Aberdeen V Motherwell

[Special aka]

I cant believe McCall didn't bring on subs at the end to break up the play and waste time. Still it's a win at Tannadice and a draw at Pittodrie not bad at all.

 

20yrs ago I'd have bitten your hand off for that.

[Lobey_Dosser]

Wee bit of an emotional rollercoaster.

 

Still seriously miffed at the rescheduling of the Scottish Cup games (maybe others were too with just over 6000 at it) and having to miss one of my favourite weekends of the season.

 

Was getting the odd text here and there from the old man and went from feeling ecstatic to absolutely gutted in the space of a few minutes.

 

After the disappointment lifted I've settled on being happy enough with a result I would gladly have taken beforehand. Perhaps even more so having discovered Hutch was absent along with Randy. Why was that incidentally? Suspension? Injury?

 

Selfishly I'm obviously chuffed I'll get to see us play in the Cup this year. I hope we might be beneficiaries of some Sky money though I fear Arbroath's last minute equaliser will have Sky all over that instead.

 

Still finely balanced and still could go either way but let's hope it's 3rd time lucky in getting the job done against them this season.

 

Reckon we will miss out on the prospect of a TV windfall as they are spoiled for choice. Highland derby was an absolute belter.

 

Looking at today's attendance the SFA's scheduling of the 4th round looks to have backfired.

[Special aka]

......................................................... Looking at today's attendance the SFA's scheduling of the 4th round looks to have backfired.

 

 

Agreed, and I do hope they learn from it. (Strange that the Tims report an attendance of 15,000 - exactly the same as their pre-match expectations, yet the BBC radio team there reckoned 8-9k max. Have they now reversed their policy of "under-reporting" attendances )

[steelman1991]

Standard of play from both teams today was absolutely rank and easily the worst I've seen this season. Thought Murphy's wonder strike had won it for us as they really didn't look like scoring (although they could and probably should have scored a few early on). Enjoyed my day despite the late goal and the atmosphere either side of the fence was a good laugh although I think the Salvation Army want their band back.

 

Just the f...in instruments - why did they let the guy with the Sousaphone practice all the way through the game - 6 notes all game. You'd think he could have found somewhwere else to practice . Still next week he'll be on page 2 of the tutorial.

[daver]

Watching Sportscene and it looks as though McGinn might have been slightly offside for his goal. Definitely ahead of his man (Kerr) and I thought he was a shade ahead of Cummins as well, admittedly the officials don't have a pause button.

[Kmcalpin]

All things considered a very good result for us today. Probably the result was better than the performance but I'm not complaining. Before the game I'd have bitten your hand off for a draw. When I heard the team I feared a real beating.

 

Neither side did enough to win and a draw was fair. For their part the Dons worked like trojans and bossed midfield for 70% of the game. They had the bulk of the pressure but didn't seem to have a cutting edge with the exception of the first 10 minutes and last 5.

 

We have played far better and lost this season. Too many misplaced passes, unforced errors and safety first manouevres. Central midfield was posted missing and failed to protect our defence. Credit though to our young stand in centre backs - they only let us down once. I thought that they along with Humphrey and Ojamaa and perhaps Murphy deserved pass marks. Both full backs had poor games and I was disappointed that ZFA was not given another run. Keith Lasley had a game to forget and Michael Higdon had a poor one also.

 

If Aberdeen had to score they could not have picked a better time for us. Had they scored much earlier I've no doubt they'd have gone on to win the tie.

 

We need to show much more character and aggression especially in midfield and not resort to sitting so deep, especially late in games.

 

Still a good day out if a cold one and a very acceptable result. A great goal by Jamie Murphy - it was always going to take something like that to beat Langfield, who had one of his best ever displays against us .

[Juan Kerse]

Moving the Scottish Cup date was a total fuck up.Why dont they just have the Scottish cup 4th round as the first game back after the winter 'break'. everyone would be giddy for it.

[milo]

Another kick in the baws with such a late equaliser. And one that looked offside at that. Shame for the young centre half pairing to come so close to keeping a clean sheet. I fear our chance may have gone, but our bad home form cannae last forever. "Injury ravaged Aberdeen side" my arse. Broon had been peddling that pish all week.

 

What a goal by Murph and great celebrations with Higdon and Cummins ending up in the crowd.

 

Questions have to be asked as to why McCall didn't once again bring anyone on at all in the last couple of minutes to eat into time.

 

3 last minutes equalisers have now cost us 4 points this season and possibly now a place in the next round in the cup. The more of these we concede, the more the players may fear it is likely/inevitable in other games.

[Well_Jaggy]

Shouldn't really matter about the subs milo. The ref is supposed to add 30 secs minimum for each substitution. at best if may have broken up their play, but shouldn't cost time.

