2007/2008 season thread

[Marsh]

That may well be the case, but Charlie Allan does indeed write his column.

It's nothing to be proud of, though, is it!

[Diesel]

That second round draw in full:

Motherwell v Raith Rovers

Queen's Park v Hibernian

Dundee v Livingston

Peterhead v Kilmarnock

Dundee United v Ross County

Montrose v Falkirk

Gretna v Cowdenbeath

Stirling Albion v Hearts

St. Mirren v East Fife

Berwick Rangers v Hamilton Academical

Inverness Cal. Th. v Arbroath

Partick Thistle v St. Johnstone

Pish!

Ya fuckin' dancer

Owing to work committments, I've no chance of getting anywhere near the Theatre of Pies this season, but at least I'll get to see Killie cruise past a team of cousin-fuckers at Balmoor.

[Scorge]

YAS! Easy 3-0 home win over Ferranti Thistle!

Mixed bag for a'body else, I'm chuffed to fuck though.....

[RossP]

Thank fuck for Gretna...

[Scorge]

Thank fuck for Gretna...

Haha, that had me shitting myself when they went 2-0.

Coupon getting cashed en route to the Tunnels tonight, because I left Saints out by happy accident! 8-)

[Murrr]

Toon 3 - 1 Bolton, get in.

Sounds like we absolutely pissed on them for the first 30 minutes too, love it.

[delboy]

first opening day for cambridge since 1998!!!! its all downhill from here mind

[Marsh]

Yet another unforgivable shocker.

Jimmy obviously forgot he'd been talking up an attacking game all week. He fairly knows how to make himself look like a clown.

And if I was Steve Lovell I'd slap in a transfer request NOW. Jimmy made him look like a prick by putting him up front on his own, giving the team no width and then hooking him in front of Darren Mackie who should take a long good hard look at just how shite he was today. Along with Clark and possibly Nicholson who despite scoring offered zilch. I'm just so glad Steve got the reception he did when he got subbed. I'm sure there'll be some article about it this week which just makes Jimmy look right and the fans wrong. They don't deserve anyone to pay at the gate next week and if they moan about it they've only got themselves to blame. We need to improve very quickly indeed.

Where are all the players Jimmy has signed himself and can't find a place for on the bench?

Hearts were shocking as well - we should have pummeled that shower of shite.

Any fient hope we had of beating Celtic before the start of the season has evaporated from me now. If Motherwell beat Killie next week and we lose we'll be 8 points behind them already. Fucking hell.

[Diesel]

Got dragged along to Pittodrie by my Aberdeen-supporting daughter today.

Not a clacsic.

Semolina

Norman Wisdom

Flumps

Mother Theresa....

...all things that carry more threat than Steve Lovell.

[Shaki]

Lovell did fuck all today so can't complain about being hooked. I appreciate the service wasn't great but he didn't look to get himself involved. Mackie's incompetence beggars belief though. Severin was great at the back again, I would think he'll play there all season.

All in all it was a shite game nobody deserved to win.

[Jim Stax]

Both goalies could have had a book with them for most of the game...

Lovell got in a few times but when he laid the ball off there was no one there or Mackie was in the completely wrong place, even when he was in the right place he wasn't much cope. He can fair get up to the ball though and gave the big Hearts lads a leap for there money. Not that he did much with it. And what's with the long high balls against a team of giants? The only times Aberdeen seemed to threaten was when the kept the ball down and went wide, which is another factor that Jimmy has forgotten he was going to be playing this season. Thought Zander played a stormer though. Back four looked better today. Something to be slightly encouraged by I suppose...

Two teams as bad as one another today. Boooooooooo

[Marsh]

Lovell did fuck all today so can't complain about being hooked. I appreciate the service wasn't great but he didn't look to get himself involved. Mackie's incompetence beggars belief though. Severin was great at the back again, I would think he'll play there all season.

Tell me how you can get involved when your only strike partner is making a claim for the right back role or not even in the vicinity and the only passes you are getting are floaty balls over the top against two giant centre halfs? Lovell couldn't have got himslef involved any more without withdrawing to a midfield position which would have left us with No attack whatsoever. We could have had Drogba playing for us today and he wouldn't have been able to do any better.

So I reckon he can complain about being hooked over Mackie.

