Match Thread (Europa League) Kf Shkendija V Aberdeen (1 - 1)

[Dandyesque]

No. I underestimated this crowd.

 

I'm not sure you did- maybe more a case of McInnes overestimating them. I think he'll be slightly disappointed with the draw although his selection indicates he wasn't wanting more than a draw

 

They were a lot better than the Latvian crowd we played last season but they'd struggle to compete over 2 legs with Sevco.

 

Well win by 3 at home

[Sheeptastic]

 

I'm not sure you did- maybe more a case of McInnes overestimating them. I think he'll be slightly disappointed with the draw although his selection indicates he wasn't wanting more than a draw

 

They were a lot better than the Latvian crowd we played last season but they'd struggle to compete over 2 legs with Sevco.

 

Well win by 3 at home

What have Sevco got to do with it?

[fine-n-dandy]

Evening Express suggesting Reynolds will be out for a few weeks with a shoulder injury.

Was thinking broken wrist (nae so bad) but now that you say that it could have been collar bone like Hayes & would mean he'd be out longer.

[fine-n-dandy]

What have Sevco got to do with it?

More to the point, what do Well have to do with playing them at home?

[King Street Loon]

Looks like KSL was right.

 

I extend my humble apologies to that man.

No apology needed @@tup.

I had a gut feeling this would be a tough game.

I think some fans got a bit excited because we thrashed Riga at this stage last season. I think we all now know that Riga threw those games and it wasn't a true reflection on where we are in European Football.

This was certainly a game of 2 halves. We were very comfortable in the first half, but again really fucking struggled to create anything. To be honest we aren't going to with a midfield 3 of Jack, Flood and Shinnie.

The 2nd half Shkendija came at us and I don't know if it was the heat getting to us or what, but we weren't at the races. We definitely got our goal against the run of play.

They took their goal well. The boy had all the space and time in the world though.

On the whole a draw was probably a fair result. Not spectacular by any means, but I'd expect to beat them at home.

The Reynolds injury is a worry but the Mighty Quinn looks like a more than able deputy.

Ward looked ropey and didn't look any different to Clangers or Broon.

 

Roll on next Thursday.

[Sonoftherock]

A bit of a reality check tonight? The 6 or 7 goal humping didn't eventuate and it sounds like they more than held their own?

[Dandyesque]

 

I'm not sure you did- maybe more a case of McInnes overestimating them. I think he'll be slightly disappointed with the draw although his selection indicates he wasn't wanting more than a draw

 

They were a lot better than the Latvian crowd we played last season but they'd struggle to compete over 2 legs with Sevco.

 

Well win by 3 at home

 

In my head, I was equating them with a mid-table Scottish Championship side- clearly this was not evident from my post...

[fine-n-dandy]

The Reynolds injury is a worry but the Mighty Quinn looks like a more than able deputy.

.

Michty

[Sheeptastic]

I was impressed that Quinn didn't need time to click into gear. Went on and started talking to the back four to make sure they were organised, then started getting stuck into tackles. Saved Ward's blushes big time.

 

I think we will be pleasantly surprised by his signing.

[fine-n-dandy]

I was impressed that Quinn didn't need time to click into gear. Went on and started talking to the back four to make sure they were organised, then started getting stuck into tackles. Saved Ward's blushes big time.

 

I think we will be pleasantly surprised by his signing.

Well they didn't pay much attention for their goal allowing a free header.

 

He had a couple of decent tackles. One really good one but he should have been on the header for their goal.

[dervish]

We will pump them at home. We wilted a bit in the heat. We are going to make two girls one cup look classy compared to the mess we are going to make of them.

[Chewie37]

I only saw the last 25 minutes on my phone at work. Looked to me like the tactics were to be patient and get a draw. Think Quinn and Taylor will be kicking themselves that neither of them got tight to the goalscorer. Good result for a first competitive match after a couple of friendlies

[WA_Don]

Why does DM persist with flood, it's a step backwards with him in the team

[Abramdon]

Why does DM persist with flood, it's a step backwards with him in the team

 

It's a complete mystery to me. He's shite. I'd have played Robson instead or preferably gone with a more attacking formation. Flood needs to be dropped for the return match. Shkendija were a lot better than I thought they would be. They aren't pushovers like the Latvians last season. Although I think we'll beat them next week it won't be an easy match and I can't see us winning by more than a couple of goals.

[CalgaryDon]

Said it before that Quinn is a great signing and potential DM best signing yet. The guys a captain - organizes everything and Jack should be taking note. He's a real winner and will not shy away for a tackle - he's exactly the sort of player we needed.

 

Cant believe some folk thought we'd smash this lot!??? Never expected to win tonight - draw at best. They are a fairly decent outfit who also have a few internationalists in their squad. Still think if we get an early goal next week - we will go on to win the tie. Also looking for the Saints to turn their tie around - we need scottish clubs to start getting further in these competitions.

