Aberdeen

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

Jamie McGrath will be relishing the visit of Ross County as the midfielder looks to help end Aberdeen's dismal run of eight games without defeat and three consecutive defeats.

The 28-year-old Republic of Ireland cap has scored six goals in his last six Premiership appearances against the Highland side.

His five in five since joining Aberdeen includes a double in the corresponding fixture exactly a year ago, when the Dons left Dingwall with a 3-0 win.

Having scored five times this season overall, and being the top provider to six Premiership goals - along with Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn and Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller - McGrath will no doubt find himself a marked man by the visitors.

Ending a four-game losing streak with a win in Dundee and draw with Heart of Midlothian, Don Cowie's side will arrive in buoyant mood, but Aberdeen are nine unbeaten against County since a 1-0 loss at Pittodrie in April 2022 and won the reverse fixture by the same score in August.

Read all the Premiership picks

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Aberdeen's mid-season capitulation shows no sign of abating with the team slumping to three successive defeats amid a run of no wins in eight following Sunday's late loss at Dundee Utd which has hauled Jim Goodwin's team to within three points of their visitors.

Just over five weeks ago, that gap was 12 points and Jimmy Thelin's men had a game in hand as well.

Kevin Holt's late goal piled on the misery for the Dons fans who'd made the short journey south to Tannadice in big numbers, but it's hard to argue that United didn't deserve the win. They looked the more dangerous team and Dimitar Mitov made several brilliant saves in the first half to keep Aberdeen competitive in that match.

The winning goal was controversial because it looked like substitute Dante Polvara had been fouled not long before the ball hit the net, but referee John Beaton penalised the American for deliberate hand-ball instead, with the hosts scoring from a simple long throw into the Aberdeen box.

It was yet more woeful defending and another reminder to Thelin, and those that control the purse-strings, that the team's rearguard is badly in need of strengthening.

Just two shots on target in the game and three scored in six outings proves the other end of the pitch needs looked at as well.

The Dons are bottom of the eight-game form table and despite still sitting third and just two points behind Rangers in second, that is getting close to a sample size of a quarter of a season and this week's visit of Ross County is absolutely massive for Thelin with trips to Motherwell and Ibrox either side of a home game against Hearts.

A winter of discontent isn't a new phenomenon for Aberdeen.

At this time of year in 2020, Derek McInnes was sitting on a point more than Thelin currently has during his final campaign at Pittodrie before embarking on a slump of two wins in 13 that saw him lose the job after eight years.

Less than 12 months later Stephen Glass was removed with Jim Goodwin and Barry Robson suffering the same fate in the three terms that followed during bleak mid-winters.

The transfer window is now open and the Dons' fans will hope it helps salvage a season that is currently in free-fall.

Aberdeen will have an on-pitch leader if they land Latvia captain Kristers Tobers, according to Janis Vitols, of Baltic Football News, after submitting a bid to Swiss club Grasshoppers for the 24 year-old defender, who is out of contract in the summer. (Press & Journal), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Aberdeen have won five of their last six league meetings with Ross County (D1), keeping four clean sheets in the process.

• Ross County have lost both of their last two league visits to Aberdeen, this after only losing one of their previous five beforehand (W2 D2).

• Aberdeen have only lost their first league game of a calendar year in two of their last 15 years (W8 D5), losing 0-1 to Motherwell in 2020 and 0-2 to Rangers in 2018.

• Excluding 2019 when they were promoted, Ross County have only won their opening Scottish Premiership game of a calendar year once in their last nine attempts (D3 L5), a 3-1 win over Motherwell in 2022.

• Jamie McGrath has scored six goals in his last six Scottish Premiership appearances against Ross County, including five in five for Aberdeen.

Watch Sportscene analysis of Aberdeen's 1-0 defeat against Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.

(Available to UK users only).

With the January transfer window fast approaching, where does your club need to strengthen?

Who do you want brought in and who - if anyone - is it time to ship out?

Tell us your dream transfer window, external

We asked for your views on Aberdeen's 1-0 defeat against Dundee United.

Here's what some of you said:

Ross: This decline in the teams performances and the results in the last eight games is now so bad we risk moving even further down the table and all the good work done at the start of the season could be for nothing, and yet again we have another season of wasted opportunity. Are we ever going to see a consistent team again and actually win something?

Nik: Jimmy Thelin and company need to hit the reset button here with some fresh faces in the January window. Key players not performing or need a rest. The game against United was an improvement but we conceded in injury time twice in a month, and that needs to stop. A win against County is essential or I could see goodwill toward Thelin evaporating fast.

Andy: The performance on Sunday was certainly better than the Kilmarnock debacle but still a long way off acceptable. The work rate was better but, again, poor decision making and distribution at key times let them down. A couple of decent chances were created but the finishing was poor.

Andrew: The points return from the first 11 games compared with the last eight has been dramatic. However our form has been stable. We got breaks to start with but they have dried up as all opposition are improving and we are not. Injuries never help but we haven't had too many relatively speaking. Pape Gueye returning might be a cause for hope.

John: We are third at the halfway stage of the season. That is realistically the best we could have hoped for with this group of players. A few quality additions in January will ensure that we finish third come the end of the season. Thelin is no mug and he will know exactly what needs to be done going into 2025.

James: The same old schoolboy defending at corners. The fluid passing has disappeared and midfield looks tired and give the ball away far too often. Unless we get a good solid defender in the transfer window things will not change.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin declines to criticise officials about a possible foul for his side in the preamble to Dundee United's Sunday winner. (Record), external

Thelin is not allowing the Dons' eight-game winless sequence to stress him. (Press and Journal - subscription), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

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• Aberdeen have lost their last three games in the Premiership, their last longer losing streak was from 24 February 2024 to 13 March 2024, a run of four games.

• Dundee United are undefeated in their last three games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 3 November 2024 to 7 December 2024, a run of five games.

• Aberdeen have conceded nine goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Hibernian (13) and Ross County (12) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee United have kept a clean sheet in seven of their 19 games, only Rangers (10) and Celtic (15) have done this more often in the Premiership this season.

Watch all the action from Dundee United's 1-0 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

(Available to UK users only).

Aberdeen fans, were you at Tannadice to watch your side's late defeat by Dundee United or were you following along from home? Either way, we want your thoughts.

Have your say on the game., external

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Aberdeen look a shadow of the side that started the season in such electric style.

This was the type of match they found a way to win in the early stages of Jimmy Thelin's tenure, but the confidence and grit of the autumn is nowhere to be seen.

They looked content with a draw here despite having good chances of their own, and it is a reflection of Rangers' woes that they remain in touch with the Ibrox side.

Although Kevin Holt's header was excellently guided into the net, he found space in a crowded penalty area far too easily and questions will be asked of an Aberdeen defence that has become increasingly porous during this winless run.

Midfielder Sivert Nilsen looks shattered having played for the vast majority of the calendar year and Kevin Nisbet has underwhelmed up front since arriving on loan from Millwall.

Thelin stressed throughout their unbeaten start that this was a long-term project, and you suspect his will look to strengthen in January in an attempt to halt this slide.