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Willie Miller: Loan signing of Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson looks like a major coup for Aberdeen

Leighton Clarkson of Aberdeen celebrates after he scores a sensational free kick at St Johnstone. Image: Shutterstock.
Leighton Clarkson of Aberdeen celebrates after he scores a sensational free kick at St Johnstone. Image: Shutterstock.

Securing such an exciting talent as Leighton Clarkson on loan from Liverpool is a major signing coup for Aberdeen.

Clarkson has made a sensational impact since arriving on a season-long loan from Anfield.

Aberdeen’s recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for bringing him to Pittodrie.

Clarkson’s sublime free-kick in the 1-o defeat of St Johnstone at the weekend was his second sensational goal for the Dons.

It followed the magnificent long-range strike on his debut against St Mirren.

Loan star Leighton Clarkson fires in a free-kick against St Johnstone.

In his three games so far for the Dons, Clarkson has fired in two early contenders for goal of the season.

What an impact.

If the Liverpool star continues to produce that level of quality, the 20-year-old has a very bright future ahead of him.

The transfer of right-back Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen to Liverpool earlier this summer will surely have helped secure Clarkson. The Dons clearly dealt with Liverpool properly and these top clubs respect that.

If you can forge a relationship, it can allow you to take a talent like Clarkson on loan. It is a great situation for Aberdeen.

Ramsay got the chance of a lifetime with the transfer to Liverpool and Aberdeen received a good fee for the teen right-back.

Then the icing on the cake is the loan deal for Clarkson, because Aberdeen have built up a relationship with Liverpool.

The Dons convinced Liverpool Pittodrie is the right place for him to develop.

Aberdeen are already reaping the rewards of that.

Aberdeen’s Leighton Clarkson celebrates after making it 1-0 with a superb free kick against St Johnstone.

The Anfield star has underlined his tremendous talent and has set the bar extremely high since arriving at Pittodrie.

It is not just the two sensational goals he has scored in just three games that have made him such a hit – Clarkson’s passes and vision are also of an extremely high level.

He plays with his head up and I always think sometimes during games, in order to keep the ball, possession can be negative.

However, Clarkson has a different attitude to possession and is always positive and looking for that killer pass.

Aberdeen’s Leighton Clarkson scores a free kick to make it 1-0 against St Johnstone.

The long-range pass where he almost found Bojan Miovski in the box against St Johnstone was an example of how Clarkson always looks to hurt the opposition.

Clarkson’s approach is he wants to have a positive impact whenever he is on the ball.

He is a positive-thinking player who attacks with his passes.

That is something you don’t see too often in football as players can sometimes look to take the easy route.

Clarkson certainly doesn’t and is always looking to make an impact whether by scoring or setting up forward passes for his team-mates.

It would be unrealistic to expect Clarkson to regularly score goals of that calibre.

However he looks like he can regularly deliver football of the highest level.

Unfortunately, Clarkson is only at Pittodrie on loan for the season.

St Johnstone’s Jamie Murphy and Aberdeen’s Leighton Clarkson in action.

When you have players of that quality you can’t expect anything other than a loan deal.

Aberdeen fans should enjoy having Clarkson at the club while they can.

The Liverpool midfielder is putting a smile on the Aberdeen supporters’ faces with his performances and goals.

He is also putting smiles on his team-mates’ faces judging by the way they celebrated his goal against St Johnstone.

It was a sensational strike.

And when you add that to the goal against St Mirren, you know the Dons have secured an exceptional talent.

Aberdeen have to nurture that and make the best of the time he will be able to spend at Pittodrie.

His goal secured a vital victory to get Aberdeen back on track after the recent disappointing loss to Motherwell.

Now they have to try to build some momentum by beating Livingston at Pittodrie on Saturday.

Then just days after that they face a long journey to Annan Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup.

Clarkson’s creativity and quality will be vital in both games.

McCrorie influence vital in midfield

Aberdeen need to sign cover at centre-back before the transfer window closes to ensure Ross McCrorie remains in midfield.

McCrorie is a very talented player who can also play at full-back and centre-back.

However, if you take him out of midfield, you lose his strength and the engine room that also helps the defence.

I know the manager has been forced into using McCrorie at centre-back, most recently against Motherwell due to injuries.

Aberdeen’s Ross McCrorie (2) and St Johnstone Drey Wright (14) battle for possession.

However, I feel the Dons lose so much when McCrorie is not in midfield.

Not just with the strength and defensive capability, he brings to the centre of the park – McCrorie also gets forward as well and gets into good attacking positions.

Midfield is where McCrorie should be.

Aberdeen should look to sign more defensive cover to ensure, if they do have an issue at centre-back, it is not McCrorie who moves back there.

Taking him out of midfield leaves quite a substantial gap.

Aberdeen’s Ross McCrorie shoots at goal against St Johnstone.

The back five, meanwhile, should be delighted they managed to put the loss to Motherwell behind them.

The successful foundation of any team is to treasure shut-outs, and to make sure the opposition have to work extremely hard to have any chance of hitting the back of your net.

Keeper Kelle Roos made a very good save late on against St Johnstone and played his part.

He didn’t have too much to do until then, but made the save when called upon.

Until the Motherwell defeat, the season had gone well.

It was important to look at the bigger picture rather than point the finger at one game where the team didn’t gel.

Normally, when you take in 11 new players it will take time and patience.

The defeat of St Johnstone indicates the performance against Motherwell was a one-off.

Aberdeen midfielder Ross McCrorie in possession against St Johnstone.

No sign of Hayes slowing down

Veteran winger Jonny Hayes may be 35 years old but he has lost none of his pace, energy or desire.

Hayes racked up his 300th appearance for Aberdeen in the 1-0 defeat of St Johnstone.

It is a real milestone for Hayes, who also still retains all his directness which can upset defences.

When you are a defender, the last thing you want is someone running at you.

I can speak from experience on that one.

Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes in action against St Johnstone.

Now in his mid-thirties, Hayes is still offering everything he did in previous seasons.

His performances have been impressive this campaign.

Hayes is also versatile and can play anywhere down the left-hand side.

He can operate at left-back, left-wing back and on the left wing.

Hayes can also play as one of the supporting midfielders whether on the right or left.

He has been a great servant and wonderful player for Aberdeen in his two spells at Pittodrie.

Hayes, Niall McGinn and Adam Rooney are the most potent strikeforce Aberdeen have had in recent years.

That attack took them very close to securing more than the League Cup won in 2014.

Hayes brought a lot of entertainment and excitement to Aberdeen in his first spell before transferring to Celtic.

Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes made his 300th appearance for Aberdeen.

To come back to Pittodrie and continue to reach those high levels is great for the club and manager Jim Goodwin.

Hayes seems to still have a lot left in the tank.

He is a superb role model for younger players to look up to.

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