Pre Season Results

[Jack_Glass]

There's usually some debate over pre-season games and results. Some folk are not bothered by pre-season results, some are.

 

Personally I think pre-season games are not just for building match fitness, working on tactics ect, but vital for confidence by winning and showing a professional attitude no matter who the opposition are.

 

We've seen some really poor pre-season scores resulting in equally poor starts to a season. There's some folk try and justify this by saying these games not so important, but it is if we're being defeated by highland league sides or other part time clubs who are equally just as unfit or breaking in new players.

 

Thoughts?

[Dandyesque]

In recent seasons (from memory) Peterhead have beaten us 4-0, we have drawn 4-4 and beaten them 2-1.

 

The season in which we went on to do worst?

 

The latter.

 

Tells you all you need to know about pre-season friendlies if you ask me.

[Betty Swallicks]

Nae sure.

We were shyte last pre season and started the "real" stuff wi 3 decent results.

 

Personally I want AFC to win every game regardless.

[Ke1t]

If I were running a professional football team I would use pre-season friendlies as a means by which to gauge trialists, bring up levels of fitness, pinpoint weaknesses and bed in new players while working on planned systems.

 

The actual results don't really matter, but the games themselves should be of the utmost importance.

 

By the time Game 1 rolls around there should be the basis of a squad already in situ, and all the major problems should be worked out.

 

Last season we were a f**king shambles, and we started the season with Duff and Young playing in defence.... and we all know how well those two f**king jokers did. Two pish players that can't even play their 'natural' positions with any degree of competence, stuck into positions they've no hope of ever filling properly.

 

So while pre-season results mean dick, pre-season games are, to my mind, f**king important.

[Jack_Glass]

If I were running a professional football team I would use pre-season friendlies as a means by which to gauge trialists, bring up levels of fitness, pinpoint weaknesses and bed in new players while working on planned systems.

 

The actual results don't really matter, but the games themselves should be of the utmost importance.

 

By the time Game 1 rolls around there should be the basis of a squad already in situ, and all the major problems should be worked out.

 

Last season we were a f**king shambles, and we started the season with Duff and Young playing in defence.... and we all know how well those two f**king jokers did. Two pish players that can't even play their 'natural' positions with any degree of competence, stuck into positions they've no hope of ever filling properly.

 

So while pre-season results mean dick, pre-season games are, to my mind, f**king important.

 

I can't argue with that Ke1t, much the same way I think as well.

 

It's all well breaking in new players/tactics/trialists against part time teams ect, but the problem is so are the other lesser teams thus balancing that out. Bottom line is we should not be getting hammered by the likes of Peterhead pre-season. For me it set's a bad mindset, worries the fans, get's the negativity levels raised even before the season starts, then the boo-boys are ready too pounce.

 

Definitely agree that no matter who we play we should be looking to win instead of playing with the fear of defeat, which again is triggered by negative results and negative tactics. It's unlikely we'll not be well prepared, CB/AK know the score, the boys will be fit. The squad as it stands though is bottom six material. There's no way Mawene & Milsom will change that on their own. We need to add a few more very good SPL capable players.

[Jack_Glass]

Nae sure.

We were shyte last pre season and started the "real" stuff wi 3 decent results.

 

Personally I want AFC to win every game regardless.

 

Thing was we flattered to deceive in those first few games. Many people identified holes in our tactics and the unbalanced squad was clear to everyone. It was no surprise to me that we went downhill rapidly.

[HH_is_back]

We also had an unbalanced manager.

[barassie_afc]

I am not so sure re friendlies. If my memory serves me right in the 90's or early 00's did we not play a tournament where we beat/performed well v Utrecht, Athletico Madrid in a tournament, then nearly got relegated that season ?

[Jack_Glass]

We also had an unbalanced manager.

T

The 3 key mistakes that ruined him our club

 

1. Sacking a legend like Leighton (PR disaster)

2. Mouthing off about the Celtic job (lost fans respect)

3. Going on holiday instead of preparing his team for Europe and we all know the outcome (disgraceful euro result)

 

But i don't want to turn this into a revised anti-mcghee post, we all know he's a donkey.

 

Given our teams lac-lustre transfer policy coupled with last minute panic buys, that we've become used to, can we realistically expect another poor pre-season in terms of both performances & results? I know it's way to early to jump-the-gun, but i feel if we have another poor pre-season and the apparent lack of investment in quality players, the early hopes can turn sour, the fans quickly become restless and we go through the whole cycle again and again.

 

It would be nice for once if we could get a few good signings in early, get the team & tactics worked out asap instead of playing catchup a month into the season.

