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Ruby came here with a reputation, would not be surprised if one or two are watching his progress. Was apparently a strong young player with a promising future but a significant injury slowed progress. If it comes to it, with the knee injury i’d cash him in, sign gartenmann permanently, and milk Macdonald and Williams until the summer, and build further at that point.

Interesting hearing Robson talk repeatedly post match about 4 games in 9 days. We aren’t rotating the squad for the most part, which in turn tells us how pish our squad is. He referenced devlin, which means we have no alternative right back/wing back, although can’t McDonald come in and slide gartenmann over? Pretty clear we won’t see or dadia play, that position a priority for January? Same said with shinnie, he’s getting killed. Will we go back to st mirren for baccus? No clue if he’s any good but think he’s out of contract in the summer so a Jan sale may be an option. we’re covered for central defenders, Mackenzie Hayes and mcgarry on the left. Provided we keep bojan we’re covered up top. We don’t need wingers based on the way we play, fair to say a right back and one, maybe two central midfielders on the shopping list for January? Then again, Barron’s return to form and polvara doing ok suggests one is enough? leads me to my initial point though, we are not really squad rotating which suggests Robson doesn’t trust the back ups, what else will we bring in??

As an aside, like I said before the game, I didn't actually go as a 'fan', was working, although was pleasantly surprised my ticket was in the Aberdeen half of Hampden. Anyway, to interview the players you have to go downstairs to a mixed zone area which is right next to the dressing rooms. You could hear the singing from the Dons dressing room, place was bouncing. Needless to say, I've asked for the final off. As fun as it was getting to interview Shinnie and Roos and tell them how magnificent they both are, my nerves couldn't take working a final, will be right in the middle of the Dons end for that one. Dunno if this video will work, but full-time celebrations (not the dressing room!):- IMG_3203.mov

For fuck sake One subject, one thread See what you've created Manc

I think, since Fergie, it's:- League Cup: won 10 lost 7 Scottish Cup: won 4 lost 8

Fuck me Rico That's harsh on Stevie May Bit scary to think that the two of them cost us the guts of a million pounds sterling

Have St Johnstone got any strikers worth taking? They'll all be available in January when Levein joins.

I'd like to see an end to bollocks like that (and we've had several over the last few years) ever being considered a pen. When did we get to that point? It's a contact sport. If a defender beat an attacker (sliding in) to the ball, booting it out for a corner and then falling over his already outstretched leg, it wouldn't be a foul. Everyone would be congratulating the defender on a good tackle. Why does beating the keeper to the ball and deliberately falling over him make for a better sport? Again, this is the product of two decades of television fitba and its horseshite replays, and the lack of context it brings. The ref, who had a good game, was up with the play can see what happened and the context in which it happened in real time - which was a player blasting the ball away whilst falling over with the sole intention of winning a penalty. Telling them to get up and get on with it is exactly the right call. Similarly the Miovski one. A guy through on goal who only had one thing on his mind and that was to wait for a touch and try and win a penalty. Everyone in the stadium, even the most partisan of Dons fans, could see that is what he decided and tried to do and the ref saw it too - in real time, and in context of the unfolding situation. Nobody needs VAR, or endless replays to "see if there was a touch" or any other bullshit. It's a fucking contact sport Miovski, you need to be finishing those chances. With VAR (and it was going this way long before) we risk rewarding this type of behaviour and encouraging more of it. It used to be called out as diving and unsporting, but we've moved to a position where we're now saying "well everyone else does it". Exactly the type of thinking that has brought us VAR. Thankfully VAR did exactly the right thing in both instances. They knew that the referee hadn't missed something in both instances, he saw exactly what happened, and they judged that his viewing of the situation in context wasn't clearly and obviously wrong. Of course clear and obvious has no definition as OD points out. It simply moves the point of controversy onto what constitutes clear and obvious. I should add, that I know I don't speak for most people on this subject, and I'm not remotely interested in what people think should be a penalty because "that's the way things are these days" and "everyone does it". I'm interested from the perspective of what makes a sport a sport, and what is just. I also know that people buying fouls and penalties is part of the game, and I'm not stupid enough to think it will change, but I think that every football fan should have an interest in seeing unsporting behaviour removed from the game and find it weird that partisanship makes us claim for something where we know a player has deliberately manufactured the incident. The more of these incidents that go against the supposed victim the better in my opinion.

We're no longer a jinx on the team mate

Aye agreed on the whole offside thing. VAR is supposed to be for clear and obvious stuff. ie if a penalty has been awarded and a replay shows it wasn't a foul, or someone punches the ball in the net. Boyle's fingernail being offside isn't really gaining an advantage. My sympathies with Hibs and all we can do to make up for this is beat Hearts in the final. We'll do it for you Hibs

I actually thought we played a bit better after he got the red tbh. But I was being distracted a number of times. That was a turgid watch, but Bojan stepped up when we really needed him to. Could and should have doubled his count, but we got the win and defended resolutely after that. Who do we want, hearts or huns? I get the logic with hearts, but weirdly I think I’d find losing to them in a final harder. Enjoy your evening dandies, perfect start to a sunny Sunday here!