Matty Longstaff was back in Aberdeen’s squad on Saturday after being left out last weekend. The midfielder came on for the injured Declan Gallagher in the first half of a 1-0 win at home against Hibernian.
Longstaff struggled in possession completing just 60% of his passes. The midfielder did contribute 2 tackles and 1 clearance in helping his team keep a clean sheet. American striker Christian Ramirez bagged his 5th goal of the campaign with a first-half strike.
That was all The Dons needed as they end a five-match losing streak with the win. For Matty, it was just his second appearance in the last five matches after starting his first two.
Kell Watts continues to rack up minutes on the pitch for Wigan. The defender has played every minute in the league since he joined in August. Kell helped The Latics keep a clean sheet in a 2-0 win at Wimbledon on Saturday.
A second-half own goal from Paul Kalambayi and a goal from Republic of Ireland international James McClean a few minutes later clinched the 3 points for Wigan. They remain third in League One just two points behind Plymouth but with 2 games in hand. Kell spent last season on loan with The Pilgrims.
Rodrigo Vilca got off the mark for Doncaster on Saturday in a 3-2 win at home against Cheltenham. The second-half strike from the Peruvian proved the match-winner. Here is a short video of Rodrigo’s goal.
¡PERO QUÉ GOLAZO ???! Así fue el primer gol de Rodrigo Vilca con el Doncaster Rovers. @RodrigoVilca27
?: @Fabianvilca05pic.twitter.com/OzLXnZVWOI
— Fanáticos del Fútbol – Perú (@fanaticospe) October 23, 2021
The 22-year-old was not in Doncaster’s squad in their mid-week defeat at Gillingham. However, Vilca was handed a start on Saturday which was his fourth since joining on loan.
Doncaster took a 2-0 lead into halftime with goals from Joe Dodoo and Tom Anderson. Vilca added the third ten minutes after the break. Cheltenham brought two back but one was well into extra time to make the final score 3-2.
Lewis Cass put in an excellent display in Port Vale’s 3-0 win at home against Colchester on Saturday. Jake Turner was an unused substitute for visitors. Cass had 3 interceptions and 4 clearances in helping keep the clean sheet.
James Gibbons bagged a brace within 16 minutes before Aaron Martin added a third in the second half. The win places Port Vale second in League Two behind Forest Green.
Tom Allan and Oisin McEntee both started Greenock Morton’s 0-0 draw at Queen of the South. Allan lasted 78 minutes before being replaced by striker Gary Oliver in the 78th minute. It was Allan’s fifth start of the campaign.
McEntee was also starting his fifth match. He’s played every minute since joining the Scottish Championship club in September. Unfortunately, the club haven’t won since our two lads joined and have just one win all season.
94 comments so far
Mund
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:17 PM
Comment #41Munster
Speed isn’t everything mate and not all professional footballers are quick.
Bills Son Is Back
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:23 PM
Comment #42S Longstaff wasn’t Bruce’d… he was Prem’d.
As soon as he started having that good spell and being touted as a Man U signing he would have got far more attention and has been sussed for weaknesses by oppo coaches and players.
He is easy to knock off the ball, has no pace, and if he is closed down quickly he either loses the ball or hurries a pass to nowhere. He just isn’t good enough and was way overhyped early doors because of being a local lad.
Matty offers even less. My opinion when he was at the end of his last contract was we should let him go. Giving him £20K a week was IMO purely a way of not causing another outcry from the fans about letting a so called ‘local start of the future’ leaving. The fact he’s hardly played for us since then, and can’t cut it even Scotland shows he just isn’t Prem material either.
Both the Longstaff’s have a goal in them but that’s it. Sell them both.
