Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday believes Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has taken a leaf out of former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi’s book to get the Dons off to a flying start.
The Steelmen were beaten 2-1 by the Dons as Thelin rattled off his 10th straight win since taking charge at Pittodrie last weekend.
Halliday, who played in the defeat at Pittodrie, has labelled Thelin’s side as the best Aberdeen team in years – and believes the Dons’ style is similar to that of Marseille manager De Zerbi, who managed Brighton between 2022 and 2024.
Halliday, speaking on the Open Goal podcast, said: “I was very impressed with them. It’s the best Aberdeen team I’ve played against for a long time.
“They are good individually, but more importantly they are much better collectively. They have a clear style.
“I felt the midfield area was very De Zerbi like in terms of the midfielders.
“They would move off the striker’s press so when our lone striker pressed their centre-half, the two sixes would follow the striker, so gave us as sixes a bigger distance to press.
“As we pressed (Pape) Gueye or (Topi) Keskinen would come off the line into the pocket and wrap it through and get turned.
“The full-backs invert quite a lot.
“I’d be interested to hear from anyone at Aberdeen. I’m comparing it to De Zerbi but I’d love to know whether it was by design.
“I imagine it will be as everything else (Thelin) does is by design.”
Gueye makes an impression
Halliday acknowledged the new arrivals at Aberdeen have strengthened the squad, but it was the improvement in the squad from last season which really stood out at Pittodrie.
The former Rangers and Hearts midfielder said: “It’s no surprise given he scored the two goals, but Gueye really impressed me and (Topi) Keskinen was really good.
“Even the likes of (Shayden) Morris comes on with his pace.
“A couple of new signings have improved them, but Gueye was nowhere near it last year at Aberdeen and has come in and improved them.
“(Vicente) Besuijen has done really well, Morris has improved. He has improved boys who were there last year as well.”
Halliday encouraged by second half showing
Halliday says his side struggled to contain the Dons in what was an impressive first-half showing from the home side, but was pleased to the Steelmen impose themselves after the interval.
He said: “In the first half, Aberdeen were very good. We couldn’t get to grips with the game at all in the first half.
“In the second half, we were much better. We changed a couple of things in the way we pressed and our centre-halves stepped out which forced them to go a wee bit longer at times.
“We created a lot more chances and had a few at the end. (Dimitar) Mitov made a really good save from Liam Gordon’s header.
“I didn’t realise how good it was as it was behind him and he clawed it back and away.
“But on the basis of the game they deserved to win.”
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