Aberdeen Hearts are broken

Aberdeen came into a tough game at Tynecastle today on the back of a very encouraging display against Celtic last weekend, with Hearts struggling to find wins in the SPL having not won since March this year, I was quietly confident that we could take at least a point away from Tynecastle.

My confidence was growing in the early stages of the game as Aberdeen were all over Hearts and looked the most likely to score, but as usual the Dons strikers could not hit the target and were getting caught offside a worrying amount of times.

With virtually their first attack of the game Hearts went up the park and scored and Aberdeen just fell apart. As Red Tv said the worrying thing is that Aberdeen are getting players back from injury and apart from Folly we had a full strength squad out there today.

This was a disgraceful display from Aberdeen especially since they had just under 2000 fans who made the trip to Edinburgh and with reports of SPL attendances dropping, if Aberdeen continue the way they are then those  die-hard fans could slowly disappear.

It is clear there is a major problem at Pittodrie, We have changed managers in the last year, made major changes to the team in the summer and things are still looking as bleak.
So what is the problem??? Are the players we are bringing in no better than what we had? Are the player  these days just happy to collect a wage and don’t care what happens on the park?  Do we not have the funds to compete for players better than our opponents? Do the players just not fit in to the managers formation and tactics?
Are the managers tactics just not working? Or is it all of the above.

This is going to be a long frustrating season as a Dons fan I just hope that the players can get their fingers out and turn things around.

Stand Free

 

 

 

New Season, New Attitude, Same missed chances.

Aberdeen came into the new season with most of the fans feeling some optimism that we would see an improved side with the players Craig and Archie have brought in over the summer.
One new signing that was not fit for the game was Chris Clark.

We played well and were creating chances but I was always nervous that we would end up regretting our missed chances as has happened so often in the past.
We could have been 3 or 4 up at half time and if corners meant goals we would have been way ahead. St Johnstone changed it up a bit in the 2nd half and came at us a bit more, but in truth the Aberdeen defence looked comfortable.

The major turning point in the match was the red card to Ryan Jack for a late challenge on Murray Davidson, some people saying it was a bad challenge others saying it was a free kick and a yellow card at most. I will look forward to seeing it on the highlights.
(Having seen the highlights and listened to the players and managers thoughts it looks like it was a red card, the studs were a little high but I think it was just  a young player trying hard to win the ball)

Craig Brown has spoken about wanting to bring in a flair player and after seeing some of the missed chances I can see what he means. Hopefully said striker will be in place before our trip to St Mirren next weekend.

So not the flying start we had last season (but look how that turned out) but we need to remember that it is a marathon and not a race.

So in all I am disappointed with the 0-0 draw and the missed chances but pleased with the build up play and attitude of the team.

I would also like to mention Ricky Foster who got a hard time in one of the pre season games for going on loan to Rangers last season, he played well and had a few chances, he looked like (as someone on twitter said) a man on a mission.
Ricky was also voted man of the match Keep up the good work Captain Foster.
I was also impressed with Josh Magennis, our new signing’s impressed also. I don’t think we had a bad player in the team today.

Stand Free

>Comings and goings

>On Friday I woke up to the news that Paul Hartley had retired from the game to concentrate on getting his coaching badges and move into management.

For a while the talk has been that Paul no longer had the legs for top level football, but you could see the football brain working as he directed the players around him.

I think Paul made the correct decision and would love to see him stay on as a coach but listening to the interviews he is looking at becoming the main man, even if it means getting his hands dirty in the lower leagues.

Hartley was one of those players you loved to hate when he played against you, but that is a credit to him as like our own Willie Miller he was a fighter and went in hard for every ball and his own fans loved him while our rivals hated him.

I am sure all Aberdeen fans as well as Scotland Fans and the fans of the clubs who have been lucky enough to have Paul in their ranks over the last 17 years will join me in wishing Paul all the best for the future.

Today the news was Jamie Langfield has signed a new one year contract, my thoughts are yes Jamie makes mistakes but which keeper does not.
The ones who make very few mistakes cost millions, Jamie is one of the best keepers outside the old firm in the SPL.

There are other area’s of the team that need new players brought in before our goal keeper.
Saying that if we move on Howard and bring in a decent back up, who knows what might happen, maybe that’s why it is only a one year deal.

I am one Aberdeen fan happy to see Jamie stay.

Stand Free

>Where will a victory come from?

>Today’s game against St Mirren was a chance for Aberdeen to say sorry to the fans that did turn up  for the terrible season and thanks for sticking by us.

Instead we got another inept performance, I hardly remember hearing the St Mirren goalkeeper mentioned, to be fair Jamie Langfield was not really put under any pressure, but St Mirren took one more chance than we did and are now guaranteed SPL football next season.

I am just happy that we did have that purple patch when Craig Brown and Archie Knox came to Pittodrie as those point picked up then saved us from relegation.

With one more game to play, against Hibs this Saturday, who would bet against St Mirren leapfrogging us and leaving us 2nd bottom when the season is complete.
I really cannot see where a win is going to come from.

So what now? We have a few players out of contract, so there may be some changes over the summer , but will the players who come in be any better than those departing.

What will the management team be thinking? Will next season be their last when their contracts run out or will they stay to see  the job complete.
If they are going to retire are the board actively looking for Suitable replacements or are they going to wait until 2 weeks before the start of the 2012/2013 season.

These questions will all be answered in the next twelve months.

As for us fans the majority will return to spend their hard earned money following the Dons or in my case another years Subscription to Red TV, but some I fear will find other more entertaining ways to spend their Saturdays.

Stand Free

>Maguire makes Hamilton pay the Penalty

>After a five star performance on Saturday against Kilmarnock, I thought today’s game would be a hard battle.
Hamilton are scraping for points and I knew they would try to do anything in their power not to lose the game.

Chris Maguire calmly stepped up and took the penalty that turned out to be the only goal of the game.

After the way the team played on Saturday I was glad to see Paul Hartley did not walk straight back into the starting line up. The players that played on Saturday earned their start for tonight’s game.

It was a nervous game at times and it sounded like Jamie Langfield once again made a few good saves to keep us in the lead.
The last five minutes Hamilton were really putting on the pressure but out defence stood strong and took the three points.

With fifteen points between us and bottom place Hamilton I think we can safely look up towards the teams we are chasing and not down at the relegation dog fight.

Craig brown has made us tough to beat and I look forward to Saturday’s game against Hearts.
Hearts are going well at the moment and are running away with third place, it is going to be a tough game and I would be lying if I said I would not be happy to take a point from this game.

Stand Free