Aberdeen

Andrew Southwick
BBC Sport Scotland

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He may be new to Scottish football, but Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou will come up against a familiar face in Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin on Saturday.

And his opposite number may well have revenge on his mind, after Askou ruined Thelin's Elfsborg farewell.

The two go head to head at Pittodrie for a place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, for what will be the second consecutive year Aberdeen or Motherwell have reached the last four.

And it will be the fourth time the two Scandinavians have met each other in management.

Askou made the move from his native Denmark across the border to Sweden to take charge of IFK Goteborg in June 2023. Four games in to his reign, his side made the one-hour trip to Boras, where Thelin's Elfsborg was there to welcome them.

That game ended 1-1, but they would meet again in October in the third-last match of the season. This time Thelin - whose side were battling Malmo for the league title - posted a 2-1 win in Gothenburg.

However, Thelin's side failed to win their final two games of the season, agonisingly losing out on the title on goal difference.

The final time they met was in Thelin's farewell game for Elfsborg before his move to Aberdeen.

Thelin's tenure ended in disappointment after Goteborg eked out a 1-0 win to send the Swede to Scotland on a sour note.

However, Askou was not far behind him in the departure terminal. Just two weeks later he would leave his post to take up an assistant manager role with Sparta Prague.

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Flash back to this time last season and Aberdeen were being tipped as potential title contenders.

Less than a year later, Saturday's goalless draw against Livingston made it just five wins in the past 31 Premiership games for the Dons, who sit rock bottom of the top flight after five matches of the new campaign.

The signing of Stuart Armstrong and loan deal for Jesper Karlsson, as well as the return of striker Kevin Nisbet, looked to be serious business late in the window and hopes are high for the trio once they reach full fitness.

Manager Jimmy Thelin could certainly do with a spark from somewhere. He was a Pittodrie hero in steering the club to long-awaited Scottish Cup success in May, but is pressure building on the Swede?

Dons fans, we want to know your views on the boss. Do you still have full faith in Thelin or is patience wearing thin?

Share your thoughts here.

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The draw for the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals will take place on Sunday after Partick Thistle v Celtic (15:30 BST) concludes.

The semis will be played on the weekend of 1-2 November with the final scheduled for Sunday, 14 December.

St Mirren's trip to Kilmarnock on Friday night (19:45) gets the quarter-finals under way before Aberdeen host Motherwell (15:00) on Saturday followed by Rangers v Hibs (17:45).

Aberdeen will replace departing director of football Steven Gunn with a more technical sporting director. (Press & Journal)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

Jimmy Thelin brought Scottish Cup glory to the club last season, but success only buys so much patience with the support.

Five wins from 31 in the league has Thelin feeling the frustrations of the fans and that was evident at full-time as the boos rang out after a 0-0 draw with Livingston.

While we got our first point on the board and our new signings showed promise, it was below what we expect from a home game against Livingston.

Chances were created and spurned, but the decision to play two holding midfielders is puzzling. There is no need for Sivert Heltne Nilsen and Graeme Shinnie to both feature in games like this.

There was a severe lack of urgency throughout the side, and poor decision-making again in the final third.

We now face Motherwell this weekend in a League Cup quarter-final that feels massive. Win and it's a trip to Hampden but more importantly some feelgood factor can return to Pittodrie.

Lose and the pressure and grumblings will only continue to grow.

Play your best players, not your favourites, please, Jimmy. For your own sake.

Glen can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

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• Aberdeen have won the Scottish League Cup six times, with their most recent triumph in 2014.

• The Dons have finished as runners-up nine times and reached last season's semi-finals.

• Jimmy Thelin's men beat Greenock Morton 3-0 in the second round to earn their meeting in the quarter-finals against Motherwell on Saturday.

• Three different Dons players have scored in the tournament this season - Sivert Nilsen, Kusini Yengi and Leighton Clarkson.

• Aberdeen have met Motherwell 20 times in the League Cup, winning nine.

• Joe Harper holds the record for Aberdeen's all-time League Cup top scorer with 51 goals.

• The Pittodrie side's biggest wins in this competition were both 9-0, against Queen of the South in 1947 and Raith Rovers in 1983.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin accepts a lack of continuity in midfield may be behind the Pittodrie side's sluggish start to the season. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

The buzz over the new arrivals at Pittodrie soon descended into jeers as Aberdeen's malaise continued with their stalemate against Livingston.

With Falkirk having won at Pittodrie before the international break, just one point out of six have been collected against the two promoted sides.

And while the first two games of the campaign, against Hearts and Celtic, ending in defeat can be forgiven, the last two have concerned Dons supporters.

And more broadly, it is being played out amid a Premiership slump that has been ongoing for 10 months.

Just five wins in 31 since that incredible start to last term leaves Jimmy Thelin with a winning percentage of just 16.12% in that time and, concerningly, that sample size is just seven games off being a full league season.

