Matchday Thread Aberdeen -V- Inverness CT

[ICTRoughi]

I was at the game tonight and it was pretty much a continuation of our recent matches but it wasn't the worst we've played in the last couple of months. I felt that the system that the players had been asked to do tonight let them down. We spent most of the time when we had pocession of the ball in our own half. In my opinion the first half especially if Aberdeen weren't just hitting hopeless shots on goal, we could've been down by two or three goals before half time.

I was quite amazed at the amount of time and space that Willo Flood was given considering most of their counter attacking play starts from him, he dominated the game IMO - Can't afford to let Scott Brown do that to us on Saturday. Shay Logan was another that I was really impressed with how fast he just darted through Doran and Shinnie.

A lot has been said about Watkins and how he is not a striker etc. I really don't buy into that theory because in all honesty I really think he can play up front because he can hold off defenders really well and has the pace to back them off but he just has nobody to support him and to play Doran up there with him wasn't the answer either. Seriously, Ofere and Watkins need to be given the chance to form a partnership.

Hopefully tonight's viewing will make Yogi go back to the drawing board because we need something to bring back the winning formula, can't keep relying too much on Dundee United's downfall.

Edited April 9, 2015 by ICTRoughi

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Watkins has the capabilities but he is far better as a wide player. I would suggest that there must be doubts about Ofere or he would have been starting games ago. Yogi is struggling to figure out his best team and the system to play them in. It sounds as if he has reverted back to the "reliable" tippy tappy. That is exceedingly worriying at this stage of the season. And yet despite the mid season mismanagement, despite a run of point dropping fixtures, an apparent drop of form, increasing dissent from the terraces and a growing general frustration - here we are on the brink of Europe and potential statistically our best season ever. I feel strange that all of this feels slightly anti- climatic to me. Two "performances" against Cellic would clear the air but that looks highly unlikely at this moment. Still it has been a funny old season ?!!

[Big G]

I looked at both sides before the game and saw Flood and Robson in their midfield and thought the pace we had we could run right through them but virtually every time Ross, Williams, Doran, Tansey or Draper could have driven forward they stopped and played the ball back or sideways letting Aberdeen get players back. We have no cutting edge at the moment and no out ball to relieve pressure like we used Watkins for when he played on the wing.

[Kingsmills]

The Watkins as a striker experiment, which admittedly showed a bit of potential at first, and after being given an extended trial has clearly failed.

 

Not only does it mean we do not have an effective goal scorer but we are depriving ourselves of our quickest and most skilled wide player.

 

We went to a lot of trouble to recruit an out and out striker with a half decent pedigree. For goodness sake let's play him and restore Marley to the position that suits him and the team best.

[Macduffer]

Watkins has shown that he can adapt to the striker role, but his forte is obviously as a winger, but it's the tactics that have failed - the lone striker system is just not working.  It is much too easy to defend against, especially for the likes of Aberdeen or Celtic.  

[davie]

Aberdeen created quite a few good chances last night, and might have been ahead before they were. If we had played anything but a lone striker - breaking at pace- we would have been really exposed. I can see why we played the way that we did, but what is lacking (for me) is a belief from the guys up front that they can take the game by the scruff of the neck and change things. One result will change that.

[AlexJones]

Shades of our dire run over December when we couldn't buy a goal let alone a win. That was followed by an amazing run of wins.

At times like these most managers start banging on about 'going back to basics'. Could be what we need to arrest our dip in form.

The new signings haven't been given much of a sniff. That would make sense if we were playing well and didn't want to disrupt a winning team, but right now only Saint Mirren are worse than us. If the season had started a couple of months ago we'd be in a relegation dogfight. This is a serious concern looking ahead to next season. The bottom 6 are all improving and we're going backwards.



 

[+Tree]

It's a bit worrying that, if you exclude Tansey who was a known entity, none of the signings made by Hughes appear to have become first team regulars.

[dave26]

 

Really disappointing result and performance based on previous posts / match reports.

Watkins is not cutting it up front, he may be our top scorer but an interesting stat would be goals per minute on the pitch, in which case I'm sure Christie & Doran would rank higher.

Hughes should get Watkins back playing in his best position out on the wing creating chances for Ofere who looks like he could be a decent acquisition if given a run of games. I'm worried we won't see Ofere at his best until after the Semi Final (let's hope it's not too late!).

Can anyone explain why Raven was replaced by Devine with 7 minutes remaining. Surely it was not tactical - if it was I'm really worried.

This season-

Minutes per goal:

Doran 208

Watkins 317

Christie 505

 

 

Should have checked the stats first

 

 

Top 3 this season:

 

 

Doran - 208

Mackay - 227

Ofere - 235