The baddest man in the whole damn town

The man who has a reputation of being an early riser can afford to sleep in until noon and it appears that the manager with a somewhat nicey nicey reputation can afford to weigh into anyone he sees fit. Yesterday was the second time this season that Aberdeen boss Craig Brown has ended a game at Fir Park by going for an official of the opposition.

At the start of the season, when he was still Motherwell manager, he threw a punch at Odense director, Kim Brink.

Yesterday, he was chasing after John Boyle and then got his hands on his former employer. To do so once is bad enough but to have two misdemeanours like this in one season is surely an indication of bad behaviour. Hmmm, the youth of today….err wait, hmmmm, the elderly of today.

What sort of example is Craig Brown setting to youngsters like Walter Smith, Alex Ferguson and Jim Jefferies by behaving in this manner.

Who knows what Boyle said to spark such a reaction in Brown but when it comes to dishing out the blame, there has been a heavy precedent set in not paying attention to what instigated these matters. The SFA should at least be handing out a warning to Brown about his behaviour and the media should start profiling him in the right manner.

Less of the nicey, nicey and isn’t it funny how he talks about winning corners as being more important than scoring goals and more of, well, he is a bit of a thug isn’t he?

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Great start…especially from Commons

Congratulations to Aberdeen for winning the League Cup semi-final and booking a place against Motherwell or Rangers in March.

Okay, now for all you readers that aren’t Craig Brown, Celtic blew the Dons away with a show of finishing that the Dons could not compete with. Yes, Aberdeen will look back at this game and wonder how they missed so many chances but with Celtic being 4-0 up on 40 minutes, it was always likely that Aberdeen would be the more fired up team in the second half.

Craig Brown had a bad habit of claiming bizarre moral victories when he was Scotland boss and it appears nothing has changed now he is at Aberdeen. Perhaps it is a tactic of his to take the heat off his players and keep them upbeat, if so, fair enough, he is long enough in the tooth to know what he wants to do but in reality Craig, Aberdeen froze on the big occasion and Celtic took full advantage.

Kris Commons got his Celtic career off to a wonderful start by flighting the ball into the top corner on 5 minutes with a goal that would have had any Rangers fans listening in or watching online raging. Yes, Craig Brown can say he never meant it but what a way to get your career at a new club up and running.

Commons was involved in the next two Celtic goals as his corners caused mayhem in the Aberdeen box with Mulgrew and Rogne taking advantage to nab headers. Celtic were 3-0 up on 20 minutes and there were a good few Aberdeen fans heading for the exit. £20 for 20 minutes isn’t that great a deal but clearly they had no belief in their teams ability to pull it back.

The Dons had already missed chances by this point, including a strike which rolled onto the post but lets not forget that Scott Brown came close a couple of times and Celtic had also struck the woodwork.

When Young needlessly handled in the box, Anthony Stokes sent Jamie Langfield the wrong way and finished the game before half-time. Yes, the two teams had to come out and play for a further 45 minutes but Celtic sat a lot deeper and played the game out almost like a training exercise.

Aberdeen got the goal that their attacking play merited when Scott Vernon nodded home and there were other chances, including two squandered after the ball had been dribbled around Forster in goals for Celtic. However, lets not forget that the last half an hour was played out with Celtic having two full-backs in the centre of their defence.

So…the Dandy Dons fans have their Glasgow excitement deflated again but Tuesday night gives a quick chance to rally against Celtic. The nerves that beset the Dons early on are not likely to come again and if Aberdeen can get their shooting boots on, they should be at least celebrating a goal or two.

When Celtic knocked the ball about cleverly, they looked very good and Commons settled in very quickly to the team. The loss of Thomas Rogne with an injury will be a concern for Neil Lennon but may increase the clubs activity before the transfer window shuts on Monday.

These two sides meet again on Tuesday….will Aberdeen bounce back or will Celtic continue on their winning ways (or will it be a draw…)?

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First of the League Cup double-header

It is hard to say who today’s semi final is a bigger game for.

Aberdeen have been starved of silverware for so long and their fans are travelling down in big numbers to see their team fight for a place in the final. Whenever things look even remotely bright for the Dons, the optimism level of the fans goes sky high but then again, it is the same for every fan base in football.

Craig Brown has certainly awoken the Dons and the fact that the boss was unhappy with the performance on Wednesday night, after a 2-0 away win, shows you the expectations that Brown has placed on his Aberdeen side.

Aberdeen did have a man advantage for most of the game but there was still a job to do and the players did it.

One manager that was delighted on Wednesday night was Neil Lennon and with good cause. Lennon had watched his team demolish the hyped up Hearts and the 4-0 score line flattered the Gorgie side in the end. It was a vast improvement on the nervy showing against Aberdeen in the league on Saturday.

Last week’s encounter won’t count for too much, today will be a completely different game but Aberdeen should take some confidence from their showing. The press went overboard in praising Aberdeen for pressing Celtic, they had very few chances in the game but the Dons showed they can contain Celtic and impose themselves upon their opponents.

