So Thursday night sort of went as expected.
I never got a chance to review it yesterday due to a work commitment lasting all day but I don’t think anyone was expecting a win so no one was disappointed.
Milan are a decent team who are on a great unbeaten run, are well organised and stick to the task but I don’t see them as being a genuine threat to Juventus domestically or of winning the Europa League.
But they were just too much for us as Neil Lennon stuck to three at the back though decided to introduce Leigh Griffiths and Albian Ajeti from the start.
We showed plenty of energy early doors and looked far more positive and at it than the previous Saturday which wouldn’t have been hard but alas we conceded two powderpuff goals with Rade Krunic heading home on 14 mins and Brahim Diaz hitting the net three mins before halftime.
On the first occasion both Shane Duffy and young Stephen Welsh once again showed a frustrating lack of aerial presence and in the second instance Duffy looked like he was dragging a cart-horse behind him whilst Callum McGregor running back to help just made matters worse.
In the second half we belatedly switched to a back four and stuck both Elyounoussi and Christie on before eventually introducing Tom Rogic.
We looked far better with Ely scoring and had Milan pinned back for most of the stanza though failed to fashion out another really good chance with Frimpong’s lack of final product frustrating after good work on the right flank.
They scored late via Hauge with Duffy once again taken to the cleaners.
But there was something to be optimistic about at least after this one and new signing Diego Laxalt had a particularly impressive display against his parent club.
Anyway it’s onto tomorrow afternoon where we visit a confidant Aberdeen side at Pittodrie.
They sit third with 22 points from ten games and have had a good season thus far with seven wins from their last nine games with one draw and a solitary defeat.
At home, they’ve won four and lost two in the league suffering a 1-0 defeat to Rangers on the opening day and a shock 3-0 loss to Motherwell a month ago.
Despite missing talismanic striker Sam Cosgrove through injury all season they have found ways to win matches scoring fourteen goals in the league with eight conceded.
During the week they pretty easily saw off Hamilton Accies 4-2 and young Leeds Utd loanee Ryan Edmondson got off the mark with an impressive brace so safe to say he’ll be a likely start tomorrow.
Midfielder Lewis Ferguson has also impressed with seven goals in thirteen games having started every match this term including Aberdeen’s three-game stint in Europa League qualifying action which saw them see off NSÍ Runavík (6-0) and Viking Stavanger (2-0) before coming up short against Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon 1-0 away.
Derek McInnes side definitely seems more at it this term no doubt helped by the signing of ex-Celtic man Jonny Hayes who went off injured against Accies through the week.
Ex-Rangers midfielder Ross McCrorie has also been a welcome addition giving them real drive from midfield and although his scoring record is meagre Marley Watkins tireless work rate up front has kept defences occupied.
There’s no doubt it’ll be a tough game although our record up there is pretty imperious.
We’ve won eight from our last eight visits with 22 goals scored and have only conceded five with no defeats since the Ronny Deila era.
With Chrisite, Griffiths, Ajeti and Rogic back involved we have greater options although we continue to miss Edouard, Forrest, Bitton, Elhamed and Jullien through either Covid or injury.
Hopefully Lennon sticks to the back four set-up we finished with against Aberdeen which could give more protection to the exasperated Duffy and will mean a rest for young Welsh who has been thrown to the wolves somewhat in the last two games and was hooked at half time on Thursday evening.
A win is vital to keep on league leaders Ranger’s coattails and having suffered two back to back defeats we are also staring at a really tough period that will see us visit an in-form Lille before facing Aberdeen again in last seasons delayed Scottish Cup semi-final next weekend and then entertaining Prague at home.
Onwards and upwards.
....Always A Tim! 