Tactics were right - pity about result Aberdeen's big match tactics against Celtic worked to perfection in the first half of the entertaining clash with the SPL champions.

Aberdeen's big match tactics against Celtic worked to perfectionin the first half of the entertaining clash with the SPL champions.

I was delighted to see Jimmy Calderwood adopt a 4-4-2 formationthat featured Scott Severin in his more familiar central midfieldberth.

And the Dons seemed to draw real confidence from the system asevery player was comfortable in the role they were being asked tooccupy.

Football is a simple game but at times managers, coaches andtacticians over complicate things.

Sir Alex Ferguson has built his managerial reputation on using atraditional 4-4-2 line up that has served him so well at Pittodrieand Old Trafford.

Calderwood's troops responded favourably to his approach and theytook a deserved lead in the first half thanks to Craig Brewster'ssimple tap in.

But they failed to build on that lead and Celtic eventually ranout winners thanks largely to an awesome 30-minute spell in thesecond half when they completely dominated Aberdeen.

Shunsuke Nakamura started to run the show after the interval andwas the architect behind most of Celtic's attacks.

Calderwood tinkered with his tactics once Gordon Strachan's Bhoysstarted to take control.

Michael Hart was eventually asked to man mark Nakamura who draggedhim all over the pitch.

That caused a little bit of uncertainty in the Dons side whicheventually played with a back three in the closing stages of thegame.

Unfortunately a strike from Massimo Donati and a Kenny Millerdouble rescued the game for the Celts who claimed all three points.

Calderwood will also have been heartened by the way Zander Diamondand Andrew Considine performed against a dangerous Celticstrikeforce.

Diamond's display was reminiscent of the performances he producedwhen he first broke through into the senior side under StevePaterson.

There's was no messing around against the Hoops from the Scotlandunder-21 cap who cleared almost everything that came his way.

Considine also showed real strength of character as he returned tothe team a fortnight after gifting Dundee United all three pointswith a blunder at Tannadice.

But the central defender showed no hangover from that mistake andthe pair deserve the chance to start alongside each other againstHibs at Easter Road at the weekend because they showed that they canwork well together as a partnership.