Match Thread St Johnstone 1 - 1 Aberdeen

[Don Fonte]

Watched game on BBC Alba. 1st half was abysmal nothing more to say. 2nd half was huge improvement. GMS and McGinn got more involved. Cosgrove did well when he came on too. Holds the ball up well but that’s about it. I see what people mean about Gleeson. He’s a decent player always finding his pass. He just doesn’t have that drive to close opponents down quickly or create quick breaks which is why he got hooked for Ball who can make yards with the ball. No doubt scoring goals is a big problem. DM has to find a system that works fast and take adavantage of all the set piece opportunities we’ve had a date. Several corners but no goals. On a bright note I think the boy Lowe at left back looks decent. Next home match is a must win.

Define must win?

[Don Fonte]

Some of your points about McInnes are valid enough. He has made us more professional in how we operate as a club but you're right he's certainly no messiah. He has his faults and is far from perfect but no manager is at our level is that's why they are here. Every manager has a shelf life at a club and it could well be that McInnes is reaching that point here. But to compare him to Levein and say that CL is somehow perfect for Hearts? Come on behave yourself they have had better managers than CL over the last 20 odd years ones that have won trophies and split the old firm.

 

Levein has never won anything as a manager or a player. He's managed Hearts for over 5 full seasons now in his two stints and his record (2x 3rd place finishes, 2x 5th place finishes and a 6th place finish) whilst decent and relatively consistent is nothing to get excited about. For someone who, as you put it, creates a team with a siege mentality and balls his record as Hearts manager against the old firm makes for pretty grim reading. He has a sole away victory at Ibrox and has never triumphed at Parkhead. And his Hearts sides have been on the end of many hammerings from both of the ugly sisters. As Hearts manager he has twice been emphatically knocked out of the Scottish Cup by lower league opposition (3-1 at home to ICT and 4-0 away to Falkirk). He was also in the Hearts dugout when they lost 6-1 at Motherwell and 6-2 at Hibs. Also knocked out of the League Cup by lower league opposition (Ross County). In all his time at Hearts to date the best he has done in either of the domestic cups is one League Cup semi-final defeat. He has never taken them to a Scottish Cup semi-final. McInnes would have been absolutely hammered by AFC fans if his cup record was as poor as Levein's. Thankfully it isn't. Calderwood lost his job despite having a better overall cup record than Levein has at Hearts. CL record at Hearts doesn't particularly strike me as one of someone who "gets the job done" at this level as you have suggested. Even at Dundee United the highest he finished was 5th (he never finished above AFC as United manager).

 

Hearts do look like they will be a handful this season and are (as you'd expect from a CL team) physical. But let's see where they are in the league with 10 games to go when it truly matters. They have certainly carried a bit of luck to date with a couple of dubious red card decisions going in their favour and playing a much weakened Celtic team at home who had their eye on a far bigger game 3 days later. But to be fair to them they have easily the player of the season so far in their ranks (Naismith).

 

If Hearts are still up there in the mix with 10 games to go then I'll give Levein all the credit in the world. But until then for me he remains a manager with just as many questions over him as any other manager in our league. By late last season many Hearts fans wanted him gone.

Not sure on your argument tbh. You need to go into more detail.

[Sheepo]

I tell you son - if he isn't in for May next week against well, there's something far wrong. Immediately looked sharper, quicker and more footballer-ee than young Steven within seconds.

Cosgrove will start next week which is typical Mcinnes

[cruzcampo3]

I tell you son - if he isn't in for May next week against well, there's something far wrong. Immediately looked sharper, quicker and more footballer-ee than young Steven within seconds.

That’s May starting next week then

[DelMonte]

Cosgrove will start next week which is typical Mcinnes

Played the best out our strikers yesterday in all fairness.

[maryhilldon]

No pie report. Queues were stupid long. I can’t imagine they’d have been better than the ones at Pittodrie anyway. Went into that match assuming we’d win. Stupid me.

 

Steak pie was lovely, worth the wait.

[minijc]

Were they not there last season no?

Come on Cesc, second place last season papered over the cracks, our record against top 6 teams was disgraceful and that includes the result against Celtic in a match that ended up fucking us.

[cruzcampo3]

Yeah, second behind a team with 30m is not acceptable

If he was an Aberdonian you’d be screaming for his head

[Zander1903]

Cozzer and Ando both start next week. The perfect combo.

 

 

May it is then

[Reed or deed]

hun dmc refuses to admit mistakes.

plays that May cunt, looks more suited to playing on a games console and wanking off whilst eating quavers.

cosgrove. collin. tate, daniels, wylde, tansey, the list is long.

nae doubt plenty of you cunts will refuse to see he has done what any half competent manager wouldve done in the circumstances and want the man to plough on

 

Who would you suggest we replace him with?

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Define must win?

Must win = kind of prefer to win but to be honest if we don’t the sky won’t actually fall in on our heads.

