Matchday 22 – Rangers
It’s been a properly chilly week in the Granite City, and unfortunately, the football didn’t do much to warm us up. On this weekend’s edition of the AFC DONScast, we unpack a frustrating “double-header” that saw the Dons fall 2-0 to Rangers at Pittodrie, leaving us sitting eighth in the table.
A Familiar Narrative Despite a decent start and a temporary reprieve from VAR, the narrative was all too familiar: decent approach play marred by a lack of cutting edge and soft defensive lapses. Goals from Aasgaard and a Tavernier penalty sealed our fate, while the Dons failed to register significant shots on target.
The feedback from the DonsTalk forum has been brutal. The consensus? The performance was “miserable” and “turgid,” with the defence labeled a “shambles” regarding set-pieces.
Transfer Window: Who Goes, Who Stays? The January window is heating up, and it looks like the squad could see major changes:
- Outgoings: Kusini Yengi looks set to exit after failing to click, while Nicolas Milanovic is reportedly “frustrated” with his game time and attracting interest elsewhere.
- Uncertainty: Leighton Clarkson’s future is “teetering,” with speculation linking him with a move away, though fans are desperate to keep him.
- Incomings: The Dons are in a battle to sign Luke Graham, the towering Dundee defender. However, with interest from Hearts, Sheffield United, and QPR, the board may need to dig deep to meet Dundee’s demand for a “huge offer”.
The Manager Search Continues With the Jimmy Thelin era in the rear-view mirror, the hunt for a successor is on. Uwe Rösler has ruled himself out, but a new name has emerged: Markus Gisdol. The former Hamburg and Hoffenheim boss is currently a free agent and has a past working relationship with Lutz Pfannenstiel.
Coming Up We now look ahead to the Scottish Cup 4th Round against Raith Rovers next Sunday. It’s a massive game, and anything less than a win is unthinkable.
Listen to the full episode for all the details and join the debate on DONStalk.co.uk.
