Aberdeen

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has been speaking to the media before his side's Premiership match against Celtic on Wednesday.

Here are the best bits from his press conference:

• On the news keeper Dimitar Mitov will be sidelined for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, Thelin said: "He is a positive guy. We have a squad and we have to find solutions."

• Ross Doohan will deputise between the sticks after he "did well" against Hearts on Sunday.

• On how big a game this is in terms of Aberdeen's title aspirations, Thelin said they are simply taking "it game by game" and pointed out how nice it is to be at home after three games on the road.

• Thelin was asked if there could be any psychological hangover from the 6-0 thrashing to Celtic in the League Cup semi final last month, but played that experience down, saying: "you should never stay in the past in this business" and "it is going to be two different games".

• On their three-game winless run, Thelin was keen to look at the bigger picture and stress the positives from the season as a whole to this point.

• Thelin said Aberdeen are well aware of what Celtic "are good at, but we have to focus on our game".

• Other team news: Jack MacKenzie is "close" to a return but will not make the Celtic match; goalkeeper Tom Ritchie has been recalled from his loan at Bonnyrigg Rose, and Pape Habib Gueye remains out.

Goalkeeper Ross Doohan, 26, is expected to face former club Celtic when Aberdeen host the Scottish Premiership leaders on Wednesday following an injury to Dimitar Mitov, 27. (Sun), external

There will be no fear factor from Aberdeen against Celtic, says midfielder Leighton Clarkson, 23. (Record), external

Clarkson believes Celtic could find a raucous Pittodrie tough to play at. (Press and Journal - subscription), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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Aberdeen have been drawn against Elgin City in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

The tie will take place on the weekend of 18/19 January and will be played at Borough Briggs.

The Sportscene panel discuss Shayden Morris' influence in Aberdeen's 1-1 draw with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

We asked for your views on Aberdeen's 1-1 draw against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Andrew: I wonder if Jimmy Thelin's use of the more fringe players was to highlight the need for reinforcements in defence and midfield in January. Despite our six changes, it was a decent enough performance. If progression is not fearing a trip to Tynecastle but hoping for a win then in a short period of time we have progressed. Second place is realistic if backed.

Malky: Three difficult away venues in a week, form usually goes out the window in these types of games. Thelin will have learned a fair bit from these games, and we need reinforcements in certain areas of the pitch. Still a fantastic start overall and we need to dust ourselves down and try and go on another run. There's no easy games in this league.

John: Our recent form is nothing to be concerned about. Every team goes through a sticky spell. Total confidence in Thelin.

Andy: I don't think the Dons deserved a draw. Their passing out of defence was very poor and if they play like that on Wednesday they will get thumped.

Chris: Watched the last two games and much as I love what Thelin has done with the team out of possession we don't seem to know whether to stick or twist. In possession we are careless. We get a lot of crosses over but struggle to convert. I think the first defeat knocked the stuffing out the confidence, so individual performances suffer.

Eric: Once again Aberdeen's defence was all over the place. We seem to have lost our mojo, and I don't think we have a system or squad strong enough to justify swapping players around with only Shayden Morris showing his worth coming into the starting line-up. We need a more settled 11 or we will continue heading in the wrong direction.

Allan: Let's get things into perspective. One league defeat since March is a superb turnaround. Also going to the Edinburgh clubs away, who are on a similar budget to ours, and not losing is okay in my mind. Yes, we are starting to lose goals but that is up to the manager to address and we have good depth in the squad and a manager who knows the score.

Brian: I don't get the overreaction. We are a work in progress and miles ahead of where we should be. The past week has proven we have no divine right to beat anyone and Jimmy will have sussed out who in the squad can come in and do well and others that can't. He'll be backed in January and we should look forward to an exciting run over the Christmas period.

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Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitir Mitov, 27, is an injury concern before Wednesday's home Scottish Premiership meeting with leaders Celtic after coming off at half-time against Hearts on Sunday. (Sun), external

Kevin Bain has left Aberdeen to become Rangers' new head physio. (Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

Hearts ended their run of four defeats with a hard-fought draw against Aberdeen at Tynecastle, but it was not enough to lift them off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Aberdeen's title bid continues to falter as a third match without victory leaves them four points behind Celtic having a played a game more.

What did you think of that one, Aberdeen fans? What went right and what went wrong?