Adamn_92
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:23 PM
Comment #43Our team ‘pressing’ is one of the things that infuriates me the most and it’s so disorganised it’s laughable. Players will either jog to close down, which is basically them acting as if they’re pressing but really just going through the motions, not pressuring the player on the ball whatsoever. Or, one player will close down properly by sprinting and hurrying the player on the ball, only for them to turn around when the ball is moved on and realise nobody else is helping them press. Wilson early in games closes down well, then he turns around to see nobody else is helping and throws his arms out. He then doesn’t close down with the same intensity for the rest of the match, probably as he knows it’s pointless if nobody does it with him. You either have to press as a unit or not at all. Ours is either lazy or 1 person whilst everyone else watches.
martoon
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:26 PM
Comment #44My two penny worth on the Longstaffs – I’m not sure Matty is good enough as he’s not even a regular in the Aberdeen team. However I think Sean has potential to be a top player but needs good coaching which hopefully a new manager will bring in. I also think the injury Sean suffered has affected him deeply so although physically recovered he’s just sub-consciously holding back slightly which will improve as he regains confidence. The only problem is given our position we may not have the luxury to wait for his confidence to return!
Bills Son Is Back
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:29 PM
Comment #45Miggy was another who was overhyped in that first season after signing.
His break away in the first few minutes of his debut and chip over the keeper that just failed to go in was so different to anything whe’d seen from any other player that season and really excited the crowd.
But, he never scored, never got an assist, and whilst he made some good runs and showed plenty of energy that just isn’t enough.
He was far better during that scoring spell playing as a 10 in his second season but then got pushed further back, out wide on both wings, and ended up not having a clue where he actually fitted into the team.
A good coach could yet make a really effective player out of Miggy and is defo one who should be given a chance.
martoon
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:29 PM
Comment #46Adamn_92 @ 43 – I think that’s a fair criticism and if you watched the MotD2 analysis last night Man U were guilty of exactly the same thing.
Mund
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:34 PM
Comment #47IMO we let the new boss decide who is good enough and who isn’t as we are fans not football managers.
Football is a very opinionated game and always will be.
I’ve seen enough down the years to not toy write someone off but that also doesn’t guarantee anything.
In the process we trust
Ashingtoon62
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:35 PM
Comment #48I was going to post Both Longstaffs are shoite.
However Bills post @42,puts it in to context more and well… it’s just a good post 😀
Mund
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:37 PM
Comment #49Totally*
IrishRob
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:37 PM
Comment #50I personally think it would be unwise to get rid of Sean just yet. Looking back to the City match a few years ago Pep himself said his team couldn’t cope with Sean and Isaac in Midfield. He was unreal that night and for his first 8-9 games untill injury.
That tells me he definitely has or had the talent. He looked world class and if that Longstaff was here now he would 100% be a huge part of the team going forward, its not like he was just decent or a good prospect he was literally world class, although for a very shot time it has to be said.
Knowing the potential he could possibly get back to under a new system and staff you’d have to keep him for now. Especially considering we’d only get peanuts for him if we sold him and its even easier to just keep him around to try and develop him.
The risks are low and the rewards are extremely high, although the odds of him turning it around are probably very low. I think give him 2 years, we loose nothing, in fact his value will probably increase even if he doesn’t play, due to being associated with a big club which we now are heading towards.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:38 PM
Comment #51Our midfield – not one would be in a starting eleven for any other Premiership team
Ritchie, Longstaff, Shelvey, Hendrick, Hayden, fir deffo
Almiron, Willock – bench warmers
Anderson – don’t know seems ok
hibbit
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:39 PM
Comment #52question here ,
who will be striped from our PL 25 to give the 4/5 new signing a shirt number and how will we be able to do it ??
Jessie
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:40 PM
Comment #53IrishRob,
If you’re still about – things are supposed to be all straightened out with the blog. Maybe try clearing your cache/cookies/history file? That might help.
peter5199 (Counter Coup)
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:41 PM
Comment #54Looks like I can’t post
peter5199 (Counter Coup)
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:41 PM
Comment #55or maybe I can
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:43 PM
Comment #56@Adamn92
I think out of our forward players ASM could be in for a bit of a rude awakening ability wise he is obviously very talented but there is still so much to his game that needs work
Bruce has just let him do his own thing but a better manager will want more
He does that kid on press as well although I wonder if he is trying to not get injured?
