Thistle v Aberdeen, Saturday 26th August

[stillresigned]

Bobby Madden, say no more!

[d31]

All scottish refs turn in a stinker of a performance every 2nd or 3rd game. Nothing to read home about it and evens itself out over the season for everyone other than old firm

[G-MAN]

I have genuinely never seen anyone complain about this before. Fantastic stuff. 

Aye on reflection I was maybe taking things too far [emoji106][emoji1][emoji1]

[Jmothecat2]

When the Red TV commentators question how Aberdeen got free kicks for things you know it must be a poor decision.

[Vinnyjag]

Aberdeen deserved to win, going forward they were excellent and the young boy Wright is a fantastic prospect although he will need to sign for 1 of the bigot brothers before Strachan calls him up to a full Scotland squad.

On another note McInnes and Docherty were an absolute fucking disgrace with their antics to get Keown a second booking and sent off, classic old firm behaviour that I didn't expect to see from them, unbelievable scummy antics which are a disgrace to football.

 

[Nightmare]

5 minutes ago, Vinnyjag said:

On another note McInnes and Docherty were an absolute fucking disgrace with their antics to get Keown a second booking and sent off, classic old firm behaviour that I didn't expect to see from them, unbelievable scummy antics which are a disgrace to football.

 

You didn't? McInnes has always been about that kind of stuff, tbh. Both as a player and a manager.

In fairness, Keown's tackle was deserving of a second yellow, so it's not a massive deal in this instance. But it really didn't look like he was going to get one until Del Boy made his feelings known to Madden.

[2pac]

Aberdeen deserved to win, going forward they were excellent and the young boy Wright is a fantastic prospect although he will need to sign for 1 of the bigot brothers before Strachan calls him up to a full Scotland squad.
On another note McInnes and Docherty were an absolute fucking disgrace with their antics to get Keown a second booking and sent off, classic old firm behaviour that I didn't expect to see from them, unbelievable scummy antics which are a disgrace to football.
 

Wright is In the Scotland squad for his age group

[jaggyness]

Just watched highlights. Hadn't noticed but 3rd Thistle goal looks offside to me. Doolan (I think) is clearly obstructing Lewis from an offside position

[RandomGuy.]

I have genuinely never seen anyone complain about this before. Fantastic stuff. 

Welcome to the world of a Saints fan.

At least the "Mewl Derby" had a clear winner in Aberdeen.

[Armand 2]

Very disappointing not to take anything from the game after putting so much into it. Certainly some positives to take but also a couple of considerable concerns.

I think a lot of folk are misdirecting their frustration at Madden. I can't quite get the disgruntlement at the Wright incident - he's went to go over to the other side to waste time which is pretty standard practice. His number has went up before he's got there and has went to Madden instead who - it appears everyone has missed - told him to get on his bike. Madden lets a lot go that other refs wouldn't which I like about him; he generally keeps his cards in his pocket and despite the Aberdeen bench's protestations being a bit unsportmanlike, it was a second booking all day long for Keown from where I was sitting. Whether that was inconsistent in respect to the others that went before is a fair enough debate, I suppose, but no real complaints from me. To blow for full time when we had a corner was very poor though and is the second time we've had that this season already (HT at Easter Road).

What would be more appropriate would be to lambast Bannigan for sheer idiocy, not once but twice - and it was only thanks to Madden that Aberdeen's penalty wasn't their second of the day. Bannigan has a horrendous habit of coming through the back of opponents and it's not the first time that hamfistedness has cost us.

I'm loathe to criticise Archie as he's generally always right but I'm at a loss how he can't see that we're short in the centre of midfield. Barton is a real handicap in midfield - he has the turning circle of an artic lorry and his tendency to slow the pace down to a stop kills our attacking momentum. You could see how much better he looked when he collected from Cerny and had space to run into. If we're insistent on playing him in midfield, that good grace that he had from winning POTY is going to diminish quickly. 

Goal aside, Keown had a bit of a nightmare in general. His distribution was appalling and it further emphasised the preference for Barton to be in there. 

On the whole, I was unconvinced by Nitriansky. I thought he dealt reasonably well with Wright in the first half and was clearly under instruction to stand off as Wright would have had him on the turn. But as the game wore on, he looked increasingly vulnerable. He let a corner past him at the front post which was criminal defending and everyone let him know about it. Going forward, he offered little and I was left wondering whether he was really the best option we had available to sign as cover.

I thought Sammon put in a workmanlike shift but is obviously lacking in any refined talent. He provided a lot of cover for Nitriansky, won his fair share of diagonals (until O'Connor came out to mark him) and I reckon he'll be a good option this season. Spittal's delivery was excellent and he'll be valuable this season.

It's not ideal to be 0/12 so far but I'll wait until we've played the teams around us before declaring a state of emergency.

[RussellAnderson]

Comments on Thistle:

Spittal's corners were fantastic. Before your third, he put in an exact replica of the delivery, swerving, right into the mixer, no chance for the keeper to get it. He'll win you matches if he keeps that up. 

Sammon is a lump, but with the right players around him he could be useful for yous. He's deceptively fast and won everything yesterday. Shame he can't really play football properly, but as a surface to bounce the ball off he could come in handy. 

Keown absolute heads gone as he walked off, taking the abuse from the Dons fans down the touchline. He stared into the crowd as they GOADED him and he GOADED us back by mouthing f**k off. Very rattled, and I commend the Dons fans on their restraint in the face of such provocation. 

Comments on Dons:

Shite at the back. Sort it Del. 

Wright's goal was just nnnggghmmmf.

Tansey played a low, swerving, cross-field ball out to Logan near the end of the game, before the winner, and I want to write a poem about it. 

Rooney and May up top together is a very exciting avenue  we could go down. Allows May to drop deeper, while still giving us something to aim at up top, plus you've got two of the best finishers in the league in your team. 

