Match Thread (Europa League) Rijeka 2 - 0 Aberdeen

[PHDDon]

Think the stick Campbell is getting is a but unfair when our two more experienced centre backs watched it happen and neither chose to close the boy down, he didn't have any options for a pass and if he had been quickly closed down he wouldn't have got the shot away but for some reason both just stood there.

 

Shite performance, shite tactics, shite ref, baffling subs. Overall just a very disappointing night all round with not many getting pass marks.

 

Would like to see a bit of rotation for the St Midden game to get some minutes into Main, Wilson, Mclennan with an eye to freshening things up next week at Pittodrie as to stand any chance we need to go for the jugular and get an early goal

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Confident we can do it, Liverpool style performance and atmosphere like they had against Barcelona, early goal get the crowd like it was against hearts, wouldn’t necessarily say an early goal is a must but it’s a must we have the lead at ht and haven’t conceded

And their game plan, away from home, will be open us up, early (away) goal, kill the crowd, game over.

 

How ironic.

[Sonoftherock]

It's all about mentality for t me. I don't think at their best and our best there's really anything in it between the two sides. But we went there for a draw. Ferguson even said in the press a draw would be a good result. Teams don't improve and progress to win things with that mentality.

 

Contrast that to the huns. Go to Denmark and pump them 4-2. As much as we hate them, even when they are/were shit, they'd go places and play their game. Every game at Pittodrie they have dominated. They don't necessarily win because as I said they were shit but they believed they were good enough to play their game.

 

You go in having bigged up the other team you get timid performances like we put in. No belief that we can get a result (ok the caveat is Rijeka away few years ago but that's an exception). We have continuously seen performances like this and it's down to belief and mentality and the team not playing our game or to Our own strengths. It's gone unnoticed but we cannot defend for 90 mins against even half decent sides when You have clowns like Logan in there.

 

McInnes mindset hampering the team in big games.

 

Yes, another vote for this post!

 

Why did we have to play so defensively?  It was Rijeka we were playing, not Real Madrid?

 

Fundamentally, in football, even San Marino need to offer some sort of goal threat when they play.  Until the goal, that game reminded me a lot of that infamous night in Prague, when Levein set his Scotland team out with literally every man behind the ball and strict instructions to play for a 0-0.  A lot of folk won't like it, but McInnes does share many traits with Levein.

 

Rijeka obviously aren't as bad as that Georgian mob - who were one of the worst teams I've seen us play in recent years - but, again, they did not deserve that sort of treatment.  We beat them 0-3 last time we played at this ground!

[aberdeen1970]

Game on Freesports tonight at 8pm if anyone wants to sit through it (again)

[Sonoftherock]

@@Big Hat Logan - you are very quiet today.

 

Care to share your thoughts on last night?  I'd love to hear someone attempt to defend McInnes here.... I need a good laugh, because I'm still absolutely furious!

[Henry]

 absolutely furious!

 

Loved Joanna Lumley in that. 

[Tord31]

What annoys me about the defensive comments is that it wasnt even a competent backs to the wall, braveheart performance.

 

We were incompetent to even deliver a defensive performance

[StandFree1982]

What annoys me about the defensive comments is that it wasnt even a competent backs to the wall, braveheart performance.

 

We were incompetent to even deliver a defensive performance

 

We didn't defend badly. We didn't need to, Rijeka weren't that great. They had a few shots from range, but bar the shot that Lewis saved from close range that came back out and missed again, they didn't really cause us that much problems. 

 

The issue is that we sat back and invited them into our half and we gave them plenty of opportunity to shoot from range. 

[muttonhumper]

Rijeka obviously aren't as bad as that Georgian mob - who were one of the worst teams I've seen us play in recent years - but, again, they did not deserve that sort of treatment.  We beat them 0-3 last time we played at this ground!

 

Aye, and that was a far superior Rijeka side to that which we played last night.

 

Unfortunately for us, our team is poorer also.

[aberdeen1970]

We didn't defend badly. We didn't need to, Rijeka weren't that great. They had a few shots from range, but bar the shot that Lewis saved from close range that came back out and missed again, they didn't really cause us that much problems. 

 

The issue is that we sat back and invited them into our half and we gave them plenty of opportunity to shoot from range. 

 

I think daytripping said it earlier, if you defend deep all game you're eventually going to make mistakes.

