What's at the root of Aberdeen's awful run?
2025-01-03
Category: sports

Aberdeen's fall from grace has been almost as remarkable as the sensational start they made under new manager Jimmy Thelin.After 10 wins in an 11-game unbeaten run at the beginning of the season, it is incredible to think that, following the first match of 2025, the Dons sit fourth.They were being billed as title contenders, the only side to hold a candle to imperious Celtic, but have not won a game since 9 November and have picked up just three points since then.Thelin said after the latest loss - Thursday's 2-1 home defeat by Ross County - the "really good run in the beginning hid some of our problems".What problems does the Swede speak of? What is going wrong at Pittodrie?
Granite defence crumbles under pressure
The back four of Nicky Devlin, Slobodan Rubezic, Gavin Molloy and Jack MacKenzie were lauded during the winning streak. Devlin even earned a Scotland debut, while MacKenzie received a first call-up to Steve Clarke's side.Yet errors have started to creep in and Aberdeen have conceded 10 goals in their latest four games - the same number as they shipped in their first 11.They have been particularly vulnerable from crossed balls and set-pieces, although Ross County's goals were an Akil Wright wonder strike and a Noah Chilvers chip that looked suspiciously like a cross.If Thelin was tempted to mix it up, he does not have many options.The back-up full-backs, Jack Milne and James McGarry, are both routinely injured with little experience of top-flight Scottish football.Centre-half Angus MacDonald did not have much of a look-in and, since coming into the team last month, his four outings have yielded three defeats and a draw.And now Dimitar Mitov's injuries are playing a part. The Bulgarian goalkeeper, so impressive since his summer move from St Johnstone, missed three games in December through injury and is now out again for a month.
Missing Miovski's shoes remain unfilled
Bojan Miovski was always going to be difficult to replace after his sale to Girona, but it briefly looked like Aberdeen had managed it, with the Macedonia striker's replacement already waiting in the wings.Pape Habib Gueye scored five goals in the first five games of the season, having previously failed to impress in cameo roles last season. But he got injured in training in September and is yet to return.Step up Kevin Nisbet. The out-of-favour Scotland striker arrived on loan from Millwall desperate to kickstart his career.That has not materialised. He has started three games since mid-November and his only goal in that time - the equaliser against County on Thursday - was more goalkeeping blunder than decent free-kick.The Pittodrie side's strike issues were laid bare in that loss. With 65% possession, they had 20 attempts, four on target, but scored just once.Ester Sokler has netted only twice in the league all season, while fellow forward Duk is still trying to win fans over after going AWOL in the summer.Aberdeen were the most clinical team in the league, overperforming their xG (expected goals) in the first 11 games, but that was never likely to last.
Heltne Nilsen impact starting to wane
Norwegian midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen was brought in from Brann last summer having worked with Thelin previously.Tough tackling, breaking up attacks, playing simple passes, the 33-year-old's influence was huge at start of the season, but he looks tired, having played since April without a break.Now Thelin must decide whether to bring Nilsen back after his suspension or tinker with the system to rest the Norwegian and try to find an answer to his side's issues."It's not a good run, but for me, the crisis is not there," Thelin said."From the beginning, I told everyone it's going to be long term. We have to build and get stronger and be better as a team."We have some difficult parts right now in our games, but still I can see some good positive signs there that we can be that team we want to be. "I'm really confident we're going to grow as a team and take points again. But, right now, when we struggle, we have to be strong. You can't get afraid, you have to be calm."