Aberdeen interim boss Peter Leven insists Bojan Miovski’s team-mates are key to getting the club’s leading goalscorer back firing again.
Miovski has scored 22 goals for the Dons this season but is going through the longest barren spell of his Aberdeen career after going eight games without scoring.
Interim manager Leven believes Miovski’s struggles in front of goal are due to him being left isolated but insists the North Macedonian international’s confidence has not been adversely affected.
Leven said: “At times he has been isolated.
“At times we have also gone a wee bit direct to him and that is not his game either.
“We need to find little areas where we can use him more to our advantage and slip little balls down the side for him.”
When asked if the forward’s confidence had been dented Leven replied: “Bojan’s confidence? No, Bojan is a confident boy.”
Improving the supply is key
Miovski was last on the scoresheet for his club when he netted both goals in the 2-0 win against Bonnyrigg Rose in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup on February 10.
Leven believes it is up to the striker’s team-mates to improve the supply for Miovski.
He said: “That is something we can rectify. We had a chat last week about getting more bodies about him to give him a wee bit more support.
“He is a natural finisher and we need to give him more opportunities.
“We have Junior Hoilett, out on the left who is cutting inside and putting good balls in as well.”
Clean sheet crucial for Clarkson
Miovski struck the post before Leighton Clarkson converted the rebound in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Motherwell.
The win was Aberdeen’s first in 12 league matches and the club’s first clean sheet in the Premiership since the 3-0 win at Ross County on January 2.
Clarkson believes the victory was a vital one for his side.
He said: “We knew we had to go to Motherwell and get three points.
“We knew going to Motherwell would be a tough game and after taking the lead we should have been a bit more clinical.
“But we’ve thrown away leads in games like that all year so it was good to see it out and keep a clean sheet.”
The margin of victory could have been greater for the Dons but Clarkson believes shutting out Motherwell was equally important for his side after a wretched run of results.
The midfielder said: “There have been so many games this year where we’ve thrown it away or VAR has gone against us.
“We had meetings all week about our style of play and watching for each other.
“But at Motherwell we looked really good in possession in the first half and we took the goal well.
“When we keep the ball we’re good technical players. We got our rotations right and they couldn’t cope with the movement. It set us up well.
“Everyone to a man was brilliant.”
‘We’ve put ourselves in this position’
The victory was an important one given Ross County also picked up three points thanks at home to Hearts.
The Dons remain three points clear of the 11th placed Staggies but have moved above St Johnstone thanks to their win at Fir Park.
Clarkson knows his side has to build on their important win.
He said: “The fans have supported us all year and we’ve been nowhere near good enough.
“It has been a tough few months for us and we’re hurting as much as everyone else.
“We’ve put ourselves in this situation and it’s up to us to get ourselves out of it.”
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