Aberdeen (a)

[RiG]

The new season is now only a week away for the big SPL teams and a good first game to have and another chance to get the Aberdeen monkey of our backs. I expect the papers to be full of the fact that we have never beaten Aberdeen in a competitive match and also how Aberdeen will be going through another injury crisis before they play us.

Aberdeen have been busy in the transfer market as Calderwood continues his revolving door transfer system. Out have gone McNamara, Nicholson, Touzani and Steve Lovell while Bertrand Bossu, Sammy Stewart, Gary MacDonald Mark Kerr, Charlie Mulgrew have arrived with others likely to come in the next week. With Lovell and Nicholson gone at least Aberdeen won't be able to score a penalty or any last minute winners against us :018:

Overall, I would believe that Aberdeen are slightly weaker than last season but then again so are we. It will be interesting to see how our new look strike force, whatever it might be, fares against the Reds back line. The chances of the abysmal Richie Byrne starting are lessened by Mulgrews arrival. ICT fans will remember him from the famous 4 - 2 victory at Tannadice and while he poses a threat going forward he is rotten when it comes to defending so I think we should seek to exploit this. Considine at the back is, by all accounts, still poor and Diamond will partner him to try and get him through the game. We should look at trying to play up against Considine if we are to lump long balls up to the forwards and we have a tall player to win these aerial duels. I reckon that Mackie and Miller will start for Aberdeen up front provided both are fit (Mackie is meant to be battling to win his fitness battle to start) and we will need to watch both. Miller has caused us problems in the past and won a few penalties for being complete fairy while Mackie seems to despise us and tries his hardest to get a goal against us. He doesn't seem afraid to leave the boot in on some challenges and should be booed from the start of the game :thumb04:

While I don't think Aberdeen are any great shakes they seem to hold a voodoo sign over us and it seems that no matter how badly they play they grind out the result If we keep it tight and simple then the Dons fans will get on the backs of the Aberdeen players as they will not find us easy to break down. If we can play on the counter attack with a bit of pace I honestly feel that we can get our first victory over Aberdeen. However, realistically I am going to go for a 0 - 0 or 1 - 1 finish.

[breachofthepeace]

I think this game may be quite important to the first few games of the season. If we play well and get a result it will give a massive boost for the next few games. If however we don't do so well it could affect an already fragile defence and dent the confidence of the forward line (whatever the make up of that may be).

I think that the wholesale changes at Aberdeen will give us a great chance to get the result we want and I predict a 2-1 win for ICT.

[chris123]

The new season is now only a week away for the big SPL teams and a good first game to have and another chance to get the Aberdeen monkey of our backs. I expect the papers to be full of the fact that we have never beaten Aberdeen in a competitive match and also how Aberdeen will be going through another injury crisis before they play us.

Aberdeen have been busy in the transfer market as Calderwood continues his revolving door transfer system. Out have gone McNamara, Nicholson, Touzani and Steve Lovell while Bertrand Bossu, Sammy Stewart, Gary MacDonald Mark Kerr, Charlie Mulgrew have arrived with others likely to come in the next week. With Lovell and Nicholson gone at least Aberdeen won't be able to score a penalty or any last minute winners against us :018:

Overall, I would believe that Aberdeen are slightly weaker than last season but then again so are we. It will be interesting to see how our new look strike force, whatever it might be, fares against the Reds back line. The chances of the abysmal Richie Byrne starting are lessened by Mulgrews arrival. ICT fans will remember him from the famous 4 - 2 victory at Tannadice and while he poses a threat going forward he is rotten when it comes to defending so I think we should seek to exploit this. Considine at the back is, by all accounts, still poor and Diamond will partner him to try and get him through the game. We should look at trying to play up against Considine if we are to lump long balls up to the forwards and we have a tall player to win these aerial duels. I reckon that Mackie and Miller will start for Aberdeen up front provided both are fit (Mackie is meant to be battling to win his fitness battle to start) and we will need to watch both. Miller has caused us problems in the past and won a few penalties for being complete fairy while Mackie seems to despise us and tries his hardest to get a goal against us. He doesn't seem afraid to leave the boot in on some challenges and should be booed from the start of the game :thumb04:

While I don't think Aberdeen are any great shakes they seem to hold a voodoo sign over us and it seems that no matter how badly they play they grind out the result If we keep it tight and simple then the Dons fans will get on the backs of the Aberdeen players as they will not find us easy to break down. If we can play on the counter attack with a bit of pace I honestly feel that we can get our first victory over Aberdeen. However, realistically I am going to go for a 0 - 0 or 1 - 1 finish.