Outside of the Scottish Cup final, Thelin has persevered with a system that is not yielding the results he wants, with the same old problems rearing their head against a dogged Livi who were more than content with the draw.

Aberdeen looked ponderous and have become quite easy to play against, which is something the Pittodrie manager will want to get to the bottom of and quickly as this is all playing out before their Conference League campaign adds to the burden.

The new additions will clearly take some time to settle, but with visits to Tannadice and Fir Park in their next two Premiership matches, the cup-winning goodwill will only go so far.

Remember Ivan Golac, the man who did what the great Jim Mclean couldn't and won the Scottish Cup for Dundee United? He was gone less than 12 months later and United were relegated.

Thelin knows he needs things to turn, he said as much after the Livi game.

The Swede can now take a quick break from the goalless, winless league start when draw specialists Motherwell come to Pittodrie this weekend in the League Cup quarter-finals.

Saturday would be as good a time as any for Thelin's team to sparkle instead of splutter.

Watch the Sportscene team discuss Aberdeen's lack of cutting edge after their goalless draw with Livingston made it four games without a goal in the Scottish Premiership.

Aberdeen midfielder Dante Polvara insists he would be open to extending his contract but believes he needs to be playing regularly. (Press & Journal), external

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Watch the highlights as Aberdeen and Livingston played out a goalless draw in the Scottish Premiership.

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Former Aberdeen manager Willie Miller on BBC Sportsound: "Livingston deserved a point. They were well organised, disciplined and effective on the counter.

"Aberdeen don't do enough. They aren't creative enough and they don't look like they've got a player with the instinct to be in the right place at the right time.

"It's concerning. No goals, one point, bottom of the table - the pressure is coming on very strongly.

"Jimmy Thelin and the chairman need to be strong and be together, because if Motherwell come up and put them out of the cup, you can imagine the scenes.

"It's doom and gloom at Pittodrie."

Former Aberdeen striker Billy Dodds on BBC Sportsound: "Jimmy Thelin has won the cup and that will buy time, but the league form has not been great and that is why there are questions.

"He'll know that one result will change things instantly. The team is not playing with a lot of confidence and are not scoring goals but one result will change that.

"When you're a club who are not winning games, people will ask questions and that is what is happening at Aberdeen if they do not get a result quickly."

We asked for your views on Aberdeen's 0-0 draw with Livingston.

It is the fourth straight league game the Dons have failed to win and score in.

Here's what some of you said:

Matthew: Livi at home and we play two holding midfielders. Sivert Heltne Nilsen is his blind spot that has the potential to be his downfall. Some positive signs with the new players and they might need some more time to gel. Time could be the issue.

Lindsey: I'm a little confused as to the strategy on the pitch. There's no continuity with a set of regular players in the same position building and developing with time. I actually don't think Jimmy Thelin knows who his best team is. We have the quality, but a failure of a game plan. If we can't beat Falkirk or Livingston at home, we'll remain bottom of the league. And Thelin's post match narrative is beginning to get quite tiresome.

Graham: The manager talks about pace yet he persists with Graeme Shinnie and Nilsen, both great in their day but off the pace now. Dante Polvara must start every game.

Alan: Having watched both Falkirk and Livi games, I came away totally frustrated by the very slow build-up play from the Dons. Shinnie and Nilsen are both too slow and you cannot play them together. Thelin is a nice guy but the standard of play from this current team is pathetic. Drastic improvement required or very long season ahead.

Andy: I see we're a "long-term project". I wish Thelin would say how long we might have to wait for a properly functioning team. We supporters don't like waiting too long.

Graeme: Aberdeen should just swap places now with St Johnstone. Relegation is almost inevitable, for the first time in our history.

Andy: It's time for Thelin to resign. His lacklustre style of management does not suit Aberdeen.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Livingston striker Tete Yengi has urged the Aberdeen fans to have a bit more belief in his older brother, Kusini, instead of being "always negative, negative, negative".

Australia striker Kusini has struggled to make an impact with the Dons since arriving from Portsmouth this summer and his performances have drawn criticism from some fans.

"I think it is crazy," Tete Yengi told BBC Scotland. "Clearly he has qualities, otherwise the coaching staff wouldn't have brought him here. I think they should give him a bit more time.

"It is a tough league, even for me. When I first came, it took some time to adapt. I think he needs a bit of time to adapt, but he is only going to get better.

"I just want the fans to give him, put a bit more trust in him, have a bit more belief, a bit more support, instead of always negative, negative, negative.

"As players, we need a positive boost when we are on the pitch to help us run that extra yard or do that extra bit of something. I am sure he will be good - just give him some time."

Kusini was not in the Aberdeen squad for Saturday's Scottish Premiership visit of Livingston.

It meant the brothers were unable to line up against each other in a game that ended 0-0.

"It has been a tough start, but I know my brother the best," Tete added. "He is mentally strong, so I know he will get through this tough period. I have full trust in him."

