The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Revamped Dons face biggest test
Anew-look Aberdeen head for the lion’s den tomorrow when they face champions Celtic at Celtic Park.
A new manager with new personnel will take on the challenge of trying to get something from the daunting trip to face the Hoops.
Much has changed since the sides last met in December at Pittodrie but the transformation of the Dons since the opening game of the season in Glasgow is even starker.
Assuming Jonny Hayes is fit to play after going off with a head injury in the 3-1 win against Motherwell two weeks ago the best Aberdeen can hope for is five of the starting XI from the 2-0 loss on July 31 starting tomorrow.
Goalkeeper Kelle Roos is injured while Anthony Stewart and Vicente Besuijen have been sent on loan. Ross McCrorie is suspended while Jayden Richardson and Dante Polvara have struggled for game time recently.
That leaves Hayes, Ylber Ramadani, Hayden Coulson, Matty Kennedy and Bojan Miovski as the quintet most likely to feature again in the east end of Glasgow.
New faces’ first daunting away day test
On-loan duo Jay Gorter and Mattie Pollock, along with Angus MacDonald will play their first away game together in the red of Aberdeen but at least Graeme Shinnie knows what lies in store.
The former Dons skipper has been restored to his former role even though he is on loan from Wigan Athletic and it is expected he will be joined in Barry Robson’s side by Leighton Clarkson and Luis “Duk” Lopes, who came off the bench in July, tomorrow.
With Liam Scales ineligible due to his loan from the Hoops, Robson also faces a dilemma of whether to bring in Jack MacKenzie and keep the faith with a back three or revert to a four-man backline tomorrow.
“Dons must impose themselves in Glasgow”
Whatever the defensive formation former Don Brian Irvine knows Aberdeen have to find a way to impose themselves against the league leaders.
Irvine, Aberdeen’s hero in the 1990 Scottish Cup win against Celtic, says a backs-to-the-wall approach is one he fears is doomed to fail.
He said: “I think of my own time as a player and we knew when we went down to Glasgow we had to defend well.
“You have to stand up to the pressure but having an out ball is so important too. If you are just kicking the ball clear then you are going to face wave after wave of attack all afternoon.
“We know if that happens nine times out of 10 a goal comes, whether it is midway through the game or in the closing stages.
“You have got to impose yourself either by hitting on the counter or building up the play yourself to ask questions of them.
“Defending strongly is important of course and it is vital everyone does their jobs right but you have to have a plan and belief you can trouble them too at some point.”
Can Aberdeen muster more attacking intent?
Clarkson and Duk can at least lay claim to knowing what is required in this fixture after being part of the team which faced the
Hoops at Pittodrie on December 17. The first game back after the World Cup was, with hindsight, a turning point for former boss Jim Goodwin.
His cautious game-plan of trying to contain and frustrate the visitors almost worked until Celtic captain Callum McGregor scored the only goal of the game three minutes from time.
But the reaction from the Aberdeen faithful was one of shock and awe.
Fury soon followed with the 19% possession of the home team allied to a failure to land one attempt on target in the 90 minutes incurring the wrath of the Red Army.
It was the first of a four-match losing run from which the Dons’ season spiralled out of control
and, in hindsight, was the beginning of the fans’ support of the manager beginning to wane.
Different approach from Pittodrie needed
Irvine knows the Dons fans who have sold out their allocation for Celtic Park will be expecting to see a very different approach from their side under interim boss Barry Robson.
He said: “Jim Goodwin went defensive against Celtic at Pittodrie because of how badly his team was turned over by Rangers at Ibrox earlier in the season.
“Rangers and Celtic are hard to beat on any occasion so it is a difficult one to call.
“But Barry and his coaching staff will have worked on a plan in the last
fortnight for this game in particular.
“Celtic are an attack-minded team home or away and will ask questions of Aberdeen but I don’t expect a repeat of the defensive set-up the team had at Pittodrie against Celtic.
“There was a lot of criticism for that approach so the Dons have to look to carry more of a threat.
“I don’t think we really saw that Pittodrie so the fans will be looking to the team to show that attacking intent on Saturday.
“But clearly the defensive side has to be right especially in Glasgow. It wasn’t at Ibrox where they were beaten heavily so it will be interesting to see if they can put it right this weekend.”