[steelboy]

 

Questions have to be asked as to why McCall didn't once again bring anyone on at all in the last couple of minutes to eat into time.

 

 

he's the world's worst manager when he comes to making subs.

 

even when we had the ball at the end of the game instead of getting the ball into corners and trying to kill time we were lined up across the park the same as always. watching higdon and humphrey's attempt to close down considine is enough to make you greet.

 

good battling performance, great goal and a cracking atmosphere. the best game at fir park in years was the replay against united a couple of years ago, a repeat of that would be ideal.

[foghorn]

Painful at the end but would have settled for a replay prior to the match. Ideally a good performance against Ross County and sensible pricing for the replay to ensure a good noisy support to drive the boys on. We are doing well and many teams would be grateful to be still in the tie following a game at Pittodrie.

Mon the 'Well

[AlmostFrazzled]

Murph's goal was an absolute topper.

 

I have to say if Fraser Kerr is the answer it's a fucking stupid question. Doesn't matter whether he's a right back or centre back, he gets spun, beaten, loses his man...absolute bombscare.

[daver]

I'd generally agree with you but thought he was better than normal yesterday.

[Tweed]

Higdon's yellow card at the goal celebration was costly in my view. Because I think he was about to tackle the Aberdeen player who crossed for the equaliser then chickened out of it, I assume in case he got sent off. Kmcalpin is right about Lasley - that is as poor a game as I have ever seen him play, he seemed to have a spring in his boot sending everything he hit heavy and Higdon really struggled to get involved, partly because Ojamaa and Murphy played so wide and when the ball came for him to hold there were three Aberdeen players round him like flies round a shite to stop him knocking it one way or other. Murphy is really in the zone just now, as well as good striking and wing play he also helped Hammell more than ever I have seen before and given the pace of their midfielders it was a good job from him.

 

Overall I think the game buzzed about from end to end without much quality in the final ball from either team. I said beforehand that there wasn;t the width of a fag packet between these two teams ability wise and I suspect it will be another tight, tense affair at Fir Park next midweek.

 

That Langfield passback incident was one of the bizarrest I have ever seen. Baffling that we didn't get either a corner or free kick from it. As the Motherwell players argued I think you could see a realisation on Collum's face that he had made an arse of it.

 

Replay could go either way - would be really good if we could get the home win monkey off our back against Ross County on Saturday.

[Joeboy]

For me, Hollis wasn't at fault at the goal. Only saw the highlights on Sportscene as unfortunately a mountain of uni work dictated I couldn't go, but I'd say if anyone is to blame for conceding it was Fraser Kerr. Whether it was offside or not, play to the whistle, by all means ball for offside and raise your arms, but don't stop take your eye off your marker, that's schoolboy stuff. As the cross came in, he was ballwatching and nowhere near McGinn and you could see Cummins coming off his man to try and compensate for this but he was too late. A bit of naivety and lack of experience showing there.

 

Possibly the fact there wasn't an experienced, organising centre half yesterday may have contributed too, I'd imagine Craigan would have balled at Kerr the second he strayed.

[AlmostFrazzled]

I'd generally agree with you but thought he was better than normal yesterday.

 

He still completely lost his man for the equaliser though. Switched off when we couldn't afford to, and cost us a win.

[daver]

He lost his man yes but it could be argued he played his man offside. Whether Cummins also played McGinn off as well is a tight decision but I thought he did. They didn't seem to claim for offside though so it maybe wasn't deliberate. I just felt Kerr didn't get the run around he normally does but that was maybe because there wasn't much trickery in Aberdeen's attack.

[Stuarty]

As usual I enjoyed my trip to Aberdeen. When I heard that Hutch was missing and we lined up with Kerr and Cummins at centre back along with Hollis playing his first game of the season I thought we were in for a long day. The first five minutes or so almost confirmed this. After that I felt we came into the game and certainly played our part in a decent match. I must say that is the coldest I have ever felt at a match in a long time. Murph's goal was a peach and jumping about like a mad man certainly warmed me up for a bit!! Gutted to have lost a last kick of the ball goal but hopefully we can change our home form around starting on Saturday and take some confidence into the replay.

 

Lastly total credit and respect to the young and old who made a total racket for 90 minutes in Aberdeen and created a brilliant atmosphere...keep up the good work lads!!

[AlmostFrazzled]

He lost his man yes but it could be argued he played his man offside. Whether Cummins also played McGinn off as well is a tight decision but I thought he did. They didn't seem to claim for offside though so it maybe wasn't deliberate. I just felt Kerr didn't get the run around he normally does but that was maybe because there wasn't much trickery in Aberdeen's attack.