[ericblack4boss]

Who would you suggest we replace him with?

a manager who isnt scared to stand up to the big clubs.

one who is willing to give youth players a decent chance

one who has fucking balls out instinct

one who is willing to scout in europe for players

one who will drop players if they are off form

one who wont sign washed up crocks

oh and one that isnt a. sleekit rabbid hun bastard

[ebbe]

a manager who isnt scared to stand up to the big clubs.

one who is willing to give youth players a decent chance

one who has fucking balls out instinct

one who is willing to scout in europe for players

one who will drop players if they are off form

one who wont sign washed up crocks

oh and one that isnt a. sleekit rabbid hun bastard

I have no idea how you’re even able to entertain answering such stupid fucking questions.

[fifered]

Defence and midfield we'll be ok this season but up front we are woeful. Surely to fuck Anderson has to get a start soon. He's hardly going to contribute less in the way of goals than may and Cosgrove. It's going to be a struggle all season the way it's looking just now.

[Shinniesta]

Defence and midfield we'll be ok this season but up front we are woeful. Surely to fuck Anderson has to get a start soon. He's hardly going to contribute less in the way of goals than may and Cosgrove. It's going to be a struggle all season the way it's looking just now.

Hopefully we finally get Wilson fit and he and Anderson both start banging in the goals for us. If they don't it's going to be a long season.

 

I'm also hoping that both Wright and Frank Ross properly prove themselves this season and add some much needed creativity in the final third. It would also help if Forrester starts to resemble a footballer. That would really help us right now.

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Summary from Sportscene.

 

1/. Penalty. No question.

 

2/. Here’s a thought. Why not light the firework suppository that GMS clearly got at half time at 14.59 next week?

 

3/. Greg Stewart, thru the middle with a licence to shoot. So, not a wing back then...

 

4/. Brendan Rodgers. Hahahahahahaha

[baconman]

Define must win?

Momentum..................it’s needed.

[fine-n-dandy]

Some of your points about McInnes are valid enough. He has made us more professional in how we operate as a club but you're right he's certainly no messiah. He has his faults and is far from perfect but no manager is at our level is that's why they are here. Every manager has a shelf life at a club and it could well be that McInnes is reaching that point here. But to compare him to Levein and say that CL is somehow perfect for Hearts? Come on behave yourself they have had better managers than CL over the last 20 odd years ones that have won trophies and split the old firm.

Levein has never won anything as a manager or a player. He's managed Hearts for over 5 full seasons now in his two stints and his record (2x 3rd place finishes, 2x 5th place finishes and a 6th place finish) whilst decent and relatively consistent is nothing to get excited about. For someone who, as you put it, creates a team with a siege mentality and balls his record as Hearts manager against the old firm makes for pretty grim reading. He has a sole away victory at Ibrox and has never triumphed at Parkhead. And his Hearts sides have been on the end of many hammerings from both of the ugly sisters. As Hearts manager he has twice been emphatically knocked out of the Scottish Cup by lower league opposition (3-1 at home to ICT and 4-0 away to Falkirk). He was also in the Hearts dugout when they lost 6-1 at Motherwell and 6-2 at Hibs. Also knocked out of the League Cup by lower league opposition (Ross County). In all his time at Hearts to date the best he has done in either of the domestic cups is one League Cup semi-final defeat. He has never taken them to a Scottish Cup semi-final. McInnes would have been absolutely hammered by AFC fans if his cup record was as poor as Levein's. Thankfully it isn't. Calderwood lost his job despite having a better overall cup record than Levein has at Hearts. CL record at Hearts doesn't particularly strike me as one of someone who "gets the job done" at this level as you have suggested. Even at Dundee United the highest he finished was 5th (he never finished above AFC as United manager).

Hearts do look like they will be a handful this season and are (as you'd expect from a CL team) physical. But let's see where they are in the league with 10 games to go when it truly matters. They have certainly carried a bit of luck to date with a couple of dubious red card decisions going in their favour and playing a much weakened Celtic team at home who had their eye on a far bigger game 3 days later. But to be fair to them they have easily the player of the season so far in their ranks (Naismith).

If Hearts are still up there in the mix with 10 games to go then I'll give Levein all the credit in the world. But until then for me he remains a manager with just as many questions over him as any other manager in our league. By late last season many Hearts fans wanted him gone.

CL & his style of football & whole mentality & approach to the game IS perfectly suited to 'the hearts way'

He manages games the way he played it.

I would never want him near Aberdeen but he gets the job done at this level & is easily equally as good if not better than McInnes will ever be. I would even go as far as to say that had he had the fortunate circumstances that McInnes found himself in during his tenure with us. He would have done far better than McInnes has. He would have certainly given Celtic a bigger scare than McInnes ever has both in the league & the cups.

 

My main point is that McInnes is basically a fraud on the tactical/game day side of things. Yes he's done some great things at our club off the field but he is a pretty shite football game day manager & THAT is where it REALLY matters at the end of the day.

 

He does speak well in the media though

 

Edit & it's slightly unfair on CL to judge him on last season/Cathryn team & resultant mass changes last Jan. This season is a fairer reflection on him as this is HIS team now.

