Aberdeen

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Jimmy Thelin has been speaking to the media before Aberdeen's Premiership game at Ross County this weekend.

Here are the key lines:

• On the prospect of new arrivals before Friday's transfer deadline: "We are still working on things."

• The Dons boss says that from his experience things tend to happen in the final few hours of the window, but adds "I'm calm right now".

• A win in Dingwall could see Aberdeen go into the international break top of the table – when asked if that was added motivation, Thelin says he is just focusing on this game and doesn’t look at "what ifs".

• Aberdeen need to be "100% to take the fight" to County, who have a strong home record under Don Cowie.

• On Pape Habib Gueye who has made an impressive start to the season, Thelin says: "He is a good person, a good human and a good dancer."

• Dante Polvara and Leighton Clarkson remain out.

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• Ross County are winless in seven league meetings with Aberdeen (D3 L4) since winning 1-0 away from home in April 2022.

• Aberdeen have only lost one of their last 10 league visits to Ross County (W6 D3), and are unbeaten in five (W2 D3) since a 4-1 defeat in January 2021.

• Ross County are winless in six league games (D4 L2), while last time out against Rangers they suffered their joint-heaviest ever top-flight defeat (6-0, also 6-0 vs Celtic in October 2019).

• Aberdeen, along with Celtic, are one of two sides to win all three of their Scottish Premiership games so far this season. The last club other than Celtic to win each of their opening four matches of a season in the division were Hearts in 2018-19 (first 5), while Aberdeen last did so in 2017-18 (first 4).

• Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath has more combined goals and assists (5 – 2 goals, 3 assists) than any player in the league so far this season. His three assists are already his most ever in a single campaign in the competition.

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Just two games into his Aberdeen career, Topi Keskinen has received his first call-up to the senior Finland squad.

The 21-year-old winger, who moved to Pittodrie from HJK Helsinki earlier this month, has been summoned for the opening Nations League qualifiers against Greece and England.

Keskinen, capped eight times at Under-21 level, came off the bench to score the winner on his Dons debut against Queen's Park and made his first start in the 2-0 win over Kilmarnock last weekend.

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Aberdeen's victory over Kilmarnock on Sunday extended their current record-breaking run to eight wins.

That is a sequence that hasn't previously been achieved by any Dons side at the start of a campaign, and when you consider it eluded those great teams of the 1980s, it is no mean feat.

People will point to five of those wins coming against lower-league opposition in the League Cup, however, Alex Ferguson's men also contended with early-season games in that competition and failed to string eight victories together at the beginning of a season. Indeed, that record was broken before the Kilmarnock game.

Jimmy Thelin has absolutely smashed the managerial record that was previously four wins achieved by the late Billy McNeill in 1977 at the start of his reign.

With a trip to Ross County before the international break and home games against Motherwell and Spartans to come, Dons fans are hoping this run can go into double figures.

Just two players have scored against Aberdeen in these eight matches, with the only other strike they have conceded an own goal during their opening Premiership victory at St Johnstone.

And we are seeing just why Republic of Ireland legend Damien Duff was so upset to be losing young centre-back Gavin Molloy from his title-chasing Shelbourne side. The 22-year-old has looked composed alongside Slobodan Rubezic, who is only 24 himself.

Aberdeen had been desperate to land Molloy's countryman Liam Scales for big money a year ago before the latter stamped himself on the Celtic first team to the point he now plays every week for the champions.

But in Molloy, they have someone who appears to be excellent business. And while it's an area of the team Thelin is hoping to strengthen this week, the Dons have looked comfortable so far and none more so than against a tired looking Killie at the weekend.

The main headline from the game at Pittodrie is the continuing redemption arc of Pape Habib Gueye, who scored both goals.

The striker looked out of place last season before a productive loan at Norwegian top-flight side Kristiansund got him firing again. He finds himself joint top scorer in the Premiership early on this term and could prove to be a bonus ball for Thelin.

Gary Scott
Fan writer

The records just keep on tumbling for Jimmy Thelin.

Aberdeen’s routine 2-0 win over Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon saw the Swede make it eight wins from eight since arriving. It’s the first time we’ve won eight games in a row in all competitions since 1995.