 

But more importantly you let the other team settle too easily and play the game at their pace, especially if you show no attacking threat to make them wary

[ericblack4boss]

To press high up the park is physically demanding suggesting our team isnt fit enough to do it

[dazzy_deff]

@@Big Hat Logan - you are very quiet today.

 

Care to share your thoughts on last night?  I'd love to hear someone attempt to defend McInnes here.... I need a good laugh, because I'm still absolutely furious!

He'll be offline until we beat St Mirren on Sunday.

[Bamber]

As I put yesterday I thinkl Gallagher is the key to all of this

 

If he is told to support cosgrove the we are great offesively

 

If he is told to support Ojo or fergusson he is a spare part and we are a man down

 

Cosgrove on his own is easy meat to two defenders and two full backs but if he has support then we progress Gallaghers runs means they defensive line need to be on its toes and cant focus on cosgrove, so cosgrove gets more space 

 

we really saw it on Sunday

 

Wilson was providing support to cosgrove so keeping the defence occupied and it worked well

 

we then took off Wilson and Gallagher which put hearts into an ascendency we then bought Anderson on and moved McGinn up and put back that support to cosgrove and we looked a better side 

[dazzy_deff]

As I put yesterday I thinkl Gallagher is the key to all of this

 

If he is told to support cosgrove the we are great offesively

 

If he is told to support Ojo or fergusson he is a spare part and we are a man down

 

Cosgrove on his own is easy meat to two defenders and two full backs but if he has support then we progress Gallaghers runs means they defensive line need to be on its toes and cant focus on cosgrove, so cosgrove gets more space 

 

we really saw it on Sunday

 

Wilson was providing support to cosgrove so keeping the defence occupied and it worked well

 

we then took off Wilson and Gallagher which put hearts into an ascendency we then bought Anderson on and moved McGinn up and put back that support to cosgrove and we looked a better side 

This. Commented today how Gallagher looks a world beater at Pittodrie but is absolutely honkin away. Never seen such a difference before. 

[GDON21]

What annoys me about the defensive comments is that it wasnt even a competent backs to the wall, braveheart performance.

 

We were incompetent to even deliver a defensive performance

 

Up until Logans stupidity they had one proper chance which came from a corner. 

[shooftahmooftah]

@@Big Hat Logan - you are very quiet today.

 

Care to share your thoughts on last night? I'd love to hear someone attempt to defend McInnes here.... I need a good laugh, because I'm still absolutely furious!

It's a Mcinnes master plan. His instructions were defend lose 2 goals they will think we are shit, next week they will take it easy and think the games over for us, all we have to do is score 3 goals. Without them getting one. Easy money boys. Derek wakey wakey and attack and play the right team who will do the job don't mess it up now or its adios Europe AGAIN.

[Foster14]

Up until Logans stupidity they had one proper chance which came from a corner. 

 

Up until the end of the game we had zero proper chances, due to terrible tactics and poor performance of the basics from our players.  

 

Thought the 3 behind Cosgrove were particularly bad, which didn't help the tactics either, as all 3 looked unwilling to take the ball and take on folk/counter quickly.  Various times Gallagher tried first time passes, or headers when he had time to control and move the ball.  Hedges fell over various times trying to control/do tricks.  McGinn just seemed slow.  

[Fridge]

Think folk are being a bit harsh, we were undoubtedly fucking pish. But I assume the game plan was to be cagey and try to nick a goal on the counter attack which clearly ended up spectacularly backfiring.

 

However are we suggesting we should have went three up front and all out attack.

[Foster14]

As for their second goal, at least Considine attempted to get towards the guy to block the shot.  McKenna was closer and seemed completely oblivious to what might be coming.

[GDON21]

Up until the end of the game we had zero proper chances, due to terrible tactics and poor performance of the basics from our players.  

 

Thought the 3 behind Cosgrove were particularly bad, which didn't help the tactics either, as all 3 looked unwilling to take the ball and take on folk/counter quickly.  Various times Gallagher tried first time passes, or headers when he had time to control and move the ball.  Hedges fell over various times trying to control/do tricks.  McGinn just seemed slow.  

 

I didn't say we did but to say the defensive game wasn't working is wrong. Logan let his whole team down regardless of what you think of McInnes.

 

Can moan about tactics all you want but it is on the players on the park for me. You're not telling me McInnes is telling the majority of the team to rush passes and hit aimless balls in to areas of the park where we have no men. The players on the park let themselves down in attacking sense last night. Nobody was willing to take the ball a run or show the composure to make a decent pass in to wide men. Not one time did anyone run beyond Cosgrove to try and break the lines of the opposition defence. 

