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The Clarkson one I find most disappointing- never fully recreated the impact he had in the loan spell- very talented player and can argue whether we didn’t properly utilise him or his standards dropped, just wasn’t consistent enough, but sorry it didn’t work out in the end feel with the right manager he could have been a cracking player for us and sure the club saw him as an investment that would bring in large sum after a couple of years

Aye, fair enough, my apologies. I'll explain my frustration if it helps. I have no problem with being wrong at all, but your argument, as I read it, was one of those positions that could never be proven wrong or right either way, which do get on my nerves a bit! If you'd said that there was one or two (or five!) players that weren't pulling their weight, or that Thelin's approach was too soft on the players (although even that would be difficult to verify), I could have got on board with it. It's the fact that you have seemingly identified a single cultural issue that has infected the entire club, which several managers - despite huge clear outs of players - were unable to address. At face value, it actually doesn't seem that ridiculous, and I understand why people liked the post, but I think you have to ignore, or play down, an awful lot of other factors for this pressure idea to be true. The reason it annoys me slightly is because it's basically the sort of crass analysis we get from our BBC pundits. It's like a populist position, akin to blaming immigrants for shite public services or national debt, or youth laziness for a rise in unemployment (those are illustrations, your example isn't that stupid!). It's the type of easy answer that saves us asking harder questions (or doing more analysis), whilst at the same time tarring everyone at the club - a wee bit insultingly, if we're honest - with the same brush as, say, Karlsson (who may have just been going through a difficult period himself, and struggling to focus on fitba, who knows). There was a poster on here that used to go on about McInnes not winning the league with us because of "lack of belief". A similar concept that could never be measured in any meaningful way, and allowed us to brush over the fact that when the Tims spent money in the January window, we employed Simon Church! But it was impossible to have a reasonable debate against because I could point out numerous times when we showed belief in that period, but could never disprove the overall point that if we'd simply believed (more?) then we'd have won the league. But, aye, I should be more polite in my engagement in future. My apologies.

Nice of Dante to leave his haircut for the loon to inherit.

He’s getting a regular game, but still coming off the bench quite often. He’s doing fine, not amazing, but pretty decent and offers an attacking threat with his pace and ability to hit the byline that they are not getting from elsewhere. Sound familiar…?

Really should have built a team around him. But we've fucked everything up over the last season and a bit.

on the recruitment, as others mentioned earlier, moving the choices from manager to DoF without checks being done is asking for trouble genuinely hope the 2 midfielders that have worked with Lutz before are decent and upgrade but apart from them not playing regularly, when was the last time he actually watched them play ? no difference to Thelin taking in Karllson Nilsen Jensen

Not sure Lutz can be blamed for this one- wanted away in summer and when it didn’t happen he was frozen out- long before Lutz arrived with no idea who is coming in, guess Clarkson just wants a fresh challenge where he is likely to play every week can’t blame the lad and wish him all the best

It's all moot anyway but we wouldn't have had to pay £1.5m for Aouchiche, we could easily have said to Sunderland "nah, not paying that but we'll give you zero pounds instead" and got him that way. A decent player but we seem to have been clearing out the old loans to get the new ones in so on that basis it's no surprise he's away. On paper, a midfield of Aremu, Geiger and Cameron should be an upgrade on what we had before but I'm not sure a better midfield helps our inability to defend set pieces... maybe we're planning on 100% possession every week so that the other team can't even get a corner.

As most of us said over and over, the biggest problem was the lack of players with experience of the SPFL. They are far lower risk than players outwith, and give you a bit of breathing space. Overall, though, everything should go through the data system so that they can build a feedback loop and get better at signings (not necessarily in percentage success, but overall quality). McInnes was given too much freedom to sign pish that he'd seen have a good game against us. Even the slightest bit of data and scouting would have shown that Miles fucking Storey was horseshite. I'd hope that we're not utilising Lutz's contacts, as that is just moving the problem from manager to sporting director. His contact list will lose potency the longer he is away from it, and it leaves us back at square one. His role should be as devil's advocate. Accepting the recommendation of his scouting team, the data team and the manager's list of desires and filtering out the pish to be left with the signings. We need a mechanism to prevent McInnes signing Storey, JT signing Jensen or Karlsson and the data team from signing Milanovic or Ambrose. It's basically combining the three elements: "Derek, the data and scouting say this Storey lad is gash, yer nae getting him.". "Aye, his data is off the charts, but the lads actually watching Milanovic say he's a fanny." and so on. We don't want any single person given the keys to recruitment. Lutz shouldn't be involved in the ground work at all preferably.

