The striker worked hard and got the breaks

Lee Miller hadn’t been in the best of form this season but his loss would have worried Aberdeen fans, particularly in games against the big teams. Miller could always be relied upon to rough up centre halfs and let them know they have been in a game.

If there were any concerns about new signing Steven MacLean, they would have been blown away after his starring role in the 4-4 draw with Celtic. The Celtic defence doesn’t need a lot of pressure to force them into errors but MacLean never gave them a moment’s peace and was deserving of his moment of glory at the end.

Like all good strikers, he took the chances that came his way…and he was the recipient of a lot of luck.

Although the penalty was struck at a reasonable height for Boruc, it had plenty of pace on it which powered it behind the Polish stopper. As for the equaliser, Darren Mackie’s shot was well off target but MacLean was in the right place and buried the ball without any hesitation.

We’d like to see the Artur Boruc collision with MacLean again before commenting further on it, so the player could have earned a penalty with the score being 2-2 but it would be fair to say that MacLean dived twice in the Celtic penalty box late on in the game. The player also escaped unpunished for running into the crowd, removing his shirt and kicking the ball away, all after his equalising strike.

When you consider that Aiden McGeady was booked for kicking the ball away and Ian Brines has never shied away from booking players for over exuberant celebrations, there is no doubt that MacLean should have seen red before the end of the game.

Sometimes that is the breaks in football so MacLean will need to take advantage of the good fortune he received in the match and press on from here. It sounds silly but sometimes it can be easier for players to perform against the big teams than against the smaller teams.

Steven MacLean now has to go out and harass and punish the defenders of other clubs the way he punished the Celtic defence but for now, he and the Aberdeen fans should enjoy their moment.

Can MacLean fire the Dons to Cup glory?

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McGhee wants an answer

With just over a week to go of the January transfer window, the time for messing about is just about over.

Some players and agents are content with how it is all going, knowing that clubs and managers are about to become even more desperate to land a new signing that could change their season.

This is happening up and down the country and Aberdeen appear to be the latest club hit by the January madness. Mark McGhee has had an up and down start to his time at Pittodrie with a lack of fire-power holding the Dons back from a higher placing in the league.

Reinforcements up front could seriously push Aberdeen into the mix to be the best of the rest.

It has been reported that McGhee has told potential transfer target Steven MacLean, from Plymouth Argyle, that he needs an answer by Monday. If there is no answer or a negative one, it will leave McGhee with just a week to move on to other targets.

Today’s game at home to Kilmarnock will be occupying McGhee’s thoughts on the Saturday but you can bet Sunday will be a day of phone-calls and analysing options, rather than a family fun day in the McGhee household.

Dons fans, could MacLean make the difference for you?

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Another penalty for the Maroon men

We all know by now that Csaba Laszlo thinks it is good to talk. So much so, that the Hearts manager can’t help discussing players that are only on the radar for the Gorgie club.

One such player is Steven MacLean.

“He is also on my list. Already, I have talked with the player. For me, he is also a candidate. A loan is possible with this player. He is from Edinburgh, before at Rangers. You can use him in two different positions, use him ahead of the midfield or as a central striker”

With Charlton striker Izale McLeod coming to Tynecastle for a short trial, things are looking promising for Hearts with regards to getting reinforcements in for the business end of the season.

Yet another penalty for Hearts was the difference at the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday when Michael Stewart kept up his impressive strike-rate from the spot. The 1-0 score line may have been harsh on Falkirk but most results seem harsh on Falkirk.

Bairns boss Eddie May to his credit though admitted his team were under par.

“We were terrible all day.”

Sometimes a minimalist statement says a lot more than the elongated ramblings that some managers offer in their post-match press conference.

The win moves Hearts up to fifth position and creates a healthy amount of daylight between themselves and Falkirk.

Relegation was never a serious issue for the Tynecastle men but complacency can be a killer for many clubs in the SPL.

Hearts need to be looking upwards and there is no reason why Dundee United cannot be caught. After that, the Jambos need to see if they can go on to chase Hibs, Celtic and Rangers.

A few new recruits may make all the difference for Hearts.

Jambo fans, where will you end up this season?

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