If they get a bit of luck or the ball bounces right for them, there is no reason why Aberdeen can not do the business today. They will have to do so with Nick Blackman though, the striker being cup-tied for this tie.

As for Celtic, they should have their tails up after a great performance and surely the players will be bursting a gut to reach the final. The League Cup gets criticised but both these teams have a great chance to win a trophy in the competition and both sets of fans have plenty of reasons why they want this trophy lifted.

Celtic are missing Jamie Forrest, Dan Majstorovic and other long term injury victims but are able to add Kris Commons to their squad after his signing during the week. With plenty of players to choose from, Neil Lennon may decide to spring a surprise in today’s line-up. Or he may not. That’s his options!

Hampden will no doubt be buzzing for the game at 3pm today, who will make it to the final?

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A five point lead is not be sniffed at though

Perhaps buoyed by the earlier result at Tynecastle (or not if Anthony Stokes was telling the truth), Celtic started well against Aberdeen and were playing some lovely stuff at times. Not as lovely as Rangers at Tynecastle who Radio Scotland likened to playing like Barcelona but Celtic were playing well.

The only goal of the game was a good team move, Paddy McCourt feeding the overlapping Izaguirre, who eventually found Gary Hooper who played in his strike partner. Stokes waltzed around Jamie Langfield and gave himself plenty of time to compose him and tap the ball into the open net. Stokes nearly added to his tally when Celtic attacked swiftly on the break but Langfield made a good save. However, going for power and placement may have resulted in a better outcome than Stokes turning snap shot.

As the game wore on without a Celtic goal, you could sense the nerves building around Celtic Park but it certainly wasn’t due to anything Aberdeen did. That is not to criticise Aberdeen and from a set-play or a moment’s inspiration a goal can always come but there were no real chances created by the Dons as the game ticked down.

In the opening period of the second half, Aberdeen struck three shots that whizzed past the post but that was it. It should be remembered that Celtic are a young team and when Majstorovic went off, it left a centre half pairing of Thomas Rogne and Charlie Mulgrew, not ideal in any circumstance. However, Celtic held out and the roar that went round Parkhead was testimony to the relief and joy in grabbing three vital points.

Celtic need an older head or two to calm things down and Ljungberg at least appreciated this but a cetre back or central midfielder who can talk to others and keep them focussed could make a massive difference to Neil Lennon’s side. It is still far too early to say if Lennon’s team will win the league but his young and inexperienced team are putting up a brave fight, especially in light of all the controversy that has followed the club this season…much of it not of their own making.

Gary Hooper may not have much top flight experience but he does have the appearance of a winner and his showing was a huge factor in Celtic’s victory. With just two games under his belt since returning from injury, Hooper needs more game time but he will be a key player on Wednesday night when Hearts come to visit.

If this young Celtic team can take all three points against the Jambos, they may just start believing in themselves.

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Craig Brown revival keeps rolling on

A home match against St Mirren is one that most teams in the SPL should feel as though they are capable of winning but until Craig Brown took over at Pittodrie, how many Aberdeen fans would have said they would win?

The appointment of the old fella has revitalised the fortune of the Dons and a comfortable 2-0 victory over St Mirren was no surprise. Scott Vernon continued his good run of form with both goals against the Paisley side, who are still embroiled in a relegation dog fight which is becoming harsher by the week.

Elsewhere in the SPL, Connor Sammon netted again for Kilmarnock but it seems it could be the final time that Killie have fed the fish for him to score. The duo of Alexei Emerenko and Sammon connected once again to create the goal but the striker could be off to Scunthorpe if terms can be agreed.

Cleveland Taylor denied the Ayrshire team a win with an equaliser on 84 minutes. After Peter McDonald’s later winner in midweek at Tynecastle, the timing of St Johnstone’s goals have been impeccable.

At Fir Park, Motherwell and Inverness Caley Thistle played out an uninspiring 0-0 draw. With Mark Reynolds missing out for Motherwell with a deal to sign for Sheffield Wednesday in the offing, Stuart McCall will hope for a quiet period and perhaps the opportunity to strengthen his squad.

With Tannadice once again being deemed unplayable, Dundee United and Hearts had a blank weekend.

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The feud continues

It is not a surprise but the news that Nick Blackman has followed Craig Brown to Aberdeen has got to be a sickener for Motherwell fans. The striker grabbed ten goals for the Steelemen in the first half of the campaign but he will be giving the Dons fans hope for the rest of the campaign.

Blackman is suffering from a virus and may not be available for the Dons at the weekend but with a lot of big games to come, that won’t be an issue. The hat-trick at the weekend by Chris Maguire lifted the spirits of many Aberdeen fans but they are already prepared for the exit of the hit man. Blackman may be able to step in until the end of the season and offer Aberdeen fans other reasons to cheer.

It has been a good day for Aberdeen fans with the capture of Fulham midfielder Robert Milsom. The midfielder may not have had too many first team appearances at Craven Cottage but a number of loan deals has seen the player grab a fair bit of experience.

