I don’t think suffering a first Premiership defeat of the season will derail Aberdeen’s impressive start to the league campaign under Jimmy Thelin – and they must focus on trying to keep their gap on rivals Rangers.
Aberdeen immediately bounced back from the 6-0 Premier Sports Cup semi-final loss to Celtic, their first defeat under Thelin.
In the next game after that semi-final setback, the Reds beat Dundee 4-1 at Pittodrie.
And I expect them to immediately recover against Hibs tonight, following Saturday’s 2-1 league defeat at St Mirren.
I’m sure manager Thelin and his players will be very disappointed to have lost their unbeaten league record.
However, the bigger picture is the Dons are sitting second in the Premiership table, eight points ahead of third-placed Rangers – that speaks volumes about the superb start to Premiership campaign.
Aberdeen must try to keep that cushion.
Thelin quickly got his message across
The quality of leaders and champions Celtic is clear, and even though they are competing in Europe, the Parkhead club are still finding a high quality domestically.
It is no disgrace to now be three points behind Celtic at this stage of the season.
To be eight points ahead of Rangers, though, is a fabulous achievement, so everything is still looking very positive – despite that first league loss.
Normally it takes a new manager time to make an impact and get his ideas across, but Thelin has made an immediate impact.
He didn’t have much time to work with the players during pre-season when coming in from Swedish club Elfsborg.
Thelin had to quickly get to know the players and get his style of football over to them so they understood fully what he is looking for.
He has achieved that.
Learning lessons from St Mirren loss
Aberdeen have played 19 games in all competitions this season… and won 16 of them.
They have only lost two and drawn one, with a loss and draw coming against Celtic in Glasgow.
It has been a sensational start under Thelin, which only bodes well for the rest of the season.
So there is absolutely no need for Aberdeen to dwell on the loss to St Mirren or have any lingering negative thoughts about it.
I’m sure they won’t as Thelin appears to be a manager who takes lessons from any setbacks then quickly switches focus to the next game.
What I also like about the Pittodrie manager is he has an aggressive way of playing which is also exciting.
The fans have bought into it and I’m sure people watching Aberdeen will have been impressed by the quality and directness shown.
When I say directness, I don’t mean it in any negative way – I mean it in a very positive way, as Aberdeen take the game to the opposition. That is the way it should be.
No matter who the opponent is, the Dons should always take the game to them.
The strong mental approach Thelin has brought to the players is also there for everyone to see.
There will be set-backs – and losing to St Mirren is one.
But St Mirren are a good team who have turned their season around after being held back initially by their European campaign.
They have had some impressive performances recently so it is not as if Aberdeen faced a team who were struggling.
All focus must be on the future
Aberdeen must take lessons from the loss into a difficult run of fixtures.
Tough games are looming with the trips to Edinburgh to face Hibs on Tuesday and then Hearts on Sunday.
Hibs and Hearts may be at the bottom of the table, but Aberdeen can expect to be tested in the capital in both games.
And after the Edinburgh double-header, the Dons host Celtic at Pittodrie on Wednesday, December 4.
I don’t think Aberdeen can get too negative about losing away to St Mirren.
All the focus must be on the future… not one blip which is now in the past.
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