"It's better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life"
Saturday at Tannadice was certainly an interesting afternoon
I honestly can't tell you how much I love Scottish football. It's wonderfully mental in all the right ways.
Let's deal with the obvious first of all. We all know that the United fan who pushed Ojo was a kant and he absolutely deserves the ban that he has now received from United. There's no excusing it and he deserves everything he gets. As for the player, while I know people have been saying "the letter of the law" etc etc about him getting a second yellow for going back towards the supporter, there is no way on earth that a season referee like Bobby Madden should be carding him for that. It's just a poor, poor decision that ultimately changed the course of the game.
Sadly all of this has overshadowed the most ridiculous moment of the game, which was of course Callum Butcher getting sent off for flicking Ramirez on the calk. This act of ridiculousness deserved far more attention and it's to the detriment of Scottish football that we're not talking more about it. It was incredibly stupid by Butcher especially since he wasn't even involved in the original incident.
Anyway, let's talk about the football and forget the red cards for a little bit. United for the most part didn't play well on Saturday and Aberdeen were, for most of the game, the better team. United lined up in the usual 433 but really struggled to impose ourselves on the game due to the way Aberdeen lined up.
We weren't helped by a few poor performances, and I'm afraid to say that the reintroduction of Callum Butcher was, in my view, a big part of that. His inability to join in with the play and take the ball off the defenders stifles us massively and stops us being able to impose ourselves in the midfield. Too often he either lets the game bypass him or he drops in between the two defenders and offers no outball. We miss Levitt massively as he does this job very well.
I also felt Nicky Clark was as well sitting up beside me in the stand given how ineffective he was up front. Scott Brown, playing centre half, bullied him and that's not acceptable for a striker.
Obviously the red cards had a massive impact on the game, but the game really changed course through a substitution that was made by Courts, and it wasn't the one that I would have made. While I was sitting waiting for Clark or maybe Pawlett to come off, he took off Niskanen (who didn't play well either it has to be said) and brought on Appere - which was a big surprise given how poor Appere was in his last game. This sub not only changed personnel but also changed the shape.
What a difference it made. From being pinned back we were suddenly pushing up the park, and Appere was outstanding. He took the ball in, carried us up the park, and was a real menace to the Aberdeen defence. They couldn't cope with how direct he was.
It wasn't a game of many clear cut chances but when ours presented itself we took it. A corner made it's way through the box for Harkes to smash home on the half volley. Bedlam in the stands, with the atmosphere cranked up after those crazy 10 minutes before half time.
It was all in all a terrific, entertaining and chaotic afternoon that you only get in Scottish fitba*.
Mon the Terrors
*you probably get similar nonsense in other leagues but we can do the EPL thing of claiming it only happens in our country too
DUFC 1 AFC 0
posted on 23/11/21
Waiting to celebrate is only one perspective on it all though
Imagine your team are winning 1-0….opposition score in the 90th minute, their fans go daft….it goes to VAR….goal disallowed…..your team wins 1-0
In my humble opinion, VAR can quite easily add as much atmosphere and drama to a game….as it can take it away
posted on 23/11/21
comment by St3vie (U11028)
posted 8 minutes ago
Waiting to celebrate is only one perspective on it all though
Imagine your team are winning 1-0….opposition score in the 90th minute, their fans go daft….it goes to VAR….goal disallowed…..your team wins 1-0
In my humble opinion, VAR can quite easily add as much atmosphere and drama to a game….as it can take it away
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That's just one goal in a thousand though. With VAR I wouldn't be able to celebrate ANY goal without being concerned that it will be chalked of for some weird Scottish refs reason. Imagine the baffling decisions they could make if they see the things they DON'T see now.
posted on 23/11/21
Think we need it mate
Can’t help but feel folk only don’t want it out of some sort of feeling that they are preserving something for nostalgic reasons….don’t want to move with the times….or simply don’t like it
Our refs, same as every ref in the world, should be able to take advantage of video technology….football is one of the few remaining sports in the world that don’t take advantage of such things….which for me is baffling as it’s the biggest sport in the world
posted on 23/11/21
Thought the game was awful. Butcher for me needs to calm down. Wouldn't be all that fussed if he went to Hearts in January. As for the fan, disgraceful and the one along from him lobbing bits of his pie at Ojo, what a picture painted of the United support.
As for VAR, needs to come in. Mike McCurry when we played them at Ibrox. Also I remember a trip by Gary Caldwell on a United player in the box down at the ET end. Clear as day but not given.
I would say we have played well against Celtic and Motherwell this season the rest have been fortunate. I was so lucky to witness football in the 80s and 90s because what is served up now is not even half as good.
On another topic, Hegarty, McAlpine, Holt and Malpas have been told to take medals etc away from Tannadice. What has made the club what it is today getting treated in this fashion, is shocking, if true.
posted on 23/11/21
I saw Thomas Cairns has walked away from his voluntary role too, which strikes me as a less than positive thing.
posted on 24/11/21
Things take a turn!
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/8048560/aberdeen-funso-ojo-probed-attack-fan-tannadice-red-card/
posted on 24/11/21
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 36 minutes ago
Things take a turn!
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/8048560/aberdeen-funso-ojo-probed-attack-fan-tannadice-red-card/
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Mentioned this the other day on here. The rumour was doing the rounds on whatsapp groups after the game.
posted on 24/11/21
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 7 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by Silver (U6112)
posted 36 minutes ago
Things take a turn!
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/8048560/aberdeen-funso-ojo-probed-attack-fan-tannadice-red-card/
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Mentioned this the other day on here. The rumour was doing the rounds on whatsapp groups after the game.
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Ivan ITK!
posted on 24/11/21
posted on 24/11/21
Understandable given the state I’ve sometimes left hospitality