 

This is all stuff we didn't do when we had possession of the ball which for me is down to the players. The manager set up tactically to nullify a threat away from home in europe but I can guarantee he would of expected far more from his players when in possession and going forward.

[GDON21]

As for their second goal, at least Considine attempted to get towards the guy to block the shot.  McKenna was closer and seemed completely oblivious to what might be coming.

 

McKenna should of shut the man down as soon as he beat Campbell. He stood off him and then Considine came from a further distance to try block the shot. Lewis for me is also far too over to one side of his goal especially when the most likely shot is the one the player took. Good finish but certainly a few who will be dissapointed in themselves.

[shooftahmooftah]

 

I didn't say we did but to say the defensive game wasn't working is wrong. Logan let his whole team down regardless of what you think of McInnes.

 

Can moan about tactics all you want but it is on the players on the park for me. You're not telling me McInnes is telling the majority of the team to rush passes and hit aimless balls in to areas of the park where we have no men. The players on the park let themselves down in attacking sense last night. Nobody was willing to take the ball a run or show the composure to make a decent pass in to wide men. Not one time did anyone run beyond Cosgrove to try and break the lines of the opposition defence.

 

This is all stuff we didn't do when we had possession of the ball which for me is down to the players. The manager set up tactically to nullify a threat away from home in europe but I can guarantee he would of expected far more from his players when in possession and going forward.[/quot.

Is this what to expect for the season ahead Hot one week cold the next, who's to blame players, Mcinnes or both. ???

[Foster14]

Think folk are being a bit harsh, we were undoubtedly fucking pish. But I assume the game plan was to be cagey and try to nick a goal on the counter attack which clearly ended up spectacularly backfiring.

 

However are we suggesting we should have went three up front and all out attack.

 

Gallagher has been a constant thorn in team's sides when he is given a free reign, and pressed up on to their defence.  Last night, when they got the ball, it was retreat deep and leave Cosgrove up himself to cover the back 4.  It invited them to the half way line and although we largely defended well, I know from experience that generally speaking, one or more of Logan, Considine and McKenna will have a brain fart at some point in the game.  

 

I don't know if it was tactical restriction or poor execution, but if you play like that you need to be able to counter at speed when you get the ball.  Aberdeen didn't do a thing with urgency last night, other than punt the ball out of defence after 5 or 6 sideways passes lead to the defender/goalkeeper being closed down quickly.  It is night and day from what we have seen be effective for us this season so far with the personnel we have.  

 

I think the final straw last night was to take on Main for the last 10 minutes or so after removing both starting wingers and having seen the complete ineffectiveness of the long ball up that Rijeka dealt with all day long.  

 

We seem to all too often set up to go for the clean sheet first and foremost in Europe, yet in 15 away games under McInnes, we have 4 to show for it - Siroki, Ventspils, Rijeka and Daugava. Add in the 14 home games to date, and you get another  5 - Chikhura, Ventspils, Shkendija, Gronigen and Daugava.  9 in 29 is not a great record given the dross we have played over the years. 

 

Each time we have reached the 3rd round we have seen a similar performance.  Sociedad were genuinely a class above Aberdeen, but against Kairat, Maribor and Apollon, we have been cagey and scared to play the football we can and it has bitten us in the arse each time.  As Einstein said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.  Personally that is why I am pissed off with the approach last night.  Sick of seeing us playing to limit the other team's "strengths" and still coming out losers rather than trying to play to our strengths.  It may still end up in a loss, but at least we'd have given it a fair go.

[GDON21]

[

Is this what to expect for the season ahead Hot one week cold the next, who's to blame players, Mcinnes or both. ???

 

All depends on the opposition which is football. If Man City spank Norwich would you expect them to do the same to Liverpool? 

 

Obviously both have to take an element of responsibility but for me it was the same starting 11 as the previous week and the players just weren't up to it. Beaten by a side better than us on the night. Various factors can be taken in to account, a tough game sunday against Hearts, unrest in the camp over McKenna or the heat in croatia but something wasn't right. A more defensive display was always going to be required last night to get a result but as I said previously if Logan doesn't do what he does then its a completely different game. Fans were uneasy, the players frustrated and we could of kicked on and had more of a go in the last half an hour. However he did do it and we go 1 behind then shit scared to lose another goal so we go even more in to a shell where as the opposition relaxed and picked us off for the second. 

