The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McInnes hails squad depth as Cosgrove lines up return
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is set to welcome back striker Sam Cosgrove days after bemoaning his absence in a goalless draw with Dundee United.
Aberdeen dominated at Tannadice on Saturday as United defended deep but could not find a breakthrough and McInnes admitted they could have done with a penalty-box striker.
Now Cosgrove could be involved for the first time this season at home to Hamilton tonight.
The 23-year-old suffered a knee injury ahead of the campaign and another forward, Curtis Main, remains out with a persistent thigh problem.
Loan striker Ryan Edmondson has also had his injury problems and is yet to start a game, although he is fit now, which has meant another temporary signing, former Inverness winger Marley Watkins, has been left to lead the line.
Cosgrove offers a different type of option to Watkins and McInnes is delighted with the growing strength of his squad.
He said :“When the games have been open we have enjoyed it, we have a lot of speed in the team, whether it ’s (Connor) McLennan, (Jonny) Hayes, Watkins, (Ryan) Hedges, (Scott) Wright, those attacking options, when they have been at their best we have a lot of space afforded to us.
“When teams defend their box like United did on Saturday for a lot of the game, we could have done with somebody there with a bit of presence, a penaltybox striker, an experienced striker like big Sam, someone that makes them think twice about defending that deep.
“We got into so many good positions, I think we had 36 crosses, 18 shots, umpteen set-plays. So it’s not just down to having a main striker there, a traditional number nine. We need everybody to contribute.
“But it ’s clear that someone like big Sam, who has been our top goalscorer and talisman for the last couple of seasons, I think would have posed teams like United on Saturday, and other games this season , a few more problems from defending so deeply.”
As well as Cosgrove, recent signing Greg Leigh, Scotland defender Michael Devlin and former St Johnstone winger Matty Kennedy are in contention following injury.
Meanwhile Brian Rice has experienced death and tragedy in his career but the coronavirus pandemic is giving the Hamilton head coach his toughest season yet in football.
Accies are still without Jamie Hamilton and Andy Winter for the trip to Aberdeen after the pair were instructed to selfisolate following a positive Covid-19 test for Scotland U19s coach Billy Stark.
Hamilton later tested positive himself.
Hamilton have lost several players at other times this season, including defender Lee Hodson when his flat- mate, St Mirren goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, tested positive.
“It’s tough,” he said. “I have been through a lot. I’ ve been through the Hillsborough disaster, I’ve been through Craig Gowans dying, Chrissy Mitchell dying, my own personal problems. And this is tough. This is tough.
“This is the toughest season football wise. There’s no doubt about that.
“And it will be the same for every other manager, because we don’t know what tomorrow brings, we don’t know what tonight brings. It’s so, so strange.”