The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
McInnes aiming to reap benefits of unbroken 10-game run to 2018
Aberdeen:
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hopes a busier schedule is going to bring the best out of his players.
It has been a stop-start Scottish season so far due to international breaks in September, October and this month but the domestic action resumes today when the Dons host Betfred Cup finalists Motherwell at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen are second in the league, three points behind Celtic, and today’s match is the first of 10 league games between now and the winter break on December 30. The Dons boss is eager to see his side make the most of an unbroken run.
“History has shown we deal quite well with a busy schedule”
He said: “We have 29 points so far but I feel there is more to come from us. History has shown we deal with a busy schedule well. Our players like it when we have a sequence of games, recovery, and more games.
“November and December have usually been good months for us so hopefully we can do that again.”
The international Dons have returned unscathed and McInnes was pleased to see two of his players fea- ture for Scotland against the Netherlands last week.
But he was disappointed captain Graeme Shinnie did not feature at Pittodrie, though insists the midfielder’s chance will come.
He added: “It would have been nice because half the crowd turned up to see him. But thankfully we got the chance to see Kenny McLean and Ryan Christie play for Scotland. I thought they both did well. It is a huge step forward for us as a club and all three lads came back bouncing.
“Hopefully by the time the new manager comes in we will still have those three in the squad and maybe one or two more.”
Shinnie will miss today’s game due to suspension. The Dons’ training plans were affected by a virus but McInnes has reported a fully-fit squad.
• Rooney’s mission, P54 Scotland centre Alex Dunbar has urged his team-mates to get in the faces of the New Zealand players today.
The All Blacks will line up at Murrayfield this evening firm favourites to beat Gregor Townsend’s side, who are yet to win in the 112-year history of the fixture. The visitors are back-to-back defending world champions, but Dunbar is relishing the challenge and will not be taking a backwards step when the two sides face each other for the first time since 2014.
“We can’t sit back,” he said. “It’s about getting in their face, trying to put them off. We know how quick they want to play so we need to go out there and try to impose ourselves.”
Dunbar will line up alongside Huw Jones in the midfield and faces the task of keeping Sonny Bill Williams and Ryan Crotty quiet.
“The whole of their team are at the top of their game,” Dunbar added. “Every position is world class so it’s a great challenge but one we’re all looking forward to.”
• Rugby focus, P45