2023/24 – Aberdeen 1 v 3 Celtic

Pittodrie, Scottish Premiership, 13/8/23

Me still 290, Wee Man still 163

Aberdeen Football Club

Founded – 1903

Nickname – The Dons

Honours – European Cup Winners Cup – 1982/83. European Super Cup – 1983. Scottish League – 1954/55, 1979/80, 1983/84 and 1984/85. Scottish Cup – 1946/47, 1969/70, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86 and 1989/90. Scottish League Cup -1955/56, 1976/77, 1985/86, 1989/90, 1995/96 and  2013/14. Drybrough Cup – 1980

Random Fact– Aberdeen were the first club in world football to install dug outs. This was down to the forward thinking of then manager Donald Coleman who wanted to be at a level where he could have a better view of the players feet during matches. A topical fact as today was the first match with the new dug outs in place

Many a time and more often than not I have walked out of Celtic games at Pittodrie fuming as we have shit the bed or not turned up. Today seemed different as we made our way back to the car in Froghall. Yes we had just witnessed a defeat but there were positive signs.

First thing was first and we had to head to the club shop to pick up Wee Man’s home top which was in getting printed. The sight of the queue gave me the fear when we got round but to be fair, the shop was working like a well oiled machine and we were queued and out in 8 minutes when to be honest it looked like we had the long haul in front of us. Impressive from the staff to be honest. Then the bad. On arrival at the gate we were searched, Wee Man by a steward and me by a copper. To say this was over zealous is an understatement. I watched Wee Man get searched top to bottom despite wearing a Dons top and tight fitting jogging bottoms, clearly carrying nothing on his person. This while I was one finger away from being violated by the police officer who groped me on two occasions. Ass included when he found my wallet. A fucking disgusting way to treat fans and not what I come to football to have happen to me or my 8 YEAR OLD son. There was nothing I could do as if I kicked off I risked the coppers wrath and being the sole adult in charge of a my minor son I couldn’t afford any issues. But the club need this bullshit to stop and I am not the only one faced with it it turns out.

As we were early we managed to see the warm ups and we were amused by the Japanese lad at the front of the Y transfixed on the Celtic warm up. Japan top on with a disguise of a Dons scarf he had a Japan flag draped over the wall. A flag he shook every time one of Celtic’s Japanese contingent touched the ball or came close to him. He wasn’t fooling anyone with his disguise. Amusing all the same.

I didn’t expect much from the game in all honest due to my worries about the Dons defence and as it turned out I was partially correct. But as stated above there were definite positives to come from that performance. But on the negative side, the three goals were shambolic defensively and it only took eleven minutes for the man from Israel, Liel Abada to smash in a knock down from close range. From our perch at the other end in Section Y it looked as if he had far too much space to get the effort away as Miovski lost him. The goal was immediately ruled out by the linesman but after a couple of minutes deliberation with VAR it was given by Kevin Clancy. I haven’t seen a replay but some Dons fans watching at home said it was correct. Something noticeable early on was Celtic were trying to take advantage of the Dons patched up defence. The were looking to expose Duncan at left back an on numerous occasions tried to play through him this leaving Shinnie to sit an cover the left hand side preventing him getting further forward for a period. But Aberdeen were never out of this game and were very much in Celtic’s faces from the off. Despite looking a bit ropey at the back and conceding early they looked tricky to deal with going forward with Duk and Morris causing problems. The latter looking like he could be a decent player for us in time. Shinnie really should have equalised when a good move saw Clarkson find him with a cross but the ball flew over the bar from seven or eight yards. A sitter for sure. But moments later the equaliser did come when Duncan played a superb ball in behind the Celtic defence allowing Duk to make a determined run in behind Carter-Vickers who was left admiring Duncan’s pass, the Cape Verde international squared to Miovski who side footed into an largely unguarded net. A very good team goal and game on with an ecstatic Wee Man going feel (great stuff). Incredibly Celtic retook the lead in a couple of minutes when Nicky Devlin got a header back to Roos all wrong as he put it too high leaving Kyogo to receive and fire past Roos(a very decent finish to be honest). Another terrible goal to give away for Aberdeen.There were more chances before the break with Polvara and Maieda with the best for their sides. But they went in 1 v 2 at half time.

HT 1 v 2

Early in the half Kyogo uncharacteristically missed the target from inside the box which probably would have killed off any hope of anything from the game for Aberdeen. His Japanese compatriot Maidea should have scored not long after when the goal was gaping and the split second he hesitated he allowed Devlin and Roos to get back and keep the ball out right under the crossbar(unsure from our angle who actually stopped the ball, I think Devlin). Clarkson had a decent chance when Roos picked him out with a humongous pinpoint clearance. After cutting in he flashed the effort past Hart but also past the far post. A strange sub was made by Barry Robson when Duk, who to be fair had been pretty anonymous second half was replaced with Sokler. I am still wondering how Morris managed to finish as he was clearly breathing out his arse early in the half after his decent shift. He had lost the ability to track back and was a passenger when Celtic went forward. I am not the manager though but surely he would have been hooked ahead of Duk. Then came the clincher that knocked the stuffing out the Dons and again it came from poor defending as nobody was watching O’Riley who was wide open when he struck home a Yang cross. Game over and the South Stand disappointingly started to empty rapidly at this point. Time ran out and prodigal teeth and Celtic left Pittodrie with a gifted win. I cant help that feel they are not firing on all cylinders yet though. There is more to come from both teams I was imagine.

As stated there were positives to take from that. We definitely look hard to deal with going forward and I am sure if we keep the two main men up top we will score many. Morris looks like he will cause numerous defences problems over the season and he will improve as time goes on. However I am not sure on his fitness as he seemed to be kaput early in the second half. See the third goal. The guys not concentrating as he is goosed. Polvara on the other hand is fit as a fiddle and covers some amount of grass, another who I reckon will get better in time. Another clear positive was the intensity that the Dons were trying to get in about Celtic. We are not in the habit of seeing this over the last few years. In Barry I trust, however we do need to sort the defence out. Although Nicky Devlin barring his mistake was solid enough as was McKenzie at CB. This despite the mad calls being heard on Merkland Road from punters who were saying Devlin was “fucking shite”. Not sure which game they were watching. Mistake aye, but he was far from “fucking shite”. Ultimately a defeat, but some have to remember(going by talk on Merkland Road again) Barry is taking on one of the biggest rebuilds in the club’s history and it wont happen over night. The signs of a good team are there for sure. We are just a couple of signings away from a pretty decent team.

One other positive to take on a personal note. Wee Man was loving that today. The timidness of big noisy crowds is definitely leaving him these days.

Entrance – £30 Me, £10 Wee Man

Attendance– 18652

Pie – £12.40, Pie x 2, Juice x 2

Pint – N/A

Score Predictions – Me 1 v 1, Wee Man 1 v 2

Score Prediction Season Total – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man