Yep, Seve's the new super centre back. He's great. The downside is we're missing him something chronic in midfield after two games. It's nae much of a trade - off, really as we've lost our most industrious player.

Jim - Zander was indeed brill today. A really assured performance which should lead to a game next week, although I've no idea what jimmy's gonna come up with against Celtic. probably 5 up front and 2 at the back or something wacky.

[Murrr]

Took the trip down to Pittodrie today, which was a pretty shoddy decision. It's been a while since I witnessed such a limp, lifeless performance from an Aberdeen side. I just can't believe how bloody negative our play was... I mean, playing long ball is fine if you have a bloody target man to take the ball down, hold it up and bring others into play, but lumping it up to Steve Lovell and Darren Mackie? Come on, that's ridiculous...

I rate Jimmy as a decent SPL manager but his tactics have been absolute rank so far this season. Severin and McNamara should have swapped positions, and if he insists on playing this long ball stuff then we need Miller or Brewster up front to take the ball down.

We just never really took the game to Hearts at all, it was incredibly frustrating to watch. Their goal was avoidable too (good finish mind).

Diamond did have a very good game though.

To top it off, I ended up getting stuck in front of a couple of absolute neeps... "BREWSTER MIN! YER SLOW AS FUCK!"... what you expect you fucking idiot? He's 41...

[Scorge]

I just can't believe how bloody negative our play was...

The sad thing is that negative play is poisoning every level of football, just look at Reading playing 9-1-0 at Old Trafford this afternoon! Managers of not-all-that-much-cop sides are having to do it to cover their arses, it might be in the best interest of grabbing a point from a 0-0 draw against the Mould Firm or such like, but it's horrible to watch, especially when you're forking out in excess of 20 notes in the case of the SPL.

Mini-rant over.

[Mr.Mike]

The sad thing is that negative play is poisoning every level of football, just look at Reading playing 9-1-0 at Old Trafford this afternoon! Managers of not-all-that-much-cop sides are having to do it to cover their arses, it might be in the best interest of grabbing a point from a 0-0 draw against the Mould Firm or such like, but it's horrible to watch, especially when you're forking out in excess of 20 notes in the case of the SPL.

Mini-rant over.

couldn't agree more. utd vs reading was shite today but i dont blame reading. managers are so scared of being publicly criticised then sacked after only a few bad games that they'd now rather put all their men behind the ball and scrape a 0-0 than risk having a couple guys up front and pulling off a victory. In fairness it's not just small teams though, Liverpool tried to pack the midfield against milan in the CL final in order to stop MIlan playing and that game was pretty shite too.

fans need to start voting with their feet and wallets but i dont see it happening any time soon sadly...

should probably add that, much to my dismay, Chelsea certainly looked to be playing much more exciting footy today. Malouda looks like the best signing mourinho's made since Essien but they're looking a little less solid at the back. should hopefully make things at the top of the PL a bit more exciting.

[Diesel]

To top it off, I ended up getting stuck in front of a couple of absolute neeps... "BREWSTER MIN! YER SLOW AS FUCK!"... what you expect you fucking idiot? He's 41...

As I pointed out earlier in this thread, I watched the Dons 1st team train at Strikers before our game on Tuesday and Brewster outlasted all but Chris MacGuire on the Beep Testing.

I bet neither of those two pricks could keep up with Brewster, even if he had both legs tied together.

[calum]

Oh dear.

1. Second to absolutely fucking everything - first ball, second ball, you name it, they reacted sluggishly to it. Anyone else think they're unfit as well as unarsed?

2. HORRIFIC movement/lack thereof. No wonder Diamond and Severin were forced into so many long balls. OK, MacNamara was generally there offering a short option, but he kept getting forced back because the players in front of him were nowhere to be seen, so it's really no wonder Diamond and Severin were forced into so many long balls. Nicholson and Smith totally failed to show for the ball time and again, and Clark and Hart (Hart especially) just charged forward into unreachable positions out wide every time Aberdeen got the ball.

3. CALDERWOOD. How the fuck does that man do it? I agree that Severin looks good at the back, but we all know he's a competent, versatile player. I reckon MacNamara could offer just as much composure and nous as he does at the back as long as they played him as a spare man with Diamond or Considine picking up. MacNamara, similarly, looks comfortable in midfield and does well enough in a solid, plodding, Makelele sort of way; but there's no chance of really taking charge of games, and that's what we desperately need Severin in there for.

