Exiting the League Cup at Raith Rovers after making seven changes will deliver a sore lesson for Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass.
After the huge blow of a cup defeat the lesson learnt the hard way is that you really have to play your strongest side.
The cup tie against Championship outfit Raith was the third successive game Glass had made major changes to his starting line-up.
In the 2-1 league win at Livingston he made six switches and there were five in the 2-1 Conference League defeat of Breidablik.
Aberdeen were fortunate to get all three points at Livingston with the win coming from a goal-keeper error in injury time.
Now they are out of the League Cup at the first time of asking.
The two domestic trophies each season offer the club’s best chance of silverware – and one is already gone.
Losing at Raith was a set back for Glass but he is a young manager and is learning.
The lesson to be learnt is that maybe 5,6, and 7 changes are too much to expect that team to gel and constantly come up with results.
Maybe in the future there will not be so many changes.
When making seven changes to a starting XI that had won the previous game you are taking a chance.
However I can understand the reasoning behind that decision.
A big part of the manager’s call was in looking forward and trying to manage the situation knowing a hugely important Europa Conference League tie is coming up in Azerbaijan.
Aberdeen are bidding to see off Qarabag to qualify for the group stages of Europe for the first time since 2007 – the game in Baku is huge.
And at Starks Park the Aberdeen starting XI still looked good and the bench was strong but the changes to that starting line-up had an impact on the result.
Yet if Aberdeen can overcome Qarabag to qualify for the group stages they can maybe take that League Cup defeat.
When you are bidding to reach the group stages of European football you have to expect a difficult game.
Qarabag certainly provide that as they have a recent pedigree of qualifying for the group stages of Europe.
When playing away from home in the first leg in Europe the target is to make sure you come back with a result that keeps you in the tie.
A draw or even a narrow defeat would be a decent return and anything beyond that would constitute a fabulous result.
Aberdeen cannot afford a hangover from the cup exit.
It was all going to play at Starks Park until the second half. I expected Raith Rovers to be more aggressive in the first half and put Aberdeen under more pressure.
However they allowed the Dons to control the game completely and at the break it didn’t look like the Reds would be in any real danger.
Yet despite dominating that opening 45 minutes they only got the one goal via a special strike from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to show for it.
⚽️ ✈️
🔥 A first Dons goal for JET.#StandFree | @OfficialJET10 🆎
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) August 15, 2021
I know how difficult it can be against Raith Rovers at Starks Park as I have been there as a manager and player in cup ties.
When things start to go against you it can get tough so you have to be control of the game throughout.
Following Raith’s equaliser the Championship side started to believe in themselves and become a lot more aggressive.
Unfortunately Aberdeen didn’t look like they could cope with that.
🏆 UEFA Konfrans Liqası
▶️ Pley-off mərhələsinin ilk oyunu
⚽ “Qarabağ” 🆚 “Aberdin”
🗓 19.08.2021
🕘20:00
🏟 Tofiq Bəhramov adına Respublika stadionu#QarabağFK #QarabagAberdeen #ConfrenceLeague pic.twitter.com/ntDbV38U3G— Qarabağ FK (@FKQarabagh) August 16, 2021
Over the 90 minutes Raith deserved to win the tie as they had more chances, more shots and scored more goals.
Even though experienced Aberdeen players came on as substitutes they still couldn’t make an impact against a very well organised, disciplined and aggressive Raith side.
Flying out to Azerbaijan on the back of a cup loss to lower league opposition is not ideal but the Dons must bounce back immediately.
Scott Brown will be key in Azerbaijan
Aberdeen team captain Scott Brown’s experience will be absolutely vital for the away Europa Conference League play-off tie against Qarabag.
Brown is a superb asset for Aberdeen and I am sure manager Stephen Glass will use that to the maximum in the bid to help qualify for the group stages.
If the Dons can reach the group stages it would be brilliant for the club both in terms of prestige and finance.
Brown is a seasoned campaigner and has racked up more than 100 appearances in Europe, many of those in the Champions League.
He will let the players know exactly what to expect in Azerbaijan and it is all about being mentally clued up and prepared.
That will be a necessity because the players will be going into an atmosphere that is alien.
If you are young or do not have experience of European football having someone like Brown can be invaluable.
Aberdeen need Brown’s old head and he has a strong influence not just in the field of play but in the dressing room.
The Dons will face high temperatures, a bad pitch, a team with a strong Euro pedigree and all after a seven hour flight.
Brown has been there and done it all before and he will be able to help the other players and will let them know exactly what to expect.
His knowledge of how to deal with different aspects of European football will be vital.
That could include how to handle the situation if it turns against Aberdeen, maybe through a bad refereeing decision.
He will guide them through any set backs and ensure it does not affect Aberdeen too much.
If, hopefully, Aberdeen go ahead in Baku then Brown will know how to manage the game and ensure they do not give the lead away.
Sad to hear Tommie Hoban has retired
I was saddened to hear former Aberdeen defender Tommie Hoban has retired at the age of just 27-years-old.
Hoban had suffered an injury ravaged few years but it looked like he was back to a very good level with Aberdeen last season.
He played more than 40 games for the Dons last season and it seemingly didn’t have any affect on him.
He was not offered a new deal at the end of last season at Pittodrie when his contract run out and opted to join Crewe Alexandra in the summer.
However the League One club confirmed the defender has hung up his boots just days before the start of their league campaign.
It has not been clarified why Hoban has retired yet but if it is down to injury then if it is that serious you have to listen to the right advice and make that tough call.
Having to retire will be a bitter blow for the defender as 27 is a really young age to be giving up the game.
Crewe Alexandra can confirm that Tommie Hoban has retired from professional football.#CreweAlex
— Crewe Alexandra (@crewealexfc) August 16, 2021
You could see he gave everything for Aberdeen when he played for them.
He was a determined and very good player.
Hoban is a player that the game will certainly miss.
I wish him all the best and if he still wants to be involved in football hopefully there can be something for him.
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