Aberdeen boss Barry Robson has praised loan star Liam Scales for his bravery in pushing into advanced positions against Rangers.
Scales netted the opener from 30 yards early in the second half against the Ibrox club, and sending the Dons on their way to a 2-0 victory.
Defender Scales may not have meant to score, as the effort appeared to be a cross towards the back post.
However, Robson reckons it was a just reward for 24-year-old being aggressive to push into a high position in the game.
Scales raced to intercept a pass to Alfredo Morelos inside the Rangers half before unleashing what proved to be a game-changing strike.
Robson admits pushing centre-backs into such an advanced position in a bid to play “fast, exciting football” is a strategy which could backfire.
But he hailed Scales for getting the balance right as Aberdeen extended a winning run to seven games.
Robson said: “We ask the centre-backs at times to get into some really difficult positions – some really brave positions that they don’t really want to go into when you are playing against a team with the speed of Rangers.
“Liam was so aggressive with that.
“When you get that right it looks great and you can really go and be an exciting team.
“But when you get it wrong, you can lose goals at the other end.
“It is trying to get the balance right.
“But I always believe in playing fast, exciting football and that is what I want to do.”
Was it a goal or was it a cross?
Scales is on loan at Aberdeen until the end of the season from Premiership leaders Celtic.
Aberdeen attempted to sign the defender permanently last summer, but the Hoops were not open to selling the centre-back.
🤯 "I'm sure that's a cross… He won't bother with that!"
Aberdeen take the lead in spectacular circumstances! Can they get another? Watch it now live on Sky 📺 pic.twitter.com/O65W4HJwcE
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 23, 2023
Securing Scales on a season-long loan deal was the only way to get him to Pittodrie.
Scales recently said he is unsure about his future beyond the of the season, with Celtic having the final say.
The left-sided centre-back is contracted to the Parkhead club until summer 2025, having joined the Hoops on a £500,000 deal from Shamrock Rovers in 2021.
Scales has been in superb form during the Dons winning streak.
However, he will be ineligible to face parent club Celtic in the post-split fixture due to the terms of his loan agreement.
The 30-yard effort against Rangers was Scales’ first goal for Aberdeen.
Was it a shot or a cross?
Scales later said it was a shot – but followed that statement with a wink!
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) April 23, 2023
“It was a great goal and he meant every part of it,” said Robson.
“And I’m going to say that to him, because he deserves it – 100 per cent.
“Because he was outstanding.”
Robson’s half-time advice to Leighton Clarkson
Aberdeen doubled their advantage soon after Scales’ opener after with another loan star in the heart of the action.
Leighton Clarkson delivered a sublime cross for Bojan Miovski, who netted with an eight-yard header.
It was North Macedonian international Miovski’s 18th goal of the season in all competitions.
Robson revealed he gave Clarkson, on loan until the end of the season, some half-time advice which paid off.
He said: “The second was a great goal.
“I said to Leighton at half time we just needed that one moment of quality – and he brings that to the table.
“It was hard for Leighton in there as it was sometimes a four v three against Rangers .
“You could see them trying to get the trigger on the press – but we were brave.”
Aggression and pressing high
Aberdeen ended a 10-game run without victory against Rangers at Pittodrie.
The Reds have now secured six clean sheets in the club’s longest winning streak since 2015.
Robson says he devised systems in the build up to the clash to press Rangers.
It paid off.
He said: “In the first 20 minutes, it wasn’t easy as Rangers were flipping out of formation with their box and their diamond.
“Their full-backs stayed low, which made us struggle a wee bit to get our wing-backs on them.
“Once we got organised with that it allowed us to get the timing right for Jonny (Hayes) to go and trigger the press on their full-back.
“Then we started to transition better and the game started to come to us a bit more.
“We are trying to be aggressive and press high.
“We started to make them uncomfortable and then began to transition on them quickly.
“That is when we are at our best.
“We got it right with the way we structured ourselves.
“We worked on a few things with pressing systems against Rangers through the week.
“We picked two ways we thought we would press against them.”
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