Reply With QuoteThis article taken from elsewhere sums us up perfectly at the moment.
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McInnopause - Aberdeen’s cycle has ended
Back in January, Derek McInnes signed a striker.
That’s hardly news in and of itself, but this striker was Sam Cosgrove and, if anything, he symbolizes the malaise of a club under Derek McInnes that has lost its sense of direction.
Few could have expected that when beating Celtic in Glasgow in the final day of last season or when very creditably competing to the last against Burnley in the Europa League. Even on opening day getting a result at Pittodrie against Rangers was impressive.
But, if anything, those performances were more symbolic of Aberdeen’s problems than of their strengths. Aberdeen are a good side without the ball but when they are asked to do something with it, they flounder.
The result is that Aberdeen are a bit dull. In the league, they have scored more than once in a game on only one occasion, against St Mirren which barely counts.
In the first season of AMC masterpiece Halt and Catch Fire, the functional laptop that forms the centrepiece of the plot is equated in car terms - “if you’re selling station wagons in the back, you want to make sure you’ve got a sports car in the window” and it sums up Aberdeen’s predicament quite neatly - they’re a Nissan Qashqai in a shop full of Bentleys and Ferraris. They’ll get you where you want to, yes, but you wouldn’t turn your head to look at them.
And that’s where Cosgrove comes back in to the equation. Carlisle fans have seen many bad strikers in their time and Cosgrove was right up there with them. He was, bluntly, absolute dreck and Cumbrians fans were less glad and more incredulous that Aberdeen chose to pick him up at all, never mind pay actual money for him.
Let’s not kid - Cosgrove has qualities. He’s a big battering ram unafraid to put himself about. But for a side that has been the second best side in Scotland for years and that has the finances to get better, it was a deeply unambiguous signing that betrays Aberdeen’s baffling aversion to risk when signing players. They like them cheap and they like them local and such unambitious signings have inevitable results.
And that aversion to risk includes in setting out the team. A solid back line comes as standard but, when losing Ryan Christie and Kenny McLean for good, McInnes chose to replace those naturally forward looking players with players who are nothing if not more defensively minded. As a result, Aberdeen look not only unable to break down sides, but downright unwilling to. Which, ultimately, brings you back to Cosgrove because the fall back option is low percentage balls towards the big man. They may have Stevie May and James Wilson, but both aren’t exactly in form and neither inspire confidence that they are imminently going to find it. Aberdeen then become easy to predict and easy to defend against.
This is pretty much all self inflicted. Aberdeen have talked like the second best team in the league but they’ve acted like a bottom six club - solidity over invention. Functionality over creativity. Five doors and a roof rack over a rumbling V8.
Pedro Caixinha famously talked about the end of the cycle and, to give him credit, he was possibly far more insightful on it than he was given credit for. Aberdeen glided into second last season as much due to the failings of others as to the exertions of themselves. A Hearts that never had Cathro would have done them. A Hibs with Kamberi and McLaren all season would have done them. A Killie with Steve Clarke all season would have done them. A Rangers not Banter Yearsing would have done them. With the field of challengers at the top wider than ever this year, Aberdeen’s inability to move with the times has finally seen them passed by them. The future is now and a side that favours function over fun can no longer be competitive. Even Killie have managed to evolve past Aberdeen with a blend of intelligent defending that doesn’t compromise on fielding attack minded players.
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This article taken from elsewhere sums us up perfectly at the moment.
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Yes but remember McGhee?
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Could anyone forget him???
Actually thought you had perhaps written that article Mason! But nah I'm sure yours would have been far more critical!!!
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I'm sure plenty will be on soon enough to say that articles sh@te and our current coach is awesome
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That article albeit a bit long winded is not too bad, as for our current coach being “ awesome” as you say......no way whatsoever, if indeed he was, he would not be employed by us......thems the facts.....I’m looking forward to Sunday’s adventures and cheering on the club accordingly.Originally Posted by Pacman1903
SF
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I'll settle for a hot flush on Sunday.
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I’ll settle for getting stuck into them and letting them know we were there.
What is your departure time?
Big man has kindly volunteered to drive and with us having to be there for 2pm it has sort of diminished the scope to visit our usual haunts.....with this, a couple in the riviera earlt morning and then let the fun begin as we head down to take my dad to the match.
Hope to f uck we can do them.
SF
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Stating the obvious in a long-winded way. Whoever wrote it must be paid by the word.
I'd take exception, however, to "Aberdeen glided into second last season as much due to the failings of others as to the exertions of themselves". We were unbeaten (3 wins, 2 draws) in the five post-split games - ABERDEEN's ****ing effort, and if the other ****ers put in front of us weren't up for it, they're the ****s cheating their fans. Someone is making the facts fit their pre-determined narrative and prejudice, which is pish tabloid journalistic hack practice.
I hope to **** that s/he wasn't paid for it.
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A Google search reveals that this is from The Football Life, "a blog run by Richard Wilson. Having started in 2011, it has a particular focus on Scottish football and South East European football becoming known for insight on broadcasting and SPFL Viewing Figures among other things. As seen in print, as used by the SPFL and used as reference for media as diverse as the BBC, ITV, AS and media throughout the former Yugoslavia."
Big in Banja Luka then.
http://www.thefootballlife.co.uk/ I suspect Timmery.
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