He also doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct for getting in the box for tap ins look at Salah and Mane their desire to score perhaps that can be coached
IrishRob
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:46 PM
Comment #57The Wife! Thanks I actually never tried that. I might download an antivirus and see if anything pops up although the inbuilt ones say everything is golden. It’s just odd that it only happens on here and only after the update ye informed us about.
But if ye can’t do any more on your end I might just use a different browser for here. Might be the best option.
Thanks for the update!
Adamn_92
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:46 PM
Comment #58hibbit
It’s going to be an issue for sure. I imagine the likes of Gayle, one of center halves (Clarke would be my guess), Gillespie, another center half (Fernandez maybe) and possibly Hendrick or Ritchie will be moved on. Either for small fees or let go. I think any manager coming in will realise the defence needs sorting so will look to replace aging Clarke and Fernandez with better young, ball playing defenders. Ritchie can be upgraded to a better all round full back, Gillespie arguably doesn’t need replacing with Dubravka, Darlow and Woodman on the books and Gayle I can see being shipped out and replaced.
I think we’ll replace the above with 2 central defenders, one full back, 1 dictating midfielder who the new manager has worked with previously and a younger striker. I don’t think we’ll go crazy by signing too many players in one window or by splashing out loads straight away either, reckon we’ll get those positions signed and maybe no more than £70m net spend.
All complete guess work on my end of course 🙂
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:46 PM
Comment #59@Hibbit
Loan Gayle out to bring in a striker
Loan Krafth or Clark out to make way for a CB
Loan Hendrick out for a midfielder
Sell Richie to Bournemouth to make way for a LB
Loan Woodman out to make way for another midfielder
That’s how I would do business in January 🙂
Adamn_92
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:50 PM
Comment #60LCBP
I think whoever the manager it is that comes in, will need to have a word with him and fire him up. Let Maxi know that if he wants to break into that France squad, he really needs to start firing on all cylinders. Not just good dribbles and skill, but harassing defences and scoring more ‘messy goals’. I think if he can be motivated to do the hard work at the top end of the pitch, he’ll get rewarded for it and hopefully with better players around him, will start adding more and more assists to his game as well. He wanted a club and owners to match his ambition, he’s got that now so he needs to make sure he fully buys into whatever new manager’s system is in place.
IrishRob
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:54 PM
Comment #61I think we could loose 5-6 players from the squad with ease, we have 5 keepers I the squad which is madness. Another 3-4 players in the squad have never seen a seconds game time and theres another 4-5 in the squad who get very very little game time. I wouldn’t worry about squad places at all Hibbit.
WLtoon
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:55 PM
Comment #62Was great to see Manure get hammered yesterday, but remember who gave out the hammering.
Liverpool, one of the slimy 6, one of the front runners in wanting our TO stopped with no questions asked, a club who wanted to break away from the PL with the other bunch of slimy bastards.
Nah for me, it was a bitter sweet moment on football, the lesser of two evils won the game, iv`e got no time for either club.
JP...from The Rock
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:56 PM
Comment #63I forgot about Miggy. I would definitely keep him. Has something thet many footballers don’t. His tenacity and energy is amazing. If coached right could be really good but needs a lot of work as he makes many poor decisions and needs to offer more of a threat going forward.
So for me Miggy, Willock and Hayden survive from midfield. I’ll be tempted to hold onto Longstaff only a little while longner as he’s only 23 but I really doubt he’ll make it, which is pretty sad as it seemed he would be great at one point.
WLtoon
Oct 25, 2021 at 1:58 PM
Comment #64As for Longstaff, i would hang on to him, see what the manager can get from him, if he doesn`t improve get rid, because atm he is shite.
