Kmcalpin

My ambitions are more modest. A Hearts win. We won't finish in the top 3.

I agree. However, it would be a very tough encounter at the best of times, but I do fear tonight due to tiredness and exhaustion. JT and McGinn, for example, have played almost 3 full games each since a week past Wednesday. Other players like Cooke haven't impressed; Thor is still getting up to speed; and the likes of McGhee and Nicholson aren't fully match fit yet. I guess thats when the manager earns his corn in situations like today. We do have to stop giving up early chances; this is a worrying habit thats developed recently. The midfield also has to get itself sorted out. Due to injuries and suspensions continuity has been affected. Up until the Aberdeen games it seemed to be relatively solid, but then began to look vulnerable. St Mirren aren't a great side but they can grind out results, especially in Paisley. Our away form has been solid but not exceptional. Given that, I think a 1-1 or 0-0 scoreline would be a most acceptable result. Still, the team, but more especially the matchday officials, owe the fans one after Wednesday so who knows?

In the olden days, referees would take playing conditions into account when considering punishing "culprits". Not now though. No common sense being applied.

Primarily a centre back or right back, but can play defensive midfield (he was signed to play there under SK). Dundee fans liked him as he was always committed (but not in the Shinnie way). A friend said he'd run into a brick wall for the team. Can also score the odd goal.

I would think that Jordan McGhee is in line for more game time given that he's already made a few appearances from the bench. Probably not capable of lasting 90 minutes but could do a turn for 45 or 60 maybe?

The voice of reason Grizzly. Last night was a very eventful and traumatic cup exit and its not surprising that folk got a bit emotional and let off steam. I have no problem whatsoever with posters venting their frustration on here as long as they don't get abusive or personal. I do think though that expectations pre match were overly optimistic. Last Saturday I'd have put our chances of winning at 50/50, but by Sunday evening I'd estimated they'd dropped to 40/60. The Aberdeen we saw last Sunday was a very different outfit to the one we'd seen earlier in the season. Thats not to say they were world beaters as they're not. Had we lost, with a stronger team and no red cards then I reckon that there would not have been half as much frustration. To put matters in perspective there was a considerable meltdown on P & B as well. That frustration was also mirrored on socials too. Its football fans being football fans. Maybe double standards on my part, but I sincerely hope that the management team didn't get worked up or angry but rather are taking a cold, analytical and dispassionate view of the debacle to ensure lessons are learned and consequential changes made to ensure continuous improvement. We've achieved a lot under JBA but still have a lot to play for this season and improvements need to be made, especially in terms of away form which has been solid, but unspectacular.

Well done for the research sir. That might have been the earliest in Scottish Cup history! I wonder if other teams have comparable records?

Certainly not. According to Richard Gordon he's simply committed. Aye right.

I'm not suggesting for one minute that the incidents were exactly the same only that we've picked up 2 very early red cards in Scottish Cup ties twice in 4/5 years. Both spoiled the games as a contest, irrespective of rashness or sheer bad luck.

Whilst the decision to send off Oscar Priestman was technically correct, I think that the law desperately needs changed in the interests of fairness. Had the incident taken place inside the box then he would have been yellow carded and a penalty awarded. Thats an inconsistency to start with. However, I believe that accidental slips or Louis Laing type stumbles should not be punished in the same way. A free kick or, at worst, a free kick and yellow card should suffice. This unfair law has the potential to ruin games for the paying public.

Oscar Priestman's red card last night wasn't our earliest. Remember Bevis' one in 2022, when he was sent off in the first minute. This is becoming a habit and an unwanted one at that!

Pretty good post in general, but I think JBA got it slightly wrong with Liam Gordon. We've known for a few weeks now that Stephen Welsh wouldn't be available for last night. So, why wasn't Gordon given more game time? Like him or not, he would have been a bit rusty last night. Whilst its unfair to blame Matty Connelly for the defeat, as there were a whole range of factors at play, I think he could have done a wee bit better at both goals. I still think he's too wee for a top flight keeper, and whilst he's generally good with the ball at his feet, he really has to prove himself, which he didn't do last night.

