2010/2011 Season Thread

[Lemonade]

We actually played really well last night. We started woefully like, and didn't come onto a game until they scored, the penalty was as soft as they come, Diamond and Mackie both got booked for complaining to the ref and MM nearly got sent to the stands. It seemed to light a fire under them and they started attacking and playing some really good football. Aluko was fantastic on the left wing, he was getting past their defence like they weren't there, and Maguire was immense on the right, dribbled the length of the pitch at one point and got one on one with the keeper, took too long though and got tackled. The two of the linked up brilliantly in the second half, Aluko would draw the defenders over to the left before switching it over to Maguire who would be pelting down the right and fire in a cross. Vernon was getting on the end of everything and Velicka looked a real handful - I think he'll be a big player for us when he's fit, he always seemed to be there or thereabouts when a cross came in and took his goal well. The young lad at left back did really well also, he was getting the ball down and looking for a pass rather than just lumping it forward like the rest of the defence. The only guys that let the side down were Derek Young who was just fucking hopeless at right back, just punted the thing forward every time he got near it and kept letting his man get past him, and Langfield, who also resorted to long kicks up the park to Maguire, who was being marked by a guy about a foot taller than him and had no chance of ever winning it. Aluko is frustrating to watch as well, great skill but lazy as fuck, won't run for anything and if he gives the ball away he just gives up and hopes someone else wins it back rather than chasing it.

TLDR.

Overall we played really well and there was a lot of fighting spirit about the team, we were unlucky to lose. I hope MM gets until the end of the season at least, as there were signs there that this team can really play.

[Hugh_Jazz]

....and Billy Stark is apparently the man in the frame to takeover, mainly because of his work with the Scotland U-21's.

Being able to turn the best young players in the country into a well drilled outfit, is a far cry from the job we're looking for him to do.

Plus, he's yet another ex-Don player to be fed to dogs.

Great.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Being able to turn the best young players in the country into a well drilled outfit, is a far cry from the job we're looking for him to do.

That said, he's experienced enough and we are pretty much a team of young, raw talent - certainly going forward there is going to be very little cash to buy old-heads, maybe it is someone that can get the best out of a group of youngsters that we need.

Let's face it, as soon as Fyvie, Pawlett, Jack et al are decent enough (read: old enough), they'll either be sold or away to League 1 under freedom of contract.

[Alphas]

If McGhee isn't getting anything to spend in January what makes you think a new manager would? Especially after we pay off McGhee?

I think the board would find it difficult to recruit a new manager without offering something of a budget, it would be the sacrifice they'd have to make if they were to decide to bring someone new in. You're certainly right in there would be very little to spend but even if it was to free up extra wages for a couple of loans or a free transfer but they would find it difficult to get their man without the incentive of making changes.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

So why don't they save the cost of bringing a new manager in and instead make the sacrifice and allow McGhee to spend a little in January?

[Hugh_Jazz]

Also from the P & J this morning:

Dons director of football Willie Miller is a short-term option to return to the dugout while a successor for McGhee is found although the club is also considering putting captain Paul Hartley in charge on a caretaker basis alongside an experienced assistant with former Dundee manager Jocky Scott a potential candidate.

Another former Don, Ross County manager Derek Adams, has a clause in his contract which would allow him to leave Dingwall should an offer come from an SPL club.

Adams is also in contention, but whether his father George, who serves as director of football Victoria Park, would also move to Pittodrie with him is unclear, as a move for father and son would surely bring Miller's tenure at the club to an end.

Hartley with Jocky Scott as assistant?

Not teckle.

[Lemonade]

We actually played really well last night. We started woefully like, and didn't come onto a game until they scored, the penalty was as soft as they come, Diamond and Mackie both got booked for complaining to the ref and MM nearly got sent to the stands. It seemed to light a fire under them and they started attacking and playing some really good football. Aluko was fantastic on the left wing, he was getting past their defence like they weren't there, and Maguire was immense on the right, dribbled the length of the pitch at one point and got one on one with the keeper, took too long though and got tackled. The two of the linked up brilliantly in the second half, Aluko would draw the defenders over to the left before switching it over to Maguire who would be pelting down the right and fire in a cross. Vernon was getting on the end of everything and Velicka looked a real handful - I think he'll be a big player for us when he's fit, he always seemed to be there or thereabouts when a cross came in and took his goal well. The young lad at left back did really well also, he was getting the ball down and looking for a pass rather than just lumping it forward like the rest of the defence. The only guys that let the side down were Derek Young who was just fucking hopeless at right back, just punted the thing forward every time he got near it and kept letting his man get past him, and Langfield, who also resorted to long kicks up the park to Maguire, who was being marked by a guy about a foot taller than him and had no chance of ever winning it. Aluko is frustrating to watch as well, great skill but lazy as fuck, won't run for anything and if he gives the ball away he just gives up and hopes someone else wins it back rather than chasing it.

TLDR.

Overall we played really well and there was a lot of fighting spirit about the team, we were unlucky to lose. I hope MM gets until the end of the season at least, as there were signs there that this team can really play.

To summarise: We were great going forward but shite in defence.

[Alphas]

So why don't they save the cost of bringing a new manager in and instead make the sacrifice and allow McGhee to spend a little in January?

I'd like to see that. I hope they keep McGhee and he gets the chance to bring in a player or two. I guess he had his playing budget set out at the start of the season and he'll have to work within that but we can only hope.

