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Willie Miller column: Aberdeen need to show signs of improvement as poor run continues

by Willie Miller
16/02/2021, 12:45 pm
© Darrell Benns/DCT MediaAberdeen have won only once in their last nine games.
Aberdeen have won only once in their last nine games.

Aberdeen need to show they are capable of ending their poor form in the coming games.

The Dons have failed to score in their last five matches and have won only once in nine outings.

It’s a bad run, uninspiring for anyone watching and it has led to mounting pressure on Derek McInnes and his players.

Only winning once in nine is disappointing enough, but when you’re not scoring it’s more dispiriting and makes the supporters more restless.

I thought Saturday’s game against St Mirren could have been a turning point, particularly when the management had had some more time working with the new strikers, with the exception of Florian Kamberi, who hasn’t had much training time.

But the conditions spoiled the game and it was hard to gauge any progress.

Aberdeen face Celtic on tomorrow and it would be some way to turn things around and break this run if they could win at Parkhead.

I still think time needs to be afforded, because goals can be scored and victories can be secured by the Dons.

The new strikeforce needs time to build up an understanding with the rest of the team, but ultimately patience does run out.

© Darrell Benns/DCT Media
Fraser Hornby is one of the strikers Aberdeen have brought in to try to change their fortunes in front of goal.

I still think McInnes should be given the opportunity to finish the season and try to turn the performances and results around.

However, you need some kind of visual hope things will improve.

In the next few games, the Red Army need to see that the new strikers are making an impact, that the change of shape is also working and that goals will be scored and wins will come.

Parkhead spark

When it comes to changing their fortunes, Aberdeen need a big performance and a big result to start the turnaround.

A victory against Celtic could certainly do that. I’ve been in that position as a player when you win at somewhere like Parkhead – it makes you feel better about yourselves, makes you more confident and gives you belief.

These are all really important things which drain when performances and results are disappointing and you need something to spark that change.

It’s good performances that are required to turn things around.

© SNS Group
A victory against Celtic could be the a turning point for Derek McInnes’ side.

Aberdeen are in the mire just now with the form they’ve been in, performances haven’t been up to standard and the board have had to come out and back the manager.

But the way to come out of that is by producing good performances and Celtic would be the ideal place to start.

It’s not the same Celtic side as we’ve seen in previous seasons and, although they are still second in the Premiership, the Dons have to believe they can win at Parkhead.

I don’t think it’s beyond them and, if they could leave Glasgow with three points, it could be the platform for better form, a strong finish to the season and trying to beat Hibs to third place.

Saints spoiler

The Reds drew 0-0 with St Mirren at the weekend and the conditions made it a painful watch and I felt for the players trying to perform in a severe and unpredictable wind.

In those conditions, both sets of players tend to take the safety-first approach and there was hardly a decent chance created in the 90 minutes.

It was an afternoon of slips, scrambles, misplaced and mistimed passes.

The game could have been postponed as a result of the wind, because it meant the possibility of any entertainment being on show was very low.

It finished 0-0 and the only way I could see that changing was if somebody made a mistake in defence to gift the opposition a goal.

I don’t think you can make too many judgements from a game that was dominated by a gale-force wind.

The performances and results have been disappointing and frustrating and Saturday’s game was another frustrating afternoon.

But the reason for that was conditions spoiling the game and it was difficult to see if any progress has been made by the Dons.

Despite that, it’s another disappointing result and another blank in front of goal for the Reds.

Kamberi can make big impact for Reds

Florian Kamberi is someone who can make an impact for Aberdeen in attack.

The striker made his debut in difficult conditions in the 0-0 draw with St Mirren at the weekend.

Kamberi looked impressive and showed glimpses of the player we know he can be from his time at Hibs.

The Albanian took up some good positions and kept trying to impact the game, and in better conditions you would have seen a better display.

But the 26-year-old’s past performances show he is tried and tested in the Scottish Premiership.

In contrast, Fraser Hornby is the opposite – where you see great potential and hope he can fulfil that at Pittodrie, but he’s not yet proven himself at club level.

Out of the three strikers signed at the end of the transfer window, Kamberi is the one who has proven he can score goals consistently at a high level.

Kamberi was lively and showed some good movement coming short to link the play against St Mirren.

© Darrell Benns/DCT Media
Aberdeen’s Florian Kamberi shooting at goal against St Mirren. Picture by Darrell Benns

He showed some signs of what he can do against the Buddies and – once he gets games under his belt – if he can build on that performance, then he can have a big impact for Aberdeen.

If Kamberi was able to link up with Hornby and bring the best out of him, it would be even better, because Dons fans need to see a strikeforce that can cause defences problems and score goals.

Callum Hendry is also in the mix and he’s a slightly different player in that he’s more robust and workmanlike in some aspects, but he can also make an impact.

However, Kamberi is the striker I’m looking at against Celtic tomorrow and in the games after that to make a big impression.