Steve Carney's Super Smirk
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:00 PM
Comment #65LCBP re post #56
Depending on what level of manager we can attract it’s players like ASM and Miggy I’m most interested to see how their game changes/improves. Look back at what Robson managed to do with players just with the observations that experience and quality gave him. We haven’t had that level of management since him and that, for me, is one of the biggest attributes a quality manager brings.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:01 PM
Comment #66After watching how easy Edouard has adapted to the premiership (and Christie at Bournemouth ) the gap to Scotland the premiership is not as big as some think it is for star players of Celtic and Rangers
I wonder if Morelos is now worth a go at prem level? He is 24 now looks to have cut out the silly red cards and is some player possibly even better than Edouard
He would be good backup for Wilson very good actually
JP...from The Rock
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:06 PM
Comment #67I think in January there will be a clewr out of at least 5 players. Squad places won’t be an issue. I think our new owners will want at least one big player that has the X factor to drag us out of any relegation fears. Who that player is I have no idea. It could be Dembele, Coutinho, Diaz or someone not yet mentioned.
IrishRob
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:08 PM
Comment #68Just as a guide we could loose,
Gillespie,
Langley,
Hendrick,
Anderson,
White.
And we could replace players like,
Gayle,
Woodman,
Clark,
Dummet,
Fernández,
Richie,
Kraft,
Schar,
Shelvey,
Fraser.
WLtoon
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:09 PM
Comment #69https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvg8gfBTle8
Funny
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:13 PM
Comment #70It wouldn’t take much to get our team better quality to allow us to push on
A conservative window for giggles:
Krafth out – Trippier In
Clark out – Coady or Tarkowski In
Hendrick out – Ward Prowse In
Gayle out – Morelos or Martinez in
Woodman out – Lingard In
A very reasonable squad change like that would enhance our team no end having players who know the league well then you could add in a wildcard from abroad like Diaz from Porto for the X factor
Lovem Hatem
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:15 PM
Comment #71Eddie Nketiah – could be an option for ST – contract runs out in June 2021
Luca Jovic – get on loan from Real Madrid
WLtoon
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:15 PM
Comment #72Ten Hag now 7th in the odds list.
JP...from The Rock
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:17 PM
Comment #73Lee – exactly. What worries me is our points tally and how far adrift we will be from the rest come January.
hibbit
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:23 PM
Comment #74thanks lads,
i personally see it as a big problem and unless the new owners are prepared to bite the bullet regarding the players salaries within any loan deals it could turn out a huge headache to get round in what is a vital time,
IrishRob
i see 3 that can be returned to the under 23
Langley,
Anderson,
White.
but the rest are all on big money
and silly long contracts that wont be easy to shift
Gayle,
Woodman,
Clark,
Dummet,
Fernández,
Richie,
Kraft,
Hendrick
Shelvey,
Fraser.
Optimistic prime
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:26 PM
Comment #75Hibbit
One of the four keepers would be a good place to start!
Unbelievable a manager who complained about six CBs in the squad puts four keepers in his.
hibbit
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:29 PM
Comment #76OP we have 5 keeper in our PL 25
JP...from The Rock
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:29 PM
Comment #77Hmm another candidate for DoF;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/newcastle-raiding-man-city-new-25294572
Optimistic prime
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:30 PM
Comment #78Hibbit
Gillespie (or woodman)
Gayle (doesn’t want to know)
Shelvey (useless and a liability)
Hendrick (rarely plays, upgrade definitely)
They should be first out then, Scharr Krafth Clarke Frazer Ritchie Lascelles Hayden in no particular order.
Raj of Hailsley
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:30 PM
Comment #79Mund,
Until managers start putting their choice of player to a public referendum they will always decide who is in the team. That doesn’t stop us discussing it in bars and on the blog.
Optimistic prime
Oct 25, 2021 at 2:30 PM
Comment #80Hibbit
No way!
I thought it was 4
I’m gob smacked