The new centre-back partnership of Kristers Tobers and Mats Knoester have made an impressive start at Aberdeen … and will only get better.
A defensive vulnerability had been one of the key problems in the long run without a Premiership run which finally ended with a 2-1 win at Dundee.
At the heart of the defence in that win at Dens Park were centre-backs Tobers and Knoester who were both signed in the January transfer window.
They look like a strong pairing with a good balance.
Tobers and Knoester are both athletic, powerful, strong in the air and dangerous in the opposition’s box.
Latvian international captain Tobers was secured from Swiss club Grasshoppers and has impressed every time I have watched him in action for the Dons.
Tobers is an accomplished defender who makes things look easy.
He has brought some calmness and stability to the back.
Partnership will only get stronger
Signed on transfer deadline day following his exit from Hungarian club Ferencvaros, Knoester also looks to be a strong signing.
The partnership of Tobers and Knoester will improve further as time goes on once they get a deeper understanding of one another.
The January signing of Alexander Jensen has also been a key addition as he has also impressed and can play at both right-back and left-back.
Centre-back Alfie Dorrington was also secured on loan from Tottenham.
In another defensive change centre-back Slobodan Rubezic was sent on loan to former club Novi Pazar until the end of the season.
Aberdeen’s board backed Thelin’s rebuild of the defence during the winter window and so far it looks to be paying off.
Following a successful window where Thelin secured six new additions the Reds manager now has options in every position.
Thelin has options to the extent he can leave out captain Graeme Shinnie and vice-captain Nicky Devlin from his starting line-up, which was the case at Dundee.
Having options throughout the team puts the pressure on all the players to perform.
A new manager always needs time to get signings in to build his own team.
Thelin’s team rebuild starting to gel
After a sensational 16 game unbeaten start to the season in all competitions it didn’t initially look like Thelin needed that time to rebuild.
However, as the season progressed the frailties began to show.
We are now beginning to see Thelin’s team after two transfer windows.
During the 14 game Premiership winless run patience was shown by the Pittodrie board and Thelin.
That patience is now beginning to pay off with the team looking like they are finally beginning to gel.
The win against Dundee takes the pressure off Thelin and his players as they are now up to third place in the Premiership.
It is amazing that Aberdeen are now third in the table despite a run of 14 league games without a victory.
Amazing that Dons are now third
That is down to a mixture of how well Aberdeen did in the early stages of the season, and the inability of rivals to build any real momentum to punish the Reds’ slump.
When you are in third spot after a 14 game winless league run the other teams like Dundee United, Hearts and Hibs have not performed.
Finishing third in the Premiership has to to be the target for the Dons this season.
Special mention has to go to the Aberdeen fans who yet again travelled in force to Dens Park, despite a long winless league collapse.
The Red Army were absolutely magnificent and created a phenomenal atmosphere.
They were well rewarded by Topi Keskinen’s superb goal to put the Reds 2-0 up.
Moving back into third position will give Thelin and his players a huge boost.
However, there are a lot of games still to be played between now and the end of the season.
The season is definitely looking much brighter after the win at Dundee and a successful transfer window.
Aberdeen must use a successful transfer window and ending the league winless run as a catalyst to reignite the season.
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