Aberdeen

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

The ruthless nature of football means that after just two games, sections of your support can already be writing you off.

Aberdeen fans were hardly enthused by the arrival of Kusini Yengi when a quick bit of research showed the striker had failed to score last season for Portsmouth.

The 26-year-old only played 534 minutes across 14 English Championship games in an injury-hit campaign, and a challenging introduction to his Dons career seems to have done little to win over his doubters.

Manager Jimmy Thelin has selected Yengi as his centre-forward in the opening 2-0 league defeats to Hearts and Celtic.

The Australia striker, who has six goals in 11 international caps, only had two shots across both games, one of which was a glaring miss in the defeat at Tynecastle.

Perhaps more worryingly, in 117 minutes of football, the forward has won just six of his 25 duels and four of his 17 aerial duels.

Questions and criticism from fans has to be expected, but writing off any player after such a brief period is unfair, particularly one who has started just six games in 12 months.

If Yengi can recover from a tough start at Aberdeen and replicate his 2023-24 form, which saw him score 19 goals for club and country, the Australian should prove to be a useful addition to Thelin's squad.

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

When looking at Aberdeen's opening two league fixtures of the season it is important to seek context and balance.

When they were handed Hearts away and Celtic home, fixtures they haven't won since 2017 and 2016 respectively, it was odds on they would not be collecting three points from either this time around.

That's not to say the Dons shouldn't have performed better on each occasion, with those defeats leaving them bottom of the Premiership for at least three weeks given they don't play another league match until Falkirk's visit at the end of the month after they chose to postpone next week's trip to Dundee United.

Despite a relatively promising opening 15 minutes against the champions, Jimmy Thelin's side fell away and didn't look like recovering at any stage as soon as Benjamin Nygren capitalised on a Sivert Nilsen error to give the visitors the lead.

Aberdeen lacked bite in midfield and were toothless up front though the club are working hard behind the scenes to remedy the ills of the latter.

The Scottish Cup holders now turn their attention to the League Cup and a date at Cappielow to face Morton.

Dougie Imrie's side have won two and drawn one of their three home games this season without conceding a goal. This game has danger written all over it for Thelin, who is in desperate need of resuscitating the feelgood factor that had enveloped the Granite City in the wake of their success in the other cup competition.

Questions are now being asked by pundits about whether the season preparation and transfer dealings have been good enough.

With a Europa League play-off following Saturday's banana skin, Thelin somehow needs to get this team firing otherwise those questions will get louder the longer he fails to come up with an answer.

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

Why? Why? Why? After falling to another 2-0 defeat in the league the Red Army were left with more questions than answers as our search for our first points and goals of the season continue.

Why did Jimmy Thelin continue with a back four when a three worked so effectively last time we faced Celtic?

Why were Graeme Shinnie and Sivert Nilsen paired up in midfield when that hasn't proved to be the most effective, or pacey, partnership?

Why have we offered Kusini Yengi a three-year deal? The Aussie forward's Aberdeen career continues to wait for lift-off.

I said in my pre-season thoughts our start wouldn't be as exciting as last, and with no league game until the end of August we will continue to look up at the rest of the table for a few weeks yet.

Six points is a must from our next two Premiership outings - Falkirk and Livingston at home.

I don't think the panic button needs hit yet, but is there cause for concern given it is five league wins in 29 games.

it is imperative we get a victory at Morton in the League Cup this weekend to get some feelgood factor before the Europa League play-off.

Glen can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

AC Milan striker Marko Lazetic is currently sorting out a visa as the 21-year-old looks to complete his switch to Aberdeen on a free transfer, with a sell-on clause of up to 50%. (Sky Sports), external

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen full-back Nicky Devlin says it is down to all of the squad to help struggling striker Kusini Yengi get to grips with life at Pittodrie.

The summer arrival from Portsmouth had another testing afternoon against Celtic and a poor Scottish Premiership debut against Hearts the week prior, with his side losing both games 2-0.

The 26-year-old arrived at Aberdeen on a free transfer on the back of a barren second season in front of goal with Portsmouth, although he did net twice for Australia in a World Cup qualifier against Bahrain.

Devlin said: "It's probably important for the rest of us to give him more opportunity. There were times he was having to feed off balls that weren't great quality into him.

"He was fighting against two big centre-halves, which was obviously making it difficult for him. I think we have to probably get the ball in better areas, play more to his strengths.

"It's his first taste of being up here, it's only his second game in the league. It's probably more about other people doing a wee bit more to support him and getting the ball into areas that we know he can be dangerous.

"We've seen it in training already, we've seen it in some of the pre-season games. We have to play more to his strengths at times, get the ball into areas that we know he's going to hurt teams.

"We wanted to start the first home game with picking up points, but ultimately I don't think we've done enough in the game to trouble Celtic."

