Taylor sure Dons will improve in search for ‘ complete 90 minutes’
Aberdeen defender Ash Taylor believes his team can find an extra gear in the second half of the season.
The Dons are comfortably in the top four of the Scottish Premiership following Wednesday's goalless draw at Motherwell and are only two points off Celtic in second place.
Manager Derek Mcinnes has had to deal with Covid- 19 disruption and a host of injuries throughout the campaign but the Dons have only suffered one league defeat on the road in the whole of 2020.
They now have four of their next six Premiership games at Pittodrie starting with today’s visit of St Johnstone, and Taylor is looking to push on even more.
The centre- back said: "I still feel we are looking at that complete 90- minute performance.
"We have had large spells throughout games this season but we want to put that 90 minutes together. That will come and hopefully we can kick on even more in the new year.
"I feel there is is still more to come from us as a squad and a team. I feel if we can continue our run of form and put those performances together, we can have a good crack at it this year and push as much as we can."
Mcinnes will come face to face with a man he knows well when the Dons take on Callum Davidson's St Johnstone.
The former Saints boss said: "They l ook a well- coached team.
"I signed Callum for St Johnstone and I know him well. He has put his stamp on that team.
"It's a different system and a dif f erent way of playing from how they have been over the years, and they have had some decent results as a consequence of that.
"Any time you play St Johnstone, certainly this season with the way Callum has got his team set up, they are a tough nut to crack. We have got to try to overcome that."
Davidson admits he will be
sad to see Danny Mcnamara go - but the St Johnstone boss is confident he can line up a January replacement for the departing Millwall man.
The 21- year- old has been recalled by Lions boss Gary Rowett after impressing during his six- month loan stint in Perth.
It has been reported that Rowett would look to soften the blow by sending James Brown nor t h, t he f ormer Livingston defender set t o take over f rom Mcnamara
on January 3, though Davidson says a deal has yet to be finalised.
Mcnamara, however, will still be available for Saints as they face Aberdeen today, host Hamilton on December 30 and then visit Ross County on January 2.
Davidson said: "Danny has had a good season here so Millwall want to take him back and give him an opportunity to play there.
"The reason he came up here was to progress his career
and he has performed at a high level.
"It's always a danger with loans because they have clauses that mean you can go back if it's not working out or your club wants you back for doing well.
"Danny came in and played ver y well, so i t shows t hat young players can come here to develop.
"Losing him in January is a bit of a blow for us but we have one or t wo t hings i n the pipeline.”