Better Leight than never Clarkson hasn’t hit heights this season but he’s still got time to turn things around
LEIGHTON CLarksON is honest enough to admit he’s still to reproduce the form that made him an aberdeen favourite last season.
But the 22-year-old insists he still has time on his side to give the Red Army reason to roar.
Clarkson was a key figure as the Dons clinched third place and a return to Europe last term.
This time around, he and his team-mates have failed to hit the heights.
There have been mitigating circumstances given he’s had to adjust his game but the midfielder is well aware he should be bringing more of an X-factor in terms of goals and assists.
Clarkson said: “I’d agree with that, to be honest. I came back up here hoping to do similar, if not better, than what I did.
“I haven’t played in the same position as last season.
“I’ve had to take on board different things the manager wanted from me but in the last few months I’ve picked up a little bit.
“I know I’ve not got the goals and assists but it’s about getting the balance right of being an individual and being in a team.
“I don’t think I’ve quite got that balance right but there’s a long way to go until the end of the season.”
Former Pittodrie boss Barry Robson switched the youngster into a deeper role.
It worked in the last campaign but hasn’t had the same success in this one following the loss of Ylber Ramadani to Lecce.
Robson tried to build a new team and change the tactics, while juggling European and domestic commitments.
Clarkson added: “Most of my goals and assists last season came from playing higher up as an eight.
“When Barry came in, I played as a six where I could dictate play, with Graeme Shinnie and Ylber alongside me.
“We’ve brought in more possession-based players and that’s what we tried to do when Barry was here.
“I’ve not done anything differently from last season.
“If anything, my lifestyle off the pitch is even better this season.
“People have ups and downs and I’ve always said football is based on confidence.
“I feel as if I’ve got that confidence back and it’s up to me to show it between now and the end of the season.
“It’s a new group this season. We’ve had the turmoil of the changes and a lot of the international lads who came in didn’t do pre-season.”
The Dons are still in the bottom six and know they need to go on a run similar to the second half of last season if they want to get back fighting for a European return.
Now Neil Warnock has come in to steady the ship. Clarkson said: “Going through the Jim Goodwin situation last season probably helped with this season. It wasn’t nice to see Barry go but he had to take the brunt of it.
“As players, we’ve got to look at ourselves and what we could have done better.
“It’s been a learning curve. We had two younger managers who were trying to instil the footballing side through their experience as players.
“Now we’re at the other side with someone who has worked with top clubs in England for years and has more experience than any manager. He’s a little bit more old school in that he brings discipline and things like that. He’s a dead nice guy. He spent an hour in the physio’s room the other day telling stories.
“He loves football, you can see that. But, at the same time, he is here to do a job and has set his targets for the rest of the season.”
Warnock boasts a record number of games managed in English professional football, albeit Clarkson knows the pressure of being at Aberdeen will be an eye-opener for him.
Even so, the midfielder believes the 75-year-old has inherited a dressing room that will dig deep for him.
Clarkson said: “With Barry last season, I’d say the changing room got us to third place.
“The togetherness in the group was one of the best I’ve been in and it’s like that again this year.
“We’re all together and it’s an amazing group.
“But we need to take more care of our football. We have two games this week we need to win.
“The gaffer has come in and said he doesn’t want to lose another game, which shows the high bar he has set.
“We know three, four or five
I feel I’ve got my confidence back and it’s up to me to show it until end of the season
LEIGHTON CLARKSON IS UP FOR IT AT DONS
wins on the bounce can change everything. We did last year by taking it game by game and we know we can do it again.
“We gave Rangers a decent game in the Viaplay Cup Final, even though we lost 1-0, and we believe we can get to another final.
“We need to make sure we’re where we want to be as a club. Two finals for Aberdeen would be a decent return.
“There’s a huge ambition and expectation among the supporters here, which is why it’s such a good learning curve to be here.”