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St. Johnstone v Aberdeen (The Massey-Ferguson Main Event)


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Would like to see us really take the game to Aberdeen early on here, rather than wait to see what they'll bring. Lets see if we can get ahead and make the opposition chase the game for a change.

Bit of an unknown for Aberdeen going into this with players out and after only one competitive match in 5 months, so hopefully we get at them and not allow them to settle into it.

Likely to be the same formation, so let's get the wing backs involved far more in attack rather than it becoming a five man defence.  

Personally would like to see us try 3-5-2, with Craig sitting allowing McCann and Wotherspoon to dictate play.  Not going to happen but it would get our two best ball players in the heart of the action.  It's different when you're up against the OF who want to build from the back so the 3 forwards for us forces them long according to the game plan, but with Aberdeen you want to leave their centre backs on it to turn over possession and make careless passes out.

 A 3-0 Saints win to take us up to third would be great, but a hard fought 1-1 draw is probably the sensible prediction.

 

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28 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

 It's different when you're up against the OF who want to build from the back so the 3 forwards for us forces them long according to the game plan, but with Aberdeen you want to leave their centre backs on it to turn over possession and make careless passes out.

 

Be all about "setting traps" against Aberdeen.

CBs are bad for playing one twos with full backs and between each other. One striker presses while the other two sit in gaps, misplaced pass and theyre through.

Shame McKenna is missing.

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1 hour ago, Rodhull said:

If he doesn't play Ruth or a potential new signing up front I hope he at least puts someone like Mcginn or McLennan up top rather than the rumour Ferguson would play there against Hamilton.

I'm sure someone will correct me but I'm certain we played Kennedy a couple of times just in behind as a second striker. Can't see Deek doing that but football team managers have been known to do strange things. 

As for us I agree with @PauloPerth that 5-3-2 / 3-5-2 with Wotherspoon and McCann (and fit Davidson) is probably our strongest shape, but I will very surprised if it's not a front 3 tonight. 

My issue with the front 3 is that it forces the choice between Wotherspoon and May and as I've already said, though others disagree, I think they are both must-starts. 

I'll be very interested to see how MOH plays tonight, after a really good piece in the Courier by Eric Nicol. 

Edited by Valentino Bolognese
Typos
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17 minutes ago, Valentino Bolognese said:

I'm sure someone will correct me but I'm certain we played Kennedy a couple of times just in behind as a second striker.

Aye, played as a lone striker at home to Rangers aswell.

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Bit of an opportunity here for McIness to make a statement about the future team.

A midfield and strikers 6 of McCrorie, Ferguson, Campbell, Kennedy, McLennan and McGinn. Not get bogged down in shape and let them pass and move and rotate positions naturally, away from the static pish of previous games. 
 

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2 hours ago, Bob Mahelp said:

Hayes will be left back for a start. If Bryson is fit/available he'll play, and Ojo will be in there somewhere as well. 

I don’t think that he’ll want to play any of the four players coming back due to lack of training time with the rest of the squad, but pretty sure he’ll make an exception with Jonny Hayes due to lack of a left back. He might play Ruth and if he does he definitely won’t want two rookies in the same side so can’t see MacKenzie getting a start.

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1 hour ago, RandomGuy. said:

Be all about "setting traps" against Aberdeen.

CBs are bad for playing one twos with full backs and between each other. One striker presses while the other two sit in gaps, misplaced pass and theyre through.

Shame McKenna is missing.

You can do that effectively with a front two working together, and Wotherspoon or McCann can push up onto their deeper sitting midfielder as well.  Under pressure the Aberdeen defenders won't hesitate to go long.

Its irrelevant anyway, pretty sure we'll be sticking with the same system we've been playing.

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8 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

You can do that effectively with a front two working together.

Aye, but its the CB to FB pass youre trying to catch them out with. You can effectively mark their entire backline with a front three. The two CMs push up and if theyre playing one up front, one of your CBs is meant to press up onto the CAM aswell. 

Other benefit is it can turn into a 5-4-1 easily if/when we find ourselves under the cosh. Aberdeen rely almost entirely on wing play, you take that away then should be able to stunt them, especially if they dont have a big lump to stick up front.

Sort of like this...

Screenshot_20200820-135919_Chrome.jpg.fac9bac7950bc2b9c1f009a8ed3c922c.jpg

Their CBs seem really bad for checking back on themselves/forcing passes to full backs, so your wide forwards lay in wait to pounce on a poor pass to the full backs.

Edited by RandomGuy.
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58 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Their CBs seem really bad for checking back on themselves/forcing passes to full backs, so your wide forwards lay in wait to pounce on a poor pass to the full backs.

I think they might have noticed something that happened this weekend that will make them a bit more alive to that particular situation. 

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Guest Bob Mahelp
2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

Aye, but its the CB to FB pass youre trying to catch them out with. You can effectively mark their entire backline with a front three. The two CMs push up and if theyre playing one up front, one of your CBs is meant to press up onto the CAM aswell. 

Other benefit is it can turn into a 5-4-1 easily if/when we find ourselves under the cosh. Aberdeen rely almost entirely on wing play, you take that away then should be able to stunt them, especially if they dont have a big lump to stick up front.

Sort of like this...

Screenshot_20200820-135919_Chrome.jpg.fac9bac7950bc2b9c1f009a8ed3c922c.jpg

Their CBs seem really bad for checking back on themselves/forcing passes to full backs, so your wide forwards lay in wait to pounce on a poor pass to the full backs.

I actually laughed out loud at someone producing a tactics board for their P&B team talk. 

Cheers for that. 

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