Aberdeen now face a wait to return to top-flight action and climb off the foot of the table, with their next fixture on August 31 against Falkirk, owing to their League Cup and European commitments.

We asked for your views on Aberdeen's 2-0 defeat to Celtic.

Here's what you said:

Andrew: Aberdeen are absolutely appalling and must be candidates for relegation even this early. This is simply non-football from a team that cannot even manage the basics required from a team!

Fergus: On this performance and how Aberdeen are starting the season, how long before Jimmy Thelin is under pressure? I predict happily he will be gone before Christmas.

Donald: Thelin doesn't know what he's doing. Aberdeen have some good players, but Thelin's tactics are naïve. I doubt he'll last the season.

Wullie: Aberdeen are the worst team in the league, barring Falkirk, from what I've seen so far.

The basic ability to hold on to the ball and make simple passes is just not there, defence is all over the place, no midfield, and the worst striker the club has ever seen. Thelin is out of his depth and in a worse state than last season. Winning the Scottish cup was the best and worst thing that could have happened to Aberdeen, bottom of the top six at very best.

Alan: Why so negative from Aberdeen? Every throw-in goes backwards and puts the defence under pressure. No ambition in the team at all.

Steve: I fear for Aberdeen this season. First half of last season they "flattered to deceive". A run of good luck and narrow wins made them look far better than they were. The second half of season I think was a more realistic representation of their performance level.

If they repeat their second-half performance from last season for the whole of this, they will be deep in the relegation battle. The first two games of this season only back up my gloomy assessment.

Graham: Sivert Heltne Nilsen and Graeme Shinnie's combination does not work. We found that out last season. Amount of time to swap Leighton Clarkson for Nilsen was criminal, and they scored the second goal in that time.

Highlights of Aberdeen 0-2 Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Aberdeen have agreed a bargain, free transfer deal, with just a 20% sell-on clause, for 21-year-old Marko Lazetic, despite AC Milan having initially wanted 50% for the Serbia Under-21 striker for whom they paid Red Star Belgrade £3.5m in 2022. (Daily Record), external

Aberdeen target Marko Lazetic has the talent for the "top five leagues in Europe", according to Slavko Matic, who was the striker's head coach at Serbian top-flight club TSC while on loan from AC Milan last season. (Press & Journal), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Celtic maintained their 100% start to their Scottish Premiership title defence with a comfortable victory at Aberdeen.

Dons fans, what did you make of your sides performance?

Read the match report here.

Have your say on the game.

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin tells BBC Scotland: "I think some parts of the game were good in the first half. Still, on the break, in our transitions, we're not clinical enough. We have to do more work during training sessions to be better when we have the opportunity to win the ball and transition, and how we arrive to the last third.

"[Celtic] defended transitions really well, and I think in the last 20 minutes of the game, we don't have this extra power to create an opportunity to get back to the game. I think the game was still alive when it was 1-0. When the score was 2-0, we needed to risk a little bit more.

"We created some opportunities against Hearts. Today, not so many.

"I still think it's early, but of course we expected more from ourselves, and I am the manager, so I'm responsible.

"We have to do better and keep improving the team and the relationships. I think many times when we have control of the ball, we end up with our goalkeeper, and instead of breaking lines and arriving to their box, we end up losing the ball and then it's a second-ball situation. We have to be more true to what we want to do, but that's my job, to help the players here and find that direction."

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin reported no fresh injury concerns, but summer signing Emmanuel Gyamfi and Latvian defender Kristers Tobers remain sidelined.

Celtic winger Jota is a long-term absentee but loan signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who joined from Manchester City through the week, could be in the squad.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin insists their Scottish Cup final win over Celtic will have no impact on Sunday's Premiership encounter between the sides at Pittodrie.

The teams meet for the first time since the Dons pulled off an upset in their penalty shootout victory over the Hoops at Hampden in May.

"It's a new game, a new season, and we believe in the things we have practiced on and tried to evolve in our team.

"They have some new players also but it is a clear identity of what they want to do. We have to be ready but also do our things a little bit better than the last game and I hope keep progressing on during the season.

Aberdeen are looking to bounce back after getting their campaign off to a disappointing start with a 2-0 defeat at Hearts in their season opener last Monday.

However, they don't have history on their side - you have to go back to February 2016 to find the last time they defeated Celtic at Pittodrie.

"We know how Celtic play and we want to grow in our parts, it is going to be a quite high intensity game," he said.

"This league is really competitive so every game you have to arrive to a certain level of energy and effort to deserve a victory.

"We know Celtic's qualities and their capacity, so we have to be at our best to get the result we want."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen have been sanctioned by the SPFL over the use of pyrotechnics by some of their fans in the Merkland Stand before their last Premiership encounter with Celtic at Pittodrie in May.

