One Of The Best 11 , Yet The Worse Bench?

[barassie_afc]

Its a bit of a paradox , but its so evident , fuck all to shake it up , which allows the undroppables to put in sub standard performances

[Tord31]

I wonder about changing to 4-4-2 for the next game and that would certainly give an excuse for dropping one of the front five

[Dom Sullivan]

Why no Shank the Tank today?

[dj_bollocks]

Why no Shank the Tank today?

 

That's catching on !

 

I was wondering that too… It's not like Masson was ever getting on with who else was on the bench...

[reekie_dock]

 

That's catching on !

 

I was wondering that too… It's not like Masson was ever getting on with who else was on the bench...

 

 

Oh aye, I can just hear that being sung from the souther thon like.....

[dj_bollocks]

 

 

Oh aye, I can just hear that being sung from the souther thon like.....

 

[RAZOR]

Why no Shank the Tank today?

His forehead couldn't fit on the bus.

[Supersub]

mumps according to somebody on Mad

[rossafc92]

I'd imagine all those who have signed new contracts in recent months will have likely received slight increases to their wages, thus the money we're probably spending allows us a starting XI most of us are pretty much happy with, but is detriment to the quality we can then afford on the bench.

 

There are no options to change a game up. Shankland has shows flashes here and there in the minutes he's been afforded this season, but he has yet to make any real impact. Cammy Smith doesn't bring enough to change a game either. Can't see how that's going to change unless he's loaned out to allow him a consistent run of games. Flood, Robson, Low; these guys just aren't the types who change games, guys who can shake things up and get the opposition thinking in the last 20 minutes or so of a game.

 

Looking at this issue yesterday, United were able to change things bringing on Ryan Dow. He didn't make a massive impact, but enough to get them right in it for the last period of the match. The only player I could think of bringing on to change things for us was Scott Wright, purely because we've not seen much of him and knew the other six on the bench were hardly going to have an impact; thus United would perhaps be unaware of what he was going to bring to the game for us too.

 

I wonder if the only solution to this is to perhaps keep a player you'd usually start in "reserve" by being on the bench in case we're in a position where we need the tide to turn at some point during the game. If said player was to then change the game, however, the argument would then be regarding why we didn't start him.

 

It harks back to the topic that was on here during the early part of the season when we were struggling to find any consistency. I think it was FnD (and Super Jambo Al) who argued that we hadn't improved the squad. Personally, I felt that adding Goodwillie was an improvement considering he was replacing Scott Vernon/Calvin Zola. Brown, Taylor, Logan and Monakana were merely like for like replacements (not that that's a criticism, especially in case of Taylor). Whilst I am happy with the options we have for our starting XI, I think the arguments of the thread I talk of are now plainly evident. When the preferred XI can't get the result decided in the first 45 minutes - 60 minutes of a game, we don't have the tools to change things.

 

This will remain a problem for the rest of the season, but I would like to think that the preferred starting XI will be able to win more games than not out of the 15 left. A game-changer or two definitely required in the summer.

[dj_bollocks]

Let's have a look at the team McInnes inherited from the GWT

 

Final game of season 12/13 v Hearts

 

Langfield, Osbourne, Robertson, Reynolds, Shaughnessy, Magennis, (Vernon 72), Low, Rae, (Masson 85), Hayes McGinn, Smith (McManus 63)

Unused Subs - Twardzik, Murray, Storie, Hughes

 

Yesterday's Team

 

Brown, Logan, Considine, Reynolds, Rooney, McGinn, Hayes, Pawlett, Goodwillie, Jack, Daniels

Subs - Langfield, Flood, Robson, Smith, Robertson, Masson, Wright

 

Frankly that's a pretty extensive transformation after (at the end of tomorrow) 4 transfer windows. And we haven't spent a penny on transfer fees. I have no doubt that whilst little will happen tomorrow (maybe one loanee coming in), this summer's transfer window will be the real squad definer. No question to me Anderson and Robson will be out of contract, with Shinnie coming in Robertson will be finding a new club, as I suspect will Masson and Rogers. Jury's still out as to whether Craig Murray, Nicky Low and Craig Storie will get extensions.

 

So that's a fairly extensive budget you're already freeing up, with as we know Shinnie already coming in. If we can't sign up Ryan Jack he'll be sold and we'll have money to reinvest, rather than going towards the debt. Maybe we'll get lucky and be able to punt Langfield too !

 

Our squad isn't balanced perfectly at the moment, but look how far we've come. This was never going to be an overnight fix. Next season is the real test. Qualifying for the group stages of the Europa League and a real title challenge would be huge.

[Tord31]

I can see all the players out of contract in the summer leaving.

 

Even given bringing in Shinnie on a relative high wage hopefully we'll have wages to work with from those leaving.

 

The keeper position imo is gonna have to wait until at least the January 2016 window to see some change

 

The main thing were aiming for I would say this summer is having more players not guaranteed a game.

 

More pressure on McGinn, Pawlett etc to perform or be subbed off at 56 mins - and an important part of McInnes development is managing these situations which have to start if were gonna kick on from here.