You would think that as a draw is useless in games like these we'd maybe be a bit more attacking. However, any hope of that is quickly dispelled when you remember the disaster against Peterhead when we packed the midfield and ended up having to go to Balmoor for a replay. The fact we then went attacking and scored six goals seems to have been forgotten - especially if you're Aaron Mooy or Paul McQuade, who scored three between them.
In recent seasons, our cup form has been pretty good. Since 2005 we have failed to make the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup on just two occasions - one of them being last season's defeat to Rangers at Ibrox. The problem has been that when we've made the last eight, we've often been humbled by lower league sides like Gretna or St. Johnstone. When we were underdogs two years ago, we promptly beat Celtic and booked ourselves a trip to Hampden.
Are we underdogs tomorrow? Probably. While we are the home side - and we've yet to lose a cup game at Greenhill Road - our form is poor and we're struggling at the bottom of the league. Aberdeen are flying - despite Monday's defeat to Dundee United - have already made one cup semi-final this season and will no doubt fancy their chances of making another. The last thing we need is a replay as our record at Pittodrie is poor. If the game is level with a few seconds left we'd be as well scoring an own goal to save ourselves some time, money and an extra game!
There should be changes to the side that came so close to taking a point from Rangers last week. The players that started did well, but we really need to be a bit more attacking. Ideally, Craig Dargo will come in from the start with Jim Goodwin dropping out, wich would give us a decent strike partnership and a midfield that ticks all the offensive and defensive boxes. However, if Dargo does start, don't be surprised to see young Kenny McLean drop out.
Things are likely to be the same at the back, although Darren McGregor is likely to be available for selection again. John Potter and Lee Mair actually looked reasonably competent last week, but time will tell if that is a permanent change in form or just a one off. I'd like to see Mair partner McGregor, but it won't happen as Potter seems undroppable. The shock news is we have no injury problems - although don't expect starts for David Barron or Nick Hegarty just yet.
Aberdeen are a much improved side from the one we beat back in October - our last home win to date. That's because they've finally got shot of Mark McGhee, who was shocking last season but somehow managed to cling on to his job. Instead, they now have Craig Brown who did a brilliant job when Motherwell put him in charge at the end of 2009. Everyone thought that was folly and was promptly proven wrong, and he now has Aberdeen heading in the right direction once aain. The top six is a real possibility and he'll certainly think they've a good chance of winning the Scottish Cup with a winnable quarter-final tie and one of the Old Firm out.
Quite why McGhee was struggling with the squad is a mystery as they have plenty of good players. Paul Hartley, who has regularly caused us problems in the past, has done well since he arrived in the summer and the defence was relatively solid with guys like Zander Diamond, Andrew Considine and keeper Jamie Langfield - although he is prone to the odd howler. Sone Aluko's pace usually causes problems for defences and Chris Maguire is a decent striker, so it would seem that it was more a clash of personalities between McGhee and everyone else in the dressing room.
Hartley isn't the only summer signing who has done a job at Pittodrie this season. Scott Vernon has done an excellent job up front since arriving from Colchester, although more than half his tally of 14 has come since Brown was appointed. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the summer if he keeps up his current form as he could end up heading for a Championship side. Brown also acted quickly during January to sign Nick Blackman, who he had on loan at Motherwell earlier in the season, former Rangers defender Steven Smith and Fulham midfielder Robert Milsom.
It's another of his signings that will be more familiar to Saints fans. David MacNamee helped keep the club alive in 1999 when we sold him and Burton O'Brien to Blackburn for the best part of £600,000. He never played for Rovers, although did end up at a number of teams north and south of the border. This will be his first game against Saints in Paisley since he left nearly 11 years ago - although he did play in our defeat at Pittodrie in January.
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