Aberdeen F.C. decisively secured their first league win away at Dundee with a 4-0 victory. Prior to this they were yet to score in the league, but had recently beaten Shakhtar Donetsk. With this win under their belt, what direction is next for Jimmy Thelin’s Dons?
This season’s stand out player so far has been Jesper Karlsson, with the Bologna loanee scoring two goals across all competitions. However, this does not tell the whole story as the Swedish attacker has been the real spark of the squad this season. Signing on deadline day Karlsson was a notable coup. Having previously played under Thelin’s management, he scored a double in the 4-0 win against Dundee; the other goals being provided by Adil Aouchiche and Emmanuel Gyamfi.
The summer resulted in significant turnover for the squad, with thirteen incomings and seventeen outgoings. All three league goalscorers have come from this new crop of signings. Despite this, the Don’s attacking shortcomings are yet to be properly fixed. Before their win over Dundee, Aberdeen had scored the least goals of any side in both this and last season’s Premierships.
Starting striker Kevin Nisbet signed on a permanent deal with Aberdeen in September after leading the line in the Scottish Cup final victory whilst on loan. He scored eleven times in the league during that season. 2020 Golden Boy nominee Adil Aouchiche joins Nisbet in the attack, coming to Aberdeen on loan from Sunderland. Despite this quality in attack, Aberdeen has been underperforming up front. However, there has been a recent shift in the Don’s attack. Karlsson played as a second striker against Dundee, as opposed to on the wing. Perhaps this is one key to unlocking the attacking potential of Aberdeen.
Notably, Jimmy Thelin has been markedly positive throughout much of the season. After the victory against Shakhtar the manager noted to BBC Sport that, “The connections in the team are growing.” He was proved right the next week with the first league win of the season. After last season’s historic cup victory, one can see why he remains positive about the team and why the club is determined to keep him at the helm.
Looking forward, Aberdeen F.C. will play St. Mirren, AEK Athens, Hibernian and Kilmarnock before the month is out. St. Mirren sit fifth in the table at the time of writing, however are just one point above seventh. Their attack has not faced much better in terms of goal output, with the two starting strikers of Mandron and Ayunga scoring once each thus far. However, before their defeat to Kilmarnock they were unbeaten in seven.
AEK Athens ply their trade in Greece’s Super League 1. They sit top of the table with sixteen points from their first six matches. They sit six places below Aberdeen in the Conference league in 27th after one game played. Their squad boasts two names familiar to those who follow European football in Joao Mário and goalkeeper Strakosha. The team is in good form, winning four of their last five matches.
Edinburgh’s Hibernian are placed in seventh, the first of the lower half teams. This is partly down to a number of draws this season that were not converted to victories. Hibs’ only win of the season was on matchday one, picking up three points against Dundee. Scotland’s Kieron Bowie leads the line with three goals thus far this season.
Kilmarnock have had an impressive start to the season and are third place in the Premiership at the time of writing. This is due in part to a solid performance across the team, with goals being shared across the length and breadth of Stuart Kettlewell’s squad. Kilmarnock’s only defeat this season came at the hands of Celtic in matchweek five. Aberdeen will be hoping to add to this list soon.
So, is Aberdeen’s rough patch over? Will the squad be able to continue their winning form into the future? It’s hard to say, but Jimmy Thelin’s confidence seems to be being proven right. Perhaps the change in form will come from changes in position and formation, such as the aforementioned playing of Karlsson as a second striker. Or maybe it will be difficult to maintain in the face of high-flying AEK Athens and Kilmarnock. Whatever happens, it is hard to believe that everything that made Aberdeen cup winners last year is gone. They have maintained their manager and bolstered their attack, both of which could lead to a turnaround in form.