Let us know your thoughts., external

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin told BBC Scotland: "You can see the players have the fight for each other. They're really trying. I liked their approach, that they run so much. They keep running.

"Ross did really well when he came on, it was Angus [MacDonald]'s first start, etc. There were loads of good things there.

"We also need to find the rhythm again, the dynamic of the team. We have the quality, we just need to find the rhythm of the game again.

"Sometimes when the dynamic is there, you lose the ball and the opponents get the momentum too easily. That's the part we have to improve, because we have done it.

"We've taken points away from Hibernian and Hearts this week, that's a tough week. We want to get to Pittodrie and try again.

"We'll see tomorrow. He couldn't keep playing. Ross did well, he was confident like he'd been playing all season. I'm happy he was so ready."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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The two meetings of these sides this season have been real battles and for much of this game, it looked like Aberdeen would again come out on top.

However, for all of Shayden Morris' running, they didn't cause too many problems in the second half when they should have had Hearts on the ropes.

Perhaps that was due to the six changes to the side, a result of Jimmy Thelin trying to keep the team fresh during this busy period.

The back four had never played together before and might never again, but at least Thelin learned more about his under-utilised players.

Aberdeen's nascent title tilt takes another hit and their eyes will be more fixed on the teams below them, rather than leaders Celtic.

And still no win at Tynecastle since 2017. The hoodoo continues.

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Nicky Devlin. A real captain's performance from the stand-in skipper.

Unlucky for the Hearts goal, he then saved one with a point-winning block to deny Jorge Grant - similar to the way he denied Cristiano Ronaldo on his Scotland debut.

Celtic have the highest average attendance in the Scottish Premiership this season so far with 59,022, with Rangers next on 47,878, followed by Heart of Midlothian on 18,527 and Aberdeen on 18,194. (Football Scotland), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Shayden Morris is "proud" of his Aberdeen revival and is targeting a starting spot after his recent exploits off the bench.

Morris, 23, scored no goals last season in a bit-part role, but has impressed this term under manager Jimmy Thelin.

The former Fleetwood Town player has two goals and seven assists, featuring mainly as a substitute in the Dons' excellent start to the Premiership season.

"I'm really proud of myself what I've done to get back playing and contributing to the team," Morris said. "I feel like I'm having a big impact at the moment.

"I'm enjoying the moment, but staying level-headed and taking it game by game. Every game I go into, I'm ready to do what I know I can do whether it's from the beginning or me coming on.

"I know I've been called a super-sub; I kind of just want to be a super player. If it's being a substitute and helping the team, I don't mind it, but of course I want to be a starter."

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Midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof is still missing for Hearts with a hamstring issue.

Meanwhile, striker Pape Habib Gueye (quad) is Aberdeen's only absentee.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin says he is relishing the "challenge" of three successive away games instead of treating it as a "negative".

The Dons travel to Tynecastle on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership, having lost at St Mirren on Saturday and drawn at Hibs on Tuesday.

Thelin also says the testing run of fixtures has allowed him to better understand his squad and which players can cope best with multiple games in a week.

“I try to always stay positive and take it as a challenge," Thelin said.

"How can we best prepare and be ready? Don't think about the negative things. You can't change that it is three away games.

"We always have to think about what we can do. Every week we understand which players have more capacity to play three games in a week, and that can also shift during the season. That's why you need to go day by day and game by game."

Despite Hearts' struggles this season, which continued on Thursday with a Conference League loss against Cercle Brugge, Thelin is not taking anything for granted in the capital.

"They have a good squad, and made early changes in [Thursday's] game so I expect they will be ready," the Swedish manager said.

"They have good players, a new coach with new ideas. I don't think any game in this league is easy. We have to try to keep balance in our games and take the challenge."

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

The initial bounce Hearts enjoyed after the appointment of Neil Critchley has somewhat worn off.

Three wins and only one loss in his opening five games in charge have been followed by four straight defeats and only goal difference keeps the Englishman's side above city rivals Hibernian at the bottom of the league.

But Critchley will be pointing out to his players that two of those reverses have come in the Conference League and the others against the Old Firm.

Again, there was some promise in Thursday's performance against Cercle Brugge, with the Belgians capitalising on Lawrence Shankland's sudden loss of confidence by going on to win 2-0 after the Scotland striker fluffed his chance to equalise from the penalty spot.

