The countdown is on to Sunday’s League Cup semi-final between Aberdeen and Rangers.
Ahead of the last-four clash at Hampden the main area of concern for the Dons is the lack of goal threat.
So far this season the Reds have tried a number of options at the top end of the pitch, but still don’t have an established front-line.
Defensively for most of the season Aberdeen have looked pretty strong, although they lost two goals on Saturday in the defeat to Hearts.
But I don’t think there’s much wrong at the back, especially now Scott McKenna is back from suspension.
What the Dons need is a real goal threat. That is the biggest problem, having that “go to” striker.
James Wilson was poor on Saturday. He was anonymous for long spells and when he did have a chance he ballooned it over the crossbar.
That is the most concerning thing for the Red Army and for Derek McInnes, finding that regular goalscorer.
There isn’t anybody in the squad who has really put their hand up to take that mantle of playing up front and scoring.
Wilson, Stevie May and Sam Cosgrove have all had chances while youngsters Connor McLennan and Bruce Anderson have also seen some action. There are plenty of candidates but nobody has grasped the chance.
The rest of the side are good, but the big question mark in my mind is who is the striker?
We have to hope that on Sunday we see more threat in front of goal from Aberdeen.
Semi-finals can be tight affairs and it can often be goalscorers who turn these matches in your favour.
The Dons are still looking for someone who can be the difference between you and the opposition in these crucial matches.
Whoever gets the nod at the weekend will have to look sharper than the strikers have up until now this season.
The Dons go into the semi-final on the back of Saturday’s loss to Hearts at Tynecastle.
It was a game of two halves as Aberdeen bounced back in the second period after a strong first half from the Jambos. Hearts were good, they were physical and played at a high tempo. The penalty that was given and scored by Steven Naismith to make it 2-0 was dubious to say the least. The ball struck Lewis Ferguson’s hand but the spot-kick was given for apparently hauling down Naismith.
Hearts, though, were deserving of their half-time lead because the Dons struggled and didn’t create any chances in the first half.
The two subs, Niall McGinn and Scott Wright, who came on at the break made a big difference and the Reds were much better. They got the goal back thanks to a nice bit of skill from McGinn to win the penalty which Gary Mackay-Steven converted. For Aberdeen they turned in a decent performance in the second period which wasn’t far away from getting them something from the game.
But it is hard for them to have any complaints that they didn’t take anything. It is also worth remembering Hearts are sitting top of the league and have put in some very strong performances.
Going to Tynecastle with the way the Jambos are playing, even coming away with a draw would have been a good result, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.
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