Fair play Neil Lennon

[houstonhibbee]

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While I would never play with one up in a cup semi, I think NL's tactics were build around that. Losing the early goal blew his tactical game out the water.
He had the courage to change his game plan in time to make a comeback. (How many times have we screamed for changes during a game while previous managers stared into space?) Mickey Stewart pointed out the change was in motion five or more minutes before it actually happened with Holt being told to warm up.

My only gripe was that we sat back a bit and let them settle after Shinnie came on following our 2nd goal. We should have been on top of them in their own half instead of letting them knock it about and build from there.

we lost control when McGeough went off

[lord bunberry]

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While I would never play with one up in a cup semi, I think NL's tactics were build around that. Losing the early goal blew his tactical game out the water.
He had the courage to change his game plan in time to make a comeback. (How many times have we screamed for changes during a game while previous managers stared into space?) Mickey Stewart pointed out the change was in motion five or more minutes before it actually happened with Holt being told to warm up.

My only gripe was that we sat back a bit and let them settle after Shinnie came on following our 2nd goal. We should have been on top of them in their own half instead of letting them knock it about and build from there.

I agree losing the early goal didn't help us, but even allowing for that we were all over the place in the first half hour. We barely got out of our own half.

[neil7908]

Never again can we start with 4 central midfielders on the pitch at the same time.

We need to buy the right players over summer to ensure we have balance in the team. Unfortunately someone like Fyvie or Bartley may have to leave as we need to stop shoehorning players into the team.

[blackpoolhibs]

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Never again can we start with 4 central midfielders on the pitch at the same time.

We need to buy the right players over summer to ensure we have balance in the team. Unfortunately someone like Fyvie or Bartley may have to leave as we need to stop shoehorning players into the team.

Absolutely spot on.

[snooky]

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we lost control when McGeough went off

Actually up to his goal, I thought Dylan was actually quite subdued. I prefer him in r-mid.

[Weststandwanab]

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Fanny

Really ?

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This was his fault today, what was he thinking starting with that team.

Great season? Nah, done what was expected unspectacularly and shot ourselves in the foot at our real shot of getting glory and retaining our cup.

Get over it, the team competed well after a couple of errors and an unfortunate piece of luck.

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Nah. But I stand by it.

Delusional at best

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Agree it needed changed but Fyvie had to go as he was on a yellow and Beaton was looking for any excuse to give him a second yellow

Correct.

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we lost control when McGeough went off

Well if the boy is injured would you prefer he stayed on the park and crocked ?

[Greenwich_Hibby]

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Absolutely spot on.

Nor play with one up - it never works for us and in my opinion it gave the initiative to Aberdeen before a ball was kicked. Here's hoping for more balance in the side next year. Understand NL's frustration but felt he should have taken a bit of responsibility tbh...

[wookie70]

Lennon can obviously do no wrong in some fans eyes.

I listened to the interview on Sportsound and at no point did he take any portion of the blame. He sent out a team that was set up to be on the back foot from the start and so it turned out. The difference to the Cup Final where we were knocking The Rangers players off the ball from the kick off and right in their faces was enormous.

At no point have Bartley and Fyvie played well in the same team. In some ways you would be better off with 10 men as they constantly look to fill the same space. It confuses the whole midfield. I can't remember Boyle and Cummings working as a pairing either but I have no idea where Boyle was meant to be playing today before Holt came on. It looked like right wing with Cummings up top on his own but surely we couldn't have set up that way. The shape on paper looked terrible to me and so it turned out. We had no out ball, predictable. We were getting in each other's way in midfield, predictable and the players took to the park on the back foot, given the shape predictable. I appreciate I am being harsh but it boils my pee when managers, football or otherwise, take no responsibilities for their actions and that has been Lennon's MO for pretty much the whole season.

Well done for him changing it but if you listen to him on the radio he blames everything on the players, the slow start, McGinn being caught, Daz sleeping, the wall breaking up etc etc and then waxes lyrical about his change and Holt. Lennon says the players never took any responsibility, pot and kettle, and were hesitant. Maybe that has something to do with changing the team again after a winning performance and playing partnership that never look like working. At least it wasn't the fault of the pitch this week

I have no issue with saying Lennon did the right thing bringing a sub on and taking Fyvie off but the reason was more about his selection than the team and his formation that individual performances. How can one man coming on all of a sudden make everyone play better unless it is the formation change.