 

Nah, he just lost his man. I don't think there was any attempt to play an offside trap. Or else the entire back 4 would have stepped out and claimed for it.

 

I just feel like Kerr just makes an arse of his defensive duties every time he gets near a game.

[Well 4 Europe]

I just feel like Kerr just makes an arse of his defensive duties every time he gets near a game.

 

Could say same for every defender at the club this season.

[AlmostFrazzled]

Could say same for every defender at the club this season.

 

But Kerr has been doing it consistently. I wanted to fucking cry watching him against Griffiths earlier in the season. It's torture.

 

I just watched the highlights there, he just watches the ball and runs away from McGinn. Literally runs in a completely different direction. That's not even schoolboy defending, that would be offensive to schoolboys.

[Well 4 Europe]

But Kerr has been doing it consistently. I wanted to fucking cry watching him against Griffiths earlier in the season. It's torture.

 

I just watched the highlights there, he just watches the ball and runs away from McGinn. Literally runs in a completely different direction. That's not even schoolboy defending, that would be offensive to schoolboys.

 

Again, the same could be said for all the defenders at the club. Look at Cummins against ICT where he was caught wrong side and lost Foran for their goal, basics. Hutchinson where he went flying in for a header he had no chance of winning at Tannadice and let Daly in to score, basics.

 

Our biggest problem is that we have four centre halfs, two are in their teens and are going to be prone to errors and bad games, one who's a League 2 player in his 30's prone to injuries and Steelmen Online's boy wonder who despite the fanfare on here is a rash defender and has been as culpable as any for the number of soft goals we've lost this season.

 

The centre of our defence is soft as shit regardless of which two of the four you pick and it doesn't help that they don't get protected particularly well by the midfield in front of them, hence why we've kept two cleansheets all season.

[StipeIsGod]

Actually happy we dragged a draw out of this. Sadly, I don't see the home form getting us into the next round.

 

As for what I've read about Fraser Kerr, I'm frankly unsurprised. He is poor. Very poor. I've no idea why we have taken him on loan. Developing what is now someone else's trash as opposed to bringing in experience or developing our own youths, baffles me. The Motherwell youths must be fucking gutted to be considered poorer than Kerr.

 

Additionally, I realise that we have little option in CM, but Lasley needs a week or two out of the team. He's having a piss poor run of form, for the first time in years, and needs a bit of a pressure release. McCall needs to provide competition, and the youths with at least some reason to hope.

 

I realise that I sound utterly negative, but in my eyes, there are some simple changes, which, even in the short term, could change our fortunes.

 

 

 

[Kmcalpin]

Additionally, I realise that we have little option in CM, but Lasley needs a week or two out of the team. He's having a piss poor run of form, for the first time in years, and needs a bit of a pressure release. I realise that I sound utterly negative, but in my eyes, there are some simple changes, which, even in the short term, could change our fortunes.

 

Keith is now 32/33 would a week or two out of the team make any difference - is he ever going to regain his form of previous seasons? A few mutterings in the stands that he's now losing his legs. I must admit I saw his role this season as being more of a supporting role, nursing a younger lad and supporting a Steve Jennings replacement. I never for a moment thought of him as being the mainstay of our engine room. Its grossly unfair of us to expect this of him. In the pre season furore over us offering him a new perhaps improved deal, these issues were lost on many fans.

 

I agree that despite our limited options there area few simple changes we could make.

[Noah Dosser]

Actually happy we dragged a draw out of this. Sadly, I don't see the home form getting us into the next round.

 

As for what I've read about Fraser Kerr, I'm frankly unsurprised. He is poor. Very poor. I've no idea why we have taken him on loan. Developing what is now someone else's trash as opposed to bringing in experience or developing our own youths, baffles me. The Motherwell youths must be fucking gutted to be considered poorer than Kerr.

Additionally, I realise that we have little option in CM, but Lasley needs a week or two out of the team. He's having a piss poor run of form, for the first time in years, and needs a bit of a pressure release. McCall needs to provide competition, and the youths with at least some reason to hope.

 

I realise that I sound utterly negative, but in my eyes, there are some simple changes, which, even in the short term, could change our fortunes.

 

 

 

 

You may just be right with this!

 

No-one really knows why the big chap was brought in, other than SM didn't/ doesn't fancy Page, and he sees Saunders as a right back.

 

Personally I would have gone for an experienced CB on loan, (not Ramsden as a makeshift CB), at least that way the youngsters pushing for the 1st team squad wouldn't feel as if they are being passed by and the team would be better placed having someone who could organise and lead the back 4.

 

IMHO I think SM is reluctant to sign anyone who has not played in England (sounds petty I know but it's how I see it)