Is Diamond not struggling to be fit for this one aswell? Pulls through an otherwise pish defence by himself usually. Kerr is a good player (backpassing aside) and Smith and Touzani are both very good technically. Severin's best days are behind him, and I'd like to see Blackie bossing him about from start to finish, while Chris McGuire will run himself into little Cul De Sacs, so not much to worry about there.

I'm quite excited now. Time for a rollcall I think. ;)

Edited August 2, 2008 by chris123

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

If you look at our team we now have more Aberdeen connections than Aberdeen. If ever there was passion to win we have it. The time has come.......Brewster needs to do a Cloughie and shut it this coming week.

The fans need to do likewise. We need peace and calm and quiet.

[Guest birdog]

Is Diamond not struggling to be fit for this one aswell? Pulls through an otherwise pish defence by himself usually. Kerr is a good player (backpassing aside) and Smith and Touzani are both very good technically. Severin's best days are behind him, and I'd like to see Blackie bossing him about from start to finish, while Chris McGuire will run himself into little Cul De Sacs, so not much to worry about there.

I'm quite excited now. Time for a rollcall I think.

Diamond is mince, I hope he plays. Not to mention he is the ugliest player in the history of Scottish football, I hope that Brew shows our new forward line photos of him so that they are not petrified during the match.

[chris123]

Diamond is mince, I hope he plays. Not to mention he is the ugliest player in the history of Scottish football, I hope that Brew shows our new forward line photos of him so that they are not petrified during the match.

Mince

Reguarly go to Aberdeen games when Caley are playing away and I'm down on the pennies.

I can tell you that he is far from mince.

[Guest birdog]

Mince

Reguarly go to Aberdeen games when Caley are playing away and I'm down on the pennies.

I can tell you that he is far from mince.

I regularly go to matches at the Stadium of Seagull Sh1te with a Dons supporting colleague, we get every Saturday night alongside in Aberdeen, from what I have seen and conversations with Dons supporting mates I have to declare I think he's p1sh.

[chris123]

I regularly go to matches at the Stadium of Seagull Sh1te with a Dons supporting colleague, we get every Saturday night alongside in Aberdeen, from what I have seen and conversations with Dons supporting mates I have to declare I think he's p1sh.

Fair enough, perhaps it is merely a case of if you put anyone next to Considine they will look good. Personally I still think he is a very good player.

[Guest birdog]

Fair enough, perhaps it is merely a case of if you put anyone next to Considine they will look good. Personally I still think he is a very good player.

It could be that I am shyte at spotting footballing talent, I thought Dargo, Rankin and Cowie were **** poor when I first saw them playing for us, look how wrong that turned out to be!!! Still I am happy to declare my thoughts as I see them but I am also happy to declare that I am wrong when when so proved, let's hope I am right for Next week though

Edited August 2, 2008 by birdog

[RiG]

Is Diamond not struggling to be fit for this one aswell? Pulls through an otherwise pish defence by himself usually. Kerr is a good player (backpassing aside) and Smith and Touzani are both very good technically. Severin's best days are behind him, and I'd like to see Blackie bossing him about from start to finish, while Chris McGuire will run himself into little Cul De Sacs, so not much to worry about there.

I'm quite excited now. Time for a rollcall I think.

I don't know about Diamond but no doubt Calderwood will tell folk he has 13 players struggling for the game by Thursday and he would be one of them. Certainly the best out of a generally poor back line from my point of view anyway.Smith will be a threat and he has had a good pre season. We need to keep him quiet. McGuire is a headless chicken. Pace aside he will be little threat.