Lastly, anyone else think Foster seemed to be in the huff when he came on?

[calum]

couldn't agree more. utd vs reading was shite today but i dont blame reading. managers are so scared of being publicly criticised then sacked after only a few bad games that they'd now rather put all their men behind the ball and scrape a 0-0 than risk having a couple guys up front and pulling off a victory. In fairness it's not just small teams though, Liverpool tried to pack the midfield against milan in the CL final in order to stop MIlan playing and that game was pretty shite too.

fans need to start voting with their feet and wallets but i dont see it happening any time soon sadly...

Speaking as a fan, I'd rather see my team be negative and well organised and grind out results than see them lose 4-3 every week for the sake of neutrals watching at home, most of whom seem to have no appreciation of the fact that it takes a hell of a lot of skill, commitment and organisation to pull of something like what Reading did today.

[Guest idol_wild]

Yesterday was unacceptable in my view. Although firstly, I'm going to do the seemingly unbelievable and stick up for Darren Mackie. Yes, he had a poor game. This was always going to be the case when, after 67 seconds, he couldn't control a slowly paced pass straight to his feet. But the crowd's reaction everytime Mackie got the ball was as unacceptable as Aberdeen's performance. This guy was our top scorer last season. He got us off our seats 13 times to celebrate last season. Without his goals, we would not have finished in a European qualifying place. If, even, the top six (I've not looked at the table from last season to work that out, mind).

Mackie is, undoubtedly, a confidence player. Yes, you could argue that at this level there ought to be no room for confidence players at any club. But he's a human being. Every human performs better at whatever they do if they are confident. You could see that everytime he touched the ball yesterday, he knew he was going to get pelters from the crowd regardless of what he did - so he always chose the easy pass and, often, hid from areas where he would normally risk to take up if he was more confident.

As for taking Lovell of before Mackie, I was also disappointed - it'd be nice to see him play 90 minutes more frequently. However, I felt Calderwood showed major balls for doing this. He knew that if he hooked Mackie, the fans would have cheered the fact that Mackie was coming off - this would have shattered Mackie's confidence even further. Thus, he'd take longer to refind the confidence he requires to operate at his dangerous best. Calderwood took the stick from the fickle fans, so that Mackie didn't have to. Good move, in my opinion.

Mackie will be our top scorer again this season. Let's get behind him and bring the literal meaning back to the phrase "supporter".

Secondly, Calderwood's tactics were misguided to say the least. Yes, he'd done his homework by starting with Lee Mair at left-back (who had a good half, I felt), so that he could snuff out the diagonal balls into that wide-right area, which Hearts always love to do. And right enough, little got past Mair. However, as an attacking unit, we were lacking in any real ideas. Jamie Smith produced one bit of sheer magic to set up the goal, but was largely toothless for the remainder of the game. Another player who perhaps lacks a bit of confidence to take risks. Although at least if he tries something, the fans cheer, unlike Mackie, who'll just get fucking stick.

As everyone seems to have highlighted, we should have started with Miller or Brewster up-top, with either Lovell or Mackie directly alongside him. None of this faux 4-3-3 nonsense. Two people upfront together will always yield results if the long ball is preferred.

But agreed: Severin, Diamond, and Hart all had excellent games at the back. We're already missing Severin in midfield, but he'll be at centre-half all season, I feel.

Bring on the Celtic

[Guest Jake Wifebeater]

Dunfermline 0-1 Morton

Fucking radge.

[Jim Stax]

Yesterday was unacceptable in my view. Although firstly, I'm going to do the seemingly unbelievable and stick up for Darren Mackie. Yes, he had a poor game. This was always going to be the case when, after 67 seconds, he couldn't control a slowly paced pass straight to his feet. But the crowd's reaction everytime Mackie got the ball was as unacceptable as Aberdeen's performance. This guy was our top scorer last season. He got us off our seats 13 times to celebrate last season. Without his goals, we would not have finished in a European qualifying place. If, even, the top six (I've not looked at the table from last season to work that out, mind).

