Dons v Huns roll call etc

[afc1903mad]

Well, if we must buy in bog standard players, given that we can’t produce players to a bog standard level, how about trying to sign some that play in different positions.

Does he wake up in the morning thinking “ I know, what we really need is another completely s’hite midfielder”?

Its true, we've got enough depth in midfield at the moment.
Last two signing have been a Striker and a Defender.
Before that it was Hayes who most would have thought was a decent addition at this time.

I don't see us buying another midfielder unless others move on.

[Don Julio]

To say our last two signings are a striker and a defender is stretching the truth a wee bit, is it not? Factually it's correct, but Edmondson and Hoban are purely short-term cover as things stand. Whereas if you look at McInnes's signings over the last 12 months, they're heavily weighted towards the midfield - Hayes, Kennedy, McGeouch, Ojo, Bryson, Gallagher, Hedges.

Either way, I hope your final sentence is right, unless it's a genuine attacking central midfielder who can add the spark we're lacking in the centre of the pitch.

[afc1903mad]

To say our last two signings are a striker and a defender is stretching the truth a wee bit, is it not? Factually it's correct, but Edmondson and Hoban are purely short-term cover as things stand. Whereas if you look at McInnes's signings over the last 12 months, they're heavily weighted towards the midfield - Hayes, Kennedy, McGeouch, Ojo, Bryson, Gallagher, Hedges.

Either way, I hope your final sentence is right, unless it's a genuine attacking central midfielder who can add the spark we're lacking in the centre of the pitch.

It’s not a stretch, it’s as you agree, facts.
I agree our previous couple of windows focused on midfield, but that’s because we lost quite a few midfielders I.e, Shinnie, McLean, Christie, GMS, not to miss out on failed signings Gleeson and Forrester etc.

So it’s nots not a shock that we’ve been trying to replace our midfield

Prior to last year, we were focusing on other areas I.e bringing in Cosgrove, Main, Maynardm Arnasun, Devlin, Hoban (first time).

As I said, we have depth in midfield now, so struggle to think we’ll be expanding that area any time soon.
More likely we’ll be shopping around for a Cosgrove or McKenna replacement whenever they move on.

[Donanddusted]

[QUOTE=afc1903mad;39547955]

As I said, we have depth in midfield now, so struggle to think we’ll be expanding that area any time soon.
/QUOTE]

It's just a shame that so many of them are "swimming in the shallow end".

[Don_Corleone]

It’s not a stretch, it’s as you agree, facts.
I agree our previous couple of windows focused on midfield, but that’s because we lost quite a few midfielders I.e, Shinnie, McLean, Christie, GMS, not to miss out on failed signings Gleeson and Forrester etc.

So it’s nots not a shock that we’ve been trying to replace our midfield

Prior to last year, we were focusing on other areas I.e bringing in Cosgrove, Main, Maynardm Arnasun, Devlin, Hoban (first time).

As I said, we have depth in midfield now, so struggle to think we’ll be expanding that area any time soon.
More likely we’ll be shopping around for a Cosgrove or McKenna replacement whenever they move on.

We've wasted money on too many of the same type of midfielders. We should only ever be playing 2 out of the 5 we now have - Bryson, Ferguson, Campbell, Ojo, McGeouch. Trying to squeeze 3 of these guys in at the same time gives you a very turgid midfield, because none of them are creative attacking midfielders suitable for the advanced role.

For me, if McInnes continues to persist with the 4231 formation, our season will hinge on who he plays as the advanced midfielder / number 10. If it's one of the aforementioned midfielders, just so that he can fit another one into the team, we will be just as dire to watch and just as ineffective as last season. If he decides that he will stick with just 2 of those type of midfielders further back, and will play someone more creative and attack minded in the number 10 role, like McGinn, Wright, Kennedy, Hedges, McLennan or even play Anderson just off of the big lad, then we'll be much better to watch and much more effective.

I am pretty sure I know what he will do.

[Aldo1983]

[QUOTE=Donanddusted;39547977]

As I said, we have depth in midfield now, so struggle to think we’ll be expanding that area any time soon.
/QUOTE]

It's just a shame that so many of them are "swimming in the shallow end".

Some have drowned.

[DonUnder]

We've wasted money on too many of the same type of midfielders. We should only ever be playing 2 out of the 5 we now have - Bryson, Ferguson, Campbell, Ojo, McGeouch. Trying to squeeze 3 of these guys in at the same time gives you a very turgid midfield, because none of them are creative attacking midfielders suitable for the advanced role.