[Alex MacLeod]

I have to say I believe this is the best chance we'll ever have to get one over on them. First game of the season. The desire to beat them even stronger. They have made mass changes to their squad and they've been really sh!te in pre-season.

Whether or not I, or the rest of you, have confidence in our back four, at the minute, they have the advantage of having been together for a while now, as do our mid-field. The niggling concern may be the strike force. I hope those guys get it on right from the start.

[RiG]

If Mackie doesn't make it then expect this lad to make an appearance:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...een/7512458.stm

[CaleyD]

Despite my pessimism at how our squad is shaping up for the season I find myself feeling more and more optimistic about our chances this weekend as the game gets closer and I sit down to look at what we have.

Not saying we should forget that we have obvious "needs" within the squad, but looking at it from the point of view of making the best of what we do have then I would like to see us go with a setup as follows.

---------------Fraser---------------

Proctor - Tokely - Munro - Djebi-Zadi

Wilson -------- Black -------- McBain

---------Cowie ------- Imrie---------

-------------Barrowman-------------

Not only do I think that's possibly our strongest setup, but it's the one which will allow us to make most changes on the park, either without the need for subs, or when the need for subs arises.

If you look at Proctor, Tokely, Munro, Zadi and McBain and Imrie...we can basically slide that 5 round, either as part of the tactics, or if it doesn't look like working. Basically push Proctor into the midfield, Tokely across to the right, Munro and Zadi in the middle, McBain at Left Back and Imrie on the left....giving us..........

---------------Fraser---------------

Tokely - Munro - Djebi-Zadi - McBain

Wilson --- Proctor --- Black --- Imrie

-------------- Cowie ---------------

-------------Barrowman-------------

Or even..........

---------------Fraser---------------

Tokely ------ Munro ------ Djebi-Zadi

--------- Proctor --- Black ---------

Wilson ----------------------- McBain

------- Cowie --------Imrie --------

-------------Barrowman-------------

Wilson is in there to go all out for as long as he can to work the Aberdeen defense, being replaced by Zander Sutherland who's nippy and will run rings round a tired defense.

Our strength is in our midfield, so we need to make best use of that. Although our defense, arguably, has a hole in it then we need to use defending midfielders to strengthen it and I think the best way to do that is perhaps to remove the deadwood (McGuire) and replace him with Proctor and Black as a second line, as it were. No point playing a back 4 just for the sake of it.

Same goes up front. Our forwards are, as yet, unproven. It therefore doesn't make sense to play 2 of them just for the sake of it and we should look to the strength we have in attacking midfielders to support a single front man. I've put in Barrowman, but it could just as easily be McAllister, Rooney (if he's here) or whoever is perfroming best in training this week.

Likewise, I have Djebi-Zadi in there, but it could just as easily be Hastings.

Forget about what Aberdeen may line up with...we have to play to our strengths and I'll be looking for Brewster to be thinking a little beyond the 4-4-2 this season to prove he has what it takes to get the best from the squad that's available.

If ever their was a game to get us fired up for the season, this is it. If the lads are hungry enough for the win to put the Aberdeen jinx behind us then I honestly believe that we have enough there to get us going on a high this season.

If we line up with a traditional 4-4-2 and resort to lumping it up the park we're screwed IMO, but think a little outside the norm and play the ball through, what I believe is, a strong midfield then we could really upset Aberdeen big time.

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Bad selection - Procter is resting having lifted Dargo skywards in the last game of the season.

No further statements about Aberdeen being slightly weaker this season. Where is the respect for a team who only just lost to the European Champions a few weeks back?

[CaleyD]

If Aberdeen want respect then they can start earning it come 3pm on Saturday....we have to go into this game with a "no prisoners" attitude.

[RossP]

Here's what my thoughts are, which i'd posted on another forum:

If Brewster puts out the right team, we are more than capable of getting the 3 points. I don't think he will, however.

My choice:

---------------------Fraser---------------------

Tokely-------Duff--------Munro------Hastings

Cowie------Black------Duncan--------Imrie

---------------------Wilson---------------------

------------------Barrowman------------------

Brewster's probable team:

---------------------Fraser---------------------

Tokely-------McGuire----Munro------Hastings

Imrie------Black------Duncan--------McBain

---------------------Cowie---------------------

------------------Barrowman------------------

These are the players I think can win and lose us the game....

