Pittodrie, SPFL Premier League, 26/10/24
Me still 325, Wee Man still 191
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 – The club are by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen
Part two of our day and with Ellon Thistle being defeated it was all on the Dons to give us something to smile about. In truth we had not have worried for many reasons.
As we headed straight from Stoneywood, we entered Pittodrie on gates opening. Something that I have never ever done in 35 years following the club. On my following of the club, it has been down for a few years for reasons I have never hidden but today was asked for by the Wee Man himself. Something I wont say no to as it always gives me the hope he might come round one day. Anyway as we were in early to get food as we had not eaten, this gave us us a chance to watch the warm up and even watching this you could see a confidence in the team. It was interesting to see. It was serious but at the same time had the team spirit and fun to it too. I also noticed that Peter Leven was pretty much in charge of it all. I have said before I am convinced he has a bigger part in the staff than we know. Anyway to the game in front of the sold out Pittodrie.
“No tested”, “out performing their xG”, “riding their luck” whatever the latest bullshit the usual goons use to try and put our start down. It’s just exactly that, bullshit. This Aberdeen team are creating something special led by a very very astute manager. With a season so far watching the team via RedTv mostly this was the first time I had caught the Jimmy revolution in person and I will tell you what. I was massively impressed. First half the intention was clear despite being up against a ridiculously negative set up from the Arabs with their 5 at the back start. The tempo was high. The will to get the ball back when lost was fantastic to watch. I cannot remember ever seeing such grit and fight in a Dons team. Seeing Sivert Heltne Nilsen in the flesh made me more sure he will go down as one of the best signings we have made this century. We tried to get on the front foot as fast as possible and on the whole I was very much enjoying what I was seeing. If there was one thing I would complain about it was the final ball into the box which just was not up to standard. Whether it was Keskinen, Duk and even Devlin at one point the balls were not the greatest. But Mr Thelin had got his game plan spot on. A game plan that had to be entirely different from last week down in Glasgow. Dundee United just could not get a foot in the game and could not keep the ball for more than ten seconds given the determination of the XI in red. The only time the Arabs held on to the ball was when they were time wasting at set pieces and throw ins, something that crept into proceedings early doors. Although it was blank going into the break. I was more than confident league win eight was coming and for a guy of my 40 years, confidence in the team has never been a common thing in my days watching them.
HT 0 v 0
The second half was played in the same vain. United could not keep the ball at all and the Dons were looking to head on the front foot ASAP. But there was one difference. Shayden Morris on for Keskinen and i thought he was excellent. He had clearly been told by Thelin “you are rapid, attack that full back” and it was working. He is a pest. His ball for the Sokler header in the 70th minute was perfect, the header was very good but the save from United keeper Walton was bloody brilliant. From section Y it looked to be a stunning piece of goalkeeping. Morris was another of the managers subs this season being spot on. It was not the last of the day either as Shinnie added some fresh legs to get wired in in the midfield and big Pete Ambrose up front went on to score the winner late on. This when a ball into the box from Molloy found Devlin and his will to win the ball at the back post where he got to the ball first laying it on a plate for Ambrose who fired home taking the points. Deservedly so too. A second from the pen spot would have been good but ach well. To beat this shit anti-football set up by Jim Goodwin will do me. Six at the back they had in the latter stages. That’s a hate crime against fitba. We were leaving ecstatic, soaked through beyond the boxers, but ecstatic none the less
But on this team, without sounding like I am getting ahead of myself, this team genuinely has the potential to be the best I have watched in my days at Pittodrie. Hopefully the Wee Man thinks so too and wants to head back more regularly. With his new hero Dimitar Mitov in goal it may be the case. But away from the big keeper, the team is littered with cracking players. Rubezic is a colossus of a centre half and seems to have lost the rashness. Palaversa is clearly a superb player. Keskinen although was not a good as he has been today is brilliant. We arguably have the best full back combination in the league. Again Nilsen is fucking awesome. A word on Molloy too, with a few costly mistakes this season he is still a very good centre half. Then there is the aforementioned winning the ball back which i think makes for fantastic viewing. The average recovery time tonight must have been about five seconds if that. There is so much good going on on the pitch. Off it we are selling out, the Red Shed is rocking and the city and the ‘shire is buzzing. I am firmly with Jimmy Thelin in the “one game at a time” thinking. But you would be a fool not to think there is not something special brewing in the North East
In Jimmy we trust.
Entrance – Me £28, Wee Man £6
Attendance – 19274 (Official)
Pie – £22.80(not a typo), 3 x pie, coffee, juice, 2 x chocolate
Pint – N/A
Score Predictions – Me 2 v 0, Wee Man 2 v 0
Score Prediction Season Totals – Me 0 v 1 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 