Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Graeme Shinnie has clearly been putting the time saved in his haircare routine to good use this summer – learning some smart new skills.
Whether it was from Jimmy Thelin or Gene Kelly is a different matter.
Such was the elusiveness of the captain’s footwork in the penalty area as he put Aberdeen’s Premier Sports Cup group-opener quickly out of Queen of the South’s reach, it was almost as if he was performing a tap routine on the Palmerston plastic.
It was a moment which may turn out to be instructive: more so for this Aberdeen side’s style of play than for its captain’s dancefloor capabilities.
Shinnie’s goal came directly after a period of home possession – albeit an extremely brief one – ended by a turnover inside their penalty area, and that is a tactic of which Thelin’s team will make extensive use.
Opponents should not bank on many moments of peace with the ball.
Equally, the Dons’ third goal is one which is likely to be replicated plenty across the coming months.
Jamie McGrath did not initially appear to be going anywhere in particular when doing his own Irish jig on the left touchline, but when he stepped infield and accelerated around Kyle Doherty, it acted as the trigger for his teammates to burst from their stations and flood the box.
Within five seconds, five Aberdeen players were in the Doonhamers’ 18-yard box, and the raging tide washed the ball into the net before they could properly arrange their defensive lifeboats.
This, against Scotland’s 29th ranked club on last season’s standings, is not a fair representation of the success Aberdeen’s strategy will meet with.
But it was certainly a preview of what they will try to bring to the Premiership table. Blink and you will miss them.
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