Aberdeen Seeks Revival Amidst Early Season Struggles
“When we release the handbrake and start playing, then everybody grows.”
Aberdeen fans have been eagerly anticipating a moment when manager Jimmy Thelin's team can fully unleash their potential.
After suffering a 2-0 defeat to Motherwell on Saturday, the Scottish Cup holders find themselves at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership, still searching for their first league goal of the season.
The upcoming match against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa Conference League on Thursday understandably raised concerns among supporters.
However, despite a narrow 3-2 loss to the Ukrainian side, there were glimpses of hope amid a challenging period that has offered little brightness.
In the lead-up to the match, captain Graeme Shinnie acknowledged that the players had “100 percent” let down Thelin this season, prompting the question: can Dons fans still hold onto optimism for the remainder of the year?
New Arrivals Provide Hope After Dismal Start
Three new summer signings were included in Thelin's starting lineup against Shakhtar, and each one justified the manager's trust.
Stuart Armstrong, Marko Lazetic, and Jesper Karlsson were instrumental in both defensive efforts and attacking plays.
Lazetic, formerly with AC Milan, and on-loan Bologna winger Karlsson arrived with high expectations, and both demonstrated their capabilities. Lazetic showed promise with his ability to hold the ball and create shooting opportunities in tight spaces, adding a much-needed dimension to an attack that had been ineffective for months.
Karlsson displayed crucial confidence by converting an early penalty and remained active, contributing to both offensive and defensive efforts.
Armstrong played a key role in linking the play, excelling off the ball by working tirelessly to prevent the visitors from advancing into the final third.
Can Encouraging Second Half Spark a Turnaround for the Dons?
When Nicky Devlin scored the second goal for his side with 20 minutes remaining, following a spectacular effort from Lazetic that hit the crossbar, the home fans matched the players' energy as they hoped for a thrilling finish.
“The positive thing was we were connecting with the fans, showing some desire, passion, and personality on the pitch and fighting for Aberdeen football club,” Thelin remarked.
“We have to build on this now and learn from this. We must always go out on the pitch to demonstrate how hard we are fighting for them. The fans pushed the players until the last minute. We need to maintain that mentality in every game. Now we will see the strength of character we have as a team in another important match on Sunday.”
The support from fans at Pittodrie during the final half hour of the match will serve as encouragement for Thelin, who can take comfort in the backing of the fan base.
Shakhtar came into the match with a reputation for dynamic attacking play, having scored 14 goals in their last seven league matches, but Aberdeen matched their intensity during the game's most frantic moments.
Pragmatism in Formation Paying Off for Thelin
In his pre-match comments, Thelin expressed enthusiasm for his team's new formation.
Since arriving in Scotland last summer, Thelin had primarily employed a 4-2-3-1 system, with one notable exception—a 5-3-2 formation used in the Scottish Cup final against Celtic. However, he has now shifted to a hybrid defense featuring three central defenders and two versatile wingbacks.
It remains to be seen how Thelin will approach the upcoming match against Dundee on Sunday. Nonetheless, former Aberdeen captain Willie Miller expressed optimism about the team's direction.
“When it went to 3-1, you felt Aberdeen had nothing to lose, although there was a bit of nervousness that it could get embarrassing,” he noted. “Suddenly, they opened up, and the entire game shifted. Lazetic’s turn and strike was exceptional. It’s telling when fans stay back and applaud a team that has shown guts, determination, and skill to get back into the game. You can see that things are starting to turn around.”