[minijc]

Pre season is only there for players to regame fitness and sharpness, results shouldn't matter atall.

[spamspamspam]

I am not so sure re friendlies. If my memory serves me right in the 90's or early 00's did we not play a tournament where we beat/performed well v Utrecht, Athletico Madrid in a tournament, then nearly got relegated that season ?

 

I dont think they are a gauge to how the season is going to go but they are important for building confidence in the players and also giving the new players confidence in their new team mates and manager IMO.

 

I think thats where we've been falling down lately, if a player comes in to a squad that is lacking confidence in both themselves and the manager it'll soon rub off on the new guys. Hopefully Brown and Knox can exude confidence in themselves and their choices which will filter down to the team. When a manager is walking round saying they have no cash to get decent players (JC the last 2 years of his stint) or blatantly slates every player he has and states none of them are good enough for Aberdeen (MM in his first 2 weeks) then the team falls flat and we end up watching the sh*te we've been seeing for the last 4 or 5 seasons.

 

Saying all that, we need to get the players in first before we can start building confidence throughout the squad in these friendlies.

[DieHardDandy]

Agree with Ke1t here.

 

I reckon we'll need to see a few decent signings over the next few weeks to avoid another poor season. With our current board and DoF, I can't see us investing in experienced pros. So I guess the bottom 6 beckons again. At the very least, I really hope we look to avoid this by bringing a number of trialists on pre-season and signing up the good lads.

 

I'd love it if the experienced guys (so Langfield, Mawene, Considine, Foster, Milsom, Mackie, Folly, McArdle and Vernon) prove me wrong but there's so few of them in such a small squad that I can see injuries reducing us to playing young loons out of position again. And with no cash spent on the squad again, I can see season ticket sales and attendances dropping again.

 

The SPL's fast becoming a threadbare circus that's had to sell everything off to keep going; there's only clowns left... and none of them look too happy...

[tup]

Don't matter a damn, irrelevant.

 

We got thumped a few times by nobodies in pre-season during Fergie's time.

 

There's no correlation at all between results in friendlies, and the start you make to the season.

 

We often play smaller teams, they see Aberdeen as a big game, and give it 100%, whereas our players will rightly be holding a little back for the proper games.

 

So pay no attention to the results.

[Bamber]

Don't matter a damn, irrelevant.

 

We got thumped a few times by nobodies in pre-season during Fergie's time.

 

There's no correlation at all between results in friendlies, and the start you make to the season.

 

We often play smaller teams, they see Aberdeen as a big game, and give it 100%, whereas our players will rightly be holding a little back for the proper games.

 

So pay no attention to the results.

 

 

 

I disagree, - there was an attitude especially last season that losing in preseason was ok that it was acceptable to lose 3-1 to a team we had previously got to double figures.

 

While I can understand that it is all about fitness and getting sharpness, when before a game we are saying its ok to lose then a mentality sets in that says losing is ok and is acceptable. Friendly, league or cup Highland league 1st division SPL or spanish heavyweights every game we should be going into try and win.

 

If we dont win you still expect to see a performance worthy of the team, it has been abundently clear in the last two seasons pre-seasons that we would struggle, the attitude, the formation the abilities of the team was cruelly exposed as early as these games. The first game I saw a couple of in 2009/10 under Dingbat was a friendly against Peterhead it was a 3-2 win but even at that time I remember coming back and rasing concerns that we werent playing to players strengths and what we were trying to do was going to leave us exposed and so it happened

 

A highland league side giving 100% should not be a match for us yet we lost 3-1.

 

Pre season is a time to try out stuff, yes it is a time for fitness - but these guys should maintain a decent level of fitness anyway to be honest, it's not like 10 or 20 years a go when they would all disappear off for a couple of months and do nothing, most will be continuing on with their normal fitness routines accross the summer. I personally think there has been correlation over the last two season over how a season has gone as a whole. we lacked tactics, sharpness and a will to win and we were badly exposed

 

We should see emergence of tactics, we should see a desire to win and put in a performance, we should put down a marker on acceptable and unacceptable performances from day 0

[Jack_Glass]

I disagree, - there was an attitude especially last season that losing in preseason was ok that it was acceptable to lose 3-1 to a team we had previously got to double figures.

 

While I can understand that it is all about fitness and getting sharpness, when before a game we are saying its ok to lose then a mentality sets in that says losing is ok and is acceptable. Friendly, league or cup Highland league 1st division SPL or spanish heavyweights every game we should be going into try and win.

