I hope international commitments don’t impede Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin’s efforts to exploit the international break and get his once-again-stuttering Reds back up to full throttle.
The Dons are now in cold storage ahead of their last three Premiership pre-split games starting at Motherwell on March 29.
As well as clashes with Ross County and Rangers before the league splits into the top and bottom six, they also have their Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts at Hampden.
I think the next two weeks on the training pitch are so important to Thelin, especially as he is probably still embedding recent additions like defenders Alexander Jensen, Mats Knoester and Alfie Dorrington into his squad, getting them to function better within his style of play and with their team-mates.
Another centre-back, Latvia skipper Kristers Tobers, has been out injured, and this respite will give Aberdeen time to get him fit hopefully and back into the side alongside first-choice defensive partner Knoester.
International duty for strikers Kevin Nisbet (Scotland) and Oday Dabbagh (Palestine), wideman Topi Keskinen (Finland under-21s), goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov (Bulgaria) and young forward Fletcher Boyd (Scotland U17s) will rob Thelin of their presence over the break.
But hopefully the work of the coming days can see the Dons return tighter at the back, and more in tune with one another and powerful in attack than they were in Saturday’s stalemate at St Johnstone.
Dons dip at St Johnstone
The game and Aberdeen’s performance at Perth was rather disappointing after their second half to draw 2-2 with Dundee United and then the 4-1 Scottish Cup win over Queen’s Park.
In those matches, chances were being created and Aberdeen were looking threatening.
They looked to have found, both in their starting line-up and substitutions, the correct combinations in attack.
But, unfortunately, down at McDiarmid Park, those qualities evaporated.
I had no issues with the commitment, nor the energy expended.
Thelin has talked about using the international window to build up an “energy” in his side for the final pre-split run-in – but if we are talking about the basic energy of running about, getting stuck in and so on, the Dons had it against Saints. Both sides did.
It was just the creativity or any kind of a goal threat which was lacking.
Having watched many Aberdeen v St Johnstone and St Johnstone v Aberdeen games over the years, I would say I was surprised by the drab fare offered up – but such meetings between the sides have been the norm.
I was excited to see what Shayden Morris could do, given a rare start on league duty and following his sparkling two-assist showing against Queen’s Park.
But we never really saw the speed, willingness to go by the full-back and ability to be the really strong weapon for the Reds we know he possesses.
The two strikers, Kevin Nisbet and Oday Dabbagh – with three and two goals each respectively against United and Spiders – also did not look threatening at all. Yes, there was not a lot of service, but I still expected more from them.
On a weekend where the goals flying in and excitement was everywhere in Scottish football, I’m sure the travelling Dons fans and the home St Johnstone supporters felt much like me – bitter to be stuck at what was a Perth snoozefest!
However, we will have to wait to see until the end of the season whether it proves to be a valuable, if workmanlike, point for Aberdeen.
With third-place rivals Hibs above them dropping points in drawing at Kilmarnock, and Dundee United – in fifth, below the fourth-placed Dons – then losing their derby with Dundee on Sunday, it is hard not to feel it was an opportunity missed by Thelin’s team.
Could manager who bags third claim season’s best boss prize?
The Scottish Premiership’s race to finish third may not just land the successful side Europe, but also provide a strong contender for the manager of the year prize.
I don’t think at the moment you are looking at any of the clubs in the European hunt – Hibs, Aberdeen, Dundee United or Hearts – as being miles better the other ones… something evidenced by the league table.
Aberdeen gaffer Thelin and Hibs boss David Gray were having opposite seasons up until the Dons’ recent rejuvenation.
Thelin started like a house on fire, and was on an incredible unbeaten run during a period when Gray’s job was on the line a few months ago. But Gray has since turned things around impressively, while, for a long spell, the Reds were really flailing.
If one of the two come out on top in the third place race, surely Scottish football debutant Thelin or the written-off Gray would have at least a shout at being named the country’s top manager?
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers looks set to land at least two trophies and will undoubtedly be in the running – though you could argue a couple of pieces of silverware is the minimum expectation, given the Hoops’ budget.
Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin – who is currently in a shaky spell – and Neil Critchley, in charge of outsiders Hearts, would also be in the conversation if they recover third spot before the campaign closes.
Ultimately, over the remaining eight rounds of fixtures, third – and whatever comes with it – will come down to what all of the clubs outside Celtic have been chasing all season long: consistency.
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