 

Portion of blame to both players and management but for me mainly the players. Similar tactics have worked against the huns on big occasions last season, at home we had a go at both old firm and lost 8 goals in two matches. It's just the same old as soon as one of these displays in a big match doesn't pay off and McInnes seems to be straight in the firing line. I do get a lot of fans point though that if we attacked and lost 3-1 we would be in better position than we are now. 

[Foster14]

I didn't say we did but to say the defensive game wasn't working is wrong. Logan let his whole team down regardless of what you think of McInnes.

 

Can moan about tactics all you want but it is on the players on the park for me. You're not telling me McInnes is telling the majority of the team to rush passes and hit aimless balls in to areas of the park where we have no men. The players on the park let themselves down in attacking sense last night. Nobody was willing to take the ball a run or show the composure to make a decent pass in to wide men. Not one time did anyone run beyond Cosgrove to try and break the lines of the opposition defence. 

 

This is all stuff we didn't do when we had possession of the ball which for me is down to the players. The manager set up tactically to nullify a threat away from home in europe but I can guarantee he would of expected far more from his players when in possession and going forward.

 

I said as much yesterday and in the thread you quoted.  I was disappointed in the three behind Cosgrove as much as the tactics.  They played well within themselves.  Does an element of that stem from the tactics though?  My belief is yes.  Did McInnes' subs address the issues?  Well he took off the under-performing 3 and put on people who would impact the game even less.  Shifted it so the only option was the long ball.  To me, he settled for a 1-0 and invited even more pressure on a defence that was tiring and coming under more and more pressure.  

 

Rijeka are an okay team, far better than the two we played already, but nothing much to write home about.  Yesterday though, they defended better than us, played better football, were more physical (ref let them off with a few early on) and overall looked superior to our team.  The buck for that ultimately stops at McInnes' door.  Fingers crossed for a far better performance at home and it isn't too late to get back in to the fixture.

[Foster14]

It's just the same old as soon as one of these displays in a big match doesn't pay off and McInnes seems to be straight in the firing line.  

 

Could that be in conjunction with how regularly it happens?

 

Personally, I understand the approach at times, though I feel his focus should be on putting out a better counter-attacking team when he does that, which I don't think last night's was. 

 

The bit I guess I am trying to understand with your viewpoint - are Kairat, Maribor, Apollon and Rijeka big enough teams that we should entirely change our approach to how we play?  They are hardly a list of the big-hitters of the footballing world.  A fair element of the unknown with them, but does unknown mean that we switch to assuming they are good/better than us, or can we not go in with the approach that we may actually be as good, if not better than these teams?

[Ke1t]

I'm pretty fucked off with McInnes' typically gutless tactics, but that'll be nothing compared to how I'm going to be if/when we go into the second leg and STILL treat these cunts like they're Barcefuckinglona. 

 

Fair play to the club that they're still cool with his total lack of bottle, though. 

[AllyDon]

Like I said last night didn't get opportunity to see game so cannot be over critical.

 

However reckon the new side assembled is more effective further up pitch and on front foot.

 

Surely DMs tactics would have been better to link to the new team's strengths, which would have given us more chance of a vital away goal or two.

 

If we then lost 3-1 or 3-2 we would have given ourselves more of a chance in the home leg.

 

DM should really start reviewing his tactics in bigger games. Us fans would rather go down fighting than getting beat in a whimper with hardly any shots or corners.

 

 

Spot on

[Dr_Manhattan]

I'm pretty fucked off with McInnes' typically gutless tactics, but that'll be nothing compared to how I'm going to be if/when we go into the second leg and STILL treat these cunts like they're Barcefuckinglona. 

 

Fair play to the club that they're still cool with his total lack of bottle, though. 

 

You just know he will too. With the precarious situation we're in, an away goal totally kills the tie so he'll try the same pish again except hope for two goals on the break instead of one.

 

FML

[dj_bollocks]

You just know he will too. With the precarious situation we're in, an away goal totally kills the tie so he'll try the same pish again except hope for two goals on the break instead of one.

 

FML

 

Surely he won't be that stubborn/pigheaded/clueless ? Aye alright I already know the answer to that one... For all the bluster about qualifying for the group stages we've sure fucked that game up last night. He even said post match they were expecting the boy who scored the 2nd goal to start... The moment he wasn't on the team sheet you should have got stuck in...