Aberdeen

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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You could look back through recent Aberdeen reports and copy and paste this section by now.

Bereft of confidence, worryingly flat, and conceding first yet again - Jimmy Thelin does not have his problems to seek.

They were unable to get a foothold in the game in the opening 45 minutes and were unable to cope with the lively attacking threats they faced, particularly in Maswanhise.

Rubezic's dismissal only made the task at hand all the more difficult.

However, there are some positives to be found.

Down to ten men and chasing a two-goal deficit, their second-half display with encouraging. Leighton Clarkson was brought on at the interval and formed an attacking duo with Duk that fashioned a couple of decent opportunities, with the former Liverpool midfielder smacking a shot off the bar.

Still fourth, for now, they'll just be hoping they're due a win by the law of averages at this rate, as they seem unable to conjure one up by their own doing.

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Motherwell striker Apostolos Stamatelopolous is a major doubt with a strain and Lennon Miller, Steve Seddon, Ross Callachan, Callum Slattery and Zach Robinson remain out.

Aberdeen striker Ester Sokler went off injured on Thursday and will be assessed, but centre-half Slobodan Rubezic and midfielders Sivert Heltne Nilsen and Ante Palaversa are all back from suspension.

Goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov has been ruled out for four weeks following his recent return from a hamstring injury, while Vicente Besuijen, Jack Milne and Pape Habib Gueye are still sidelined.

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Aberdeen have recalled striker Alfie Bavidge from his loan deal at Ayr United and loaned him to League 1 side Inverness Caledonian Thistle along with midfielder Alfie Stewart.

Bavidge, 18, scored two goals in 14 Championship appearances this season after an impressive spell at Kelty Hearts last term.

Stewart spent the second half of last season with Peterhead in League 2 and now joins Bavidge in the Highlands.

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• Motherwell have lost six of their last seven league meetings with Aberdeen (D1) since a 3-2 victory in August 2022.

• Aberdeen have won each of their last three away league visits to Motherwell, this after only winning one of their previous five beforehand (D2 L2).

• Motherwell are winless in four league games (D2 L2), last going longer without victory in December 2023 (run of 15).

• Aberdeen are winless in nine league games (D3 L6), losing each of their last four in a row – not since October 2021 have the Dons lost five in succession in the Scottish Premiership.

• Aberdeen's Duk has scored five goals in his last five Scottish Premiership appearances against Motherwell – this despite only starting two of those games.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle want to sign two Aberdeen players - striker Alfie Bavidge, currently with Ayr United, and midfielder Alfie Stewart - on loan. (Daily Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

We asked for your views on Aberdeen's 2-1 home defeat against Ross County.

Here's what some of you said:

Stephen: After Aberdeen's incredible start to the season there were some big clubs circling Jimmy Thelin with interest. I think it's a stroke of genius to deliberately get such miserable results in order to keep him and preserve the long-term plan - but it's time to stop taking it too far now, lads.

James: A new defender is vital or else the season will continue in a downward spiral. The current frontline seem useless at converting any chances that come their way. The manager will only get the supporters backing for not much longer, but I still believe he will be a success.

Kevin: We are plummeting to the bottom six like a sack of tatties being thrown into the sea. Either the players can't play to the boss' tactics or the players aren't good enough. Still waiting for Cormack Park to bear fruits, just not happening yet.

Stuart: Still no leaders in this squad. Go get a couple decent defenders and a hard-working midfielder. Lyall Cameron from Dundee is available soon. Yesterday was unacceptable again.

Bo: Have to question Aberdeen players' character and mentality. Did they have a great start with a new manager? Yes. But they also did the same when Barry Robson came in and then downed tools. We still have a lot of those same charlatans. Clear them all out, Jimmy.

Mattie: Why are coaches scared to change formation? County played five in midfield against our two. A simple 4-4-2 formation would have made us tough to beat while also having two strikers against their three defenders. We are getting found out because we have no plan B. I like Thelin, but he has to be more adept tactically and not become a slave to one system.

