Saints V Aberdeen. Slc Semi-Final. Sat 1St Feb.

[DBay Saint]

Havana Saint sums it up perfectly !

[jhq]

I think there has been some over-reaction here to be honest.  4-0 doesn't reflect that game at all, we were very unlucky to be 2-0 down at half time, having been the better team up to then.  The 3rd just knocked the stuffing out of us.  I feel it was down to individual errors rather then a poor overall performance.

 

I was fortunate to be near to the back of the Roseburn and well away from the so-called fans who dragged the name of our club through the mud.  Not much point in saying anything else about their behaviour, it's been pretty much covered on here and anyway, I suspect that after the next home game we'll have the usual patronising rubbish on here about how "the young team" do so much for the atmosphere.  They don't.

 

Best laugh of the day for me was after the two muppets ran across the pitch and had already been apprehended, a steward then ran on from behind the goal, ran about in the penalty box a wee bit and then ran off in the direction he came from!  He should have been drug tested.

[andrew]

Well said.

 

Sadly there are a number of members of this forum who encourage this sort of crap by trying to justify it at every turn.  We're all passionate about our club, that doesn't justify any of the sort of nonsense we saw today.  The club doesn't need it and other fans don't need it.   And while it's easy to always point fingers at youngsters, there are plenty adults who need to take a long hard look at themselves.  They are an embarrassment!  There's not much point in pursuing the line that we're a friendly, well run family club if the standard of behaviour is such that you wouldn't want to take your family.  Name and shame.  I suspect the club neither needs them nor wants them.

But but but it's nothing compared to what went on in the 70's and 80's.

Saw elements among both sets of fans yesterday who made the rest of us cringe. Intimidating for older people or folks with a disability. Or anyone not stupid or drunk.

Very well done all of you foolish, drunken idiots. I salute you all. Glad we were nowhere near the behaviour at the front behind the goal.

As for the game, sat along from Montrose soaked and freezing but three of us stayed to the end when we applauded the players. Not for the performance but because we support the team, even if they're rubbish at times.

[lethamsaintee]

Can't blame anyone for leaving early yesterday. Especially those in the bottom half of the stand.

[andrew]

Watched the highlights.

1st goal Banks - ball moved at goal kick. Anderson & McKay both had a chance to intercept.

McDonald through ball for Croft to hit post was a lucky deflection off the defender. No way he would've fed Croft as he looked to be trying to move the ball left. Poor from McDonald.

2nd goal Banks down too slow, but Pawlett ran the length of the field. This goal came from our attack!

Wright hit bar with header then McDonald taps it. Can't he kick a ball with any conviction?

3rd goal Dave McKay!!!!! wtf Dons ran from their own half and our defenders were behind Rooney all the way. Poor from the entire back line.

4th goal Hayes surrounded by a few players, who were backing off, as they did the whole match. Poor stuff and made it easy for Hayes.

BBC says possession 50/50, shots 9-8 and 6-4 in Dons' favour and 10-1 for us on corners. That doesn't suggest 4-0.

What they did with their possession was clinical. We were far too naive and devoid of ideas.

Hate to say it but McInnes won that with absolute ease.

[lang toon saintie]

Strange reaction from a supporter off a sport team not to !! Give a shit about the result today !! Speaking for myself I was gutted with the result as I am sure a lot of fellow saintees were, if the result had have been reversed I would have been ecstatic that is what following saints is about .

Definitely not deserving off being called called whinging twats.

Not strange at all. I would have been delighted if we had won but that did not happen.

This was just one game and I am already looking forward to the bridies.

Discuss the game by all means but some of the reactions are well o.t.t.

I will let my previous comment stand !

[lethamsaintee]

I wouldn't say some of the previous comments are OTT at all.

We were let down yesterday, once again, in a semi final where we all hoped we'd do ok.

We capitulate every time.

[nickyg]

Thought we were actually by far the better team in the first half and definitely did not deserve to be two down. It cannot be an accident that in three games against Aberdeen we have not managed to score. They look very strong in defence whereas we were opened up far too easily yesterday. I do wonder about the wisdom of faving a forty plus reserve keeper and 35 year old sub striker however, when future of the club has to be youth.

Do not want to comment too much on fans behaviour but some people will always be muppets it's in their DNA

[Edstar101]

Well, cold light of day, but the pain is still there.

 

I think a  big part of what happened yesterday was McInnes flexing his tactical superiority over Tommy.

 

Our team was very predictable. They concentrated on being strong at the back, happy to concede free kicks and corners as we were never troubling them from them. They played back to front to allow their dangerous front line to exploit our lack of pace at the back. Easton the only one in that back line with pass marks for me.

 

Some arguing that Millar played okay...I actually think that Del almost conceded the central midfield area as he knew that Millar and McDonald are toothless as an attacking option, neither capable of driving forward or playing defence splitting passes. Millar had the chance of a cross in the first half that was predicably poor. Aberdeen therefore placed their attention on the wide areas, both in a defensive and attacking sense, doing well to, in the whole, nulify Croft, Nige and Spoony (although he was more central).

 

May didn't get a look in and the Dons fans must have loved their chance to sing certain songs!!

 

Between the 1st and 2nd goal, we had all the possession, but really did nothing with it. 

 

One of the worst experiences I have had as a Saints fan....on a day that had such a build up, the team and managerial staff didn't give us one single thing to cheer about. Very depressing.

 

Then, on top of it all, we have the seemingly ever increasing issue of 'the young team', who's behaviour seems to be getting worse. We are at the cusp between youthful enthusiasms, which many of us can accept, and just downright wannabee thug behaviour.

 

I simply cant believe the story about the family man being slapped by one of these little pr!cks.......

 

That said, apologies to Dylan for my earlier post. I still didn't like his comments, but I didn't need to get personal

[croc]

Saw many smiling faces at half time even though we were two goals down.! Optimistic fans perhaps .? nah .! it was in the smokers area. which is like a breath of fresh air to us .! in truth though, there were many who thought we were still in with a chance  .!

[Tranmere Saintee]

We left 5 minutes from the end as well, purely for selfish reasons and because we were getting soaked.  We wanted to get on a train that was not populated with jubilant Dons fans. If that makes me any less of a "Fan" then so be it.  I will get over it.

Bloody part time fan!!

[Tranmere Saintee]

Del employed the same tactics he tried time and again at Saints and was slaughtered for them but now he is suddenly a master tactician. @confused.com

[Cagey]

Well, cold light of day, but the pain is still there.

I think a big part of what happened yesterday was McInnes flexing his tactical superiority over Tommy.

Our team was very predictable. They concentrated on being strong at the back, happy to concede free kicks and corners as we were never troubling them from them. They played back to front to allow their dangerous front line to exploit our lack of pace at the back. Easton the only one in that back line with pass marks for me.

Some arguing that Millar played okay...I actually think that Del almost conceded the central midfield area as he knew that Millar and McDonald are toothless as an attacking option, neither capable of driving forward or playing defence splitting passes. Millar had the chance of a cross in the first half that was predicably poor. Aberdeen therefore placed their attention on the wide areas, both in a defensive and attacking sense, doing well to, in the whole, nulify Croft, Nige and Spoony (although he was more central).

May didn't get a look in and the Dons fans must have loved their chance to sing certain songs!!

Between the 1st and 2nd goal, we had all the possession, but really did nothing with it.

One of the worst experiences I have had as a Saints fan....on a day that had such a build up, the team and managerial staff didn't give us one single thing to cheer about. Very depressing.

Then, on top of it all, we have the seemingly ever increasing issue of 'the young team', who's behaviour seems to be getting worse. We are at the cusp between youthful enthusiasms, which many of us can accept, and just downright wannabee thug behaviour.

I simply cant believe the story about the family man being slapped by one of these little pr!cks.......

That said, apologies to Dylan for my earlier post. I still didn't like his comments, but I didn't need to get personal

[Cagey]

Perfect summing up of whole day-

[Jimmy Wallace]

I'm sober now. Time for Mackay and Scobbie at CB. Big clearout in the summer starting with Ando and Wright.

[Invernessaint]

Was not at the game, sometimes work can be a positive! However not being there does not make any difference to how I am feeling today. Have been watching Saints for a long time now, what is it about semis? However my biggest gripe from yesterday was the lost opportunity to mix things up in a one off game. It puzzles me time after time that new signings rarely come into the first team. We know our midfield is weak so we sign a new midfielder but does not get a game. We sign a big new striker which would have offered something new and he is benched! TW you got it seriously wrong yesterday.

[truefaith]

You can't have a massive clear out based on a single result - we wouldn't judge Wright solely on his performance in Trondheim; Anderson has had good games too. That said, it has looked a weak area of our time for a while, and I'm surprised such attention was paid to strikers in the window at the expense of a quality defender - even a young one for the future.

[rik2304]

Young folk? Seems to be a week to week escalation of shitebaggery. I blame Grand Theft Auto. A lack of parental authority and easy access to pornography.

[rik2304]

Young folk? Seems to be a week to week escalation of shitebaggery. I blame Grand Theft Auto. A lack of parental authority and easy access to pornography.

None of which has turned me into a hooligan.

[andy rhodes fancy watch]

Shite game , shite fans .

[mainstand]

I'm sober now. Time for Mackay and Scobbie at CB. Big clearout in the summer starting with Ando and Wright.

 

Dave McKay directly and indirectly was responsible for 3 goals yesterday and is older than Ando and you want to keep him. Ando is not near as bad as you are portraying and Im sure he will be here next year.

[mainstand]

Was not at the game, sometimes work can be a positive! However not being there does not make any difference to how I am feeling today. Have been watching Saints for a long time now, what is it about semis? However my biggest gripe from yesterday was the lost opportunity to mix things up in a one off game. It puzzles me time after time that new signings rarely come into the first team. We know our midfield is weak so we sign a new midfielder but does not get a game. We sign a big new striker which would have offered something new and he is benched! TW you got it seriously wrong yesterday.

 

it was not his team selection that was responsile for the individual errors that costthe goals. As for the midfielder coming in if anything the one mistake was no paddy Creg.

[ex-montrosesaintee]

Agree re Paddy Cregg. His performances in the Euro games show how much he can run games. 45 shockingly bad minutes at Tannadice seem to have put paid to his whole season.

Beginning to really wonder about MacDonald. He wasn't great yesterday.

But, for all team selection can be criticised, I stand by my point that MacKay and Wright were stick on starters, and Banks in goal was a forced selection. They cost us the game yesterday.

With Pawletts goal, our back line was Spoony and Easton. Where were the rest of them? Folk criticise Nigel for not tracking back. ****ed if our defenders can't,

[Broon]

You can't have a massive clear out based on a single result - we wouldn't judge Wright solely on his performance in Trondheim; Anderson has had good games too. That said, it has looked a weak area of our time for a while, and I'm surprised such attention was paid to strikers in the window at the expense of a quality defender - even a young one for the future.

Unfortunately its not one game. We've now conceded 4 goals against Dundee Utd, Aberdeen, Motherwell and St Mirren. Out defence is severely prone to having an absolute nightmare and I'm inclined to agree we might need to start thinking about a central defender. I remember when Alan Kernaghan came in, what a difference.

I'm happy with Brian Easton but Wright has had a terrible season and I don't trust Ando. Mackay can still do a job.

[blueheaven]

Bit surprised to see some people saying the result wasn't a reflection on the performance. Personally I thought there was a real danger of it turning into a 5-0 or 6-0. Yes we had a lot of possession, but we hardly threatened at all. If anything, we played right into Aberdeen's hands: they were more than happy to let our players sit on the ball, knocking it around without actually creating anything, then just wait until one of our guys eventually gave away possession so they could hit us on the break and use their superior pace and directness to punish us. They taught us a lesson in movement and counter-attacking. McInnes' tactics were perfect; Wright's were far from it.

 

We were unlucky in that we had to play without Mannus, as I think there's a very real possibility that we wouldn't have conceded either of the first two goals if he had been playing. And if Croft's opportunity had gone in instead of hitting the post we might have been looking at a completely different game. But, that aside, I actually think we had this coming and for me, there are a few alarm bells starting to ring about the manager at the moment. Why are we so awful away from McDiarmid Park? What is his problem with giving Cregg a game? Did he really think a central pairing of MacDonald and Millar was the best option available to him? Is Iwelumo really going to be good enough? Letting Jahic go is seeming like an increasingly poor decision at the moment too - just a few weeks ago we had the prospect of Jahic and Scobbie as our central partnership. Now we're back to Wright and Anderson and both showed their frailties yesterday, big-time. I like TW and really want to see him succeed here, but I don't think he's doing very well in the transfer market and he was completely outgunned tactically yesterday.

 

Worst performance in a long time, and on a par with the Motherwell semi a few years ago. But maybe more disappointing than any of that, is the fact that we seem to have developed a distinctly scummy element to to our support over the last year or so. Not too sure where this has actually come from as it hasn't been an issue in all the years I've been watching Saints, but it needs addressing. I don't want our club to be associated with plonkers like that.