It also made it three wins from our opening three league games for the first time since the 2017-18 season.

The Dons are also now unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions, which is the longest run of that sort since 1987, and we have gone 12 league games without defeat, the longest such sequence since the 2015-16 season.

All in all, it’s hard not to be swept up with the enthusiasm. Given Hearts and Hibs’ indifferent starts to the campaign and with Kilmarnock still to pick up a point, it was imperative Aberdeen got another victory on Sunday.

That has seen an eight-point gap open up on the Edinburgh sides and nine points on Killie – all sides who would feel that they should be competing with Aberdeen for European spots this season.

Some may point to the run of fixtures Thelin has faced in order to temper the optimism. On one hand that is fair. Aberdeen’s progress in the League Cup has been founded upon victories over lower-league opposition and the opening league fixtures have been similarly favourable, but Thelin’s men can only deal with what has been put in front of them.

Thelin has been at pains to remind the Dons to take it one game at a time and to extol the virtue of patience – he is only too well aware as to how quickly football can turn on its head - but there’s a resounding sense of calm now flowing from Pittodrie.

Thelin’s early success has largely been down to getting a tune out of players, such as Sunday’s goal hero Pape Habib Gueye. The Senegalese striker was loaned out to Kristiansund in January and there was significant doubt as to whether we’d see him again.

Gueye has repaid the opportunity afforded to him by Thelin by netting three times in the league, with an impressive ratio of a goal every 57 minutes. Gueye is by no means the finished article but he provides the Dons with a different type of striker to trouble defences.

Thelin will be desperate to round off this segment of the season with another three points at Ross County on Saturday. A win would put the Dons clear at the top of the table for at a day.

If that comes to fruition, then the suave Swede may need to invoke nuclear levels of expectation dampening!

Gary Scott can be found at the ABZ Football Podcast, external

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Aiden McGeady admits he will "be very surprised" if Aberdeen are "not knocking on the door for third place" this season, given their superb start.

The Dons remain undefeated under Jimmy Thelin with eight wins from eight, their latest a 2-0 victory against Kilmarnock on Sunday and the former Republic of Ireland international, among others, has been impressed.

"We're only three games in, but to pick up maximum points for Aberdeen, considering the campaign they had last year, it's a big change," the Ayr United winger said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"The new manager's come in and I think you can see a difference in the way he's trying to play and that was set out quite early when he took over.

"You can see there's a big change in attitude and the way they approach games."

McGeady cited the "good recruitment" too, and as someone who knows the latest addition in Kevin Nisbet, he's expecting big things from his old Hibs teammate.

"The signing of Kevin Nisbet is a shrewd piece of business," he added. "I'm surprised he didn't go back to Hibs, but it just shows that Aberdeen are definitely trying to go places in the Premiership this year.

"It's very early in the season, but I'll be very surprised if they're not knocking on the door for third place. I think that's where they want to be."

You can listen and surprise to the Scottish Football Podcast here

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Aberdeen won yet again under Jimmy Thelin as they beat Kilmarnock in the Premiership on Sunday, and the Dons have two players in my Team of the Week.

It was something of a toss-up between Slobodon Rubezic and Gavin Malloy for the centre-back berth, with both excellent.

Malloy gets the nod for earning the most fulsome praise from Willie Miller on Sportsound (I'll take his recommendation).

Pape Gueye has been a bit of an enigma at Aberdeen until now but he is taking his chance under Thelin and took his goals well against Killie as well as occupying the visiting defence.

More good news for Thelin is that he has several striking options with Gueye, Ester Sokler and the newly-arrived Kevin Nisbet.

Watch highlights from Aberdeen's Scottish Premiership victory over Kilmarnock.

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We asked you for your views following Aberdeen's victory against Kilmarnock which keeps their perfect start to the season in tact.

Here's what you had to say:

Mark: That was the most controlled performance I’ve seen from Aberdeen since Derek McInnes was Dons manager. We totally dominated the whole game and never once looked in danger of conceding or losing the game. Pape Gueye's headers were fantastic and shows the power he has in the box against central defenders.

