Saturday 30th August, 2014 at 10:01am
After a disappointing result at Pittodrie Alan Archibald spoke to ptfc.co.uk to give us his verdict on the result and performance.
“It’s a sore one to take today, their goals came from a couple of great strikes but we never really pushed them hard enough. To go in 0-0 at half time was good but to lose a goal when we did, so soon after the first half had started, was an absolute killer.”
Although the goals came from two wonderful strikes Archie didn’t feel that his side did themselves justice.
“I didn’t really think we got out of the box today, we wanted to start really well and we just didn’t really get out of the blocks. We knew the Aberdeen crowd could get hostile if we got at them early but we didn’t really manage that.
“We stood off them and let them play, we said that at half time, we have to get at them and not let them play. Our ball retention wasn’t good enough either which is normally something we do well, but today it was poor.”
Thistle went in 0-0 at half time and, while Aberdeen had arguably had the better of the play, the Jags had managed to keep them out. Just minutes after the second half started though, the Dons went one up through a Low strike.
“We got them in at half time spoke to them and I thought we had a chance but to go out there and shoot ourselves in the foot straight away is very disappointing.”
“Aberdeen were the better side, there’s no doubt about that, but we were disappointed with how we’ve played today. We didn’t get in their faces enough and we weren’t hard enough to play against. I think we brought the problems on ourselves today to be honest. We know Aberdeen have quality going forward and they certainly have strength in the three players behind the striker, but we didn’t cause them problems and you can see that with the two goals.”
The transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday and Archibald feels there is still business to be done.
“We’re still trying to get a couple more bodies in before the window closes. We picked up a couple of knocks today too so there is some work to do.”
One of those to pick up a knock was centre half, Conrad Balatoni who went off in the second half.
“He’s just done his hamstring, he’s stepped into the play and it has tweaked a little bit so we’ll wait and see.”