Aberdeen remain without a win or a goal in the Premiership this season as Jimmy Thelin's side were booed off at Pittodrie after a draw against Livingston.

Have your say here.

Read the match report.

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Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin tells BBC Scotland: "We feel some frustration. We did some more stable things today, kept a clean sheet and create a lot of chances. It's still not there, we still have things to work on. It's not good enough and we have to keep working hard to get the team up to speed.

"The good thing today was the chances we created. When we play at home, we have to be quicker as a team. That's why we have to work really hard to get the team up to their full potential.

"Four players today make their first game of the season and made a good impact.

"I think we are going to succeed. It is a long-term project, we're going to keep going, but right now we have to show more. It's up to us to give the fans energy. We have to give them more.

"As a player and a manager at Aberdeen, we have really strong expectations. We have to give the fans more to get a good feeling. Right now, the team is struggling a little bit.

"The pressure is always there. We have had a really bad start, but we have to keep working and keep believing. The only way to get out of this is take it step by step.

"This season is not over yet. We know we don't have enough points so far. We have to perform better."

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Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has a fully fit squad. Latvia centre-back Kristers Tobers, who has not played this season due to injury, has returned to training.

Livingston's new loan signings Junior Robinson and Mahamadou Susoho are both in contention for involvement while Macaulay Tait is available after missing out against parent club Hearts.

But Shane Blaney, Cammy Kerr, Cristian Montano and Aidan Denholm are set to remain sidelined.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Kevin Nisbet says he first became aware of Aberdeen's summer interest when he saw a news report speculating that chairman Dave Cormack had been telling supporters in Romania the move was happening.

Aberdeen paid around £300,000 to bring Scotland striker Nisbet back from Millwall after a successful loan spell last season, which culminated in the Scottish Cup triumph at Hampden.

However, he says Cormack was confident of the deal going through days before the eventual deadline-day deal, when Aberdeen played FCSB in their Europa League play-off.

"It was quite late in the window," Nisbet said, when asked if he was aware of Aberdeen's interest.

"I think it was when Dave started telling people in Romania that I was signing, I didn't really know anything about it.

"Then obviously, you know what Dave is like, he is a man of his word and by Monday it was done.

"Of course I had a game first at Millwall, so it was a case of play that first and we will see what happens and then by Monday night I was an Aberdeen player.

"When the clubs were dialogue with each other about fees and stuff like that, I knew the personal terms weren't going to be an issue.

"I knew I wanted to come back and as soon as it was agreed then it was a case of get a flight up and get it done."

Nisbet, 28, netted 14 times for Aberdeen last term and believes the Dons are getting him for the peak years of his career.

"I think every striker goes into their prime when they are towards the later end of their career," he said.

"I don't think Aberdeen fans saw the best of me last year, but I have come back fit, mentally and physically in a good place just to hit the ground running and try and score as many goals as possible."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager Jimmy Thelin admits Aberdeen must "turn things around" following a successful end to the summer transfer window.

The Swede bolstered his squad by bringing in Scotland internationals Kevin Nisbet and Stuart Armstrong on permanent deals, as well the eye-catching signing of Sweden winger Jesper Karlsson on loan from Bologna.

He will be hoping that injection of quality can kickstart a league campaign the Dons have opened with three defeats while failing to score.

"There is always pressure, everybody is here to compete and we have high expectations on ourselves to arrive at European spots, to do well in Europe and be good in the cups. We have a lot of competition ahead of us now," Thelin said.

"We have the long-term vision in our head, but the result has to come as well and we have had a tough start to the season. We need to turn things around and start winning games.

"It's a super important game against Livingston. They have done well and are a good team, but I believe we have taken a step now with these new signings and some adjustments, we can put in a good performance."

Despite Aberdeen's poor start in the league, the new arrivals have prompted a surge of optimism among the fans about what the campaign could yield.

But with Karlsson and Armstrong yet to play this season and Nisbet's match action limited, it may take time for the high-profile trio to get up to speed at Pittrodie.

"Right now, they are doing well in the training sessions. We need to work out how much they can contribute in the games without taking too many risks, but they are ready to play," Thelin added.

"We need to be careful with these three players. Step by step they will get more game time but they look ready and sharp."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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

Here are the key points from the Dons boss:

• Having completed their summer business by bringing in Jesper Karlsson, Kevin Nisbet and Stuart Armstrong, Thelin says: "The club and the staff have done a good job in the window."

• Despite the trio's lack of game-time this season, Thelin says they are ready to play and "look really sharp" but adds: "We need to be careful with all three players."

• It was put to Thelin that having now been given the tools by the Aberdeen board, the pressure is on to start winning, and he says: "There is always pressure... we have high expectations on ourselves."

• The Livingston game is "super important" as Aberdeen "need to turn things round and start winning games".

• On the players he left out of his Conference League squad, particularly Alfie Dorrington, Thelin says "tough decisions" had to be made and highlighted the four competitions they are competing in and the need to share responsibilities.

• Team news - "Everybody is available".