[Bigsby]

Yes, we know Paul Hartley is God, but surely there must be a limit to his powers.

[Chris]

I'd like to see that. I hope they keep McGhee and he gets the chance to bring in a player or two. I guess he had his playing budget set out at the start of the season and he'll have to work within that but we can only hope.

If they do keep McGhee and let him spend in January they have to force him to buy fullbacks. Or see if there's a way of cancelling the Foster - Velicka deal, while not quite as bad as the Dodds - Winters fiasco it has to be about the worst piece of transfer business for a decade at the dons.

Anyway, it's a mute point. I can't see McGhee still being here in January. You can give a manager all the time in the world but if he's not getting results he has to go, relegation is not an option.

[Bigsby]

Anyway, it's a mute point.

Moot.

Sorry.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

The stage is set for Alex Ferguson to do his infamous 'last couple of years at Aberdeen' before retiring.

[Johnny Mac]

At the end of the day, we lost YET again.

Performances mean absolutely zip without the results to back them up. Sadly football is all about the results in our horrible league.

I feel sorry for McGhee, but he has to take a big share of the responsibility, and has made some puzzling (to say the least) signings.

At the end of the day, the buck stops with him (although Milne and Miller are both a disgrace).

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Agree with what's been said already in that the most puzzling piece of business is the Foster/Velicka loan swap.

As limited a footballer as he is, Foster can play anywhere across the defence and midfield, but most importantly at full back, which we're crying out for. With Mackie, Vernon, Magennis, Maguire, Megginson and Paton already on the books as strikers I've no idea why he thought that was a good deal. Yes, Velicka is the best striker we now have, however it's about having strength in depth. Or about having an actual full back in the squad.

[Chris]

Moot.

Sorry.

Fuck.

[Moose]

Oh well chaps, don't get too worried. Should be an easy 3 points this weekend... away... at Ibrox... 14-0?

[Adam Easy Wishes]

12/1 on a Dons win. I'm having some of that, it's got to turn some time. :]

[Moose]

Sold. I'm going to put 200 on then buy a second hand car with my winnings? What will everyone else be buying with their winnings?

[Hugh_Jazz]

Agree about Fozzie. Fail to see how we've got anything out of this deal.

I do disagree about the buck stopping with McGhee though. The buck unquestionably stops upstairs. They employ the manager, they set the transfer budgets, they negotiate the contracts.

Under these constraints, Jose Mourinho wouldn't stand a chance.

[Chris]

Apparently a lot of press hanging around Pittodrie this morning. Suppose that could be more in anticipation of something happening rather than any concrete knowledge of an announcement.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Well I've put all my savings* on so I will be buying a house**, probably.

*I have no savings.

**Pint.

[Bigsby]

Agree with what's been said already in that the most puzzling piece of business is the Foster/Velicka loan swap.

As limited a footballer as he is, Foster can play anywhere across the defence and midfield, but most importantly at full back, which we're crying out for. With Mackie, Vernon, Magennis, Maguire, Megginson and Paton already on the books as strikers I've no idea why he thought that was a good deal. Yes, Velicka is the best striker we now have, however it's about having strength in depth. Or about having an actual full back in the squad.

In McGhee's defence (see what I did there?) at the time the deal was done we had no idea that Vernon and Maguire would form a decent partnership. We also had that Serbian guy on loan from Serie A, but he got injured.

Amsuing how history is rewritten and Foster is now hailed as some sort of defensive genius.

PS When did Charlie Mulgrew last play a game of football? Loan deal in January anyone?

[Chris]

Amsuing how history is rewritten and Foster is now hailed as some sort of defensive genius.

I don't think anyone's rewriting history. Plenty of people said the loan deal was nuts at the time as well without claiming Foster was a defensive genius, he's not. But he is a recognised full back and was arguably our best/most consistent player last season.

Who knows if we'd be in the situation we're in now if he was in the side?

[Johnny Mac]

I do disagree about the buck stopping with McGhee though. The buck unquestionably stops upstairs. They employ the manager, they set the transfer budgets, they negotiate the contracts.

The buck sadly ALWAYS stops with the manager.

As much as the idiots running the club are to blame.... throughout football history.... it's always the manager.

[delboy]

The buck sadly ALWAYS stops with the manager.

As much as the idiots running the club are to blame.... throughout football history.... it's always the manager.

At the end of the day that is so true. And a team clearly cannot go on losing game after game no matter how many injuries and suspensions are hampering the squad. I would imagine McGhee will get away with another tanking at Ibrox but after that his position will become untenerable if the team keep on losing.

The old pay off arguement never washes with me. Cambridge are eternally skint yet we always find the dosh to pay off under achieving managers, usually via a mutual agreement pay off. Then the rebuilding starts all over again and that takes time of course and you usually have to endure even more dross as the new manager makes his mark at the club.

Having seen McGhee's record so far, it is pretty fucking terrible but he's working under severe restraints. Us as fans often expect far too much out of team and its hard and tough to take when you see your team struggle so much especially when you have enjoyed such spiffing past glories in the past.

My own team were an inch away from the first season of the prem league in 1992 and now we have to entertain the likes of Bath, Eastbourne and Forest Green Rovers to crowds of around 2,500. 6th season of non league football and it looks like we're going to be here for another season.

Bloody football drives you barmy, it really does!