 

If we dont win you still expect to see a performance worthy of the team, it has been abundently clear in the last two seasons pre-seasons that we would struggle, the attitude, the formation the abilities of the team was cruelly exposed as early as these games. The first game I saw a couple of in 2009/10 under Dingbat was a friendly against Peterhead it was a 3-2 win but even at that time I remember coming back and rasing concerns that we werent playing to players strengths and what we were trying to do was going to leave us exposed and so it happened

 

A highland league side giving 100% should not be a match for us yet we lost 3-1.

 

Pre season is a time to try out stuff, yes it is a time for fitness - but these guys should maintain a decent level of fitness anyway to be honest, it's not like 10 or 20 years a go when they would all disappear off for a couple of months and do nothing, most will be continuing on with their normal fitness routines accross the summer. I personally think there has been correlation over the last two season over how a season has gone as a whole. we lacked tactics, sharpness and a will to win and we were badly exposed

 

We should see emergence of tactics, we should see a desire to win and put in a performance, we should put down a marker on acceptable and unacceptable performances from day 0

 

That's what I think as well Bamber. If the team want to build confidence and get the fans on-board early doors then we should be hammering Highland League & lower division part-time sides even without being fully fit and showing the right attitude no matter who the opposition are. You are spot on ref fitness levels. We're supposed to be one of the biggest SPL clubs in Scotland, that should set a basic standard of acceptable fitness even before returning to training. The fact a part-time team who don't train every day and have day jobs can play a side like ours off the pitch is nothing short of disgraceful no matter the time/place/event.

 

It may be acceptable to some for us to get beat by a Highland League team but not for me. Even if the result goes against us I'd fully expect to see 100% effort, good team layout, good performance and a sign of progress, if not then it won't take long for the Don's boo boys to get on the backs of the players.

 

I personally think pre-season results have a lot to do with everything, from fans transferring negativity on to the pitch, player confidence, managerial awareness and all the other stuff. It's been blatantly apparent the last two pre-seasons have been an indicator of what's to come. Both were very poor in every respect; players were not fit enough showing either a lack of professionalism or very poor management, probably both. I'm sure CB/AK will have the guys in shape.

[tup]

That's what we all think I would have thought. Ideal scenario is you win every game you play, obviously.

 

What I'm saying is even the best teams lose all the time in pre-season. They dinna give a f**k, because it disna matter.

 

I'm not planning on losing any sleep over bounce games. Half the time the team is a pale resemblance of the one expected to start the season, so it goes from meaningless to pointless.

 

As we know to our cost, playing reserves against lower league opposition is a recipe for disaster.

 

So the results mean nothing, and don't prove anything about the players that we don't already know.

[tup]

It's been blatantly apparent the last two pre-seasons have been an indicator of what's to come. Both were very poor in every respect; players were not fit enough showing either a lack of professionalism or very poor management, probably both.

 

We had the worst manager in our history then, along with the rat faced ned Leitch, and the Scotvec Module in Goalkeeping, 5,000 career goal conceded Colin Meldrum.

 

Say no more.

[sheepiekev]

We had the worst manager in our history then, along with the rat faced ned Leitch, and the Scotvec Module in Goalkeeping, 5,000 career goal conceded Colin Meldrum.

 

Say no more.

 

 

Agree, but we need all the momentum and help we can get.......oh aye and at least 5 players......and NOT to sell our top asset for a paltry

[Jack_Glass]

We had the worst manager in our history then, along with the rat faced ned Leitch, and the Scotvec Module in Goalkeeping, 5,000 career goal conceded Colin Meldrum.

 

Say no more.

 

Very true; like yourself i was not a fan of McGhee due to his very poor start on and off the field. I knew right away as many folk did that we'd taken on a right duffer of a manager who made one blunder after another. My faith in CB to better McGhee is 100%. Personally if the board back him, get us a few good players, then I could see us easily sitting in the top 6 by XMAS with no worries of a bottom 6 finish, simply because CB knows how to work with youngsters, knows his tactics, good at PR, very experienced with lots of contacts and so far in Milsom & Mawene appears to have a decent eye for a player and won't sign any old rubbish like Ifil, Young & that donkey we got on loan from Rangers.

 

The next couple of signings will give us all a better idea of what we can expect, if they're not good then i can see negativity flooding the forums and that's transferable to fans then on to players.

 

I really hope CB address's our goal scoring problems because only Vernon looks capable of scoring. We certainly can't expect Paton, McGennis, Aluko or Mackie to score more than 20 between all of them. They've shown no signs they can do it in the past. Pre-season is a great time for strikers to get a run going against lesser teams, if they don't then we know what happens.

