Rousseau

It's nice to see them getting a taster, but I hope it means that down the line they'll be given first team outings -- looks to be a while off though: they look like they're just out the womb!

Is that Garner back in training?

Looks like a good move for the lad. Dortmund are building a formidable roster of young talent so they look to be the place to develop rather than fading away to obscurity at Madrid.

We were decent for the whole match without being brilliant. One stupid cross undoes us again, but the defending is not the issue IMO it's the lack of cutting edge up front. To be honest I was confident we'd score at the end there when we were behind. I think when we went behind we had double the amount of attempts (10-5), but they had 2 on target while we had zero (0). This is unacceptable. While this reflects the type of chances each side gets we must be doing better.

I thought Toral did OK without doing anything great, but it'll take a while to get him up to speed. Hyndman looked good, with a nicely weighted pass for Miller.

I like the dominance in terms of possession, but bloody hell we lack a bit of cutting edge up front! Miller is not the answer as a Centre-Forward -- he's better drifting behind or wide.

We should have had a penalty -- as clear a penalty as I've ever seen.

I noticed Sky Sports HQ say that a few Premier League clubs are interested in Barrie McKay.

Did we score!? My feed went down!

Sure and that's my point. I don't think it's working all that well.

Ah Ok, fair enough. I think we've shown glimpses of it working well, both defensively and offensively: we've looked a little more stable and have shown a bit more creativity in the final third. The St Johnstone game was good for the first half, then we blew it, but were doing ok with it for a first try. The Celtic game was OK too, but were beaten by a better side -- admittedly we didn't help ourselves with the defending. I think it'll take more time. I'm happy to see the manager trying new things.

What do people think of Toral? Not had much of the ball but has shown a few nice touches -- nice wee pirouette! It'll take him more time to get settled into our style, but I think he looks like he could be a good addition.

I don't know why we've went to a a 3-5-2; players look really uncomfortable.

We have been playing a variation of it for about three weeks. I think it's been OK thus far. If we can't try it here where can we try it?

That Davies goal was superb (I hope Lukaku didn't touch it!). And now young Lookman has just scored to make it 4-0!

City thrashed and Koeman tactically out-thought Guardiola. Unbelievable.

As with most top German sides, Leipzig are superb at pressing in that compact 4-4-2. We've been OK, but need to be more courageous with the ball, with several opportunities to pass the ball forward being abandoned; Halliday and Tavernier in particular take an absolute age to make up their mind what to do with the ball.

I'm not sure what Batshuayi has to do to start with Costa out -- did he get a few minutes later on for Chelsea?

Time for your pill Rousseau, you really have to take it earlier.

We have 4-5 squad CH's we need a couple to play in the team. I also don't mind a Celtic history player but a Rangers hater is taking it to far.

I try to see the positive in any potential transfer, but I fully concede I may be away with the fairies on this one!

RE Considine: while at first I was more like:

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I actually think this is not a bad option. I doubt he's a first team player, but he could be a good squad player: he's versatile, strong, quick and has a lot experience at this level. Admittedly I've not seen him in a while but I do recall him being a stand-out in earlier Aberdeen teams when he played full-back?

Spain played 4-6-0 when they won the World Cup (maybe the second Euros?). The difference was that they had a philosophy and way of playing attacking football, while Levein played it to defend. Pointless.

That was a good win (more mental than anything) but truly awful football. I wonder what MW could do with those players?

There is nothing wrong with MW and FMcP going after players they have worked with before and know can play the way MW wants; The players to have shown flashes of ability thus far have all come from this source.

I'm disappointed for the lad: He seems to score quite a good few goals at SC-level so I think he deserves a shot at the first-team, with a few appearances here and there. I wonder what MW thinks is missing? He maybe is too lightweight for the role MW wants, but he's still only 19, so it may come.

It just goes to show how laughable these rag stories are: they make up the story that we're interested, only make up another story saying we'll not be getting him? I think I'll just wait until a players signs and arrives at auchinhowie.

Those 'scorpion kicks' seem quite run-of-the-mill now, with Ibrahimovic doing it regularly and now Mkitaryan and Giroud.

Bergkamp's was a touch of class, though.

Happy New Year everyone!

Thanks,you dont want our better defenders on the park,rather a half arsed midfielder instead.!!

Well, I've explained why. We can agree to disagree.

he should have at least replaced tavernier at HT who was absolute garbage.

For whom? Hodson? Then we can't attack and would've had a very shaky back-four of Wilson, Hill, Kiernan and Hodson. Tavernier was poor, but it's the best option we had for today's game.

Stop skirting around the question.

Hodson can defend,Tavernier cant.Again ,should Hodson have started?

I thought I answered? No. I agree Hodson is a better defender, but not sure he's a better wing-back. Like I said, I think having a back-three with Tavernier at wing-back worked better than Hodson and Tavernier (who was always going to play) in a back-Four.

I must admit, I think having a back-three and Tavernier in the team worked better than a back 4 with Tavernier: Tavernier would've bombed forward leaving Wilson/Kiernan and Hill at the back against their three (assuming Hodson would also play slightly forward at LB), which gives me nightmares.