Aberdeen

The Sportscene team analyse Slobodan Rubezic's red card in Aberdeen's defeat at Motherwell.

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Dons fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's Scottish Premiership defeat to Motherwell.

Here's what some of you said:

Anon: Slobodan Rubezic has to go. He's a disgrace to the club, displaying a mindset of a schoolboy week in week out.

Mike: We've been rumbled. The way Jimmy Thelin has set the team up to counteract the obvious deficiencies in the squad, lack of energy in the middle of the park, and lack of ability at centre half, it feels like it's going to be a slog for the rest of the season now, and can't see anything other then bottom six.

George: Another disaster game, how long do we have to put up with pathetic excuses ? As I said before we won't win another league game and will end up bottom six. No passion from the manager has affected the players. Nobody knows what they are meant to be doing, there's no cohesion between the players. Back to square one I'm afraid .

Chris: Not a lot to say, Rubi was goaded into an act which got him sent off. I don't usually pick out individuals but there were no pass marks in defence in the first 45 minutes - including wing-backs. The reorganization worked but where was this level of commitment in the first 45? Duk, Topi Keskinen, Leighton Clarkson, Ante Palaversa were great, Graeme Shinnie did his best.

John: You could drive a bus through the defence. The fact is we have become easy beat to the rest of the teams and I don't see us winning a game any time soon. We knew that the great start couldn't continue but this is ridiculous. I still have faith in the manager but he will need to have a clear out of this team and get better players in.

Keith: Never mind the wheels, I'm not sure there is even a bus at the moment. Amazed that we seem to play our best football without a full on number nine or any recognised centre-backs on the park. I feel for Jimmy T. He is now starting to see the magnitude of the build. But I trust him. Give him time to mould a team.

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• Tawanda Maswanhise has scored five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Motherwell player has more.

• Motherwell have beaten Aberdeen for the first time in the Premiership since 13 August 2022, a run of seven games without a win.

• Aberdeen have lost their last five games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 11 September 2021 to 16 October 2021.

Motherwell score two first-half goals to take all three points against Scottish Premiership opponents Aberdeen (UK only).

Aberdeen are closing in on a deal to make Preston North End winger Jeppe Okkels their first signing of the January transfer window. (Press & Journal), external

Read the rest of Monday's Scottish gossip.

Image source, Getty Images

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin: "It's not a good run, of course, and we have some problems we have to solve but I also have a strong belief that we're going to get out of it and be stronger again and win football games. Right now, we're having a difficult time.

"They score two goals a little bit too easy. Second half, the character of the team was there.

"I haven't seen [the Slobodan Rubezic red card] yet but it's always important to have this emotional control when you're out on the pitch.

"I know it's a good team spirit. They're trying but right now a lot of thing are going wrong in the wrong moments inside the games."

Aberdeen's wretched winless run stretched to 10 Scottish Premiership games as Motherwell halted their own poor form with a dominant win at Fir Park.

Tell us what you thought of the game here., external

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.