Any such repeat of what the football authorities have described as 'unacceptable conduct' will see the Dons have to close 200 seats.

Asked what his message to the fans was, Thelin replied: "We try to do it together so everybody is allowed to go to the games in the future.

"Follow these rules so everybody can come to every game because we need them there, we need all the supporters be allowed to be at Pittodrie."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin believes striker Kusini Yengi "will grow" after a frustrating debut.

The 26-year-old Australian, who arrived from Portsmouth earlier in the summer, spurned a couple of golden chances during Aberdeen's season-opening 2-0 defeat at Hearts on Monday night.

Yengi has subsequently come in for criticism, but Thelin said: "I think he will grow, he was there in the situations, that is the first [thing], you have to arrive at the chances and then during the time he is getting sharper.

"But I think it is difficult to say like we missed chances, also we got two goals against us, and we have to start there to be better and the way we defend and how we protect our own goal."

Yengi is one of seven summer signings to arrive at Pittodrie so far, with the club working to bring in more new faces as they face up to both domestic and continental commitments this campaign.

Speaking before Sunday's Premiership visit of Celtic, Thelin was asked if he is frustrated at how long his rebuild is taking.

"No," he responded.

"Everybody is so aligned with what we want to do. It has to be the right player, not just a player, and we know what we are trying to do. We have to find the profile and how we build the squad.

"If you work in this business, it is not frustration. You know it is a difficult market, everybody is trying to do the best we can do and we are trying to nail the things we want to happen. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, then you move on and you always have an optimistic mindset and try to do the best you can do.

"I think in the window, you can't control exactly what happens, but we have a lot of people who are working hard to always try to improve the squad."

It will be some time before the Red Army get the chance to see another one of their summer signings, Emmanuel Gyamfi, however.

The 21-year-old German left-back joined on a four-year deal from Schalke in June, but a leg injury is set to keep him out until the middle of next month.

"Now we have to support the player to come back," said Thelin.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premiership visit of Celtic.

Here are the key lines from the Dons boss:

• The Scottish Cup final win over Celtic last term will have no bearing on Sunday's encounter: "It is a new game, a new season."

• On the challenge the champions will pose, Aberdeen "know Celtic's qualities" and will need to be at their best to win what will be a "high intensity game".

• The Dons have "things we need to improve" after losing their season opener at Hearts last weekend.

• On whether Thelin is frustrated with efforts to add more signings: "It has to be the right player, not just a player. It has to be the right profile."

• The manager adds "we have a lot of people working hard" in attempting to strengthen the squad.

• After new arrival Kusini Yengi came in for criticism following his performance at Tynecastle, Thelin believes the striker "will improve" and points out that he put himself in good positions to score.

• Both Kristers Tobers and new left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi will be out until the middle of September through injury.

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen are one step closer to finding out their Europa League play-off opponent as FCSB came from behind to edge past Drita in the third qualifying round.

The Dons will face the winner of FCSB of Romania against Kosovo's Drita and, at one point on Thursday night it was the underdogs who were in control of the tie as Drita raced to a 2-0 lead.

However, a 94th minute penalty sealed a 3-2 first leg win for the 1986 European Cup winners.

You probably shouldn't book those flights to Romania just yet though, with the tie very much alive for the second leg next week.

• Aberdeen are winless in regulation time in their past 31 meetings with Celtic in all competitions (D7 L24) since a 1-0 victory at Celtic Park in their final league game of the 2017-18 season. The Dons did, however, win a penalty shootout against the Parkhead side in their most recent clash after a 1-1 draw in last season's Scottish Cup final.

• Celtic are unbeaten in 17 away league games at Aberdeen (W14 D3) since losing 2-1 in February 2016 under Ronny Deila.

• After their 2-0 defeat to Hearts on matchday one, Aberdeen could lose both of their first two games of a league season for the first time since 2003-04 under Steve Paterson – on that occasion, the first such defeat was to Hearts, and the second was at home to defending champions Rangers.

• Celtic have won their opening away game in each of the past three Scottish Premiership seasons, including a 3-1 victory at Aberdeen in 2023-24. Under Brendan Rodgers, Celtic have won four of five such matches (L1).

• Since the start of last season Celtic have scored more goals in the final five minutes of Scottish Premiership matches than any other team (16), with four of those earning the team a draw (two) or a win (two), including Luke McCowan's winning strike last weekend.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has confirmed that contract talks are ongoing with Shayden Morris, who has been the subject of several failed bids from Luton Town, and several others from the Dons' Scottish Cup-winning squad. (Daily Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

It was perhaps one of the most predictable outcomes of the season as Aberdeen lost 2-0 to Hearts in their league opener at Tynecastle.

The away team hasn't won this fixture for almost eight years.

