Derek McInnes | "delighted to win against a tough opponent"

Derek McInnes Post Match Press Conference |

The managers thoughts on the game …..

“It was hard fought.

“We expected it would be tough. I think our attacking play was more prominent than theirs. I thought we deserved to win the game. The first goal was always going to be very important, it normally is in a cup tie. Certainly against a team that don't lose too many goals and we don't lose too many ordinarily as well.

“I thought we deservedly went in front. I thought we were the team who looked most likely. I don't think Joe Lewis has had save to make but I think it's clear how Thistle have been getting results recently, they're such a hard team to play against.

“We expected it to be that type of game, we wanted to try and be as positive as we could with our line up with two strikers and Peter Pawlett becoming a third striker when we had good possession of the ball and two wingers in the wider areas.

“We wanted to try and make the game go our way and go and ask questions of them and I thought for the majority of the game we did that.

“It wasn't always pretty, I think the pitch lends itself to making it a little bit untidy at times as well. But there's no doubt in my mind that we deserved to be in the semi-final.

“It was torrential (rain) here all day yesterday, and we spiked the pitch to try and deal with that. There were puddles on it yesterday afternoon. It takes the wet quite well but it also dries out really quickly and because there's not too much grass on it we just tried to make the best of what we had really in trying to get some pace into the pitch.

“We wanted to try and bring pace into the game, that's why we played Pawlett, McGinn and Hayes in those advanced areas. We did not want it to be a slow game. We wanted it to be an open game by bring pace and tempo to it. Sometimes if the conditions don’t allow it then it is your players and their movement that can maybe generate that.

“It was important that we moved Thistle about today. They've got three big centre backs, Abdul Osman and Adam Barton in the middle of the park, six foot plus. We had to make the game energetic, we had to really make them work today.”

On the physicality of the game …..

“Look, it's a quarter final, both teams are desperate to win sometimes you've got to deal with that side of it. It didn't boil over, I thought the referee did very well.

“I think Stockley is important, certainly in these types of games. I thought Jayden Stockley was excellent today. He gave us a focal point, we didn't just thrash it up to him we clipped it into his chest. His set up play played a part in the goal. I thought he allowed us to gain some territory by being being a good focal point up there with Rooney.

“I thought Jayden and Peter who have not had a lot of games recently should be pleased with the role they played. I was really pleased with Peter’s fitness as he has not had a lot of game time. I thought physically he was excellent.

“I did not have to make changes at 1-0, I felt we were comfortable but we made little subtle changes. Storey to give us a threat as Thistle tried to push on, O’Connor to deal with Azeez and have a bit more height at set plays and Christie to come in and try and keep possession of the ball to run the clock down. The starting XI did very well but it was good to have those options to get us over the line.

On Graeme Shinnie's goal …..

“He's been practising a lot of those shots from the edge of the box and he does it time and time again in training. He is becoming more and more confident.

“We did say that at times Thistle's back three sink into the box and defend their box well. We thought there were opportunities to shoot from that sort of distance.

“It's good for Graeme, and good for his confidence as well because I think he's scored a few goals for us but it's something he's keen to add to his game a bit more. It's great that it's a winning goal as well.

“We're just delighted to win the game against a tough opponent.”