ICT -V- ABERDEEN - matchday thread

[alternative maryhill]

Not encouraging. We didn't play at all until the last ten minutes of the first half. First half hour of the second there was some nice football, but the last fifteen looked disorganised and desperate.

Pretty bad error from Malkowski for the first. He didn't do much wrong after that but didn't have that much to do, to be honest. Young should have been closed down better before he got a chance to get a shot in. The whole defence was far too deep for the second and although Roscoe got out-muscled jumping for the ball with De Visscher, it wouldn't have gone anywhere near the goal if the whole back line had been six yards further away from goal.

Positives? Dennis looked sharp, Cowie creative and Duncan solid, and I thought Hastings made a good return to the side, with more presence in defence than McBain and showing more going forward than he did at the start of the season.

Negatives? Blackie was dominated by the Aberdeen midfield and didn't show his usual composure on the ball, and also showed a wee touch of petulance (which he got away with) when he had a kick at Severin. McBain had some nice touches but also looked prone to getting bullied out of it. Most worrying for me is Niculae. I've been keeping my counsel on him, but that's ten games in now, and it's the same thing every time - one or two nice touches, but he looks too slow and far to quick to give up when he's challenged. It can't still be a lack of match fitness, can it? Maybe he's just not suited to our game and our league.

Overall, I worry about us when we can only play fluently in patches, and can't make it count when we are in control of a game. There's not enough solidity at the back and not enough pace and cutting edge up front. We won't go down but it will be our lowest SPL finish yet unless Brew can make some changes fairly quickly.  

[Fanoffooty]

Malkowski , what a joke  , i like many others was dissapointed to see him between the sticks ,  :020:

whatever happened to Brew keeping the faith with Mike Fraser ?

Well done Denzil on your 100th goal :021: & M O M

Cowie excellent again , Rosco what planet was he on today ?

[Guest TinCanFan]

Malkowski was useless today.  Poor kicking and a diabolical mess for the first goal.  ICT maybe deserved a draw as they were the best team in the second half though I think CB made a mistake in not playing himself even if he did have started on the bench.

[davieB]

For those calling for Michael to be dropped, and the superb Zibi to be given a shot......aye, nice one :017: :017: :017: The bloke is a fecking liabilty, and I hope I never see him in an ICT shirt again.

How come Michael gets dropped after a couple of bad performances?? On that basis, half the team should be dropped weekly.

We were gash for 20 minutes, then decent up until a great equaliser. Then they went straight up our end and got a winner.

Anyone else think all these defensive problems might be down to the one man who seems to escape all the criticism? Yep...Munro. He was awful today, has been all season. And why does he seem to lose the rag with all around him when things go wrong? Thought he was going to deck McGuire after their second today. Sorry Grantie, but I'd take the captaincy off him, and give him a few weeks on the sidelines. Tokely was awful defensively too. Three or four times they just skipped past his badly timed challenges.

Proctor looked the only decent defender there when he came on.

Midfield was held together by Blackie(he was superb). Cowie wasn't at his best, and Duncan was at his worst.

Wyness/Niculae both get top marks from me. Both worked tirelessly, and linked up well. Niculae started off the goal move, and Dennis finished it brilliantly.

We played very well at times, and we maybe deserved a point. But these stupid mistakes we keep making at the back are going to keep biting us on the arse until we cut them out.

[Guest TinCanFan]

30. Zibi Malkowski - 4/10 - Truly awful

2. Ross Tokely - 6/10 - Too slow today

3. Phil McGuire - 6/10 - Looked shakey

8. Ian Black - 7.5/10 - Look like he wanted to get involved

12. Russel Duncan - 6/10 - Not to his usual standard

14. Grant Munro - 6/10 - Wasn't at his best

15. Don Cowie - 6.5/10 - Not so good today

16. Richard Hastings - 7/10 - Played quite well and had some decent crosses

18. Marius Niculae - 7/10 - A few good touches and played okay

19. Dennis Wyness - 7.5/10 - A great goal and deserved the man of the match today

Subs

29. David Proctor - 7/10

7. Barry Wilson - 7/10

9. Graham Bayne - 6/10

Referee - Mr Eddie Smith - At times was Aberdeen's 12th man. - 6/10

[Libero]

so infuriating to watch that today, Malkoski should be dropped instantly, absolutely terrible, first goal was his fault, weak shot that should have easily been stopped. His kicking was attrocius, says a lot for a player when the few kicks he did make well were cheered by the home crowd! for me his reluctance to come for crosses and total inability to pass to a player on his team made the defence extremely nervous which was clear to see with the long ball tactic being used constantly (thankfully Marius won his fair share of headers). The only defender for me that impressed today was Hastings. McGuire and Munro didnt do too much wrong but i still think they need more games to gel as a partnership. Tokely was all over the place in every sense, constantly out of position, made a few good tackles but wasnt his usual self today. Proctor played well when he came on too, few good tackles, reads the game well and had the pace to cover any through balls when tokesly was playing up the park.