Well, what can Ah say? Does onyhtin Ah say mak a difference? Late tae the party here, but nae lang efter the 90, had tae get ma arse in a van headin' tae deepest darkest village hall ... devoid of village ... barely a hall! ... and noo able tae educate you all re content o' this latest game ...... pay attention now - particularly you scroats at the back .. There is a well used Doric word .. 'nae' which equates to the English 'No' Examples follow. Nae Shape, Nae Structure, Nae Plan, Nae Cohesion. Nae Clue, Nae Direction, Nae vision, Nae focus, Nae goals, Nae chunce. Well, as much chunce as a foosty cock expectin a blowjob.

Some loony already started it I heard.

Sad to see Clarkson go, a complete failure by the club in that regard. I'm guessing that the writing has been on the wall with him for weeks though, and the signing of Cameron probably confirmed it. From that perspective, I'm a little glad he's gone, because another 6 months of his obvious talent sitting on our bench while we train up a Hun would have been unbearable! Cameron probably the only one there who could fulfil the deep lying role that Clarkson performed now though. It's so often the car that you eventually (potentially) get the players in the door to compliment a player just as he's leaving, and the two new midfielders look to do just that. Oh well.

Not saying he would be good enough but would have liked to have seen him given a chance at some point

Marshall’s contract expires in June and he is now free to talk to other teams. I suspect we will not see him in an Aberdeen shirt now.

Maybe I should nip up the road to Killie and convince him to get it done

Not to mention sitting on the bench during matches as well.

Lutz worked a lot on tv doing co-comms with Derek Rae so will likely have seen some of them 2bf. On the face of it Geiger is a player who should be out of our range, even on loan let alone with an option, if you ask me though.

Not at all- and he might be as big a charlatan, if not the biggest one as the others in our set up- just don’t think this one is on him Jury very much out for me on Lutz

Geiger doesn't look like a holding midfielder from the little I've seen. Far more a B2B, in your face cm but time will tell on that. He also hasn't played for 6 months so I'm not exactly xpecting miracles from him straight away. A lot will depend on how fit he has kept himself but he didn't look to be carryin pork in his RTV interview.

Can’t say I’m too fussed. Clearly talented but affa lightweight physically and I’d say mentally too. Maybe wasn’t always used the way which suited him best tbf, but he’s not got a regular game in this utterly honking team, so that says a lot. All the best though min, but probs best all round this one…

We are a fucking shambles of a club. Gutted Clarkson’s gone and wish him all the best. Lutz out!

The weird situation where they're booing Cameron and we're booing Wright, yet both clubs have signed actual Huns.

A "significant fee" paid apparently

Aouchiche away then. Far from the worst signing of the summer, but let’s be honest, there was absolutely zero chance we were forking out £1.5m for him. Should have kept McGrath…

He should be the nucleus of our midfield.

I thought he was coming on to a game in last 6 weeks and while not looking like a player you would spend £1.5m on he was one of our better players (very low bar admittedly) and one who I would have kept if the deal could have been renegotiated.

Central defence now a major concern. Should’ve kept Dorrington.

Don’t disagree but that’s a big ask finding that player today!

Is it too much to ask that he should be doing this already?

Seemingly we got a satellite image of Yengi from outer space which sealed the deal.

Assume that means Knoester out for season. Shame for the lad but hopefully we can sign a defender that can win his headers and clear his lines in the box to replace him. That would be nice…

Interestingly (or most likely not), I had a look at the St Louis FC subreddit last week to see their fans reaction to signing Polvara and there were a few negative comments towards Lutz filling their team with players from European reserve teams and they were glad to finally be clearing them out and getting more Americans on board, noting that it was ironic that Lutz was now helping them fix the mess he created. Obviously, I could have been reading the output of the Yank equivalent of a Hat numpty mashing his keyboard but came to mind when I read that statement above.

Kiliie game was a ruse. Everything the Filthy Tim foosty fuckers are analysin' is gonna head their shite team oot on the park on a fools errand. 6-0 the Dons .... Lazetic 4, Keskinen. Mitov

In the same vein as a above. Mr Mitov ..... your package has been delivered Mr Mitov ..... Delivery failed. please arrange to collect.

Said it since the first time I seen Milanovic in a dons shirt, he is an imposter and never a football player. fk sake for as good and solid manager as even Neil Lennon is, I honestly think that even he would struggle to get a tune out of that lad

Looks like they have split the league into two groups of 15. Everyone plays everyone plus one game against a rival from the other group. Then top 8 from each group play off in knock out phase to produce Apertura champion. They then have a break for World Cup and then repeat for Clausura. Sounds over complicated to me.