These deals will further enhance the recovery of Aberdeen under Craig Brown as new signings are always likely to give a team a lift.

As for Motherwell though, new boss Stuart McCall has a lot to do to prove he is an SPL level boss and to raise morale at the club. McCall has already voiced his disproval at being unable to compete with English non-league clubs but surely he knew this before he agreed the deal at Fir Park.

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Every other team now thinking this could be their year!

The draw for the 5th round of the Scottish Cup has taken place at Hampden Park. George Peat has continued his bid to be down with the kids by inviting along popular Ayrshire beat combo Biffy Clyro. The success of the Biffy has always puzzled the WeKnowSFA team (apart from ‘Mountain’, that’s alright) but even back in the day before mainstream music lovers found them, we always thought they were rubbish.

Then again, stood next to George Peat, they are akin to the Velvet Underground in popularity stakes for us. Right, where were we, the Cup draw….

The draw in full:

Aberdeen v Montrose OR Dunfermline Athletic

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Greenock Morton OR Airdrie United

Rangers v Celtic

Hibernian OR Ayr United St Mirren OR Peterhead

Hamilton Academical v Dundee United OR Ross County

Stenhousemuir OR Threave Rovers OR Stranraer v Motherwell

East Stirlingshire OR Buckie Thistle v Queen of the South OR Brechin City

Heart of Midlothian OR St Johnstone v Falkirk OR Partick Thistle

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Dandy Dons are still on a high

You know what Aberdeen fans are like, bi-polar. After two wins at the start of their season, some fans were digging out their passport, so convinced were they that the Dandy Dons were assured of winning the league and heading for the Champions League.

Then Mark McGhee worked his magic on the side and the same fans were being refused entry to Superdrug to keep them away from the painkillers and razor blades. It’s a strange old world being an Aberdeen fan and this was shown again on Saturday.

A win in the Cup should always be celebrated but some of the fans remarks following the 6-0 drubbing dished out to East Fife went over the top! It’s good to see Craig Brown having a positive impact on Aberdeen and the fact that the Dons never exited to a lower league team was probably one of the cup shocks of the day!

It is likely that Aberdeen will face a tougher test in the 5th round of the Scottish Cup when they take on Montrose or Dunfermline Athletic. In saying that though, Aberdeen will be confident of winning the tie and with one of the big Glasgow lot out…who knows where this cup run may end.

The fifth round ties of the Scottish Cup are scheduled to take place the weekend of the 5th and 6th of February. These dates may change when the television companies start announcing their fixtures but at the moment…that’s the dates for the Cup!

With a League Cup semi-final already secured, are the Dandy Dons going to take up residency at Hampden this season?

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New young stopper at the Dons

Such is the way when a manager changes club that not only are his ex-players under target, so too are any scouted players he previously looked at. You get the feeling that Motherwell are cheesed off enough with Craig Brown and Aberdeen, so you wonder what they’ll make of the new Aberdeen signing.

Myles Anderson, a 19 year old centre half, has signed for Aberdeen after being previously looked at by Brown during his time at Fir Park. The free agent had a spell training in Lanarkshire during Brown’s reign as Motherwell boss and the new Dons boss has followed up this initial interest in the player.

Craig Brown managed to bring a few decent players to Scotland from down South and the future of Nick Blackman, who he enticed to Motherwell in the summer, is currently up for debate. Motherwell clearly like this way of getting players, it was one of the factors they were looking for in their new boss but it has alerted other clubs to the talent that is available.

Whether Anderson is able to make an impact on the Don’s defence this season is another matter but it’s another new face at the Dons and things are definitely looking brighter at Pittodrie than they have been previously this season.

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Concerns building for Calderwood again

You get the impression Aberdeen are not likely to suffer any more 5-0 or 9-0 drubbings this season with the Craig Brown effect already taking place. The 2-1 win at Easter Road saw the Dons sit much deeper than they did under Mark McGhee but sensible defensive formations does not necessarily mean a defensive style of play.

Hitting on the break has become a more common feature in football these days and Yoann Folly grabbed the opener for the Dons after Scott Vernon scampered away and fed him. Things were level before half-time though as Derek Riordan rammed home a shot that Jamie Langfield was unable to hold.

At this point the game was up for grabs and commentators would have keen to stress the importance of grabbing the next goal. It was Aberdeen who grabbed the crucial third goal of the game and it proved to be the winner. Paul Hartley was the creator as Scott Vernon chested home to make this a much more pleasurable trip to the capital for Dons fans.

Hamilton now lie beneath Aberdeen, three points behind but the Accies do have two games in hand over Craig Brown’s team. One win certainly doesn’t make Aberdeen’s season but the boost that the Easter Road victory will have provided the Dons will see their fans feeling far more optimistic about the task ahead of them.

Colin Calderwood will be having strong concerns over his team though and the signs are that Hibs could be involved in the relegation dogfight this season. The Leith team have a great deal of quality in their side but if they lack the fighting spirit, they will find themselves in big trouble in 2011.

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