Summer signing Jamie McGrath believes the emphatic league defeat of Ross County can ignite Aberdeen’s faltering season.
The Dons swept aside the Staggies 4-0 at Pittodrie to secure a first league victory in a stuttering start to the campaign.
It is only Aberdeen’s second win this season in 10 matches across all competitions.
Midfielder McGrath accepts recruiting 13 signings in an extensive summer rebuild can no longer be used as an excuse for poor form.
He reckons the rebuilt Dons should have gelled to hit their stride earlier in the season.
McGrath revealed the Reds made a pact in Germany to kick-start the domestic campaign following the 2-1 Conference League group loss at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Aberdeen delivered by sweeping aside Ross County.
Now McGrath has urged the Reds to build momentum by seeing off Ross County again in the League Cup quarter-final in Dingwall on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old said: “We all came to an agreement on Thursday that we needed to kick-start our season against Ross County.
“We knew how important it was to back-up our performance in Germany.
“There are a lot of new faces but we can’t use that as an excuse anymore.
“We need to gel.
“We probably were slower to get going than we wanted.
“Now we are getting going and this should be the start of it.”
Never any ‘doom and gloom’ within Aberdeen squad
Aberdeen still remain second bottom of the Premiership table with just five points from a possible 18.
Despite the slow start to the campaign McGrath insists it was not “doom and gloom” inside Pittodrie.
McGrath said: “I wouldn’t say it was all doom and gloom.
“We put in some really good performances but came out on the wrong side.
“We believe if we keep working hard it will turn.
“On Thursday night in Germany we put on a performance to be proud of in front of an amazing away support.
“Result-a-side it was a positive night for us.
“We took confidence in how well we dug in and stuck together.
“I thought we deserved a draw against a really good Eintracht Frankfurt side
“You can see the quality we have in the dressing room and even the boys coming off the bench.
“It is a really good squad and everybody is in it together.
“We secured a good win against Ross County and hopefully we can continue to keep picking up results.”
Capping a top display in midfield with his first ever Dons goal 🔴#StandFree | @jamie_mc_gra pic.twitter.com/YprmGAd0O7
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) September 25, 2023
Ross County will have a ‘point to prove’ in quarter-final
Should Aberdeen complete a quick-fire double over Ross County it will secure a trip to Hampden for the League Cup semi-final.
After suffering a heavy defeat McGrath expects to face a Staggies side fired up to prove a point in Dingwall.
He said: “I know we won comfortably on Sunday but Ross County are a good side who have quality throughout.
“We will have to go up there in a good mind-set, get through the tie and look forward to Hampden, if possible.
“It is always difficult playing the same team back-to-back.
“The chance to play at Hampden is one we don’t want to pass up.
“We have to recover well and get ready to go for Wednesday.
“Hampden is where you want to be and play.
“You want to give yourself the best opportunity but it is going to be a completely different game.
“They will have a point to prove up on their patch.”
Importance of the Duk-Miovski strike partnership
McGrath was secured on a two-year contact this summer following his exit from English League One Wigan Athletic.
It completed a superb passing move from Aberdeen.
North Macedonian international Miovski bagged a double to take his tally to seven goals in all competitions.
Duk was also on the score-sheet for his first goal of the campaign.
McGrath hailed the importance of the Miovki-Duk strike partnership which bagged 36 goals (18 each) in all competitions last term.
He said: “You have seen at times how important they can be.
“On the counter they look strong and are good at holding up play.
“As a midfielder, that is all you want.
“You saw that against Ross County with them supplying for each other and Bojan supplying for me as well.”
What a finish from Bojan 👏#StandFree | @bojanmiovskii pic.twitter.com/pulo4Z78wt
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) September 25, 2023
McGrath hails ‘outstanding’ Duk
Cape Verde international Duk had endured a 14 game goal drought dating back to last season.
He finally ended that wait for a goal by completing a counter-attacking move he started, firing home from close range against Ross County.
McGrath said: “I’m really happy for Duk to get that first goal.
“You can see the difference it made in his overall play.
“I thought he was outstanding.
“Duk works his socks off every day and if you do that you eventually get your luck.
“It is the same with Bojan.
“We are delighted with Bojan as he is in a rich vein of form at the minute.
“Hopefully, he can keep that going.”
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