Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin must feel as if he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t following his side’s 4-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday.
For years Dons fans, myself included, have bemoaned the old “keep it tight and try to stay in the game” approach whenever the club has gone to Ibrox or Celtic Park.
I’ve lost count of the number of Dons fans who have said to me “I wouldn’t mind being turned over if we went and had a real go”.
That is why I am not going to criticise the Aberdeen manager for adopting that approach at the weekend.
You cannot have it both ways – you cannot shut up shop and hope to nick a point all while throwing caution to the wind and leaving yourself option. It is one or the other, not both.
It is easy to say with hindsight the manager should have altered his three-man defence and we are all experts after the fact when it comes to analysing performances and game plans.
But you know what? In terms of the mindset he showed, I admire the attitude the Dons boss showed in daring to take on Rangers in their own backyard.
Defensive shortcomings exposed by rampant Rangers
With that being said, there are a few reasons why it went badly wrong for the Dons.
The players need to understand whenever you play Rangers or Celtic you have to defend well and be compact out of possession. The Dons did neither at the weekend.
The other reason it ended in a heavy loss for the team is the fact Rangers produced one of their best displays of the season.
I appreciate Aberdeen fans will be hurting. It’s understandable as nobody likes seeing their team suffer a heavy defeat.
But the games against Celtic and Rangers will not shape the Dons’ season.
It’s the matches against Hibs – who visit Pittodrie on Friday – Hearts and the other European hopefuls which will determine where Aberdeen finish in the Premiership.
Dons are a work in progress
Taking a look at the season so far, I think there is a lot to be positive about as far as the Dons are concerned.
They have some good players and an emerging new team which looks promising, but it’s very much a work in progress.
The 4-0 defeat at Dundee United was not acceptable, however, there is a world of difference between losing that game and Saturday’s defeat to Rangers.
Aberdeen’s response to their Tannadice torment was three straight wins in the league and cup.
With three games to play before the break for the World Cup, it is important they dig deep and try to put together another three-game winning run.
With two of those games at home, the team has a real chance to go into the mid-season break in third place in the league.
Ross County’s need for points has become pressing
Saturday’s home game against St Mirren has become a massive one for Ross County.
Their performance against Hearts in their 2-1 loss on Sunday was an improvement on recent games, but they have yet to produce a full 90-minute display.
Hearts started well in Dingwall and responded well to going behind to Jordan White’s opener for the Staggies, but their energy levels dipped significantly in the second half.
Unfortunately, County lacked the quality to take advantage. Had they found an equaliser, I’m confident the Staggies would have gone on to win the game, but it was not to be.
County had a lot of the ball in the second half against the Jambos and got into good areas down the flanks, but the quality was lacking in the final third in terms of service.
County boss could face a busy January window
I felt for Malky Mackay. There were a few times where he turned away in frustration after seeing simple passes going astray – or out of play altogether.
A look at the league table shows you where the problems lie for the manager.
His team is level at the bottom with Dundee United on nine points, having scored just seven goals and conceded 22 in their opening 13 matches.
Clearly there needs to be an improvement and quickly.
With trips to Hibs and Celtic looming next week, it is vital County pick up three points on Saturday.
Put it this way, if they don’t beat Saints then it could be a long wait before they celebrate another win.
Whatever happens, it seems January is going to be a busy month for the Ross County manager if his side’s fortunes don’t improve rapidly before the transfer window reopens.
Caley Thistle must respond to Morton loss
There’s no time for anyone at Caley Thistle to feel sorry for themselves following their heavy defeat at Morton on Friday.
I expected a tough game at Cappielow for Billy Dodds and his players, but the 4-0 scoreline surprised me.
With five points separating the top seven teams, it is clear the Championship is shaping up to be an outrageous rollercoaster of emotions for fans of the teams in the division this season.
It’s so competitive and unpredictable, I know I’m struggling to predict any game from one week to the next.
Look at Partick Thistle: They’ve been going along nicely only to ship seven goals in their last two league games against Ayr and Raith Rovers.
With Arbroath visiting Caledonian Stadium on Saturday, it is important Inverness respond to their defeat by the Ton against the Red Lichties.
Doddsy has half a dozen guys out just now who I would class as regular starters for him, which has put a strain on the team.
But there is still enough quality there for the side to be winning games.
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