Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass insists the burden to deliver goals cannot rest solely on summer signings Christian Ramirez and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
Glass signed United States international Ramirez and Emmanuel-Thomas on two-year deals in a complete rebuild of the Reds’ attack.
Former Livingston striker Emmanuel-Thomas, aka JET, recently said he aimed to hit 20 to 25 goals in his debut season at Pittodrie.
Capped twice by the United States, Ramirez is a proven goal-scorer in Major League Soccer.
However, Glass warned Ramirez and JET must not be the only consistent goal threats.
Glass has challenged wingers, midfielders and defenders to all chip in with goals to aid the bid for success in the upcoming season.
Glass said: “The whole group must add to the goal-scoring.
“We have a couple of focal points up front now with Christian and Jay, so the expectation is they will score goals.
“However, it’s important that the midfielders, centre-halves and wingers are all going to chip in with goals as well.”
Summer overhaul of faltering attack
When appointed manager on March 23, Glass inherited a side with an underperforming attack consisting of three loan players – Florian Kamberi (St Gallen), Fraser Hornby (Stade de Reims) and Callum Hendry (St Johnstone).
The three loan strikers produced a combined return of just three goals in 39 appearances.
Last season, seven different centre-forwards were used with Sam Cosgrove and Curtis Main the top scoring strikers on just three goals each.
Cosgrove, sold to Birmingham City for £3m, and Main, who moved to Shrewsbury, had both struggled with injury before being transferred in the January window.
On-loan Marley Watkins, from Bristol City, netted twice before a hamstring injury ended his time at Aberdeen. During his spell at Pittodrie, Watkins had been influential and his absence was a major blow.
Bruce Anderson, who was out of contract at Pittodrie in the summer, also featured up front last season before loan spells at Ayr United and Hamilton.
Glass had been keen to secure Anderson on a new deal, but the striker opted to join Livingston on a three-year contract.
The combined goal total of all seven strikers last season was just 11 goals.
Aberdeen netted just 34 goals in the 38 Premiership matches to equal the worst goal return in a league campaign in the club’s 118-year history.
Top scorer last season was Scotland U21 international midfielder Lewis Ferguson on 10 goals – with six of those penalties.
The need to completely revamp a misfiring attack was Glass’ main priority during the summer and he acted by securing Ramirez and JET.
Glass recently refused to rule out the possibility of signing another striker in the window.
Time last season was vital for rebuild
Having taken over the club with the post-split fixtures and Scottish Cup campaign remaining, Glass was able to assess much more than the faltering attack in preparation for the 2021-22 campaign.
Glass insists the time he and assistant Allan Russell had working with the squad at the end of last season is now paying off his new-look Dons, bolstered by six signings, prepare for the Uefa Europa League Conference League clash with BK Hacken.
Aberdeen host the Swedish side at Pittodrie in the second qualifying round first leg on Thursday July 22.
Preparations step up a notch when the Reds face Inverness Caley Thistle on Thursday in a closed-door friendly at Cormack Park.
The Dons then face Championship side Reading and Scottish Cup and League Cup winners St Johnstone at the training facility next week.
Both of those friendly matches will be played on the same day, also behind closed doors.
Glass said: “That four or five weeks was constant, but will be invaluable for us going forward.
“We got a good look at the players and knew what they could handle.
“We have already altered their training habits slightly.
“Every time there is a change of staff, training habits change and they know how we want to work.
“Coming into pre-season following the backdrop from last season and them knowing how we are going to work – it was really important we did that.”
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