James Wilson showed on Saturday that he can solve Aberdeen’s goal problems.
The Manchester United loanee popped up with the only goal against Motherwell after just six minutes at Pittodrie.
The Reds have been needing that type of start to a game when they get an early goal.
It has been frustrating for everyone that the goals haven’t been coming, it was four goals in five league games before Saturday.
Defensively I think the team is solid with Mikey Devlin and Scott McKenna at centre-back, Shay Logan at right-back and Andy Considine or Max Lowe at left-back.
When you put that together with Joe Lewis in goal I don’t think you will lose many goals – but you still have to score to win games.
Recent performances have been crying out for goals and people have been waiting to see what Wilson can bring.
Now he has shown what he has after finding the net in just six minutes.
When you can get a striker that hits the back of the net that makes a big difference to any team.
In the modern game, managers look at strikers to do more than score goals – but to me the most important thing for a striker is scoring goals.
If they do that then I can put up with other de-ficiencies in their game.
The question people have been asking is can Wilson score goals? He answered it after only six minutes.
Hopefully, there is more to come but this is a great start for Wilson and it delivered a much-needed three points.
He looks a thoroughbred, he’s athletic and he’s the type of striker who is on his toes all the time and has elegant movement. Those attributes compliment Sam Cosgrove quite well because he is the opposite in terms of being a big physical player who will put himself about.
But the mix of the two of them worked well.
In recent years, Derek McInnes has often favoured one up front.
He has played two before and when you’re not scoring goals you need to have that extra threat and Wilson and Cosgrove worked well. I don’t see McInnes playing two in attack in every game but it has given him a good option when he wants to use it.
Wilson and Cosgrove together up front has a good balance because you can see what they offer to each other.
They worked well together in a tough game against Motherwell.
The Steelmen work you hard and make it physical – they can play good football as well. It was a tough game for the Reds but they matched the Lanarkshire side in every department and deserved the victory.
They had a couple of other chances, although, it wasn’t a game where there was chance after chance at either end.
The most important thing was the three points and Aberdeen got them.
The physical side of the game and winning that battle was an important part of the Dons getting the points.
In the second half it did become a battle.
It became a physical encounter because Motherwell were desperate to take something from the game and a point would have been a great result for them.
But on Saturday I never saw Aberdeen having problems with the physical side of the game. They had Cosgrove up front, Dominic Ball and captain Graeme Shinnie in central midfield and the defence was going to fine with Devlin and McKenna who both relish the physical exchange and can handle what is thrown at them.
I don’t see the Dons being bullied by anybody this season with those players in the team.
Standing up to the physical battle was required on Saturday and they will need to do it again in other games – but Aberdeen are in a position to match these teams.
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