Sportscene pundit Steven Naismith says a sluggish first-half performance - which culminated in the Dons being gifted an equaliser from Jordan Amissah - contributed to their home defeat by Ross County.

Watch the best of the action from Pittodrie as a stunning strike from Akil Wright helps Ross County to a 2-1 victory over Aberdeen at snowy Pittodrie.

(Available to UK users only)

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• Ross County have beaten Aberdeen for the first time in the Premiership since 9 April 2022, a run of eight games without a win.

• Aberdeen have lost their last four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 24 February 2024 to 13 March 2024.

• Ross County are undefeated in their last three games in the Premiership, their last joint longest unbeaten streak was from 26 October 2024 to 2 November 2024.

• Aberdeen have scored in 17 of their 20 games, no team has done so more often in the Premiership this season.

• Noah Chilvers has assisted 3 goals in the Premiership this season (1 in this game), more than any other Ross County player.

• Kevin Nisbet attempted 8 shots in this game, the highest total for a Aberdeen player in the Premiership this season.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin says the Dons have already listed a number of replacements if new Millwall manager Alex Neil decides to recall striker Kevin Nisbet from his loan this month. (Press & Journal), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Aberdeen's winless run extended to nine games as Ross County recorded their second Scottish Premiership away victory in a row.

What did you make of that then, Dons fans? Did you think you were going to score at the end?

What went wrong, and did anyone impress you? Let us know your thoughts here, external.

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin told BBC Scotland: "I said from the beginning, it's a long-term process. We have things we have to improve, that's clear.

"That's the focus right now, how we can improve. Right now, in some parts of the games, it's not good enough. That's why we don't get the results.

"The second half starts well. We have really, really good momentum and then we give them one chance and they score. After that we lose the rhythm. Then we have a little spark in the end to try to get an equaliser. We have some big chances there but it was not there for us today.

"It's more about where we are as a team right now and how we can build together a stronger and more consistent team, game by game.

"We are up and down too much and that's why we are where we are performance-wise, and why it doesn't give us the result."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Aberdeen's current malaise is a bit of a head-scratcher. They were not going to keep up their unbelievable early season form forever, but the drop off has been incredible.

There were, occasionally, signs of the team they were. At the start of the second half they were cutting County apart. At the end of the game too, they were pounding on the visitors door.

But for long spells in between, they struggled to click in attack and in defence, they were all over the shop for County's second goal.

They're missing a few key players, that's true. Dimitar Mitov is out for a few weeks with injury. Slobodan Rubezic and Sivert Heltne Nilsen both missed today with suspension. Papa Gueye, who started the season electrically, is still missing.

But for too long, key players struggled to impose themselves and on the whole, they missed far too many chances to blame anyone but themselves.

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Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov will miss the next four weeks after picking up a minor injury, the club have announced.

The Bulgaria international missed three games in December with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Ross Doohan for matches against Celtic, St Johnstone and Hibernian.

The 27-year-old, who has nine caps for his country, has been the number one for Aberdeen since he arrived from St Johnstone in the summer.

He also played the full 90 minutes in the recent 1-0 loss to Dundee United.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Jamie McGrath has proved himself to be a consistent performer in the Premiership, first with St Mirren then Dundee United and Aberdeen, for whom the 28-year-old midfielder has scored four goals this season.

His six top-flight assists also make him equal top with Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn and Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller.

Capped 13 times for Republic of Ireland, you would imagine McGrath would attract interest from around the UK, but his only sojourn south of the Border with Wigan Athletic only lasted a year and it might be a case of once bitten twice shy.

The Dons have been in negotiations with McGrath and Jack MacKenzie, the latest in a long line of fine left-backs to emerge from Scotland, while they have an option of extending midfielder Ante Palaversa's contract by another two years.

Other deals expiring: Duk, forward; Ross Doohan, goalkeeper; Angus MacDonald, defender; Tom Ritchie, goalkeeper.

Read more: Premiership summer free agents facing uncertain January

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin is ready to replace forward Kevin Nisbet should the 27-year-old be recalled by parent club Millwall. (Press and Journal - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip