Derek McInnes’ sleight of hand was at work yesterday as he tried to put pressure on Neil Lennon ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final, telling The Scotsman, “If [Neil] loses the Cup, it’s Neil’s team and I think the only pressure on Neil will be from himself”.
The words were wrapped in a generous sentiment, but the Aberdeen boss knows his chances are improved if he can transfer pressure onto Neil Lennon. Some self-contemplation would be more appropriate. McInnes has been at Aberdeen for six years, a period which has seen the club comfortably settle into the role of second force, but after winning the first trophy available to him, the 2014 League Cup, he has watched others pick up the spare trophies Celtic dropped.
Since winning a major honour in his first season and four consecutive second place finishes in the league, progress has stalled. They perennially failed to reach the Europa League group stage and now sit fourth in the Premiership.
Derek McInnes needs a trophy more than Neil Lennon. Beating Newco in Glasgow are his only ‘trophies’ this season, and while Aberdeen fans enjoyed those days in the big city, they will count for little if they are out of the Cup on Sunday night and behind Kilmarnock in the league.
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Broony
Quiet, eh.
HUNDERBIRDS THE THIRD
?⚽️
Been a very quiet day, like pre pre-season.
Down in a sunny but cold Manchester. No real sign of any Barca fans making a noise, can you imagine if our Bhoys were in town?
Disagree Paul. McKinnes will not get the sack if he loses They are not expected to win. They do not expect to win.
On the other hand, it could be argued that they are due a win going on the laws of average. They are going to get the rub of the green against us at Hampden one of these days.
We need to be at our best.
I’d also not be surprised if Brown gets sent off, a straight red. The blazers want more ammo to back up their trumped up charges.
Quite bluntly, McInnes is not a good manager. I hoped he was detained for Greyskull.
I think McInnes does all right with the players he has at his disposal. He does not exactly have the options we have all over the park. So keeping it tight, being physical and hoping we have an off day is as good as anyone else does against us.
We rarely beat them with ease these days.
Paul67
Good shout.
Derek McKinnes has had more beatings from Celtic than he cares to think about, but his thoughts via SMSM have no relevance. His personal Celtic one to one’s with him, are second to none.
Neil Lennon has done well and in a sense usurped BR by beating HIbs comfortably at Easter Rd in the Cup, the Celtic ticket buying public will back him and his side to the hilt, on Sunday.
Neil’s personal one to one’s .
McInnes is hoping and praying that his mind games are gonna work….mibbe he should be laminating his glass players so that their bottle(see what I done there) doesn’t completely smash…again ;-)) If Celtic turn up with purpose, determination, fight & winning mentality there will be only one winner.
I’m getting a sense that as fans we are becoming complacent and entitled when it comes to winning the league. Was talking to a blue-nose about his experience re their 9 and he says that, at games, watching the football on the pitch was becoming secondary as the expectation of a win was overwhelming. Wondering if those that went through our 9s thoughts are?
Timbhoy…concentrate on getting fit for next season…good luck with the recovery
H.H.
mon the hoops
TLT @ 7:12
I said more or less (!) the same near the end of the previous article`s resp0onses.
JJ.
I’ve never been to hampden but got a ticket for sunday – mon the boozy day and a rogic screamer
I think Sunday is about how Aberdeen play. I think we know what we will do (slower with Brown, faster with McGregor but essentially the same system)
The onus is on them to find a disruptive system to win the game
If they find it, Neil has to find a counter , if they don’t we get a 2-0
All about McInnes and the first 45
Amsterdam police getting medieval on Juve fans, cavalry charges and siege engines, well water cannon. Don’t know how much provocation was involved but these guys are just itching to crack skulls.
SILVER CITY 1888 on 10TH APRIL 2019 7:48 PM
There doesn’t have to be ANY provocation , as our fans know to their cost.
Silver,
Yes their team are fine but their support and police are murder. Would rather see them win than Juve saying that
McIness is a Hun Rat?
All the pressure is on him and his failing team.
Just win Celtic and on to Hampdump in the sun.
D. :)
Ronaldo scores against the run of play.
It will be left to Morales Rashford and Mbappe to pick up the torch when Messi and Ronaldo finish
McManaman can’t seem to help avoid his inherent EPL bias. He seems to be trying to convince himself that MU are dominating Barcelona. They were not in the game for the first 30 mins, and only disrupted Barca’s rhythm with a forearm smash on Messi.
Anyone watching Man U v Barca?
Smalling comes strongly through the back of Messi and flailing arm catches Leo – cue blood and snotters.
Commentator (McMannaman?) brushes aside the clear foul – usual biased reporting!
Hope Barca turn them over – hate Man U and their TV sycophants.
TK
BBC’s ‘British History’s Biggest Fibs episode 2 is an interesting watch where ‘The Glorious Revolution’ is debunked — where Wiliam of Hun stole the throne form James One!
We’re on the same page Friesdorfer!
TK
FD- ‘ yeah but could Messi do it ,on a cold night in Burnley ‘…usual pish mate…
Terryk
McMannaman said that MU played to a well organised pattern and Barcelona were a bit off the cuff.
I nearly choked listening to it.
Any old CQNer remember a midweek flodlit friendly game at Parkhead against an Icelandic team.
I think Jinky was introduced to us then.
Messi just finished his nap.
This Dear Green Place busier than all of Timdom, the other good source Etims is a bit behind…….everybody must be getting their shut-eye for the weekend!
McInnes – a sleekit devil.
HH
Terrific game in Amsterdam. Ajax have been great, Juve have been Juve.
RON BACARDI on 10TH APRIL 2019 9:12 PM
You just remembered me to find out if my memory was playing tricks on me. But we did play Red Star Belgrade on boxing day 1988 It was a centenary friendly, I thought i was imagining thing’s..http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Friendlies+-+Home
McTominay showing well for MU.
Smalling gets booked, at last.
MU going for it, running out of time.
Champions League for me, without Celtic, is a sideshow…I’ll probably watch the final again…but if you pressed me to say anything about last years final…I’d be struggling for more than Salah got injured and wee Al Madrid fans must be getting bored watching their team win it ;-))
English teams have nothing to fear from Barcelona (McManaman). Oh the – misplaced – arrogance.