Hearts and their captain have no time to feel sorry for themselves as second-top Aberdeen arrive intent on inflicting a fourth consecutive home defeat on the Edinburgh side.

The Dons themselves have suffered their first blips since the summer arrival of Jimmy Thelin from Elfsborg.

Having won 12 or their first 13 games under the Swede, they have now only recorded one victory in four - and have gone four trips away from Pittodrie without a win after Hibs' late equaliser in Tuesday's six-goal thriller at Easter Road.

Shankland will be hoping the Dons defence proves similarly porous on Sunday as the 29-year-old, who found the net 33 times last season, looks to end an 11-game barren spell since his only goal this season.

Hearts may need it if they are to inflict Aberdeen's sixth successive defeat at Tynecastle - or at least extend their 12-game unbeaten run there against the Dons since a 2-1 loss in May 2017.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership trip to face Hearts on Sunday.

Here are the best bits from his press conference:

• Says the Dons must quickly move on from "emotional rollercoaster" of Tuesday's 3-3 draw against Hibs. He says a draw was probably a fair result, but the fact Aberdeen took the lead so late meant conceding again in injury time was hard to take.

• When asked how he will manage his squad amid a packed fixture schedule, Thelin hinted at rotation, saying: "The players who are ready, fresh and can give 100% against Hearts are the players who will play."

• Despite Hearts' European loss at Cercle Brugge on Thursday and their domestic struggles, Thelin expects a "challenge" from Neil Critchley's side, stressing they have "good players".

• Thelin says he doesn't think about "negative things" before their third away match in the space of eight days, and stressed the need to only concentrate on the next game.

• On Aberdeen's poor record at Tynecastle, Thelin says: "I like the challenge. What happened in the past happened in the past."

• Pape Gueye remains the only player not available through injury.

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• None of the last 21 Scottish Premiership meetings between Hearts and Aberdeen have been won by the away side (17 home wins, 4 draws), with each of the last 10 in a row being home wins (5 Hearts, 5 Aberdeen).

• After their 3-2 win in October, Aberdeen could earn back-to-back league victories over Hearts for the first time since August 2019. However, the Dons are winless in 11 league visits to Hearts (D3 L8) since a 2-1 triumph in May 2017 under Derek McInnes.

• Hearts have lost their last two home league games, last losing three in a row on home soil in the Scottish Premiership in December 2019 under Daniel Stendel.

• After winning 10 of their first 11 league games this season (D1), Aberdeen have since failed to win their last two (D1 L1). Indeed, the Dons are now without a win in their last three away league outings (D2 L1).

• Only Nicolas Kühn (11) has more goal involvements in the Scottish Premiership this season than Jamie McGrath (10 - 4 goals, 6 assists), who has scored in both of Aberdeen’s last two league games.

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

It's been a challenging return to domestic duty for Aberdeen with five points dropped in the two games played since and it is about to get tougher.

The Dons' have been left to lament poor first half performances and late drama as St Mirren inflicted a first league defeat on Jimmy Thelin before 2-1 and 3-2 leads were tossed away in stoppage time as Hibernian claimed a point at Easter Road.

Aberdeen's slow starts are not new and neither are late concessions albeit the latter was an issue before Thelin took the reins however if his team is to build on their magnificent start to the league campaign he will have to get to the bottom of it.

The Dons have scored 20 goals in the second half of matches compared to eight in the opening 45 minutes and quite why they are making such sluggish starts is something that will have left Thelin scratching his head with a trip to Tynecastle and a visit from Celtic in their next two games.

The late calamity in Leith also highlighted defensive frailties which they had been getting away with before these two games. They have only kept one Premiership clean sheet since the 1-0 win at Ross County at the end of August with their defensive record now poorer than Rangers and Dundee Utd’s.

The Hibs' goals from Nicky Cadden and Rocky Bushiri reminded Dons' fans of recent season capitulations against County, Rangers and St Mirren and it tainted Ester Sokler's glorious strike which looked to have won the game.

They now have their two least favourite fixtures ahead of them. A return to Edinburgh to face Hearts on Sunday, where they haven’t won in 12 visits since 2017, before the champions go to Pittodrie on Wednesday having not lost to the Dons in the last 27 meetings.

However, 32 points from their first 13 games remains an outstanding return as Thelin tries to get things back on track in Gorgie.