Winners:

Andy Barrowman: scored some fantastic goals in pre season and looks lethal in the box. Decent height and speed.

Imrie: If he plays wide left he'll cause Foster problems. Quite tricky and has a wicked left foot. Wasted up front or on the right where Brew has tried him in pre season.

Black: Fantastic first touch and range of passing, along with finally starting to keep the head. Needs to move forward with the ball more though.

Cowie: Incredible workrate and scores some sweet strikes.

Losers:

Tokely: Has been rotten all year and doesn't look like improving. Time for him to move aside I feel, but unfortunately Proctor (our other RB) is suspended for the first two games of the season

McBain: Does nothing going forward and is painfully one footed. Never liked him.

McGuire: **Abuse Removed** started off really well with us, but after his injury became complacent and prone to mistakes. It was no surprise that our defence shored up every time Jamie Duff (Under 19 captain and allround good guy) came on to replace McGuire in pre season games

Hastings: Another who's had a bad year. I expect him to cost us a lot of goals by not stepping up with the rest of the defence at offsides.

Brewster: Won't make any subs till the last 15 minutes, no matter the score. He'll stick to players like McGuire and McBain because they have experience rather than giving better players like Duff, Sutherland and Vigurs a chance.

Game Prediction

I fancy us to concede at least a goal, but we are more than capable of getting a few against the Dons. So I predict it'll be a nervy 0-0 half time; with the Dons scraping it 2-1 in the second half; Miller and Smith for you guys, Barrowman for us. I'd love us to get Rooney on loan from Stoke City in time, so I can see him play in the flesh.

Let the abuse begin

Edited August 6, 2008 by CaleyD
Unacceptable Comment Removed

[ICTodd]

---------------Fraser---------------

Tokely ------ Munro ------ Djebi-Zadi

--------- Proctor --- Black ---------

Wilson ----------------------- McBain

------- Cowie --------Imrie --------

-------------Barrowman-------------

This is my choice. I think CaleyD has it spot on. 4-4-2 is NOT the line-up to go for with the players we have! This gives us a chance to switch play and roles during the game without making substitutions needlesly. And in turn when we DO use a substitute, it could benefit a lot more than someone just getting a run on the park.

I would a bit more explanation to this but i gota run!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Unfortunately the fact that we are so split about the team fer the first game of the season says it all. And then the apparent agreement that Brewster will play the wrong team, the wrong formation and the wrong tactics say even more.

[RiG]

Where is the respect for a team who only just lost to the European Champions a few weeks back?

In a completely meaningless pre season kick about. SOme people who were at that game joked that the players never even ran for the ball. They were just walking about the park!

Brewster's probable team:

---------------------Fraser---------------------

Tokely-------McGuire----Munro------Hastings

Imrie------Black------Duncan--------McBain

---------------------Cowie---------------------

------------------Barrowman------------------

I think that's how we will line up come Saturday and I think Calderwood will know that as well...

[Harry Chibber]

Fraser

Tokely McGuire Munro Hastings

Duncan

Cowie Black Imrie

Barrowman Rory

expect McBain will start with maybe Imrie upfront instead of Rory

coom on ICT 3 points against these fandangos :015:

:D :thumb04: :018: ;) my bad

Edited August 8, 2008 by Harry Chibber

[davieB]

I'd go..

Fraser

Tokely Munro Duff McBain

Cowie Black Duncan Wilson

Barrowman Imrie

Strangely enough, I'm feeling quietly confident about tomorrow. They're not in great shape, and maybe getting them first up is good for us.

[Harry Chibber]

Despite my pessimism at how our squad is shaping up for the season I find myself feeling more and more optimistic about our chances this weekend as the game gets closer and I sit down to look at what we have.

Not saying we should forget that we have obvious "needs" within the squad, but looking at it from the point of view of making the best of what we do have then I would like to see us go with a setup as follows.