For me, if McInnes continues to persist with the 4231 formation, our season will hinge on who he plays as the advanced midfielder / number 10. If it's one of the aforementioned midfielders, just so that he can fit another one into the team, we will be just as dire to watch and just as ineffective as last season. If he decides that he will stick with just 2 of those type of midfielders further back, and will play someone more creative and attack minded in the number 10 role, like McGinn, Wright, Kennedy, Hedges, McLennan or even play Anderson just off of the big lad, then we'll be much better to watch and much more effective.

I am pretty sure I know what he will do.

There is certainly a lot of similarity between Cambell, Ojo, McGeough and Bryson but i believe Ferguson could play further forward. Not a 10 perhaps (when did positions become numbers) but certainly an advanced midfield player. Perhaps he sees himself as a 'quarterback' - or the manager does - but it's a waste of a 20 year old who can score goals sitting in front of the Easter Island statues trying to build from the back.

[InversneckieDob]

There is certainly a lot of similarity between Cambell, Ojo, McGeough and Bryson but i believe Ferguson could play further forward. Not a 10 perhaps (when did positions become numbers) but certainly an advanced midfield player. Perhaps he sees himself as a 'quarterback' - or the manager does - but it's a waste of a 20 year old who can score goals sitting in front of the Easter Island statues trying to build from the back.

The manager has had a boner for a "quarterback" type midfielder for ages.
He persisted in playing Kenny McLean there, ineffectually, for ages.
Now, McLean seems to have nailed down that position at Norwich, but not watching Norwich I've no idea how that's panning out.
The problem with us doing it is that, historically, our two creative guys are wide.

This means they are a long way from the "QB".

If you're going to build from that role you need guys that'll come short and be comfy in possession.

And in the "Cosgrove era" we've defaulted to going long and playing off the second ball(and we've looked rank at winning second balls for ages).

I think any formation with a midfield three of Ojo, Bryson and Ferguson which has Fergie as the deepest of the three, and nae by a little bit, by a long, long distance, is folly.

[Don Julio]

We've wasted money on too many of the same type of midfielders. We should only ever be playing 2 out of the 5 we now have - Bryson, Ferguson, Campbell, Ojo, McGeouch. Trying to squeeze 3 of these guys in at the same time gives you a very turgid midfield, because none of them are creative attacking midfielders suitable for the advanced role.

For me, if McInnes continues to persist with the 4231 formation, our season will hinge on who he plays as the advanced midfielder / number 10. If it's one of the aforementioned midfielders, just so that he can fit another one into the team, we will be just as dire to watch and just as ineffective as last season. If he decides that he will stick with just 2 of those type of midfielders further back, and will play someone more creative and attack minded in the number 10 role, like McGinn, Wright, Kennedy, Hedges, McLennan or even play Anderson just off of the big lad, then we'll be much better to watch and much more effective.

I am pretty sure I know what he will do.

**This**

For quite a long time I felt folks were being too harsh on McInnes. I felt he did the right things when he first arrived. He solidified us, stopped us being a laughing stock, started to get the fans back in the ground. He then went on to build a very effective team (2015-17) which really ought to have won silverware, either the league in 15-16 or the cup in 16-17. But since then we've regressed horribly and it's this apparent combination of stubbornness and negativity which seems to have done for him. That's epitomised by Don Corleone's post. Everyone can see we're crying out for a proper attacking midfielder and he must see it too, but he keeps on with the same turgid set up.

Under Milne I was genuinely worried about who we'd get in, given his track record of appalling and uninspiring appointments. But I have more optimism now and unless something changes drastically this season, I think he's done.

[RedStarTorphins]

**This**

For quite a long time I felt folks were being too harsh on McInnes. I felt he did the right things when he first arrived. He solidified us, stopped us being a laughing stock, started to get the fans back in the ground. He then went on to build a very effective team (2015-17) which really ought to have won silverware, either the league in 15-16 or the cup in 16-17. But since then we've regressed horribly and it's this apparent combination of stubbornness and negativity which seems to have done for him. That's epitomised by Don Corleone's post. Everyone can see we're crying out for a proper attacking midfielder and he must see it too, but he keeps on with the same turgid set up.

Under Milne I was genuinely worried about who we'd get in, given his track record of appalling and uninspiring appointments. But I have more optimism now and unless something changes drastically this season, I think he's done.

We can’t afford to sack him, Docherty, pay them off, & potentially pay for a new management team.
Unfortunately.