LEWIS MAKES UP FOR LOST TIME AS HE PUTS DONS ON THE FRONT FOOT
INCURRING a two-game suspension for a lunge on Hibs’ Stevie Mallan was regrettable, but Lewis Ferguson will forever look upon such matters as an occupational hazard.
For all he was cast in the role of a spectator f or Aberdeen’s win over Motherwell and heavy defeat to Celtic, the 20-year- old’s obvious frustration never manifested itself in a desire to change his aggressive style.
‘In that area of the pitch and with the amount of tackles you have to put in, I am going to mistime a few,’ said Ferguson after scoring the winner f or Derek McInnes’ side against f ormer club Hamilton on Wednesday.
‘That’s just football. But I’ve spoken to the gaffer and the coaching staff about it and they don’t want to take that side of my game away. They want me to get into people’s faces. However, what comes with that is, if you make the tiniest mistake you can end up seeing red.
‘I’ve always been pretty aggressive — even when I was younger and playing at Hamilton. I’ve always had that in me and I think you need it in that area of the pitch because it can be tough at times, especially in this league.
‘When you’re coming up against good players, you need to be combative and stop them from playing and I’ve always tried to do that. This isn’t something that’s just happened with me.’
Not that an enforced spell on the sidelines is something he wants to repeat any time soon. Coming just before an international break, the games Ferguson missed were arguably Aberdeen’s best and worst displays of the season.
‘That was tough,’ he said of watching from the stands. ‘There are fine margins in football — I slightly mistimed a tackle and was out for three weeks.
‘ Watching isn’t great and, even at training, when the shape work is being done you’re not involved. You just have to keep digging away, though, because these things are going to happen. I kept working hard so I could try to get back into the team as soon as I was eligible.’
Wednesday’s return to Lanarkshire was the textbook version of making up for
lost time. Adding the spine that was so conspicuous by its absence from the team in the first half against Celtic, Ferguson’s smart thinking from a free-kick proved the difference in a tight contest.
‘It’ s always good to get on the scoresheet,’ he said. ‘I’ve been overdue a goal and it was also good to do it at Hamilton, where I began my career.
‘that made it more emotional than it would have been in any other game but I’ll take the goal and the three points.
‘Hamilton are good at what they do, they punt the ball up to their big striker and he holds it up well for them. It is difficult but our back four were excellent and more comfortable than I thought they would be.’
McInnes could not have been more effusive in his praise of a player he badly missed last weekend. Adamant that his midfielder could ‘do anything’, it’s clear the Aberdeen manager views Ferguson as one he can now rely on.
Asked if he was comfortable with that expectation, the player replied: ‘I wouldn’t say I put more pressure on myself but I have the likes of Craig Bryson around me, who’s played at a high level for years.
‘He has all the experience in the world, so I’m just trying to pick up wee habits from him; the way he eats, trains, plays, everything.’
Not only did McInnes emerge with the result and performance he so badly craved, he just might have happened upon a midfield combination which works.
With Zak Vyner screening the back four, Ferguson and Bryson had room to roam pretty much where they pleased.
Ahead of the visit of Kilmarnock this weekend, Ferguson feels such clearly defined roles can only see the side go from strength to strength.
‘It’s good because it gives me a bit more freedom to push on because I know he (Vyner) will always be there to give the back four that protection and that allowed myself and Craig to get forward.
‘then, when Dean Campbell came on for Craig, I had even more freedom to get closer to sam Cosgrove because they’re both holding midfielders.
‘But I don’t mind where I’m asked to play — put me anywhere on the park and I’ll put in a shift and enjoy it. Central midfield is my preferred position, though.’