After the Dons’ disappointing exit from European competition, Craig Cairns looks at Aberdeen’s early season performances and how their style compares to last season.
Derek McInnes admitted that he has trimmed the squad slightly, opting for quality over numbers and the strains of a European would have damaged the prospects of improving upon last season’s league finish. In terms of playing staff, continuity was the focus and the early signs are that this has extended to the playing style.
Making sure that the team don’t give much away at the back continues to be a priority for McInnes. Four clean sheets in eight is not exactly typical-Dons, but they have yet to concede in the league over two matches and defended heroically in Croatia for the most part. The early season injury to Mark Reynolds may not have affected them as much as was first feared.
They also remain fluid in attack while working the ball into wide areas to attack teams. Four of their 11 goals so far have come from crosses, a further two from cutbacks. Four of their goals have been scored by headers and a further three have involved a header in the build up.
In many ways, Niall McGinn has been the key man in attack for Aberdeen over the last few years and he shows no signs of letting his standards slip. The Nothern Ireland international has scored two and assisted three of Aberdeen’s goals so far this season. It was his corner that led to the winner on the opening day of the season and it was his through ball that drew the foul on Willo Flood for the penalty versus Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Even though Aberdeen appear as potent in attack and just as stingy at the back, they are doing it in a more patient manner. While some teams like to exert pressure from the off in an attempt to put the game beyond their opponents early on, Aberdeen’s approach is much more cautious. The Dons haven’t scored earlier than the 37th minute in a match this season, scoring nine of their 11 goals in the second half of matches. Whether by design or not, the more patient approach from the European matches seems to have spilled into the domestic campaign.
One more thing we’ve become accustomed to at Pittodrie in recent season is players vastly improving their game under McInnes. The early candidates vying for most improved this time include Kenny McLean and David Goodwillie. McLean has ended a frustrating start to his Aberdeen career by netting four goals over a five game period, while Goodwillie has been favoured as the lone striker in the European matches.
In much the same way as Nadir Ciftci is preferred by Celtic, Goodwillie’s ability to drop deep and link with the midfield made him McInnes’s choice when employing a more patient approach in Europe. This paid off and, although he didn’t score, the former Dundee United striker returned three assists over those six matches then grabbed another in the victory over his old club on the opening day of the season.
While Aberdeen may not have gone any further in Europe than their previous campaign, there was certainly a progression in the way they controlled and dominated matches for large spells. The approach remains much the same, if a little more patient. How much they abandon this more patient approach in their quest to challenge Celtic this season remains to be seen.