Just In (Ptfc - Afc)

[allyo]

More toothless and predictable than inept. I think it's inevitable that we'll have days like that in this league. It just didn't happen for us today. But I actually think Aberdeen were good today. And I think their fans would say so. It's important that the team, and the fans, react in the right way.

Edited September 14, 2013 by allyo

[proudjag]

 

 

I can't - first time I've seen him start was today.

 

Was he the only player in the team today that didn't put in a performance? Even if he was, is booing going to make him play better?

 

Don't get me wrong - I used to boo some of our players when I was younger - then I realised that it was a waste of vocal cords.

 

Haha conveniently eh. Well away you go and stop spouting nonsense when you've only seen the guy once. There are those of us who have seen him on his 3/4 opportunities to impress and he has done the square root of heehaw. We are allowed to be upset when a waster like that starts ahead of doolan. Granted doolan hasn't exactly hit the ground running this season but he is ten times the player Baird is!!

[Metz]

I agree fans have the right to express their views however they also have a responsibility to support the team including players that are struggling. It's Archies job to pick the team and if there is guys not performing he should recognise it and change it. Baird is fast becoming the whipping boy and his performances won't alter this therefor Archie needs to set up the team differently if he wants to get more from him. Having said this I felt the

fans today where generally forgiving and supportive of a really poor performance, long

may that continue as I for one think this team

has merited that and will do ok as long as we

don't get on their backs and ruin their confidence.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Metz

[Woodstock Jag]

We lost today because Aberdeen were big, strong and got in our faces. Their big forward gave our centre-backs absolutely no time on the ball whatsoever. They closed us down, hit us hard, and in a very direct manner punished mistakes.

 

They're an effective side, and had us by the short and curlies, but I wouldn't want to watch football like that every week.

 

Piccolo at least partly to blame for all three goals, but a sub-par performance from the team generally today with the exception I felt of Higginbotham who caused them a few problems.

 

We'll have days like this in the big league. Not too disappointed, but frankly 3-0 was a fair result.

[cleveland steamer]

 

 

Haha conveniently eh. Well away you go and stop spouting nonsense when you've only seen the guy once. There are those of us who have seen him on his 3/4 opportunities to impress and he has done the square root of heehaw. We are allowed to be upset when a waster like that starts ahead of doolan. Granted doolan hasn't exactly hit the ground running this season but he is ten times the player Baird is!!

 

Conveniently? Because I've only been to two games this season? Sorry I'm not up to your level of 3/4 opportunities.

 

I will go, as someone as knowledgable as yourself has told me to.

 

Dick head

[Lenziejag]

 

 

Fans paying their money are allowed to have a go when they feel a player doesn't deserve to wear the red and yellow and in this case that's John Baird.

 

Problem is that it affects the others too.

[proudjag]

Honestly Cleveland steamer show some dignity resorting to insult prices you know your wrong

 

You blindly defend Baird it's quite amusing but hey whatever turns you on

[Mr Bunny]

Archie is a young manager, still learning his trade so don't want to make too much of this, but ..

 

He made some mistakes today. Dropping Osbourne against what he must have known would be a physically strong Aberdeen side and persisting with Baird in a crucial home game. But hopefully he will learn from this.

 

Can't really blame him for picking Gabriel as he didn't have much choice. I'd thought he'd looked OK in the league cup games and only had a slight worry about him appearing in a proper league game but I was shocked by his performance. It's not so much he made mistakes - players sometimes have stinkers - as that he didn't seem to be worried by it. He didn't seem to try up his game at all but seemed determined to try to stroll through the game even though that was obviously beyond him.

 

One thing though - I don't want us to change our style. It's has had completely dominating Hearts and St Mirren for long spells and it's well worth watching when we do it right. But we need to have, as others have said, a plan B. Not a lump it up the park plan B , just a variation on the main style which lets us surprise an opposition that think they've got us sussed (guess we need a plan C and D as well).

Edited September 14, 2013 by Mr Bunny

[javeajag]

The basic problem today was thd middle of thd park in both protecting thd defence and supporting the attack .., Gabriel looks a yard short of pace for this division and caused two goals .... Other teams have worked out if you stop the full backs going forward you stop us playing . ..we started early on pumping long balls which wax madness .... Doolan/Baird not thd answer

[kni]

The fact is that we have lots of midfielders but lack cover and a bit of experience in central defence. Piccolo was making his league debut and Aberdeen took advantage. If Osbourne can play in central defence, it would have logical to play him there today. McMillan was signed to cover for the full-backs, has limited experience in central defence but appears to be still out. If two of the first-choice back four are out, we will be in big trouble. Archie needs to be looking at available free agents.

