Earlier this week, Stephen Glass said he would be keen to extend injury-ravaged centre-back Michael Devlin’s stay at Aberdeen – if the player can show he is ‘capable’ of playing a part.
But what do the stats show about Devlin’s time at the Dons when he has been fit to feature?
Devlin, 28, has only managed 37 Premiership appearances since he was signed by former boss Derek McInnes from Hamilton in January 2018.
The Accies captain arrived at Pittodrie with a serious knee injury, but was fit enough to make his Dons debut at the start of the 2018/19 season. However, he has only been able to string – at most – a few months of appearances together since then, having been beset by various issues.
The list includes foot and hamstring problems, as well as an ankle injury which has kept him out for more than a year to this point.
Lack of availability may render Devlin’s other qualities redundant
Incoming boss Glass already handed Devlin a compassionate six-month contract contract extension in the summer to give him a chance to prove his fitness.
Aberdeen are confident they have now got to the bottom of the ankle issue, but it will still be another six or seven weeks at least before Devlin returns to action.
And, despite all this – the 56 minutes of football in 18 months – there are still onlookers who, at least anecdotally, think Devlin is a centre-back option who is worth the wait and capable of competing for a place against David Bates, Declan Gallagher, Ross McCrorie and the currently-sidelined Andy Considine.
The Evening Express’ chief football writer, Sean Wallace, points out Scotland cap Devlin is “a rock -solid, talented defender when fit”, having previously praised his composure and use of the ball in the games he has managed to play.
In response to Glass’ comments earlier this week, some members of the Red Army showed they are also still hoping the player has a Dons future:
I would imagine he is maybe on a very minimum salary and would be pay as you play also . Agree I always thought he looked decent
— Chris Robertson (@robertson1973) December 15, 2021
If he's fit and on form then he's the best centre half on our books. Needs to be time constrained to prove fitness and prove he can stay fit though. It's gone on long enough.
— Phil Grant (@weephil76) December 15, 2021
However, as the fan above touches upon – Devlin’s now rapidly-diminshing six-month chance has felt like last-chance saloon, and a it’s a chance he hasn’t been able to take due to the ongoing ankle problem.
You do wonder whether the sheer dearth of games he has been available to feature in over his four years at the club will cripple any argument in favour of another new deal.
Will freeing up a squad place for a more reliable winter window defensive replacement be preferred?
Other supporters appear to have lost hope for Devlin at Aberdeen:
His last six month contract was to prove his fitness, he hasn’t played a single minute. 51 appearances in almost four years, there’s just no point
— John Bleasdale 💙 (@jbleasdale81) December 14, 2021
Waste of a wage I’m afraid. With a limited budget we need to spend it on players that are ready to play now.
— Norman McLean (@normanmclean20) December 14, 2021
Stats suggest Devlin has been one of Aberdeen’s best defenders – when he makes it on to the pitch
Devlin being fit to play regularly is clearly going to determine his footballing future – and whether he can prove this in time to extend his stay at Aberdeen remains to be seen, given the current prognosis means his existing contract could be up before he’s available to take to the field.
But is there anything in the stats which backs up the anecdotal suggetions he has been one of the best defenders on the Dons’ books in recent years?
Human compassion and Devlin’s personality around the place are other contributing factors to Reds standing by the luckless player so far, but Opta’s data does underline he’s a capable performer – something which has been increasingly easy to forget while he has been injured.
Although the stats also show dwindling game-time every season, they reveal Devlin has only conceded a goal for every 81.3 minutes of action in the red of Aberdeen.
This leaves him pretty high up the rankings in terms of figures who have played in Aberdeen’s defence since Opta started doing full Premiership stats in season 2019/20:
Of the current squad, only Andy Considine ranks better than Devlin.
Multi-million-pound Scotland stopper Scott McKenna – Devlin’s former flatmate in the Granite City and now with Nottingham Forest – ranks below him, as does another departed centre-back in Ash Taylor, who was part of clean-sheet-keeping machine at times during his second spell at the club.
Summer signing David Bates is currently well below Devlin on the list following a shaky start at the Reds, although his performances recently have come in for praise and it could be argued the team is conceding more goals in general under Glass as a trade-off for being a more attacking unit.
The highest conceding league season of Devlin’s time at the Dons was 2018/19 when they let in 44 in the league, and they’ve already let in 22 this term.
What do you think – should Aberdeen give Devlin longer in the hope he can get fit enough to play regularly, and knowing when he has played previously he has shown he is a talented centre-half?
Or is the list of injuries in last four years, and his lack of availability for selection as a result, now too much – and does it make more sense for the Dons to bring in a replacement?