Jimibob: An encouraging start. Not the first time we have come away from a match this season thinking 'we could have scored four or five'. It's looking an exciting project. Killie did well to not let us walk over them, especially with tired legs and a man down. However, a deserved win. Exciting to see Nisbet, though not chuffed with Sokler missing another sitter.

Alan: A decent start to the season, but let's not get carried away. The squad is taking shape and with the attacking options we have perhaps best if Bavidge and Boyd are sent out on loan.

Minhotep: Having four decent strikers looks good. Midfield is good and will be stronger with Polvara and Clarkson. Central defence is concerning. They haven't really been tested yet and may be vulnerable. Eight straight wins sounds impressive, but five against lower league opponents and three against probable relegation fodder takes the shine off it.

Marti: Absolutely loving it. If this is the start of Jimmy's plan, then I'm up for it. Good signings, too. I'm a happy Don.

Fred: Great game. Fantastic to see how committed and dominant the team were. So different from last season! It is really beginning to look like we can make a huge impact this campaign. One very happy supporter.

Niall: The level of intensity was too much for Killie today. On another day, with more clinical finishing, the Dons could have blown them away. The confidence throughout this group is building week on week and while you can argue the fixtures have been favourable, the recent additions of Keskinen and Nisbet should ensure goals will flow. Positive vibes.

Ian: Aberdeen look comfortable on the ball moving forward. We need to see how we cope under pressure as of today we have not been tested. Let's hope we can keep composure when we play against the Old Firm and established sides who are vying for top place finish.

Duncan: Two great league wins with some fantastic movement and passing. Finally showing good fluidity. But very early days, let's see how far we can improve before getting ahead of ourselves.

Great to see the league table at the moment, but we will inevitably hit a rough patch, how we handle that rough patch will be a better guide of where we are.

Ross: Aberdeen were in total control of the match against Killie. Shinnie seems to be playing the best I have ever seen him and Gueye has obviously found a new lease of life. The competition for places is heating up now. All signs pointing to qualifying for Europe comfortably at this rate...

Aberdeen have now won eight in a row under manager Jimmy Thelin, with Pape Habib Gueye upstaging new arrival, Kevin Nisbet, by scoring both goals against Kilmarnock.

Were you at the game or see it elsewhere? Give us your thoughts on their progress under the Swede here., external

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Jimmy Thelin has stressed it is "just three games in the league" despite his Aberdeen side going eight matches unbeaten since the start of the season following his arrival as manager.

"It is a long journey in front of us and we need to just stay focused and prepare for the next game," he told BBC Scotland after the 2-0 win over Kilmarnock. "We need to stay focused."

A "very happy" Thelin said: "It is another great atmosphere today and how the players are fighting for each other.

"It was a tough game and how we stick together and improve every game and compete.

"It was quite stable and the team is growing and more and more players are contributing. I see it on the training pitch, everyone is catching our ideas and it is good."

Pape Habib Gueye scored a double and Thelin was pleased with the striker's contribution at set plays both in defence and attack.

"He is clever how he positions himself inside the box and I'm really happy for him and also for us of course - important goals he's scored now," the manager said.

Thelin was also pleased with winger Topi Keskinen's first start and fellow new signing Kevin Nisbet's debut from the bench.

Asked if there might be any more signings before the end of the transfer window, he added: "Even when the window is closed, they will be working for the next window."

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin thought that Kilmarnock's participation in Conference League qualifying would mean they would arrive at Pittodrie "in the rhythm".

However, it was the home side who were quickly dancing into the visiting penalty box.

With Kevin Nisbet, their loan arrival from Millwall, starting on the bench, another summer signing, Finnish winger Topi Keskinen, was the early tormentor of the visiting defence in his first Aberdeen start.

Thelin will be hoping the Scotland striker will make a similar impact after being brought to the club to replace Bojan Miovski after the Macedonia international's big-money sale to Girona.

However, Pape Habib Gueye is obviously in no mood to play second fiddle after returning from his own loan spell with Kristiansund as they won promotion from Norway's second tier - and his physique proved a constant threat to a normally sturdy Kilmarnock defence on top of his headed double.