[Fearchar]

Aberdeen are a big, physical side that get right in the faces of the opposition. They don't even shirk from off-the-ball shoulder charges or from catching the legs of a player that has dispossessed them. It's not pretty, but it's effective for as long as officials allow it to take place. It's also the reason why outside Scotland our football teams do really badly. This team will also face the same in the form of the fake thistle.

 

It's going to take a while for this team to adjust to coping with this ugly side of Scottish football, but like Mr Bunny, I'd rather this team didn't change its style. It's much more enjoyable being entertained by footballing skills. If I want to see strapping athletes thumping a ball long distances and running after it, I'll go and watch shinty. Keep the faith, lads!

[Metz]

The reality is that there will be guys in this team that won't be able to make the step up and will be found wanting. That's just a hard fact of life they are young and some will learn and the rest won't. The hope is that we will avoid the play offs and be able to retain the ones that blossom and add quality as replacements for those that fail to adapt. If we can do that we have a chance to try and establish ourselves in the top flight in the way that Killie, ICT and St Johnstone have been able to, in particular as Sevco will be back in taking a place in a few years.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Fans paying their money are allowed to have a go when they feel a player doesn't deserve to wear the red and yellow and in this case that's John Baird.

 

Agree entirely that fans are allowed to have a go. I'd suggest they're feckin' idiots but you're correct the fans paid the money so they're fully entitled..

 

Perhaps I'm just getting old, but is it his fault that we gave him a contract and a start? Was he supposed to refuse? How's booing going to help?

 

Booing Baird when it was Archie who signed him and started the guy today. In effect the thickos were indirectly booing the manager. But they paid the entry money so just got to accept they're entitled to do it. All the same I'm sorry for anyone having to sit beside them. ..

[read'n'yell]

I think people are within their right to question Bairds quality. But to question his commitment and to say he doesn't deserve to play for us is a joke. He puts everything into the game, great work rate and is willing to come and get the ball. It didn't work today but neither did nearly the whole team.

 

I totally agree that we need another striker, but that doesn't mean we should criticise who we have. I honestly think Doolan and Baird are of equal standard - neither good enough for starting berths.

[ThickAsThieves]

The fact is that we have lots of midfielders but lack cover and a bit of experience in central defence. Piccolo was making his league debut and Aberdeen took advantage. If Osbourne can play in central defence, it would have logical to play him there today. McMillan was signed to cover for the full-backs, has limited experience in central defence but appears to be still out. If two of the first-choice back four are out, we will be in big trouble. Archie needs to be looking at available free agents.

He was right to start Piccolo. He just had a shocker.

[cleveland steamer]

Honestly Cleveland steamer show some dignity resorting to insult prices you know your wrong

 

You blindly defend Baird it's quite amusing but hey whatever turns you on

 

Only a fool would think that I am defending Baird, as opposed to questioning booing a player.

 

Now, do you still think I am defending Baird?

[LambieIsGod]

Have to agree with just about everything that's been posted on the game so far. I think it was clear that we just didn't turn up or the game and the loss of Balatoni from the team was huge for us. Piccolo was shocking but if Archie, who has a far better football brain than I do, sees potential there, then I support him. Generally the only pass marks that are being given out here, are for Foxy and Higgy, both of which I agree on. But I also think Muirhead had a very good game. The problem was, he identified early on that Piccolo was having a shocker and had to cover for him a number of times. The risk that comes with that, is that it pulls you out of position and can make you look bad when you've lost your own marker. I was paying special attention to our centre halves and this is exactly what was happening. In the circumstances I thought big Aaron played very well. God help us if he had a stinker too!

 

On another note, it was like a morgue in the North Stand (where I go), even before the Dons scored their first. Poor performance from the team but the worst performance from the North Stand boys (and girls) for some time too! The crack just wasn't there. Hope it was a one off.

[jaggybunnet]

Fans paying their money are allowed to have a go when they feel a player doesn't deserve to wear the red and yellow and in this case that's John Baird.

 

so you think you know better than Archie and you believe that booing players helps them play better

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

Jeez that was sobering. I think Aberdeen stared the brighter and got a couple of dodgy goals before we had even started, however after this we seemed to scared to do much with the ball. This team is know for it's passing but there was an awful lot of incompleted passes. I was surprised at the line up particularly feeling that Osbourne and Doolan deserved to start. As to Welsh he may have been unfit but I also feel he was closed down a lot by a savvy Aberdeen team.

Archibald has always said this team is built around a strong defence which sadly was lacking yesterday, hopefully Balatoni will be back or even McMillan instead of Gabby. Taylor-Sinclair looked at times as though he had been told to hang back as he was too reluctant at times to charge forward.

I don't know what the solution is upfront but we do need someone like Craig only better. Perhaps Elliott has earned the right to start upfront. Overall though I am disappointed but will be back next week expecting us to play better and beat Kilmarnock.

[twinny]

I've just seen the goals on Sky Sports, shocking defending at each one. At least with clear errors it is easy to spot how to correct them I suppose. Gabriel didn't look too good but then I only saw one minute worth of the match. Hopefully he just needs some games as we will certainly need him over the course of the season.

[ThickAsThieves]

Gabriel was the worst player on the park. Not ready, or not prepared, for first team football. Give him a proper run in the U20s to get used to our system, because he wasn't tuned in to what we attempt to do. Someone said it on P&B, but you would never expect our big sexy Mexican to be the one booting it 50 yards at every opportunity, but that's what happened. Zola bullied him and Magennis breezed past him for his goal. Just a poor, poor day all round. He looked dodgy from the moment they opened the scoring. I'm not writing him off, but I would be worried if he started next week because he'll cost us points.

[jagsfan1963]

I've just seen the goals on Sky Sports, shocking defending at each one. At least with clear errors it is easy to spot how to correct them I suppose. Gabriel didn't look too good but then I only saw one minute worth of the match. Hopefully he just needs some games as we will certainly need him over the course of the season.

 

At the game I thought Gabby was at fault for the 2nd and 3rd goals. Having seen the "highlights" he tracks Zola for the first then when the ball comes in and Zola doesn't get it, it's as if gabby thinks "I've done my job" and switches off. Instead of staying with Zola he gets drawn to the ball. I'm sure the coaching staff will point out all our errors and hope we learn from this.

[potty trained]

In fairness to gabby he wasn't the one booting it straight down the middle to Baird or Doolan, that was muirhead. Gabby was playing diagonal balls up the park to Sinclair and o'donnell.

 

Fox was booting it mostly to Higgy.

 

[ThickAsThieves]

Haven't seen any highlights but I thought it was Gabriel and Bannigan who were watching Zola. I'm never comfortable with Banzo in his own box trying to win headers, it's probably the weakest part of his game. I remember he was marking Stevie May last season at corners and was coming nowhere near the ball. I could be wrong, but from what I remember yesterday Bannigan was near Zola and just didn't look like getting the ball.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Gabriel was the worst player on the park. Not ready, or not prepared, for first team football. Give him a proper run in the U20s to get used to our system, because he wasn't tuned in to what we attempt to do. Someone said it on P&B, but you would never expect our big sexy Mexican to be the one booting it 50 yards at every opportunity, but that's what happened. Zola bullied him and Magennis breezed past him for his goal. Just a poor, poor day all round. He looked dodgy from the moment they opened the scoring. I'm not writing him off, but I would be worried if he started next week because he'll cost us points.

 

I'm not sure that would work. I don't know the rules for playing overage players but when I saw him play at Falkirk it was really Gabriel who was bossing the defence despite playing in front of Gallacher that night. I wouldn't think Archie would want to break up the Brownlie/Lindsay partnership in any case.

I thought after trying out numerous centrebacks over the summer Gabriel was chosen as he fitted in with our style. If it's any comfort I think back to this time last season when Archie was chosen ahead of Balatoni and a fair chunk of the support appeared to think Conrad was a bomb scare. A month or so later he was winning PotM awards.

I've no idea whether McMillan or Osbourne would've faired better at centreback yesterday. I know both can play in that position and are no doubt more tactically aware than Gabriel. Perhaps Osbourne would have played there if Archie thought Welsh would be fit for 90mins?

Without the benefit of seeing the goals again my impression yesterday was of an easily bullied defence that was always going to be run over. No surprise it broke at its most vulnerable point. If the other three back line players and our two central midfield players had been stronger maybe Gabriel would've had an easier baptism. .