A start would be to avoid giving up an early chance to St Mirren. Thats been a continuing feature of our last few games and its likely cost us 2 points and a place in the next round of the cup.

Jordan McGhee to replace Sparrow at RB?

It didn't matter how good or bad Aberdeen were they struck it lucky and if that streak continues they'll be damned hard to beat unless they meet St Mirren or Falkirk!

Yes, it will carry over.

I agree 100% about the keeper - a needless and baffling decision. Liam Gordon was silly but it was never a red card; that was down to poor officiating. Priestman will be available to face St Mirren fortunately (Ref: Mayo's red card in the cup the week before Killie played us yet he faced us.) I doubt if we'd miss Liam Gordon anyway. Given his lack of gametime recently why did he start? with the best will in the world he'd be rusty. In any event Jordan McGhee is a more than capable capable CB.

Another hard game coming up for us on Saturday, but I'm hopeful that we'll take something from it. We'll miss Fadinger but Welsh will be back. A bit of squad rotation last night will also help. Given the other fixtures, its a chance to put a little more daylight between us and Hibs & Falkirk. A point would do us nicely. Maybe the team will be fired up, by a desire to thank the travelling fans, after last night's defeat. Still, I'm not one to listen too much to pre match talk - just go out and do the business where it matters. We were well overdue a stinker and hopefully that was it last night.

It was a horrible draw, which represented a bad start and that was well outwith our control. I get the need to rotate the squad but think that JBA overdid it a tad, certainly in terms of swapping keepers. To be fair though, he didn't really get the opportunity to find out if it would have worked. Once the game started, a mixture of bad luck (Priestman's red card and a deflected free kick) and questionable refereeing did for us. The pitch wouldn't have helped. Still, as with the League Cup semi it gives JBA another valuable opportunity to learn and assess his charges. He has to learn and quickly from it. We also avoided the need for extra time. To their credit the players never gave up. Some points of concern though. I'm still not convinced of Matty Connelly and despite some good saves, his early error killed the tie. Our lack of another left back is starting to hurt us. The fact that we didn't source one is a source of puzzlement to me. Like Grizzly, I'm just not convinced of RCC. Apart from a goal at Pittodrie he just hasn't done much. I ahd hoped that we'd learnt lessons from Sunday on how to stop Aberdeen's midfield but that didn't seem to be the case. Despite all our nice football, have we the qualities necessary to play on heavy tattie fields in winter? Still onwards and upwards and hopefully we can put tonight's experience to good use in preparing for next season's cups, which with some luck and ability to learn, we will have a more realistic chance of winning.

I agree that this year's team is an exceptional one, but I've never had the impression that it was capable of winning a cup. Of all our best teams that I've seen, none had that cup aura about them. Our current one lacks a bit of bottle, steeliness if you will and it certainly isn't a lucky team and to win cups you need plenty of good luck. Of the current crop of Premiership teams, I'd say that Aberdeen (now)' Falkirk and St Mirren look better cup teams than us. However, we're the best footballing team and will finish above 2 of them, possibly even all 3 in the league and deservedly so. Pre match I rated our chances of progressing at no better than 50/50 and I can't say that I feel too down about the result. The manner of it however is something else. What I do feel a bit down about is what our fans had to suffer - once again virtually out the cup began the game had begun. Many of our travellers would have been optimistic, probably naively so, but thats maybe not a bad thing.

Time to prepare for Saturday and conserve our energy.

I haven't seen it Alan, but in that case you'd be right. It had to be a clear cut scoring opportunity. Intent is irrelevant though as accidental obstruction is no excuse. Louis Laing was red carded when he stumbled and his opponent fell over him.

I don't get the controversy about Priestman. Its stonewall red all day long. Unlucky very much so, but thems the rules, as Louis Laing will tell you. Folk have short memories.

Well!!!! Lets hope we prevent Aberdeen from firing high balls into our box. No corners either please. Presumably, we're prioritising Saturday. Briiliant or foolish? We'll soon find out.

Thats my major concern. We've been hard to beat away from home, but haven't actually picked up many wins.