I’m president of the United States of America

All jokes aside, if you're in an environment where you can consistently fail and find yourself back in the fold after every fuck up then it suggests to me that there's no real consequences. Has there been pressure on Mitov to perform for the past countless weeks? No Has there been pressure on Nisbet or Lazetic to score when they were going through their barren spell? No Has there been pressure on Topi or Karlsson or Milanovic or Bilalovic to create chances for the aforementioned 2? No Has there been pressure on the defence when we're conceding from set pieces every game and hardly keeping clean sheets? No There has been an acceptance for far too long that 3/10, 4/10, 5/0 performances don't matter as they'll be playing the next game. This has been an ongoing issue for a very long time, going back further than Jimmy or Robson or even Glass and for that to be the case then it has to be a culture problem within the walls of AFC that has been allowed to continue and get worse.

This is true. I’m unsackable in my job and I do the bare minimum every single day. I’m currently trying to teach myself card tricks during office hours

Think you need to go for a wee calm down period perhaps? Or are you one of these posters that HAS to be correct and for any naysayers who have a different opinion to bow to your apparent superior insights?? As I said previously, let's just agree to disagree eh? The fact that others have liked my post suggests there's some validity to what I'm suggesting and that it's my opinion and no matter of sweary words typed by you will dissuade me of that. I genuinely feel that there isn't enough pressure put on the players by those above them and as such they have been allowed to put in performances like Killie time and time again with no apparent consequences. You don't subscribe to that and that's fine but take a chill pill before posting as it may stand you in a better stead to sway those you are trying to convince.

Your middle point about players avoiding the ball is most likely pressure. The fear of making a mistake in a high pressure environment. I think the players do care. Football is all about pressure, and the ability to handle it and perform in front of thousands is screaming fans. There are plenty of very good players who don’t make it because of that exact pressure. The ultimate pressure is a penalty shootout, and i look at Polvara and palaversa, two who ultimately failed here, they stood up while under extreme pressure. That’s impressive. It’s not because of pressure that they failed with us. to me I think you maybe mean accountability. Players playing regardless of the level of performance. That’s down to a manager, it’s his job to get players motivated enough and prepared enough to perform at a high level. And fave consequences if they don’t. Fergie was the master at that. plus they feared him, and he scared them into performing, the fear of fergie’s wrath if they under achieved. Good managers are so hard to find, plus it has to be the perfect squad blend for all pieces to fall into place. A lot of that is luck. Managers like Mcinnes fell into a great situation with us, McLean Hayes Lewis Logan Rooney McGinnis jack mckenna and others, most in their prime. They all fit together and clicked under mcinnes, and then mcinnes couldn’t replicate it when the squad changed. we haven’t had the ideal squad or ‘perfect’ manager to make the most of a situation for getting close to maybe 8-9 years. Jimmy was far too nice, I do think the players have to fear letting the manager down, and jimmy killed himself with endless squad rotations too. We had a poor preseason, added players once the league started, and never really got a system in place to gel. Poor performances led to the 3-5-2 ish or at least 3 at the back, but it was still square peg round hole with a manager incapable of piecing every thing together and sufficiently teaching and motivating. very little stability right now, no manager, and no core players, no true long term Aberdeen players to build a team around. We’re also a team full of followers with very few leaders. We’re an extremely flawed team right now for various reasons, but I don’t think it’s because of pressure or players lacking drive.

Well, I'll be at it. Not expecting much from it and usually not a great experience to witness. It's our team though, regardless the Chairman/DoF/Manager/Players, it is still our team and we're the fans/mugs, who always care, even if we say we don't. In South Stand Work Hame 2-1 - ach, it costs me nothing to show a little optimism.

I can see arguments for not appointing anyone until after the cup game - certainly letting Leven take the (drubbing of) the Celtic game. Was thinking about this (now I've had a beer) and we've had our arses handed to us by Killie in the "Winter" Rugby Park fixture for the last 3 seasons now (albeit, the other 2 were by McInnes, who at least was competent), and if we're not sure that any of the current options for "head coach" are going to bring an immediate and sustainable improvement with the current squad, maybe we just hang Leven out as a scapegoat for the rest of the season. He's been a constant through the chaos of the last 3-4 years, so should be getting his jotters once this incumbent spell is over, but does buy time to maybe get more options and gives the new boy an untarnished run from the start of next season. Oh, and Hinchcliffe needs to go with him - because anyone that's managed to oversee making Mitov the shell of the keeper he was shouldn't be coaching any goalies going forward

Hopefully by "player", he meant "team".

Yep, think it was. We’ve actually had more clean sheets at the Tattiedone in that time. Ok, I think its only two, but still. As I say, for the size of club we’re supposed to be its an utterly indefensible disgrace…

Beginning to think this is literally what’s going on.