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Saturday signing Kevin Nisbet is among Aberdeen's substitutes against Motherwell after the Scotland striker joined on loan from Millwall.

Home boss Jimmy Thelin makes two changes to his starting line-up, with centre-half Slobodan Rubezic and winger Topi Keskinen, making his first start, replacing Jack Milne and Shayden Morris, who both make the bench.

Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes also makes two changes, with Robbie Deas replacing the suspended Joe Wright in defence and winger Danny Armstrong starting in the absence of captain Kyle Vassell, the striker having picked up a knock in Copenhagen on Thursday.

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Aberdeen are still without injured midfielders Leighton Clarkson (shoulder) and Dante Polvara (hamstring) as well as the AWOL Duk.

Kilmarnock are likely to make a series of changes amid their European clash with Copenhagen. Joe Wright is suspended, captain Kyle Vassell went off with a knock in Denmark, Robby McCrorie (groin) is a doubt while Corrie Ndaba and Kyle Magennis are nearing fitness.

Aberdeen have agreed a loan deal with Millwall to sign former Hibernian striker Kevin Nisbet. (Daily Record)

Kevin Nisbet was also wanted by Hibs, who he left for £2m last year, but has opted against a return to Easter Road. (Scottish Sun)

Click here to read Saturday's Scottish football gossip in full.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov says nobody at the club is getting carried away by their "amazing" start to the campaign "because in football things can change really quickly".

The 27-year-old, who arrived from St Johnstone earlier this summer, has helped Jimmy Thelin start his managerial reign with a seven-game unbeaten run heading into Sunday's Scottish Premiership visit by Kilmarnock.

"We just need to stay humble," the Bulgaria international said. "We need to stay grounded as much as possible because in football things can change really quickly, but it has been a really good start for us.

‘We don’t want to look ahead too much. We don’t want to be flying in the skies because we have not done anything.

"Yes, it has been an amazing start. It has been a really exciting time around the club. A new manager comes in, it is almost like a new era so everybody that he has brought in and the lads that were here last season, they are all really good football players."

However, he stressed that they are "taking it game by game" because it takes time to get used to the new style of playing.

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Aberdeen defender Richard Jensen has joined Danish top-flight club Vejle Boldklub on loan.

Jensen, 28, joined the Dons in 2023 and has made 41 appearances for the club, but leaves in search of regular minutes.

"Richard wants to play regularly and at the moment his opportunities here have been limited," said manager Jimmy Thelin.

"His application and attitude in training have been first class since we arrived, but Richard recognises that he won’t start every game and as the professional that he is, he wants to be playing competitive football consistently."

Jamie McGrath has made a flying start to the season with Aberdeen.

The 27-year-old midfielder has provided a goal and an assist each time as the Dons opened their Premiership campaign with back-to-back wins over St Johnstone and St Mirren.

Aberdeen lost all three league meetings with Kilmarnock last season without scoring, but McGrath and his team-mates will be in confident mood as they aim for an eighth successive victory under manager Jimmy Thelin.

The last player to score and assist in three straight outings in the top flight was Celtic’s Anthony Stokes in May 2014.

Read the rest of this weekend's Premiership picks.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelinhas credited a "good team spirit" for the spread of goals throughout his squad in their fine start to the season.

It's seven wins from seven games across the league and League Cup for Thelin, who welcomes former Dons manager Derek McInnes to Pittodrie on Sunday with his Kilmarnock side.

In those seven wins, 13 different players have scored, something which has heartened Thelin.

"I am really happy that we have had so many different goal scorers," the Swede said.

"We have threats from different areas of the pitch, but also how we win, how we fight to have a clean sheet, how we defend together.

"I think we have healthy competition in the squad. Everybody has to train well and train hard to be in the squad and it's always good when there is this feel good atmosphere in the dressing room.

"How they push each other and celebrate goals, even if someone hasn’t played so much. Outside the squad it's still a good team spirit and for me, that is the most important thing.

"But it is still the early part of the season and we have only played two league games, we have to stay focused and be ready for the game on Sunday."