[HH_is_back]

Where are the signings coming from to aid our recovery and provide the positive results from the pre season friendlies.

 

Latest mutterings are two more signings and a loan goalkeeper!

 

We need at least six signings to have a glimer of hope for an improved season! Tup, any updates on your predictions of players?????

[Jack_Glass]

Where are the signings coming from to aid our recovery and provide the positive results from the pre season friendlies.

 

Latest mutterings are two more signings and a loan goalkeeper!

 

We need at least six signings to have a glimer of hope for an improved season! Tup, any updates on your predictions of players?????

 

Indeed; i really hope we've got at least 3 new guys by mid July at the latest not including loans.

[Jack_Glass]

Don't matter a damn, irrelevant.

 

We got thumped a few times by nobodies in pre-season during Fergie's time.

 

There's no correlation at all between results in friendlies, and the start you make to the season.

 

We often play smaller teams, they see Aberdeen as a big game, and give it 100%, whereas our players will rightly be holding a little back for the proper games.

 

So pay no attention to the results.

 

Thing is 'tup' as you know we had a team & manager that could kick ass back then, so there was no need to get worried. Sadly the last two pre-seasons under mcghee pre-determined what we were going to be subjected to and the rest is history; part of our worst history on record. Not just a bad manager but very poor players.

 

There's likely no correlation at all, not normally; beg to differ over the last two seasons though and if good investment is not made and we get off to another bad start, the hoodoo over this club might just kick in again. I personally don't think it will, not with Craig Brown in charge and big Archie kick'n butt.

 

However we've been in steady decline for 3 seasons now, been given years of lip service from the board, so i can see why folk are worried and don't share the optimism of others.

 

Tell me one thing 'tup'...the player we're signing that you know of, are you happy with this signing and do you think it will make a significant positive impact alongside Mawene & Milsom?

[tup]

Yes, I'm happy that Brown is targeting players who will significantly improve our first team.

 

Which is why things might seem to be dragging on a bit for some of you, acquiring good players, who are under contract elsewhere, takes negotiation.

 

Other teams need to know where they are before they'll deal with us, that's the reality of it for Aberdeen just now.

[seanthesheep]

Yes, I'm happy that Brown is targeting players who will significantly improve our first team.

 

Which is why things might seem to be dragging on a bit for some of you, acquiring good players, who are under contract elsewhere, takes negotiation.

 

Other teams need to know where they are before they'll deal with us, that's the reality of it for Aberdeen just now.

 

Thank feck someone else who isn't bloody panicking.

 

In Brown we trust !

[tup]

Some of these lads needed a good, hard slap fae their mithers as bairns.

 

This nips whining in the bud. Instead they were given free reign.

 

Now we get the dubious benefit of the adult manifestation.

[diamondsr4ever]

Some of these lads needed a good, hard slap fae their mithers as bairns.

 

This nips whining in the bud. Instead they were given free reign.

 

Now we get the dubious benefit of the adult manifestation.

 

 

I think Rae will be here, and I can see another forward (probably loan) coming to the club, we might even be suprised and see stevie smith return...who knows?

 

but I trust CB.

[GK55]

Pre-season games = game time - get the fitness/stamina/concentration levels back up to what they should be....results dont really matter, although a professional footballer should be going out to win every game.

[Wanderingdon]

Pre-Season Friendlies mean nothing, They are to get gate money in, Build match fitness, allow players to blend in, try new tactics and ideas.

 

I'd rather have 0 wins in preseason friendlies and have a good season finishing top 6.

[Jack_Glass]

Pre-Season Friendlies mean nothing, They are to get gate money in, Build match fitness, allow players to blend in, try new tactics and ideas.

 

I'd rather have 0 wins in preseason friendlies and have a good season finishing top 6.

 

It's all well n good saying they mean nothing, but if the last 2 pre-seasons are anything to go by (performances & results) then we can look forward to another poor season as a whole. Incidentally I don't think that will happen under Brown, but the potential is there when you consider how young our side is at this time.

 

Langfield being out till October with possibly future seizures, Folly recovering, possibility of losing Fyvie, plus all the positions we need to fill, players needing time to gel. Plus we might get more pre-season injuries or fail to get the players we want on time, which can all amount to a poor start.

 

There's no way we can afford another poor pre-season IMHO because if we do the forums will be littered with negative posts, fans will be right on players back from the start and then the heads start dropping. Soon after that the manager starts getting it and the vicious cycle begins.