Matchday Thread Inverness CT -V- Aberdeen

[Kingsmills]

A lot of unjustified negativity on here after the game. Aberdeen probably created 2 clear chances and took one. Doubt if Brill had a save of note to make while their goalkeeper ceratinly had at least 4/5 good saves to keep Aberdeen in the game. We were unlucky yesterday, on another day we could have won easily but just don't seem to be getting a break just now.

While there might be some truth in that, three consecutive defeats without scoring a single goal has to be down to more than not just getting a break.

 

No need for despair just yet but if we come away from Dingwall on Thursday without at least a point things will be starting to look a bit grim.

[davie]

Partick Thistle was an abberation. Our entire defence decided to have a day off. St. Johnstone was the result of one very poor decision by the match official and yesterday was decided on one defensive mistake from our most combative full back . There's no doubt that we miss Draper in the midfield when he's not there and that merely highlights the smallness of our first team squad, and the fact that it has to perform at 100% week after week. Even with that, we are competing well for a european spot with half the season gone. Can we reasonably expect more? We are creating chances, but  not scoring and it may be that we need to strengthen with a different type of player to Mckay to bring about that much vaunted "plan B" that people have sought since Butcher was here. Even at that, there is the problem of finding enough money with the crowds that we have to fund that kind of purchase. We will have ups and downs, perhaps we need to learn to live with that. Grim? look at County. They have more money (they tell us) a bigger squad (they tell us) and more fans (they tell us) and where are they? Now that's grim.

[+DoofersDad]

We've played better and we've played worse.  Apart from the goal we were generally pretty impressive defensively against a very talented Dons attack, although we always look vulnerable when we pass the ball around at the back.  I was impressed with Christie's work rate and the way he shies away from nothing - some good balls from him too.  On another day we could have won that. 

 

What does worry me was the manager's post match interview.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/30619234.  What a confused and rambling interview that is.  Of particular concern is that he talks about the need to be braver on the ball in terms of playing the passing game rather than playing it long and goes on to say that if you lose games playing that way, then so what!  I'll tell you what - it's more important to win matches than play pretty football.  The fact is that we create more chances and certainly more excitement when the ball is played long and yet the tendency to play the ball long is what the manager seems to be criticising the team for.

 

[Huisdean]

 

A lot of unjustified negativity on here after the game. Aberdeen probably created 2 clear chances and took one. Doubt if Brill had a save of note to make while their goalkeeper ceratinly had at least 4/5 good saves to keep Aberdeen in the game. We were unlucky yesterday, on another day we could have won easily but just don't seem to be getting a break just now.

While there might be some truth in that, three consecutive defeats without scoring a single goal has to be down to more than not just getting a break.

 

No need for despair just yet but if we come away from Dingwall on Thursday without at least a point things will be starting to look a bit grim.

I agree

[ICTRoughi]

I thought that we played well enough in most spells of the game, the chances were coming and as Yogi said the luck wasn't on our side - a draw in my opinion would have been the fairer result. Yes, losing three games on the trot without scoring is disappointing but the chances have been begging. As Davie says, the St Johnstone game was won by one poor refereeing decision but we didn't play badly last week, same case with yesterday. I thought Aberdeen's keeper had a brilliant game yesterday and that is enough of a teller that there is movement up front.

The thing that irked me yesterday was the lack of substitutions made by Yogi. In my opinion guys like Danny Williams, Nick Ross and James Vincent can change games. If you look back at the Dundee away game a few weeks back, look at how much Ryan Christie and Aaron Doran changed that second half - why wasn't that done yesterday? I was happy for Ibra Sekajja to feature but for the final 5 mins was just a waste, 20 mins plus would have been a better shout.

Anyways a massive game coming up on Thursday afternoon - we will win it!

[Eagle4Caley]

Have only seem 5mins of highlights on BBC online, and bar the defensive ****-up, we seem to have played OK and were a tad unlucky not to get something out of the game.....strange how just a few matches ago, things were going so well, but other than the Partick result we seem to have lost out on things just going against us....Aberdeen is alway a tough match, and losing an away match to an odd referee decision hardly the end of the world but I guess after the PT result it does like a wheel has come off ! Do we just put it down to a December jinx?

 

At least there was a decent crowd for this one, with Aberdeen bringing so many

 

Still at least we can enjoy Rangers floundering around in the league below us!

 

Meanwhile back at my other club, more than one wheel has come off, and the driver has been jettisoned! (I can barely remember a season when one manager gets through it unscathed!)

[Scarlet Pimple]

Doofers dad -I agree with your thoughts on John Hughes"  after-match interview :-

 

Enthusiasm is one thing but he needs to compose himself despite the disappointment and not get almost incoherent at times.

i.e. he should deal with one aspect at a time and not get them intermingled so much .It was a little bit unsettling because I became unsure as to what he really thought were the reasons why we went off the rails and what we need to do to steady the ship and get back in control of the games as we seem to have done so often in the past. Some interviews after past games seem to have been spot on  but this match seems to have got under his skin. I suppose three defeats in a row can do that to a guy after so much success..

 

Steady the Buffs.

[davie]

Doofers dad -I agree with your thoughts on John Hughes"  after-match interview :-

 

Enthusiasm is one thing but he needs to compose himself despite the disappointment and not get almost incoherent at times.

i.e. he should deal with one aspect at a time and not get them intermingled so much .It was a little bit unsettling because I became unsure as to what he really thought were the reasons why we went off the rails and what we need to do to steady the ship and get back in control of the games as we seem to have done so often in the past. Some interviews after past games seem to have been spot on  but this match seems to have got under his skin. I suppose three defeats in a row can do that to a guy after so much success..

 

Steady the Buffs.

scarlet, I think sometimes its difficult for John to give the composed and rational explanation you are looking for 5 minutes after the end of the match. If it sounds like he's still composing his thoughts, that's because he is. This is especially true of the BBC interviews, which can be quite adversarial. The you tube ones are better (I would say that) because he's generally chilled a bit by then and knows we aren't just after a bit of controversy. His analysis on the game there is quite clear.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Gotcha, Davie. I didn't know it was only five minutes after the game. Usually he is impressive .

 

S.P.

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

There is no disgrace losing to the League Champions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[+bughtmaster]

We've played better and we've played worse.  Apart from the goal we were generally pretty impressive defensively against a very talented Dons attack, although we always look vulnerable when we pass the ball around at the back.  I was impressed with Christie's work rate and the way he shies away from nothing - some good balls from him too.  On another day we could have won that. 

 

What does worry me was the manager's post match interview.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/30619234.  What a confused and rambling interview that is.  Of particular concern is that he talks about the need to be braver on the ball in terms of playing the passing game rather than playing it long and goes on to say that if you lose games playing that way, then so what!  I'll tell you what - it's more important to win matches than play pretty football.  The fact is that we create more chances and certainly more excitement when the ball is played long and yet the tendency to play the ball long is what the manager seems to be criticising the team for.

 

 

Dad of Doofer want's more Hoofer ???.......... The teams style of play is mostly fine we just can't find the net !!! imo. 

[+DoofersDad]

 

Doofers dad -I agree with your thoughts on John Hughes"  after-match interview :-

 

Enthusiasm is one thing but he needs to compose himself despite the disappointment and not get almost incoherent at times.

i.e. he should deal with one aspect at a time and not get them intermingled so much .It was a little bit unsettling because I became unsure as to what he really thought were the reasons why we went off the rails and what we need to do to steady the ship and get back in control of the games as we seem to have done so often in the past. Some interviews after past games seem to have been spot on  but this match seems to have got under his skin. I suppose three defeats in a row can do that to a guy after so much success..

 

Steady the Buffs.

scarlet, I think sometimes its difficult for John to give the composed and rational explanation you are looking for 5 minutes after the end of the match. If it sounds like he's still composing his thoughts, that's because he is. This is especially true of the BBC interviews, which can be quite adversarial. The you tube ones are better (I would say that) because he's generally chilled a bit by then and knows we aren't just after a bit of controversy. His analysis on the game there is quite clear.

 

I think you are being a bit over-defensive on Yogi's behalf here.  Firstly, whilst the you-tube videos can offer a more considered perspective, very few poeple will see them.  It is the more immediate post match interviews that have the mass audience and the impact and if a manager can't compose himself for an interview which is an integral part of the job then perhaps someone else should do the interviews.  Most managers cope pretty well with interviews most of the time even when they are adversarial.  But if you listen to Hughes' interview you will find that it is about the most non adverserial interview you could imagine.  The interview lasts nearly 5 minutes in which Hughes is asked only 3 very bland questions.  At no time does the interviewer make any attempt to interupt.

[+DoofersDad]

 

We've played better and we've played worse.  Apart from the goal we were generally pretty impressive defensively against a very talented Dons attack, although we always look vulnerable when we pass the ball around at the back.  I was impressed with Christie's work rate and the way he shies away from nothing - some good balls from him too.  On another day we could have won that. 

 

What does worry me was the manager's post match interview.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/30619234.  What a confused and rambling interview that is.  Of particular concern is that he talks about the need to be braver on the ball in terms of playing the passing game rather than playing it long and goes on to say that if you lose games playing that way, then so what!  I'll tell you what - it's more important to win matches than play pretty football.  The fact is that we create more chances and certainly more excitement when the ball is played long and yet the tendency to play the ball long is what the manager seems to be criticising the team for.

 

 

Dad of Doofer want's more Hoofer ???.......... The teams style of play is mostly fine we just can't find the net !!! imo. 

 

Want I want is for us to take fewer risks at the back and more at the front.  If you take risks at the back and lose possession at the back you are immediately exposed to a goal scoring threat.  If you take risks at the front and keep possession then you create goal scoring opportunities.  I am sure nobody is advocating "hoofball" with a tactic of aimless punts up the park in the hope that opportunities present themselves but I also think a tactic focussing so strongly on possession is equally futile.  It is not how much possession you have that counts, it's what you do with the ball when you have possession that matters.  To my mind we haven't got the balance right and it worries me when I hear the manager giving interviews suggesting that we shift the balance in the opposite direction.

[johnh]

I was at the match and watched the highlights.  I don't recall seeing us take any chances at the back and don't recall Dean having to make any noteworthy saves.

The Aberdeen gaolkeeper was forced to make several good saves and was named as man of the match for them.

Against one of the form teams in Scotland we played OK, just need to convert chances into goals