ROOOOONEY welcome back boi. 

O'Connor and McLean having a bit of a set to in the box after an error was worrying, never a sign of a happy camp. Hopefully McInnes sorts it out. 

Two stonewall penalties, of which we got one. I'll take it. Could have been 5-3 though, and my boy @JockysJetpack would have taken me out for steak dinners. Wasn't too fussed about Madden, but if we'd been denied a last minute corner I'd have flipped my nut so Thistle fans have every right to complain there. 

All in all, a terrific game, and I'm sure Thistle will get their wins sooner or later. All the best for the season.

[Highlandmagyar 2nd String]

Comments on Thistle:
Spittal's corners were fantastic. Before your third, he put in an exact replica of the delivery, swerving, right into the mixer, no chance for the keeper to get it. He'll win you matches if he keeps that up. 
Sammon is a lump, but with the right players around him he could be useful for yous. He's deceptively fast and won everything yesterday. Shame he can't really play football properly, but as a surface to bounce the ball off he could come in handy. 
Keown absolute heads gone as he walked off, taking the abuse from the Dons fans down the touchline. He stared into the crowd as they GOADED him and he GOADED us back by mouthing f**k off. Very rattled, and I commend the Dons fans on their restraint in the face of such provocation. 
Comments on Dons:
Shite at the back. Sort it Del. 
Wright's goal was just nnnggghmmmf.
Tansey played a low, swerving, cross-field ball out to Logan near the end of the game, before the winner, and I want to write a poem about it. 
Rooney and May up top together is a very exciting avenue  we could go down. Allows May to drop deeper, while still giving us something to aim at up top, plus you've got two of the best finishers in the league in your team. 
ROOOOONEY welcome back boi. 
O'Connor and McLean having a bit of a set to in the box after an error was worrying, never a sign of a happy camp. Hopefully McInnes sorts it out. 
Two stonewall penalties, of which we got one. I'll take it. Could have been 5-3 though, and my boy [mention=47392]JockysJetpack[/mention] would have taken me out for steak dinners. Wasn't too fussed about Madden, but if we'd been denied a last minute corner I'd have flipped my nut so Thistle fans have every right to complain there. 
All in all, a terrific game, and I'm sure Thistle will get their wins sooner or later. All the best for the season.

To score three at home and lose four is criminal. Even if it is your lot.

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

Mentally we're 100% there. No matter how poorly we're playing the team believe they're going to win, and they believe we're going to score. 

That counts for a lot. 

Defensively, we're miles away from where we should be. Conceding 5 goals in 4 games all to possible bottom 6 teams is more than a bit worrying. The whole defence is struggling and I can't help but wonder if there's a knock-on effect from McInnes trying to shoehorn Tansey, McLean, Shinnie and Christie into the starting line-up. 

Tansey isn't really giving the defensive cover that I thought he would and I think the back 4 are lacking help. Something to be looked at pronto. 

I still don't believe that Kenny McLean's heart is in it. He doesn't look like he's enjoying his football, and if he wants to leave I'd be happy to see him be sold this week. Otherwise get yer finger out.

[DrewDon]

I thought Tansey was one of our best performers yesterday. He was regularly making himself open to receive the ball and dropping deeper to take pressure off the defence, and his distribution was generally very good. He's been our best central midfielder over the past four games, IMO.

That was the first time O'Connor and Considine have played together at centre-half since the middle of last season, IIRC. They will need time to gel as a partnership (if McInnes decides to stick with them), but Shinnie was the defender most at fault for the first two goals. Third was a collective organisational failure from a set piece. 

[jagfox]

I thought Stevie May was pretty meh. Then again he never really does well against Thistle.

[betting competition]

21 hours ago, Bob Mahelp said:

Mentally we're 100% there. No matter how poorly we're playing the team believe they're going to win, and they believe we're going to score. 

That counts for a lot. 

Defensively, we're miles away from where we should be. Conceding 5 goals in 4 games all to possible bottom 6 teams is more than a bit worrying. The whole defence is struggling and I can't help but wonder if there's a knock-on effect from McInnes trying to shoehorn Tansey, McLean, Shinnie and Christie into the starting line-up. 

Tansey isn't really giving the defensive cover that I thought he would and I think the back 4 are lacking help. Something to be looked at pronto. 

I still don't believe that Kenny McLean's heart is in it. He doesn't look like he's enjoying his football, and if he wants to leave I'd be happy to see him be sold this week. Otherwise get yer finger out.

I thought McLean had a good 2nd half on Saturday we started to dominate in the game. The problem with him is he is terrible as a defensive midfielder and needs to be in an attacking position but like last season he hasn't started the season well - hopefully he will come good again but I don't buy this Rangers pish that fans come out with. 

[Jmothecat2]

I thought McLean had a good 2nd half on Saturday we started to dominate in the game. The problem with him is he is terrible as a defensive midfielder and needs to be in an attacking position but like last season he hasn't started the season well - hopefully he will come good again but I don't buy this Rangers pish that fans come out with. 

I suppose the problem is the way we play there is only really room for one of Christie or McLean in their preferred position. You move Christie out wide and he's less effective or move McLean to a defensive midfield position and he's less effective.

[RussellAnderson]

If we had wide midfielders who could chip in defensively, a flat 4-4-2 with Tansey and McLean as box-to-box players could be good, with May and Rooney up top, but our wingers are very much forwards who suit a 4-3-3. For that to work, you need at least one centre mid who can sit in and cover defensively, eg Ryan Jack. Shinnie can do it, but it limits his contribution going forward, and O'Connor can supposedly do it, but he's shit at it, and he's needed at the back. 

McInnes is going to have to drop one of his faves to create a balance in the team IMO.