 

Also, we can judge CL on his (as McInnes ridiculed) 'scatter gun' approach to signings this season also but CL himself said last season that he needed to make MASSIVE changes to his squad.

McInnes has had FIVE years to tweak & perfect HIS squad with 'PRECISION' signings as opposed to 'scattered' approach. Most of McInnes's best players during his time have been signed by others/already at club, with a few exceptions that you SHOULD expect to see in TEN transfer windows.

 

CL has a whole new team to sort out & hard to argue that he hasn't made a decent start of it

[Shinniesta]

CL & his style of football & whole mentality & approach to the game IS perfectly suited to 'the hearts way'

He manages games the way he played it.

I would never want him near Aberdeen but he gets the job done at this level & is easily equally as good if not better than McInnes will ever be. I would even go as far as to say that had he had the fortunate circumstances that McInnes found himself in during his tenure with us. He would have done far better than McInnes has. He would have certainly given Celtic a bigger scare than McInnes ever has both in the league & the cups.

 

My main point is that McInnes is basically a fraud on the tactical/game day side of things. Yes he's done some great things at our club off the field but he is a pretty shite football game day manager & THAT is where it REALLY matters at the end of the day.

 

He does speak well in the media though

 

Edit & it's slightly unfair on CL to judge him on last season/Cathryn team & resultant mass changes last Jan. This season is a fairer reflection on him as this is HIS team now.

It's easy to say CL would have done this or that. The bottom line is that he hasn't done anything good enough to win a club he has been at any silverware and he has had plenty of chances he's not exactly new to management.

 

As for last season? I think it was fairly common knowledge that in his role as DOF Levein identified and signed the players whereas Cathro's job was to coach them. So technically it was Levein's team last season he just didn't have a pre season with them as their actual manager.

 

Just for the record what exactly is it that Levein has achieved in his managerial career to date that makes you say he "gets the job done at this level?" What has he done in your eyes that makes him stand out enough from the others for you to say that? It's a bit rich to say Levein would have given Celtic a better run in the cups had he been in McInnes' shoes these past few seasons considering Levein's very poor cup record as a manager that I have already highlighted (knocked out of the cups by three lower league clubs as Hearts manager).

 

He has made a very good start this season I'll give him that. It's still very early days though.

[shooftahmooftah]

Don't think this team is capable of winning against hearts Celtic Rangers hibs Motherwell after watching last weeks performance and yesterday's against st Johnston. January's signings will all come from the accident and emergency wards at various hospitals all over the uk.

[V for Vendetta]

This is going to be a problem all season.

Would not surprise me if have almost as much draws as wins this season.

I agree but with the players we have there's no good reason to have this problem.

 

Our strikers may be struggling but guys like Anderson, McGinn, GMS should be able to score and create simple chances.

 

Tactics and attitude are a problem imo.

[perthshirered]

The league is boring, we will finish, at best, 5th, and at worst 6th. We are shite to watch.

[RAZOR]

Our strikers may be struggling but guys like Anderson, McGinn, GMS should be able to score and create simple chances.

 

You can't expect the midfielders to bail the team out every week. I'm aware you mentioned Anderson but the same goes for subs. We have a glaring problem up front and it needs addressed.

[DelMonte]

Missing a creative player more IMO. Failure to replace McLean/Christie is more of an issue than our failure to replace a striker who wasn't even second choice at the end of last season. I know people are desperate for us to miss Rooney but he wasn't even a regular last season.

 

Edit: Ignore the last bit. Worded it completely wrong. Just mean that people are thinking we are missing him when we are not.

[V for Vendetta]

You can't expect the midfielders to bail the team out every week. I'm aware you mentioned Anderson but the same goes for subs. We have a glaring problem up front and it needs addressed.

No I don't expect them to bail us out, but with the right approach and team mentality I think they could be producing lot more. But the slow slow build up, safe possession style really neutralises our own players at times.

 

If the team was confident and flying then these guys would be smashing them in regularly.

[SheepieBaaBaa]

Having seen more highlights and angles, I retract my earlier statement that the defender got a touch and it was 50/50 that it was a penalty.

 

It was a stone-waller right enough. When I'm wrong I admit it.

[Pubes Macdonald]

St J cunt saying he should have had a pen against Lewis

 

Cunt should have been red carded for diving

 

GMS is god

[SheepieBaaBaa]

St J cunt saying he should have had a pen against Lewis

Cunt should have been red carded for diving

GMS is god

Indeed, ball was running away from him and away from goal. He was never going to get to it. Joe sent to ground a fair bit in front of him and he decided to try to hurdle him.

 

Not sure it was a dive as such though, if he'd wanted the penalty he would have been better off not jumping and just run into Joe, who would then have appeared to take him down.

[The Boofon]

Penalty. No doubt at all.

[The Boofon]

St Johnstone could also have had a pen...

Only saw the SPFL YouTube highlights. That wasn’t on it so I’ll take your word for it.

 

Lewis would have saved their pen anyway.