Mackie is, undoubtedly, a confidence player. Yes, you could argue that at this level there ought to be no room for confidence players at any club. But he's a human being. Every human performs better at whatever they do if they are confident. You could see that everytime he touched the ball yesterday, he knew he was going to get pelters from the crowd regardless of what he did - so he always chose the easy pass and, often, hid from areas where he would normally risk to take up if he was more confident.

As for taking Lovell of before Mackie, I was also disappointed - it'd be nice to see him play 90 minutes more frequently. However, I felt Calderwood showed major balls for doing this. He knew that if he hooked Mackie, the fans would have cheered the fact that Mackie was coming off - this would have shattered Mackie's confidence even further. Thus, he'd take longer to refind the confidence he requires to operate at his dangerous best. Calderwood took the stick from the fickle fans, so that Mackie didn't have to. Good move, in my opinion.

Mackie will be our top scorer again this season. Let's get behind him and bring the literal meaning back to the phrase "supporter".

Secondly, Calderwood's tactics were misguided to say the least. Yes, he'd done his homework by starting with Lee Mair at left-back (who had a good half, I felt), so that he could snuff out the diagonal balls into that wide-right area, which Hearts always love to do. And right enough, little got past Mair. However, as an attacking unit, we were lacking in any real ideas. Jamie Smith produced one bit of sheer magic to set up the goal, but was largely toothless for the remainder of the game. Another player who perhaps lacks a bit of confidence to take risks. Although at least if he tries something, the fans cheer, unlike Mackie, who'll just get fucking stick.

As everyone seems to have highlighted, we should have started with Miller or Brewster up-top, with either Lovell or Mackie directly alongside him. None of this faux 4-3-3 nonsense. Two people upfront together will always yield results if the long ball is preferred.

But agreed: Severin, Diamond, and Hart all had excellent games at the back. We're already missing Severin in midfield, but he'll be at centre-half all season, I feel.

Bring on the Celtic

My 10yr old didn't want to wear his Aberdeen top today as they didn't win (were poor) at the weekend. We had a wee chat about supporting your team is important, if not more so, when things aren't going so well.

I have said that Mackie was a bit useless this weekend. He did this last season though and his performance and ability grew as the goals started coming. Hope the same happens again.

And I'm not a big fan of the boo boys. Booing a teams overall (continued) poor performance is one thing but to boo an individual players that may have an off day now and again is just not awfully sporting and will make them feel like poop.

Can see them pulling it of the bag for the Celtic match. Raisingg their game against a better team (he hopes). Don't know what my loon will do with his Dons kits if they are crap again.o_O

See Calderwood is kinda suggesting that the change of tactics early in the game 'was' a good idea. Dafty

Mon the Dons...

[Paranoid Android]

Lee Mair was our best player in the first half.

putting Foster on for him was absurd. To top it off Foster produced one of his worst performances.

Lovell deserved to come off. I couldn't understand the RDS' reaction to the substitution.

Overall it was a terrible game. No team deserced to win.

[Guest idol_wild]

Lee Mair was our best player in the first half.

putting Foster on for him was absurd. To top it off Foster produced one of his worst performances.

I'm pretty certain Mair was injured in the build-up to the Hearts goal - he was holding his head/face immediately afterwards. And not in despair. That's the only explanation I can offer, because Foster didn't seem interested in getting forward too often in the second half.

[Shaki]

To top it off, I ended up getting stuck in front of a couple of absolute neeps... "BREWSTER MIN! YER SLOW AS FUCK!"... what you expect you fucking idiot? He's 41...

You're never further than 3 seats away from a feeble mind with a loud voice at Pittodrie! I had such an unbearable imbecile behind me I had to move at half time. It's the shouts of "half the cunt!" "Brak his fucking legs min!" that amuse me the most. Good advice.

Mair is out for 6 weeks I think. That's why he got hooked at half time. Wasn't Foster's day exemplified by letting the ball run under his foot and out in the 90th minute.

[Mr.Mike]

Speaking as a fan, I'd rather see my team be negative and well organised and grind out results than see them lose 4-3 every week for the sake of neutrals watching at home, most of whom seem to have no appreciation of the fact that it takes a hell of a lot of skill, commitment and organisation to pull of something like what Reading did today.

each to their own but personally I'd prefer to watch football than an excercise in man marking (Regardless of how much skill and organisation is involved) and trying to force a nil nil when reading have a team perfectly capable of beating united. It's dull but I do see your point.