Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has praised the mindset of substitutes battling to get a first team start.
Goodwin accepts previous regular starters recently benched will be “very disappointed”.
Attacker Vicente Besuijen has fallen out of the starting line-up in recent weeks.
Netherlands playmaker Besuijen had been a key player in the opening months of the season with seven goals and a number of assists.
Northern Ireland international Matty Kennedy also recently went six weeks without starting a Premiership game.
The 1-0 defeat of Dundee United before the winter break was Kennedy’s first league start since a 4-1 defeat of Kilmarnock on October 1.
Goodwin insists others, such as Marley Watkins and rising star Ryan Duncan, have also made an impact when introduced as substitutes.
He reckons the strength of the Dons bench is testament to the summer transfer window recruitment drive.
Goodwin said: “The substitutes have a great mindset.
“Obviously they have all been very disappointed not to start games recently.
“However, they’ve always came on in games and made a real positive impact.
“And that’s what you want from the group.
“That’s why we’ve worked so hard on the recruitment side of things – to make sure that we’ve got those very good attacking options available to us.”
The positive impact of substitutes
Goodwin insists the impact of substitutes has been key in elevating the Dons to third in the Premiership.
Aberdeen hold that position for the five-week winter break due to the World Cup.
They return to action with a home clash against league leaders Celtic on December 17.
Goodwin said: “When we’ve made substitutions in recent weeks in the Premiership, the players who came on in all of those games made a positive impact.
“Matty Kennedy came on and was outstanding against Livingston (2-1 loss).
“He was probably our star performer in the second 45 minutes along with a number of others.
“Marley Watkins came on against Hibs a couple of games ago (4-1 win) and was brilliant.
“He contributed to one of the goals.
“Vinnie Besuijen came off the bench against Hearts (2-0 win) and got an assist and a goal.
“Ryan Duncan, another young academy graduate, has come off the bench on a couple of occasions and scored a couple of very good goals.”
Kennedy’s role in friendly winner
Kennedy, Watkins and Besuijen all started for the Dons in a 1-0 friendly victory over Atlanta United XI in the United States.
Winger Kennedy set up the winner by delivering an inch-perfect corner kick for Leighton Clarkson to volley home in the second half.
Goodwin said: “Leighton’s goal was a bit of individual class.
“However, something that is probably getting overlooked a little bit is the ball from Matty Kennedy.
“That was not easy either, to put it on the point where he did.”
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Leighton Clarkson with todays brilliant winner. pic.twitter.com/LSQfN4kKqn
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) November 16, 2022
Hard work during the winter break
Not only are the Dons sitting third in the Premiership they also have a League Cup semi-final slot against Rangers also secured.
The Reds face the Ibrox club at Hampden on Sunday January 15.
The Premiership shutdown due to the World Cup offers Goodwin and his squad the opportunity to assess the season so far – and to also try to work out problems, such as the poor away form, to be ready for the fight to retain third spot.
Goodwin said: “It is extremely challenging every single week and there is no game you go into expecting an easy ride.
“We have done great to pick up the volume of points we have, particularly at Pittodrie where we have won six of seven.
“On the road we need to improve on after the break and that will be the message.
“That is something we are going to work hard on during the World Cup break.
“To make sure our points tally after the break on the road improves.”
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