Wyness took his goal excellently, congrats on the ton  :021: played very well today, held the ball up well, passed well even tracked back on a few occasions. Marius couldnt be faulted for effort, his running was excellent and won many important headers, i just wish he'd break his duck and start banging them in! Great effort from Duncan near the end but we cannot continue to make stupid mistakes and expect to get anything from games. mcbain for me is a technically gifted player, has great control of the ball and rarely makes a bad pass but all to often its a back pass, offers almost nothing going forward, how many times today did he have the chance to put a cross in or shoot but turned back and passed backwards. Need a much more attack minded player for that postion IMO

Next game, IMO, Malkowski and mcbain dropped for fraser and rankin respectively

[Libero]

30. Zibi Malkowski - 4/10 - Truly awful

2. Ross Tokely - 6/10 - Too slow today

3. Phil McGuire - 6/10 - Looked shakey

8. Ian Black - 7.5/10 - Look like he wanted to get involved

12. Russel Duncan - 6/10 - Not to his usual standard

14. Grant Munro - 6/10 - Wasn't at his best

15. Don Cowie - 6.5/10 - Not so good today

16. Richard Hastings - 7/10 - Played quite well and had some decent crosses

18. Marius Niculae - 7/10 - A few good touches and played okay

19. Dennis Wyness - 7.5/10 - A great goal and deserved the man of the match today

Subs

29. David Proctor - 7/10

7. Barry Wilson - 7/10

9. Graham Bayne - 6/10

Referee - Mr Eddie Smith - At times was Aberdeen's 12th man. - 6/10

4/10?? theres no way malkowski was that good today!

as for the ref, so inconsistent and i think we had a fair shout for a pen late on when McNamara fouled in the box

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

The night we beat Celtic at Parkhead our support was phenomenal. A small group outsung and out supported the former European Cup Winners.

Zigi in his first league game showed a few edgy kicks early on. The crowd jeered him. Supporters on here show instant negativity.

Have you ever operated in adversity with an extra disadvantage? Do we want relegation or do we wish to help our players through the good and bad times?

For me I would like to see us play in the SPL next season and to do that we need far more positive support in adversity.

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

First time I have seen ICT live this season albeit it on TV (and that was in a pub with a few who still hadn't made it home after the World Cup Final last night).  Abredeen were pretty toothless and were there for the taking except we just didn't seem up for it or able to find that next level.

Ok maybe a little bit more solidity at the back would be good but is it just me or do others feel that ICT need at least one decent wide man to ensure that we at least have the ammunition to hurt teams.

[Guest donmac298]

I thought Rosco was as much to blame for the first goal as Zigi was.  Marius had a good game, good touches and did a lot of chasing, also Procter played well in my opinion.

[Guest donmac298]

That should have been Zibi, not Zigi....hit the wrong key!

[caleyblue]

was a good 2nd half show but the defending could be better if duncan had hit his shot anywhere else he would have scored to

[Fanoffooty]

The night we beat Celtic at Parkhead our support was phenomenal. A small group outsung and out supported the former European Cup Winners.

Zigi in his first league game showed a few edgy kicks early on. The crowd jeered him. Supporters on here show instant negativity.

Have you ever operated in adversity with an extra disadvantage? Do we want relegation or do we wish to help our players through the good and bad times?

For me I would like to see us play in the SPL next season and to do that we need far more positive support in adversity.

I fair enough , i'm all for being positive but there's no harm in expressing opinions on what was right or wrong  ( isnt that partly why we have this web site!) at least that way maybe things can be learnt from them

[chris123]

The night we beat Celtic at Parkhead our support was phenomenal. A small group outsung and out supported the former European Cup Winners.

Zigi in his first league game showed a few edgy kicks early on. The crowd jeered him. Supporters on here show instant negativity.

Have you ever operated in adversity with an extra disadvantage? Do we want relegation or do we wish to help our players through the good and bad times?

For me I would like to see us play in the SPL next season and to do that we need far more positive support in adversity.

