Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin must give teen star Fletcher Boyd the chance to deliver an attacking threat- starting against Elgin City.
The Dons were blunt in attack and lacked a creative spark as a goal drought extended to three games with the 3-0 loss at Rangers.
Aberdeen’s season is collapsing and they must haul themselves out of this 12 game winless nosedive dive at Elgin City.
It is shocking that Pape Gueye remains the Dons’ top scorer in the Premiership with five goals despite being ruled out for the last four months by injury.
Aberdeen’s problems in attack were brutally exposed at Ibrox.
Now it is time to give a chance to teenager Boyd to see if he can end the scoring problem.
As an attacking midfielder Boyd proved in his breakthrough at the end of last season that he can bring a goal threat and create chances.
Boyd is good enough to start for Dons
I would pitch the 16-year-old in from the start against Elgin City in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
Boyd will be hungry to make an immediate impact and desperate to grab his chance.
He will also be an unknown quantity for the Borough Briggs club.
Boyd became the youngest scorer in the club’s history when coming off the bench to net in a 4-0 win at Hibs on May 12.
He followed that up by netting a superb goal in the next game, a 5-1 win against Livingston at Pittodrie just three days later.
Soon after those goals Aberdeen moved quickly to beat off competition from a number of big British clubs to sign him on a contract until 2027.
However, the teen has yet to feature in the Premiership this season under Jimmy Thelin.
Boyd has been an unused substitute in recent games and now is the time to use him.
I’m a great believer in if you are good enough, you are old enough.
And from what I have seen of Boyd he is good enough.
The Dons are screaming out for that energy and creativity going forward, and also that killer touch in front of goal.
Boyd could bring that.
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has already signed four players during the January transfer window – but securing a goal-scoring striker remains a priority.
Bojan Miovski goal void not filled
Aberdeen have failed to replace the scoring impact of Bojan Miovski who transferred to Spanish top-flight side Girona last summer.
Miovski netted 26 goals in all competitions last season and that is a massive scoring void that hasn’t been filled.
It is notoriously difficult to sign a proven goal scorer in the January transfer window.
Adam Rooney was signed in January 2014 and he made an immediate, and lasting, impact, which is a rare exception.
On the whole it is extremely difficult to get a proven scorer in the winter window.
If a striker is scoring regularly their club will not want to sell him, not unless it is for a big money fee.
And if a striker is available on loan it is normally because the goals have dried up or he is working back from injury.
The lack of edge in attack for Aberdeen is a major problem.
When that is coupled with the defensive frailties it is a perfect storm for problems to arise, and continue.
Aberdeen need to find that spark going forward at Elgin – and Boyd could be the solution.
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