League Cup Dundee v Aberdeen

[Pacman1903]

Few observations from yesterday...

1) We were stinking again.
2) We never had a shot at goal in first 45 minutes
3) We were outclassed in every area of the field by a Championship team for most of the game
4) We have no leaders on the park and no drive - we miss Shinnie big time when the chips are down
5) Bryson looks unfit and still unsure how and where he's going to fit into the team anyway
6) Gallagher is fast - that's all I can say about him after about 6 or 7 games now - what position is he meant to be playing? I've still no idea.
7) Hedges and McGinn were dross
8) Ojo was meant to be the guy to get on the ball and control the game - it seems to me he thinks he's better than he actually is. Dean Campbell did a better job of moving the ball around once he came on than Ojo had done.
9) Why McInnes brought on Campbell for McGinn when we were behind is beyond me - bring Campbell on for Ojo or Bryson. If you're replacing McGinn bring on an attacking player. Bizzare.
10) McLennan is not going to make it - he just runs fast, head down, gets lucky occasionally and beats his man, but invariably makes a mess of it after that. Two or three occasions yesterday he did the first bit well then wasted opportunities.
11) Cosgrove played okay and scored, but he also missed two decent chances in the box.
12) We reverted to hoofball. If we're going to do that could we please play 2 up front. What's the point having 3 central midfielders if you're just booting it over their heads. For what it's worth I think Cosgrove and Wilson could actually form a decent partnership.
13) We didn't deserve to go through, but got very lucky - hopefully it'll give us a bit of confidence back for the next matches.

But apart from that COYR

[BogBrush1903]

Is it just me or has the @rse well and truly fallen out of a vaguely promising start to the season following McKenna "slamming" in a transfer request?

Can that one event single handedly knock an entire fitba team off its axis?

I think we were poor against RoPS away and awful in Tbilisi and those games were in the middle of three home matches against the aforementioned RoPs, Chikhura and Hearts where we resembled a football team...

I'm not sure what's happening but I don't think it's the McKenna transfer request, although that might be affecting his own game.

I do think it's time to phase out McGinn (second half impact sub sounds good) and Logan (hopefully Vyner can show better than he did against St Mirren and Logan could be his back up) this season and Dean Campbell (and Connor McLennan if he can stay fit) looked yesterday as he might be ready to have an extended run in the first XI

Bryson is starting to look like the legs might have gone. Hopefully it's just a fitness issue but his current form is making me recall Paul Hartley in Aberdeen strip, just being played on reputation alone and not for the actual input he's having on the team.

[RedStarTorphins]

Few observations from yesterday...

1) We were stinking again.
2) We never had a shot at goal in first 45 minutes
3) We were outclassed in every area of the field by a Championship team for most of the game
4) We have no leaders on the park and no drive - we miss Shinnie big time when the chips are down
5) Bryson looks unfit and still unsure how and where he's going to fit into the team anyway
6) Gallagher is fast - that's all I can say about him after about 6 or 7 games now - what position is he meant to be playing? I've still no idea.
7) Hedges and McGinn were dross
8) Ojo was meant to be the guy to get on the ball and control the game - it seems to me he thinks he's better than he actually is. Dean Campbell did a better job of moving the ball around once he came on than Ojo had done.
9) Why McInnes brought on Campbell for McGinn when we were behind is beyond me - bring Campbell on for Ojo or Bryson. If you're replacing McGinn bring on an attacking player. Bizzare.
10) McLennan is not going to make it - he just runs fast, head down, gets lucky occasionally and beats his man, but invariably makes a mess of it after that. Two or three occasions yesterday he did the first bit well then wasted opportunities.
11) Cosgrove played okay and scored, but he also missed two decent chances in the box.
12) We reverted to hoofball. If we're going to do that could we please play 2 up front. What's the point having 3 central midfielders if you're just booting it over their heads. For what it's worth I think Cosgrove and Wilson could actually form a decent partnership.
13) We didn't deserve to go through, but got very lucky - hopefully it'll give us a bit of confidence back for the next matches.

Agree with vast majority of that.

The early optimism about some of the new signings is now replaced by a "the jury is out", to varying degrees, on Leigh, Ojo, Hedges.
Also, after we beat Chikhura 5-0, McInnes boldly proclaimed that the performance gave the fans "a chance to see the kind of team I want us to be" this season.
That gave me hope, albeit we were up against a team that would be lucky to be halfway up our Championship table.

So I would ask why have we reverted to last years ponderous, sideways pragmatism, then a hoof in the general direction of Cosgrove?

I can't see it changing much, as I doubt we'll have much scope to bring in many, if any, new players to change it.

My only glimmer of hope is that we'll see an improvement now that we'll be in to the routine of weekend games only.

[its_a_goal]

The two events have certainly occurred at the same time - so its probably not just coincidence. The @rse well & truly fell out of us after that 8 game win streak 4-5 years back too so its not the first time this has happened.

Have to say though, if that is the case it just goes to show & confirm how weak mentally our players are. Are they really that fragile that something like that can throw them completely off their stride?

I think the s'hitebag tactics in Rejika had more of an effect to be honest - that no show has clearly rattled them.

Sadly we seem to have a bunch of millenial, s'hitebag, snowflake jessies in the squad. The proper mannies of yesteryear must be wincing watching it...

Not sure the tactics in Rejika had that much of an impact. They weren’t causing us any problems for an hour until Logan decided to have his brain fart and give away a needless penalty.

I think poor team selection and a lack of mental strength within the squad are more to blame than tactics

[mondo_notion]

My only glimmer of hope is that we'll see an improvement now that we'll be in to the routine of weekend games only.

I think you are right. It's a common phrase but I really do think it's too early to be too negative about the team.

Lets get stuck in to the league and see how we get on. We've got pace with Gallagher, Hedges has had a few crap games but he's got the skill and confidence to take the ball in the middle of the park and spread it about. I think Ojo will be a decent player for us. McLennan has talent, he wont stop trying until he's beaten his man and should be popping up with a few goals. I do actually think we'll be seeing Wilson more than Main to.

[RED_JOHN]

This is all getting rather fraught and heated. Might be an idea to move on before somebody gets their feelings hurt.

Who is going to start the official Killie away match thread? That will hopefully help to bring this increasingly poisonous one to a halt.

Your turn...get it started

[Aldo1983]

I think you are right. It's a common phrase but I really do think it's too early to be too negative about the team.

Lets get stuck in to the league and see how we get on. We've got pace with Gallagher, Hedges has had a few crap games but he's got the skill and confidence to take the ball in the middle of the park and spread it about. I think Ojo will be a decent player for us. McLennan has talent, he wont stop trying until he's beaten his man and should be popping up with a few goals. I do actually think we'll be seeing Wilson more than Main to.

To be fair, we already lost to St.Mirren. Not sure getting stuck into the league will achieve much.

[mondo_notion]

To be fair, we already lost to St.Mirren. Not sure getting stuck into the league will achieve much.

Hopefully we'll improve, that would be an achievement.

[GASC1980]

The_Moog's comments on yesterday were spot on. Concur fully. We were exceptionally fortunate yesterday to scrape through and it doesn't mask how shocking we were and sadly how predictable we were also. The early season promise shown in the three home games prior to Rijeka has dissipated at an alarming rate. Players need to get their heads up and take some responsibility. I said to my mates that I honestly couldn't see us being as negative as we were last season but the last 4 games now we have regressed and shown no willingness to control the game and press the game. We must be the easiest team to play against. Look how poor Kilmarnock have been thus far and wait to you see our line up and shape on Saturday. It is going to be another borefest and turgid game with perhaps a hard fought winner coming near the end. I certainly can't see it being a swashbuckling display of free flowing attacking football. Most of the game will be head tennis.

[Aldo1983]

Hopefully we'll improve, that would be an achievement.

You sound like afc1903mad. Have you been kidnapped again. Hold tight, I'll get the team together.