Aye but Fraser shoud have played

[kencar]

Disappointing result. A draw would have been a much fairer especially as Aberdeen were very poor once Severin went off. Calderwood was doing his nut with some of his sides play. It would have been much more amusing of course if we'd managed to get back into the game. Other than there goal Aberdeen were hardly in our half for the second 45 minutes but that tells it's own story I guess  :029:

Zibi. Zibi. Zibi  :029: I was rather surprised to hear he was starting to say the least, especially after hearing he'd been beaten from 60 yards in the reserve game this week  :023: As others have commented Young shouldn't have been given the opportunity to shoot but how exactly did it go in? I haven't seen the goal again but it looked like a bit of a soft shot! From that point onwards it was heart in the mouth time whenever he became involved in the game. Brewster got it wrong simple as that. Fraser should be back in goal next week

Delighted Denzil got his goal but he is very lightweight and got brushed off the ball very easily on occasion. In his defence though a tip for our back 4 might be to stop punting the ball up to to him he isn't going to win many in the air. Niculae played well without excelling. Lots of nice link up play and a couple of decent efforts.

Have to agree with most of the comments about our defence today Hastings was easily the pick of the bunch and I'm sorry to say Munro did have another very poor game. He hasn't played well all season and once again he lost more than he one in the air. He is obviously missing having Dods beside and maybe the pressure of being captain is taking it's toll as well?

The midfield was a bit disjointed at times and it seemed there was a big gap between them and the front 2. Cowie had a very quiet game by his recent standards which didn't help either.

Lastly 2 points that if anyone can provide the answer too I will be eternally grateful to them. Can anyone explain why we constantly resort to long throws into the box from Grant Munro? Every game this seems to be our preferred tactic and it simply NEVER works.

I also really wish Brewster would stop making these pointless substitutions with a couple of minutes to go. We chasing the game and he gave Wilson & Bayne maybe 7 and 3 minutes respectively to make a difference!! Pointless and the changes he makes are always like for like never changes in the formation or tactics.

[RichieKass]

Bag Points:

Malkowski Malkowski Malkowski! Kicked 2 spot kicks straight out of the park in the first half, terrible hands for the first goal and some dodgy decisions like running to the edge of his box for a punch - can't help but feel that if it had been fraser in goal we could have at least had a point today.

Marius: felt his positioning could have been better in the opponents box, but some good off the ball play.

Tokley - poor header but good performance otherwise IMO.

Good Points:

Wyness - great play from him and of course that 100th goal, by far our best threat

Black - hit some good balls in - like the one duncan got on the end of, was a bit dominated by the afc players when in possessention though

Malkowski: he won't play in goals for the rest of the season now - that has to be good

Overall performance: I thought ICT were unlucky to miss out on a point today, they really ha Aberdeen under pressure for a lot of the 2nd half - just missing that extra bit of class that could have brought on a goal - i'd be interested to see bayne on for atleast 45 min instead of niculae. Finally - what is with brew's far-too-late-to-matter subs? Niculae should have come off after 60 mins...

[tm4tj]

Well, you were right about Zibi, terrible blunder for the first goal.  His kicking at the start as well was funny at first, but then the joke wore thin, it was beyond funny, it was pitiful.

Rossco won't need anyone to tell him that the first forty five minutes were probably the worst of his career, well since he started shaving anyway.  Different player after the break but unfortunately scoring the winner for Dons.  Everything he touched in the first half turned to rust.  Mistimed tackles, out of position, struggling to keep up with the pace of the game, in other word, a fekkin nightmare.  Whats up big boy, talk to me, were you on the bevvy last night??

Russeldinho was unfortunate with a sweetly struck volley late on after a quick break down the right and good cross.  Looked like a tremendous save from Langfield.  We did deserve something from this game, but unless we can unlock defences we will end up struggling to pick up points.  Another frustrating day at the office and another blank for Marius, who's overall play was good but it looks like he is destined to be the enigma man, Four grand a week for someone to kick the ball anywhere but into a net is a decent wage if thats what the job entails, unfortunately there is more to his job than that.  Good player, but needs goals to spark him into life.

[Alex MacLeod]

Aberdeen done what they do best. Get in front then sit back and defend. After the first twenty five mins they didn't look like getting anything. Fraser should not have been dropped but thats something Brew will have to deal with. Very basic goalkeeping error for their first one. Didn't get his body behind the ball. That said I coudn't really comment on his ability, apart from a couple of wayward kicks, he had very little to do the rest of the match. Some good runs from Hastings culminating, eventually, in Denzils goal. Nicolae had one or two decent plays but nothing to justify his wages. I was screaming at the tv for Wilson to come on ten mins into the second half. Rossco was making some good runs down the right but wasn't getting the link up that he and Baz usually have. Ross was unfortunate with the own goal but why the **** were they defending that free kick so deep. They should have been ten yards further out. Generally, when we got into the game we had some spark about our play but we just dont seem to be able to create space and link up in the final third. Not enough movement of the ball.

