Aberdeen must sign another established goal scoring striker before the summer transfer window closes at the end of the month.
United States international Christian Ramirez has made an immediate impact with four goals in five games and looks capable of hitting the magic 20 goal mark.
Manager Stephen Glass restructured the attack by signing Ramirez from Houston Dynamo and landing former Livingston attacker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in the summer but it is still not enough.
If the Dons are to be in the mix for cup glory and a strong Premiership campaign they need even more fire-power to ensure the attack is not vulnerable to any set-backs such as injury or loss of form.
Another centre-forward is needed to give further options and insurance against injury for what could be a long, demanding season.
With only two recognised senior strikers, Aberdeen could leave themselves vulnerable to the attack being derailed by injury if another goal scorer is not secured.
Is that being pessimistic? No.
Last season Aberdeen suffered injuries to their three main strikers at the same time – Sam Cosgrove, Curtis Main and on-loan Marley Watkins. That left the Reds with a major goal scoring crisis that negatively impacted the campaign.
With less than three weeks of the transfer window remaining, the Dons only have two strikers – and Emmanuel-Thomas, aka JET, is not an out and out No.9.
Highly skilled with fantastic game intelligence JET can score spectacular goals, but is unlikely to deliver 15 to 20 goals as he is more a provider and creator than a finisher.
JET will be a fundamental part of the Aberdeen attack this season, but the jigsaw has still to be completed.
The need for another established goal scorer was underlined in the last-gasp 2-1 defeat of Livingston at the weekend.
Glass opted to rest Ramirez and it was left to JET to lead the line. Ramirez is a focal point who can hold up possession and link play to allow the Dons to build up in attack.
However, against Livingston, JET too often drifted away from the penalty area and attacks subsequently broke down.
A contributing factor was JET not receiving the service from midfield and his instinct was to hunt for the ball which resulted in him drifting out wide away from the penalty box.
There is no doubt JET is a strong signing for Aberdeen, but he impressed for Livingston last season primarily on the right of an attacking midfield.
Glass opted to leave in-form Ramirez and team captain Scott Brown on the bench against Livingston as he made six changes to his starting line up from the 3-2 defeat of Breidablik in Iceland.
It was a gamble that paid off – just. Aberdeen would have been held to a draw had Livi keeper Max Stryjek not inexplicably fumbled a long range Jack Mackenzie shot into his own net deep into injury time.
Stryjek’s error gifted the Dons an extra two points. I doubt Glass will reshuffle his starting line-up so radically in the future.
On the evidence of his first five games for Aberdeen, Ramirez, known as ‘Superman’ whilst at Minnesota United, possesses a scoring instinct and has the sharpness and movement to get into the right places.
There is no luck in being in the right place at the right time in the 18-yard box – it comes from a combination of instinct, game intelligence, practice and relationship with team-mates to understand your game so they can pick out runs.
Ramirez and JET have brought a much needed edge and threat to an attack that woefully underperformed last season.
Wouldn’t want it any other way 🔴⚪️🙌🏽 https://t.co/UdJn4bUwMh
— Christian Ramirez (@Chris_Ramirez17) July 22, 2021
But JET and Superman are not enough for a campaign which could surpass the 50 game mark if the Reds have strong cup runs and progress in Europe.
I fear the Reds are an injury away from that cutting edge being taken away.
Niall McGinn, Connor McLennan, Ryan Hedges and teenager Michael Ruth are all capable of playing as striker.
However, McGinn, McLennan and Hedges are more providers and play-makers and 19-year-old Ruth has yet to be tested at first team level.
Aberdeen need another goal scoring striker in before the window closes or risk running the risk of a repeat of last season where injuries to centre-forwards derailed the campaign.
Aberdeen fight to keep Ryan Hedges
Aberdeen were right to reject a £500,000 offer from a Championship club for Welsh international Ryan Hedges.
The 26-year-old’s worth to the club could far exceed that half million in terms of what he could potentially bring.
Hedges has just one year left on his contract and will be free to speak to any other interested clubs when the winter transfer window opens on January 1.
That is why the Reds are so keen to get him tied down to a contract extension now and have offered a new deal that will make him one of the club’s top earning stars.
Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough have previously expressed an interest in Hedges.
Manager Stephen Glass views Hedges as important to his squad not just this season but going forward and hopes to retain him.
Aberdeen have been very swift in recent seasons in getting star performers tied down to longer term deals, so it is surprising they did not move quicker to offer Hedges a contract extension.
He was Aberdeen’s star performer last season before suffering an injury where he ruptured the pectoral muscle off the bone in early February ruled him out for three months.
Hedges brings a creative spark and vision to unlock defences, which will be key to challenging for silverware and pushing high in the Premiership.
The rewards of Hedges skill potentially playing a role in bringing cup glory and a successful league, and ideally European campaign, would far outweigh the cash received from cashing in on him now.
Welcome back junior football action
Aberdeen’s European campaign has allowed me to attend the matches of the football team I support – junior outfit Sunnybank.
Having been brought up in Northfield, they are a team very close to my heart and I love going to the games with my wee nine-year-old son Josh.
There is something joyous about watching junior football – it is so honest and passionate. There are many very talented players at that level.
Junior games are exciting. With Aberdeen not playing until Sunday’s League Cup clash with Raith Rovers, I would urge Dons fans to take in a junior match on Saturday.
I’ll get two this week before I travel to Fife to report on the Dons’ cup tie against Raith
First Sunnybank away to Longside on Friday evening, then Culter v Banchory St Ternan on Saturday.
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