---------------Fraser---------------

Proctor - Tokely - Munro - Djebi-Zadi

Wilson -------- Black -------- McBain

---------Cowie ------- Imrie---------

-------------Barrowman-------------

Not only do I think that's possibly our strongest setup, but it's the one which will allow us to make most changes on the park, either without the need for subs, or when the need for subs arises.

If you look at Proctor, Tokely, Munro, Zadi and McBain and Imrie...we can basically slide that 5 round, either as part of the tactics, or if it doesn't look like working. Basically push Proctor into the midfield, Tokely across to the right, Munro and Zadi in the middle, McBain at Left Back and Imrie on the left....giving us..........

---------------Fraser---------------

Tokely - Munro - Djebi-Zadi - McBain

Wilson --- Proctor --- Black --- Imrie

-------------- Cowie ---------------

-------------Barrowman-------------

Or even..........

---------------Fraser---------------

Tokely ------ Munro ------ Djebi-Zadi

--------- Proctor --- Black ---------

Wilson ----------------------- McBain

------- Cowie --------Imrie --------

-------------Barrowman-------------

Wilson is in there to go all out for as long as he can to work the Aberdeen defense, being replaced by Zander Sutherland who's nippy and will run rings round a tired defense.

Our strength is in our midfield, so we need to make best use of that. Although our defense, arguably, has a hole in it then we need to use defending midfielders to strengthen it and I think the best way to do that is perhaps to remove the deadwood (McGuire) and replace him with Proctor and Black as a second line, as it were. No point playing a back 4 just for the sake of it.

Same goes up front. Our forwards are, as yet, unproven. It therefore doesn't make sense to play 2 of them just for the sake of it and we should look to the strength we have in attacking midfielders to support a single front man. I've put in Barrowman, but it could just as easily be McAllister, Rooney (if he's here) or whoever is perfroming best in training this week.

Likewise, I have Djebi-Zadi in there, but it could just as easily be Hastings.

Forget about what Aberdeen may line up with...we have to play to our strengths and I'll be looking for Brewster to be thinking a little beyond the 4-4-2 this season to prove he has what it takes to get the best from the squad that's available.

If ever their was a game to get us fired up for the season, this is it. If the lads are hungry enough for the win to put the Aberdeen jinx behind us then I honestly believe that we have enough there to get us going on a high this season.

If we line up with a traditional 4-4-2 and resort to lumping it up the park we're screwed IMO, but think a little outside the norm and play the ball through, what I believe is, a strong midfield then we could really upset Aberdeen big time.

No Duncan?? Proctor's suspended

[CaleyD]

Correct....no Duncan.

Get Duncan within range of goal and we all know what we can do, aside from that he can be far too negative (first choice is pass back, and only when he has acres of space does he look forward) for a team that need to be out there pushing forward at every opportunity and doing it quickly to put pressure on the opposition.

Proctor is a better option as he's far more versatile, even with him out I'd probably prefer to see someone like Vigurs get the call.

Keep Duncan on the bench for when we're a couple of goals up with 10 minutes to go and we want to waste time sending the ball in the wrong direction.

[Harry Chibber]

Correct....no Duncan.

Get Duncan within range of goal and we all know what we can do, aside from that he can be far too negative (first choice is pass back, and only when he has acres of space does he look forward) for a team that need to be out there pushing forward at every opportunity and doing it quickly to put pressure on the opposition.

Proctor is a better option as he's far more versatile, even with him out I'd probably prefer to see someone like Vigurs get the call.

Keep Duncan on the bench for when we're a couple of goals up with 10 minutes to go and we want to waste time sending the ball in the wrong direction.

yeh but Proctor's suspended and...

Our strength is in our midfield, so we need to make best use of that. Although our defense, arguably, has a hole in it then we need to use defending midfielders to strengthen it

aside from that he can be far too negative (first choice is pass back, and only when he has acres of space does he look forward) for a team that need to be out there pushing forward at every opportunity and doing it quickly to put pressure on the opposition.

Duncan is probably our only natural defensive midfielder, his passing needs work but he is necessary to allow Black go forward

[CaleyD]

I don't think Black should be pushing forward either....again, we have others who are better at that than him, and I think he is better as an out and out central midfielder linking back to front, or as a defensive midfielder.