Bit unfortunate for Rossco after his pre-match interview where he talked about own goals.

Something must come good sometime soon.

And for those who wonder why Brew didn't play he said his shoulder was still a problem and he didn't feel he was puting enough in in training over the last few days.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Tokely's own goal was absolutely atrocious. McGuire had it covered and Rosscoe wildly rushed in. He was a bit gungo again today. He was superb going forward but then got caught out of position. The Dons sussed that one out early doors. That first half hour was akin to the Huns game - only Duncan and Black were passable. Setanta were taking the **** out of Zibi. Wyness has nobody up front to play off. His movement was excellent today but Niculae should be doing that as well.

They were there fer the taking without Severin and Mackie and we blew it. The confidence is still low. Hastings got in the cross fer the goal but I would have preferred Roy at left back with all that space.

Are you getting on to my wavelength Manny - Brewster must be being "forced" to play Niculae. Why are we setting our system around him. Some great touches and first time passes - when given time - but they were all backwards or sidewards. One Cruyffesque turn but Diamond got back within two yards. No pace, no movement, no penetration - he did feck all where it was needed. And judging by his statements in the Mail he is feckin deluded.  :018:

[TSTtiger]

on the plus wyness was feckin immense.not only our best striker today but best midfielder too, was bloody everywhere. good play by nicolae in the build up to the goal and quite happy with our front two for now.

zibi's shiiite enough said.

cowie came on to a good game again.

anyone else notice brewster sending fraser out to warm up after zibi's **** kicking at the start of the game. dunno if that was to say sort it out or else but  didnt work, fraser got a great view of the howler for the goal from about 3 yards away.

reckon the defence have a few quid on og's being scored at the bookies

hastings looked good, thought we missed wilson

brewster pisses me off  the way he doesnt include himself for games like this.we were crying out for him second half.guarantee he's a sub for gretna

all in all usual stuff v dons. hard luck story,

roll on the cup game

[Guest sophia]

Brewster cannot keep picking himself.

Pre match he said that he did not feel sharp and hinted that he has lost confidence in his shoulder.

Ahem ?.  I ?. I?d like to agree with Mr PP.

There I?ve said it.

As the 2nd half progressed I came to the conclusion that there has not been the improvement in Niculae?s mobility that I would have expected after 3 months of action.

The levee broke when we had a break and he loitered without any intent in from of the home dug out as the action unfolded in front of him.

Brewster waited too long after this before withdrawing him.

In contrast, Wyness showed a willingness to lead that I?ve seldom seen in him.

His goal was a beauty.

[The Mantis]

What a depressing run down the A9 that was.

Trying to look for positives- the turning point was that we never did what everybody's supposed to do- consolidate after the equaliser. If we had booted it anywhere for 5 mins or so then we wouldn't be having this discussion as we would have got at least a point and more likely would have won.

There is a big leadership problem to be sorted out in the defence, but the midfield is strong, no lack of confidence that I can see and we're pinging the passes around far better than during most of Charlie's time. I don't believe the Niculae playing every week thing, I'm sure Brew is his own man and will drop him if he wants. I don't reckon he was desperate enough to return as a puppet manager.

Anyway let's get tore into Gretna and bring on the cup game. We have to beat this lot some time.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Going back, texting is fine if :-

1. You are desperate

2. Can get nothing on the radio ;  Setanta won't even answer emailed letters to them asking them if you can pay for either online audio or video service .

3. Youv'e got up at 6 or 7 a.m in rainy Vancouver  to troll the net and..... you are desperate.

Reading between the lines we seem to have never recovered from the loss of Dodds, for a variety of reasons....and....we are just not getting the breaks.

That, is if you don't think that "not getting the breaks" is usually because we simply did not do enough to deserve them.

If Marius can't get around to plonking them in what are the alternatives? Keep playing him till the cows come home, drop him for a few games or find another "good footballer '' at half his overall wages to scamper around in the forward area. If it is the first option just how long is  Senior Management going to be content to pay the top half of his wage packet out of their own (business?) pocket? If NOT indefinitely then does that mean he will be placeed on the transfer list in due course.? Now there's athought... :024:

[tm4tj]

FOR SALE, NON SCORING STRIKER

Might not be many buyers in the market for one of these sp.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Player Manager at Ross County - he may feel more at home there.  :023:

And then no feckin Romanian Media could stop me.  :rotflmao: :rotflmao: