Last night left me flat. To be fair it was only a friendly, but this was the first chance for a lot of lads to show what they can do in front of the fans and, on the evidence, there are real problems to fix.

Strikers and the long ball problem

Shankland didn’t look like the kind of forward who can get us running in behind. He barely offered anything apart from winning a penalty and at times looked physically off the pace. We ended up lumping the ball long for Chermiti and there was barely any connection or movement to play off him. That’s something that needs sorted if we’re going to get any rhythm in attack.

Midfield and wide players lacking composure

Curtis came across as lightweight — often second to the loose balls and too easily crowded out. With Rommens in front of him they didn’t look comfortable together. Diomande keeps turning possession into trouble, losing the ball at the worst moments. Naderi was all over the place; energetic maybe, but headless sometimes and not at the level we need.

Defence looked unsteady

Godfrey was often exposed to long balls and found himself out of position more than once. McCrorie was criticised here, and you can see why some prefer Tav — caught on the wrong side at the back post a few times, didn’t look alert enough. Devlin was the one bright spot; steady, sharp and the sort of presence you want at the back.

Before the game Mcinnes said he wanted to show the fans what the team is about. If that was the template, I’m worried. This friendly should have been a platform to build confidence. Instead it revealed gaps in shape, pressing and the ability to break teams down. Plenty more signings with quality and drive are needed, and quickly. Hopefully Sunday will be better, and with a few additions we’ll see a different side.

Written by mckerns: 8 August 2026

Tags: transfers tactics