[mutant]

Not understanding this unreal praise of Quinn ? He was miles off his man for the goal

[mutant]

Agreed , I'm not writing him off think people need to calm down a bit regarding him last night , we are going to see a lot of him now Reynolds is out

[Foster14]

Probably a fair result the way the game went. Thought Rooney and then Goodwillie were a bit isolated, but we certainly won the midfield battle. They realised that the second half and decided to play it quickly to their forwards who were rapid (and started getting more chances after Reynolds went off).

 

Would expect us to progress next week.

[muttonhumper]

Fucking woeful performance given how easily we controlled the game game 1st half.

 

Hayes was shite.

Jack was shite.

Rooney barely touched the ball.

McGinn was poor.

Shinne was the best player on the park. By a fucking mile.

Ward looked sound enough.

Those in hysterics about his showing might want to recognise that this was his first competitive game with new team mates he only met in the past 2 weeks..

Even then incidents cited are fucking ridiculous and gypit over criticisms.

Flood offers fuck all.

Logan was off his game but thankfully came up with the goods for the goal.

Goodwillie is good at getting fouled.

Pawlett's brother should nae have bothered..

Hope Reynolds is ok. Might have to change wunking hands efter that een.

Taylor and Quinn should be shot for allowing their striker that amount of space for the goal.

Their fans are cool, and a tad mental.

 

Confident we will get through though.

Confident enough to book flights for next round.

Worst case? Get beat and have a wee holiday possibly supporting the Albanians depending on the manner that they knock us oot.

[RAZOR]

Michty

 

Dr.

 

[RUL]

I think folk on here are giving both teams far to much credit. It was truly a horrible game to watch and both teams were fucking terrible.

 

I thought we'd win easily last night and would still expect us to win at home having seen first hand how shit they are. A more attacking Aberdeen side would have taken 2 or 3 goals of them easy, as was proved when we finally started playing football, they couldn't deal with it.

 

Ward was all over the place all night but it was his first game so I am hoping he'll come into it. I just wish when we signed a keeper his first game would be Theo esque, where you could tell he was going to be a brilliant keeper. Some of the stuff Ward was doing last night was laughable.

 

Quinn did well at times but suspect if Reynolds had stayed on that goal wouldn't have happened as Reynolds and Taylor understand each other.

 

Overall I thought the play was far to slow, it's not helped by us playing two centre halfs who don't want the ball at their feet and 3 defensive midfielders. Rooney was isolated flicking the ball onto nobody.

 

I'll predict 2-1 second leg.

[King Street Loon]

Have to say with regards Ward.

I said he looked ropey, but I'm more than willing to give the young lad time.

There is obviously some quality there if Liverpool are commiting to a 5 year deal with him.

[tup]

Bring back Clangers for the home leg.

[King Street Loon]

Bring back Clangers for the home leg.

That'd be the wrong move tup.

We want to win this game, not sow seeds of doubt into our team again.

Stick with the young Leek lover.

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Exactly that. Flood is in as a break up player. Replace with Hayes, Maclean (can't decide if him going deep is actually a good thing or not), robson for 60mins, smith or even GW all better options. I've even seen pawlett play well in there against the Lego eater.

 

I can see why he played him of course. Fit and looking for a safe draw.

[muttonhumper]

 

Interview with McInnes on RedTV through an interpreter is fucking hilarious.

 

Must watch.

[bobb4you]

The first half looked like a game where we never got out of 2nd gear. In the 2nd half we shifted into 1st.

[boboisared]

It seemed obvious to me that we set up the way we did last night to prepare for the Rijeka game. This lot were not up to much, we were happy to let them have the ball and waste it going long. McInnes had us keeping shape and we looked very comfortable, a few shaky moments aside.

 

Normally we can sneak a goal, no matter how badly we play due to our defence being so solid. Unfortunately our front 3 were awful last night, Hayes putting in one of his worst performances in an Aberdeen shirt. By my count, he only found a Dons player once with a cross and that was from a corner that Taylor should have done much better with.

 

Even when we did get that goal, our defending for their goal was awful. Shinnie should not be letting their winger get that cross in to the box, and Taylor and Quinn were nowhere near the man. Quinn redeemed himself with a couple of outstanding challengers.

 

We've more than enough to beat this lot. They need to attack at Pittodrie and on the smaller pitch it's not going to be so hard for our full backs and midfielders to make the late runs in to the box that we are so used to.

[MightyDons]

Was disappointed with the performance. We never really pressed them when they had the ball and were far too slow in possession. We struggled to break them down at times, as time and time again we let them regroup when we should have been breaking with a little more pace. We were far too narrow when attacking and in the second half, we seemed overrun in midfield despite having 3 central midfielders. Quinn and Taylor at fault for their goal, no striker should score a header from 14 yards out!

 

All in all a frustrating first leg. We should be beating teams like this, even in hot weather. We need to be much better in the second leg or we will be facing an embarrassing early exit from the Europa League.

[tup]

An early exit would, in my opinion, be a good thing.

 

Europe is a waste of time.