The press and most of our fans seem to lap up Lennon's fighting talk and not accepting the result as unlucky but stating it was our own fault. I have no issue with that as it was our fault, we were a shambles for the first two goals and not much better for the third. I like that he wants to push us on but he is incredibly critical of our players without accepting he may be part of the problem too. He picks and motivates the team and decides on the shape we play.

To me there was a cause for the poor performance and it was lack of preparation and poor formation. We had the kick off. That is a set piece and we had nothing planned. We start slowly, yes the players must accept some responsibility, but it is the manager's job to get them focused, motivated and clear on the task in hand. The wall breaks up at the free kick - why are there players in there that won't man up and stand their ground.

I am happy with the way we came back and we are very unfortunate to lose but I am sick fed up of Lennon blaming everything on the players. That is not leadership. Leadership would have been saying I made a mistake with the formation and personnel and knew that I needed to change things. I did that early and it worked but by then we were already two down. We matched them on the day but it wasn't to be and I will have to take my share of the blame for the poor start we had in the game.

[ancient hibee]

For all we know the tactics may have been to keep the game tight for the first half and a bit and then change it.Throwing two goals into the net saw the end of that.

[Ray_]

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Nor play with one up - it never works for us and in my opinion it gave the initiative to Aberdeen before a ball was kicked. Here's hoping for more balance in the side next year. Understand NL's frustration but felt he should have taken a bit of responsibility tbh...

Not for me. The goals didn't come from how we were set up, individual errors that were so costly, so he was bang on. I was delighted to see a manager change things so early when plan "A" didn't work. Not taking responsibility is not changing things and hoping for the best, seen far too much of that in my time at ER.

[Ray_]

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Lennon can obviously do no wrong in some fans eyes.

I listened to the interview on Sportsound and at no point did he take any portion of the blame. He sent out a team that was set up to be on the back foot from the start and so it turned out. The difference to the Cup Final where we were knocking The Rangers players off the ball from the kick off and right in their faces was enormous.

At no point have Bartley and Fyvie played well in the same team. In some ways you would be better off with 10 men as they constantly look to fill the same space. It confuses the whole midfield. I can't remember Boyle and Cummings working as a pairing either but I have no idea where Boyle was meant to be playing today before Holt came on. It looked like right wing with Cummings up top on his own but surely we couldn't have set up that way. The shape on paper looked terrible to me and so it turned out. We had no out ball, predictable. We were getting in each other's way in midfield, predictable and the players took to the park on the back foot, given the shape predictable. I appreciate I am being harsh but it boils my pee when managers, football or otherwise, take no responsibilities for their actions and that has been Lennon's MO for pretty much the whole season.

Well done for him changing it but if you listen to him on the radio he blames everything on the players, the slow start, McGinn being caught, Daz sleeping, the wall breaking up etc etc and then waxes lyrical about his change and Holt. Lennon says the players never took any responsibility, pot and kettle, and were hesitant. Maybe that has something to do with changing the team again after a winning performance and playing partnership that never look like working. At least it wasn't the fault of the pitch this week

I have no issue with saying Lennon did the right thing bringing a sub on and taking Fyvie off but the reason was more about his selection than the team and his formation that individual performances. How can one man coming on all of a sudden make everyone play better unless it is the formation change.

The press and most of our fans seem to lap up Lennon's fighting talk and not accepting the result as unlucky but stating it was our own fault. I have no issue with that as it was our fault, we were a shambles for the first two goals and not much better for the third. I like that he wants to push us on but he is incredibly critical of our players without accepting he may be part of the problem too. He picks and motivates the team and decides on the shape we play.

To me there was a cause for the poor performance and it was lack of preparation and poor formation. We had the kick off. That is a set piece and we had nothing planned. We start slowly, yes the players must accept some responsibility, but it is the manager's job to get them focused, motivated and clear on the task in hand. The wall breaks up at the free kick - why are there players in there that won't man up and stand their ground.

I am happy with the way we came back and we are very unfortunate to lose but I am sick fed up of Lennon blaming everything on the players. That is not leadership. Leadership would have been saying I made a mistake with the formation and personnel and knew that I needed to change things. I did that early and it worked but by then we were already two down. We matched them on the day but it wasn't to be and I will have to take my share of the blame for the poor start we had in the game.

Look at the goals conceded, says it all about the players responsibility.

[SlickShoes]

I'll back our manager and our players but the blame for the start rests with the players and no one else.

While I am not a fan of how we initially set up, this had no bearing on the goals at all while the players making stupid decisions did.

The first goal, McGinn is trying to be messi and beat 5 players from the centre, bartley wins it back, panic over and then mcgregor makes a horrible pass that ambrose can do nothing about.

The second goal came from a terrible tackle from Fyvie, a wall that parted, a man on the post that done nothing and then a keeper beaten at his nearpost.

Both were a calamity.

The tactics go out the window when those things happen as I think half the team went into survival mode and forgot they were even capable of winning until Lennon changed it and brought holt on.

[wookie70]

Take the goals away from the first half hour and would anyone say the formation was working. We hardly got a touch and were all over the place. Yes the first goal would have knocked us back a bit but there were still 89 minutes to play we weren't exactly out of it at that point. What amazes me is that Lennon chose to go on the back foot. He has been brave for the most part in the big games and we have looked up for it from the start in lots of these games. To me playing 5 across the middle if that was what it was gives the message that Aberdeen are better than us. They certainly looked that way until we decided to stand up to them and attack them on our terms.

I don't expect Lennon to say it is all his fault but for him to not accept any blame is poor in my book. I don't want my manager hiding behind the players I want him up front taking the first blow. Easy to say he doesn't want to be a gallant loser when he accepts no part of the loss as his fault.

[ancient hibee]

He doesn't want to be a gallant loser because none of the goals were due to his actions whereas nearly winning it was.

[Smartie]

Lennon is spot on with his comments and criticism.

I don't think he did get his tactics wrong. Chucking 2 goals in as we did will scuttle most game plans. It was refreshing to see a manager make an early change that proved effective.

I think he should have given a bit of praise to the players who dug in and turned their performances around though rather than just focus on the negatives. Bartley for one was lost for half an hour then went on to have a very good game.

[wookie70]

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Look at the goals conceded, says it all about the players responsibility.

Or the player's mindset which can be effected greatly before a ball is kicked by the way the manager sets the team up and plans the tactics. Was Holt coming on a mental lift that started us performing almost immediately or were the player immediately more comfortable in their roles. I'm not sure how one sub can make such a difference to a team. Surely if all the players were having a shocker for the first half and hour bringing one sub on wouldn't make such a dramatic difference.

[SlickShoes]

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Or the player's mindset which can be effected greatly before a ball is kicked by the way the manager sets the team up and plans the tactics. Was Holt coming on a mental lift that started us performing almost immediately or were the player immediately more comfortable in their roles. I'm not sure how one sub can make such a difference to a team. Surely if all the players were having a shocker for the first half and hour bringing one sub on wouldn't make such a dramatic difference.

Have you watched the goals back? I don't know any way the manager can be at fault for either of them, they are consistent terrible individual errors that should not happen.

We don't know what his tactics even really were because the team went into panic mode after 12 seconds.

It was clear we needed a larger person up front with Jason so Holt came on and made a huge difference as it stopped Aberdeen simply mopping up our long balls. Initially it looked like we were going to try breaking down the wings but who knows because the plans were scuttled after 12 seconds, once the players are on the pitch its very hard to make any significant tactical change before half time.

[Ray_]

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Or the player's mindset which can be effected greatly before a ball is kicked by the way the manager sets the team up and plans the tactics. Was Holt coming on a mental lift that started us performing almost immediately or were the player immediately more comfortable in their roles. I'm not sure how one sub can make such a difference to a team. Surely if all the players were having a shocker for the first half and hour bringing one sub on wouldn't make such a dramatic difference.

We can hold their hand and take them for a pee as well if you want. We were playing in a cup semi, defending a trophy that we had won so famously the previous year and the poor little bunny's mindset was not strong enough. Sorry, I don't buy that.

[houstonhibbee]

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We can hold their hand and take them for a pee as well if you want. We were playing in a cup semi, defending a trophy that we had won so famously the previous year and the poor little bunny's mindset was not strong enough. Sorry, I don't buy that.

Lennon is quite right to be absolutely furious with the way we started.........

[lord bunberry]

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Have you watched the goals back? I don't know any way the manager can be at fault for either of them, they are consistent terrible individual errors that should not happen.

We don't know what his tactics even really were because the team went into panic mode after 12 seconds.

It was clear we needed a larger person up front with Jason so Holt came on and made a huge difference as it stopped Aberdeen simply mopping up our long balls. Initially it looked like we were going to try breaking down the wings but who knows because the plans were scuttled after 12 seconds, once the players are on the pitch its very hard to make any significant tactical change before half time.

It's not just the goals it's the overall play up until the change of formation that was the problem. The players have to take responsibility for the first half hour, but Lennon also has to take his considerable share of the blame.
Bartley and Fyvie should never have started together b

[Borderhibbie76]

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Fanny

This 100%

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[Borderhibbie76]

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Hopefully he comes out and defends Fyvie. That is a confidence killer and was a tactical fault and he took one for the team.

Fyvie was anonymous for the opening half hour...his form since new year has been dreadful

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[Borderhibbie76]

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Never again can we start with 4 central midfielders on the pitch at the same time.

We need to buy the right players over summer to ensure we have balance in the team. Unfortunately someone like Fyvie or Bartley may have to leave as we need to stop shoehorning players into the team.

I'd let fyvie go mate him and Bartley should never be in same team together

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[HFCdeb]

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I'll back our manager and our players but the blame for the start rests with the players and no one else.

While I am not a fan of how we initially set up, this had no bearing on the goals at all while the players making stupid decisions did.

The first goal, McGinn is trying to be messi and beat 5 players from the centre, bartley wins it back, panic over and then mcgregor makes a horrible pass that ambrose can do nothing about.

The second goal came from a terrible tackle from Fyvie, a wall that parted, a man on the post that done nothing and then a keeper beaten at his nearpost.

Both were a calamity.

The tactics go out the window when those things happen as I think half the team went into survival mode and forgot they were even capable of winning until Lennon changed it and brought holt on.

Nail on head. Exactly as I see it, too.

[high bee]

The team have been cruising for weeks and it took 30 mins for them to wake up and match much better opposition than we've been used to.

Looks like Lennons game plan was to keep it tight and hit them on the break (as well as play a team they wouldn't have expected or likely planned tactics against), unfortunately when we concede in 12 seconds that plan is toast. Fair play to him that he changed it early cause I feared a cricket score going by how poor we were. On another day (given our defensive strength) we would've caught them on the back foot with our tactics and lineup and won the game.

[wookie70]

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The team have been cruising for weeks and it took 30 mins for them to wake up and match much better opposition than we've been used to.

Looks like Lennons game plan was to keep it tight and hit them on the break (as well as play a team they wouldn't have expected or likely planned tactics against), unfortunately when we concede in 12 seconds that plan is toast. Fair play to him that he changed it early cause I feared a cricket score going by how poor we were. On another day (given our defensive strength) we would've caught them on the back foot with our tactics and lineup and won the game.

The plan didn't change after 12 seconds and neither did the way we played. We set up to keep it tight as you say or sit back as I would call it. That is completely different to pretty much every game we have played this year. It looked more like we didn't expect to play that way rather than Aberdeen having an issue with it. The change in formation caused the change in the flow of the game. Either that or Lennon waved a wand and we all of a sudden started looking more comfortable on the ball. Is it just a coincidence our play improved dramatically when the formation changed.

[blackpoolhibs]

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Nor play with one up - it never works for us and in my opinion it gave the initiative to Aberdeen before a ball was kicked. Here's hoping for more balance in the side next year. Understand NL's frustration but felt he should have taken a bit of responsibility tbh...

Yip, playing Cummings on his own up against their central defenders was daft. Cummings has hardly had a ball stick thats been played up to him since the hearts game at easter road.

Quite why he thought today would be any different is baffling.

Lennon's right about losers, and we did contribute to today's defeat, but we also showed a real bit of spirit to get back into the game.

If Lennon is going to dig the team out, then he does need to look at his own contribution which was clearly wrong from the start, and contributed to handing them the initiative.

[Lago]

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I've slated him in the past and the start today was unacceptable but the spirit we've shown since his change has been fantastic, fluke deflection or not. Well done Neil.

Gosh

[DarlingtonHibee]

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Yip, playing Cummings on his own up against their central defenders was daft. Cummings has hardly had a ball stick thats been played up to him since the hearts game at easter road.

Quite why he thought today would be any different is baffling.

Lennon's right about losers, and we did contribute to today's defeat, but we also showed a real bit of spirit to get back into the game.

If Lennon is going to dig the team out, then he does need to look at his own contribution which was clearly wrong from the start, and contributed to handing them the initiative.

After last week it was always going to be a difficult week. Loved the Jason C video, but to me they looked a bit unprepared when they came out.

[wookie70]

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After last week it was always going to be a difficult week. Loved the Jason C video, but to me they looked a bit unprepared when they came out.

Looked either scared, nervous or too relaxed but definitely not prepared.