Rijeka, Groningen?

Twitter top red:  fucking happy clappers. SaCk mCiNnEs.

 

Some people need to get a grip of reality.

 

 

[RandomGuy.]

1 hour ago, Andre Drazen said:

Especially when after about half an hour, all Braga did was play into Rangers' hands for the remaining 150 minutes.

Braga comfortably had a higher, non-pen, xG in both encounters. They battered Rangers, created more chances, and were beaten by themselves.

Anyone with a brain who watched both ties would see that quite clearly, so don't fucking respond Bennett.

[Ira Gaines]

Think I'll trust my eyes over your pointless stats tbh

[bennett]

46 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Braga comfortably had a higher, non-pen, xG in both encounters. They battered Rangers, created more chances, and were beaten by themselves.

Anyone with a brain who watched both ties would see that quite clearly, so don't fucking respond Bennett.

We beat them in two games, so definitely not a one off result.  Even by your standards this is quite horrendous. 

 

 

[tarapoa]

I watched some of Sporting vs LASK tonight.

It was as I suspected, that with a wee bit more belief, Sporting were there for the taking.  LASK do not come from one of the top leagues, but are clearly a team on the rise.............and they did not show the respect we did in sticking everyone behind the ball for much of the match until it was too late.

I think there were perhaps a lot of hipster comments about the quality of Sporting, and being pleased that AFC generally did okay over there.  Personally I think with the shackles off a bit, that one was maybe there for us, particularly with it being their first match - and the QR3 glass ceiling continues.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by tarapoa

[ScoRoss]

22 hours ago, tarapoa said:

I watched some of Sporting vs LASK tonight.

It was as I suspected, that with a wee bit more belief, Sporting were there for the taking.  LASK do not come from one of the top leagues, but are clearly a team on the rise.............and they did not show the respect we did in sticking everyone behind the ball for much of the match until it was too late.

I think there were perhaps a lot of hipster comments about the quality of Sporting, and being pleased that AFC generally did okay over there.  Personally I think with the shackles off a bit, that one was maybe there for us, particularly with it being their first match - and the QR3 glass ceiling continues.

 

 

Sporting were there for the taking, if Aberdeen had the talent to take advantage of it... LASK are far superior in talent to Aberdeen.

Maribor were there 'for the taking'. Sporting were several levels above, who when they decided to keep the ball for 10 minutes, they could.