Aberdeen v FCSB

[The_Moog]

Didnt see it live last night as was at ACDC in Edinburgh (cracking show) but watched the whole game earlier & have to agree with a lot of the comments.

Firstly credit to all for battling back to get the draw, but fuuck me, yet again we make things incredibly hard for ourselves through our own ineptitude.

We played ok. Kept the ball pretty well but generally did fuuck all wi it as usual.

We are getting nowhere until the defence gets sorted out though - both basic mistakes & positioning.

Milnes positioning is terrible at the first goal. That said it was more on molloy and that goal showed why I just dont rate him that much. He has his attributes, but he’s just too wee, not physical enough, not good enough in the air & got beat yet again for a bread & butter defensive header.

Im done with the full backs constantly pushing on thing too. Its utter suicide.

Jensens positioning for the first goal when they are in possession and clearly going long is just ridiculous. Hes miles too far up the park.

We are getting nowhere until there is more pragmatism & common sense in the defensive setup cause its a complete clusterfuuck - Goowinesque levels.

Thelin needs to wise up on the fullbacks being pushed way way too far up the park far too often as its contributing to losing goals every week.

Polvara better get a start next week inna. He earnt it.

Games not over, but we are not keeping a clean sheet with the current defending and winning over there is going to be tough.

[rico94]

Didnt see it live last night as was at ACDC in Edinburgh (cracking show) but watched the whole game earlier & have to agree with a lot of the comments.

Firstly credit to all for battling back to get the draw, but fuuck me, yet again we make things incredibly hard for ourselves through our own ineptitude.

We played ok. Kept the ball pretty well but generally did fuuck all wi it as usual.

We are getting nowhere until the defence gets sorted out though - both basic mistakes & positioning.

Milnes positioning is terrible at the first goal. That said it was more on molloy and that goal showed why I just dont rate him that much. He has his attributes, but he’s just too wee, not physical enough, not good enough in the air & got beat yet again for a bread & butter defensive header.

Im done with the full backs constantly pushing on thing too. Its utter suicide.

Jensens positioning for the first goal when they are in possession and clearly going long is just ridiculous. Hes miles too far up the park.

We are getting nowhere until there is more pragmatism & common sense in the defensive setup cause its a complete clusterfuuck - Goowinesque levels.

Thelin needs to wise up on the fullbacks being pushed way way too far up the park far too often as its contributing to losing goals every week.

Polvara better get a start next week inna. He earnt it.

Games not over, but we are not keeping a clean sheet with the current defending and winning over there is going to be tough.

I stuck up for Thelin through that terrible run last season when others were wanting him gone but I just get the feeling that its only going to end one way.

Hes not going to change his philosophy of having our fullbacks pushing up so high and its going to continue to cost us conceding avoidable goals.

Thelin still has a lot of credit in the bank from the fans after winning the Scottish Cup and Cormack definitely wont want to sack him anytime soon.

Unfortunately if we continue to lose or draw games that we should be winning because of our defensive mishaps I can see the fans turning on Thelin and giving Cormack no option other than bin him.

[Don Julio]

I?m no footballing expert, but having listened to a fair few podcasts and read the Gavin McPhee stuff, isn?t the point that when we attack the two central midfielders are supposed to cover the centre, leaving the actual centre backs to move out to cover the full back positions.

Isn?t that why the midfield two tend to sit in. Because if they don?t then the actual centre backs are left massively exposed. It?s also presumably partly why he wants mobile centre backs with ball playing ability?

So is it the theory that?s wrong or the execution?

[rico94]

I?m no footballing expert, but having listened to a fair few podcasts and read the Gavin McPhee stuff, isn?t the point that when we attack the two central midfielders are supposed to cover the centre, leaving the actual centre backs to move out to cover the full back positions.

Isn?t that why the midfield two tend to sit in. Because if they don?t then the actual centre backs are left massively exposed. It?s also presumably partly why he wants mobile centre backs with ball playing ability?

So is it the theory that?s wrong or the execution?

That would make sense to me but from what I have seen it doesnt seem to be happening.

Palaversa and Nilsen were usually on the edge of the opponents box passing the ball out to the wingers and fullbacks, I cant recall many times where they slotted in to the fullbacks position to cover them and I dont think I have seen any of our holding midfielders doing that much in any other game.

When Jensen signed we were told he was a player who could play in a number of different positions, maybe have him as one of the holding midfielders so he can cover the fullbacks when they are high up the pitch.

[TheDeeDon]

I?m no footballing expert, but having listened to a fair few podcasts and read the Gavin McPhee stuff, isn?t the point that when we attack the two central midfielders are supposed to cover the centre, leaving the actual centre backs to move out to cover the full back positions.

Isn?t that why the midfield two tend to sit in. Because if they don?t then the actual centre backs are left massively exposed. It?s also presumably partly why he wants mobile centre backs with ball playing ability?

So is it the theory that?s wrong or the execution?

I think that was part of the success of our winning run at the start of last season.
Nilsen and Shinnie sat in more and it sort of worked, until opponents sussed us out after the first run of games, with injuries and fatigued players playing their part too.

I think I have posted on this thread already about how important the midfield pairing is, for this system Thelin prefers.

Then again, the same applies to all other areas of it.