Slammin’ Sam can do no wrong for Dons
motherwell 0 aberdeen 3
Cosgrove (15), McGinn (53), Vyner (60
Derek McInnes hailed the makeshift midfield pairing that inspired Aberdeen to victory over Motherwell.
And the Dons boss maintained his men will have a good season — especially as they have a striker who would walk into the Scotland team.
Sadly, there’s no Scottish grandparent that would allow Steve Clarke to call up Sam Cosgrove.
McInnes overcame a midfield injury crisis by putting defenders Zak Vyner and Greg Leigh in front of his back four.
It was a tactic that worked a treat — Leigh set up the opening goal, Vyner scored a beauty and both men stifled Motherwell’s attempts to attack.
McInnes said: “We worked all week with Leigh and Vyner in there.
“I feel Vyner can naturally play there and will play his best football there, but Greg really took to it, too, and I thought their performances were fantastic.
“It gave us a good platform. We had to do it differently.
Aberdeen came into the game badly needing something to raise morale after failing to win in their last three games.
Motherwell, by contrast, were brimming with confidence and aiming to stretch their lead over Aberdeen to seven points.
The result might have been different if James Scott had converted from the penalty spot after five minutes.
The referee decided Joe Lewis had fouled Chris Long but the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a superb save.
The Englishman leapt to his right and brilliantly flicked the kick over the bar.
After that, Aberdeen’s tactical plan clicked into place.
Leigh and Vyner’s team-mates also made it hard for the Steelmen to make progress in the wide areas.
It was a set-up similar to the one used so successfully by Steve Clarke at Kilmarnock .The style isn’t always pretty but it helped Clarke’s team secure third place last term.
Aberdeen took the lead when Leigh set Sam Cosgrove through on goal and the Englishman produced a sublime chip over Gillespie. It was a remarkably composed finish from the 22-year-old, one he looked incapable of during his early days at Pittodrie.
His manager just hopes he can hold on to the big striker.
McInnes said: “He looks at times unplayable.
“He hasn’t been feeling too good. He has been under the weather the last few days and feeling lethargic but there was nothing lethargic about his performance.
“When he first came here he would
have put that ball out the stadium.
“I played with number nines who strutted about as if they could do wrong and he is giving us that just now.
“Morelos is worth millions, Edouard is worth millions. We signed Sam for £25,000. We took a punt on him and he is worth much more now.
“We won’t big him up too much as we want to get through January with him still here.
“He doesn’t have a Scottish granny but if he did then I’d imagine he’d be in the team.
“This performance augurs well for us and I’m confident we’ll have a good season.”
It was another classy effort that doubled the Dons’ lead shortly after half-time.
Niall McGinn nicked the ball from Allan Campbell just outside the box and sent a curling shot inside the post.
McInnes knew it really was his day when Zak Vyner added a sensational third goal.
The on-loan Bristol City defender had only scored once before in his professional career.
He displayed a superb swivel and a blistering shot from 25 yards out that left the goalie helpless.
There was no way back for the home side and Aberdeen closed-out a victory that will make Pittodrie a happier place this week.