However, just when Dons fans had hoped to watch a side kick off 2025-26 with the confidence of trophy winners, what transpired was a fairly timid, routine defeat down Gorgie Road.

They haven't emerged victorious there since 2017 and that didn't look like changing at any point on Monday evening, despite a degree of profligacy.

The goals they lost had shades of the ones they have been conceding since November. They have now won just five of their last 28 league matches with champions Celtic up next.

The jury is out on Kusuni Yengi, the club's new number nine. The big Australian didn't score a single goal last season, but that didn't stop the Dons making him one of their top targets in the summer window.

He will have spent the last couple of days re-living his huge second-half miss that would have made it 1-1.

Aberdeen have to make more signings in that area before the end of August with Yengi's arrival contrasted with the departures of forward trio Pape Gueye, Oday Dabbagh and Kevin Nisbet.

It can't be underestimated the extent to which Hearts are further on in their season preparations thanks to their participation in the League Cup groups, something the Dons themselves spectacularly benefited from last year.

Aberdeen have, rightly, spent the summer celebrating that famous Scottish Cup lift. But the squad looks weaker than the one that walked out at Hampden that day.

With the demands of European football to come, there is a lot to do to make sure that they build on that success and be competitive on all fronts, something chairman Dave Cormack insisted would happen.

One big plus was the performance of another new arrival from down under, Nicolas Milanovic. He was, by far, Aberdeen's top performer in Edinburgh on what was a fairly dispiriting night for Jimmy Thelin.

The Europa League draw has handed Aberdeen a winnable tie against Romanians FCSB or Drita from Kosovo - it's as kind as it could have been.

But there appears a lot of work to be done between now and then if they are to take advantage and challenge domestically.

Image source, SNS

Nicolas Milanovic hopes a strong season with Aberdeen can help him force his way into the Australia team for next year's World Cup.

The 23-year-old winger made his competitive Dons debut in Monday's 2-0 league defeat at Hearts after joining from A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers earlier this summer.

Milanovic's display was one of the few positives for Aberdeen at Tynecastle, and he is intent on continuing to flourish in Jimmy Thelin's side with a view to being part of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

"I've yet to make my first cap for Australia," he said. "I've been around it, but just haven't made that cap yet. So that's a personal goal of mine, to thrive this year and hopefully it will get me there.

"And the World Cup, obviously, is a big, big ambition of mine. I think everyone dreams of being in the World Cup, so hopefully club success brings that.

"I just want to do well here and do as much as I can for the team, and hopefully that will get me there."

Milanovic is relishing Aberdeen's upcoming European adventure after they learned on Monday they will face Romanian side FCSB or Kosovan outfit Drita in their Europa League play-off later this month.

"A kid from Australia, I didn't really expect two years ago to be playing in a Europa League play-off, so I'm excited," he said. "That's another thing, a personal achievement I've got coming my way.

"I think the team's going to be more than ready for that draw. I don't know if it's a favourable or unfavourable draw, but we'll just go in there wanting to win."

We asked for your views on Aberdeen's Europa League play-off draw.

Here's what some of you said:

Kiera: After finding out a bit more about our potential opponents, Drita seems like the opponent we should prefer to face. FCSB seems like the stronger side of the two. Nonetheless with the past of Aberdeen's European runs anything can happen!

Gary: Probably the best draw we could have got. Winning home leg will be crucial, but still think defence is vulnerable. Would rather concentrate our efforts on a good domestic campaign.

Bailey: Very good, probably the best outcome. We have just got to play well and hope that defence sorts itself out.

Eric: The game against SB probably will come too early for us. We have no midfield structure at the minute and this will be our downfall. We need two very strong, very active midfield players and these don't seem to be on the radar at the moment. I really fear for the Dons at the start of the season.

Ally: Excited to get the draw confirmed. Slight concerns remain over our attacking options, but, I don't think we have anything to fear going into the tie, whoever it is! An away day to Bucharest is the likeliest outcome. Bring it on!

Eilidh: A very favourable draw. Personally I think we would get on better in the Conference League but obviously qualifying for the Europa League would be massive with the chance to play some huge teams.

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

The first game of the season is not quite the time to hit the panic button, but the opening day defeat to Hearts felt entirely predictable.

Could it have been prevented?

That's 24 games without victory for the away team in this fixture so history would have suggested not, however I do think we could have helped ourselves a bit better.

Questions around pre season preparations are expected but the lack of firepower has been a real concern for the support and last night again highlighted the need, if not urgency, to get another striker in at least!

We reverted to type as well and conceded soft goals. Why when we found a formula on 24 May that worked was that so quickly abandoned?

A big week ahead, hopefully some signings to bolster the mood. Least it's only Celtic at home this week eh?

Glen can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external