This week marks 5 months since Stephen Robinson took over the reins at Aberdeen. On the face of it, the Northern Irishman’s report card makes for first rate studying.
On the tail finish of final season, he sorted out the mess left by Jimmy Thelin and steered the membership away from hazard with a lot to spare.
His file of 5 wins from 5 within the Premier Sports activities Cup group stage was matched solely by Ayr United, and that was adopted by a rousing comeback victory over Hearts to kick off the league marketing campaign in type.
All of which was achieved towards the backdrop of an enormous summer time overhaul which noticed a raft of big-name departures and 12 new arrivals — with that determine now as much as 13 after the signing of striker Mitchy Ntelo final weekend.
However, as Robinson himself is aware of, on this enterprise, you’re solely nearly as good as your final sport. And, sadly for him, his aspect’s efficiency away at Dundee final Saturday was a shambles from begin to end.
It’s little marvel, then, that the knives are out for the previous St Mirren boss. Any early-season optimism amongst the assist flew proper out the window after watching that 90-minute horror-show at Dens Park.
Lewis Mayo was one in all a number of Aberdeen gamers to endure an off day at Dens Park
The supervisor, in fact, isn’t past reproach. He did no less than admit as a lot post-match. However how a lot blame can actually be positioned at his door?
As is at all times the case, the person within the dugout carries the can, nevertheless it’s the gamers who have to take a superb take a look at themselves.
The dearth of accountability proper by means of the staff was startling. Goalkeeper Marius Muller and captain Kevin Nisbet did a little bit of finger-pointing within the first half — primarily within the course of Tony Yogane — however aside from that there was a worrying lack of management on the market.
There are at all times going to be teething issues when making an attempt to mattress so many new gamers in, however at a membership like Aberdeen persistence wears pretty skinny. It’s a fanbase which tends to take no prisoners.
Though it’s not a essentially new downside at Pittodrie, it’s the brand new guys who’ve been tasked with altering the narrative. On final weekend’s proof, they’ll have to do extra.
Particular person errors — and there have been dozens to select from — could be forgiven to an extent. However far too many went lacking final Saturday.
Far too many spent their afternoon trying round for another person — anybody else — to take some accountability. It’s not as if these gamers don’t have expertise taking part in within the trenches.
Nesta Guinness-Walker might have been made to look about 14 by Dundee’s Joe Bevan, however the full-back had been taking part in common first-team soccer at a good degree in England for six years earlier than making the transfer north. Dan Happe alongside him spent eight years at Leyton Orient.
Chris Cadden racked up greater than 150 appearances for Hibs over time, and handed the century mark beforehand with Motherwell too, whereas Lewis Mayo minimize his tooth at Dunfermline and Partick Thistle earlier than turning into a key man on the coronary heart of Kilmarnock’s defence.
Robinson has clearly recognized the backline as an space which required an inflow of hardened professionals to put the muse for every thing else. However it’s a little regarding simply how simply they crumbled towards Steven Pressley’s males.
Dundee boss Stephen Robinson was left fuming along with his aspect’s meek show final trip
Robinson can be hoping it was nothing greater than an off day. Everyone seems to be allowed the odd one right here and there, in fact, however their response towards the identical opposition this afternoon will inform him rather a lot about what these new gamers are actually fabricated from.
They merely can’t afford to method this fixture in the identical method. It doesn’t have to be fairly — and ,let’s be trustworthy, it most likely gained’t be — however there could be no excuse for not turning up with the fitting mindset.
Talking to the media yesterday, Robinson mentioned: ‘Gamers, they know after they don’t do properly. They’re an trustworthy group of boys; there’s no person kidding themselves.’
That’s all properly and good, however that self-reflection doesn’t rely for a lot until it’s channelled correctly on the pitch.
At St Mirren, Robinson discovered a option to get each ounce out of each model of his squad. Character was arguably a much bigger think about his success than high quality, though the criticism of the Buddies’ type was typically grossly unfair.
The 51-year-old is now making an attempt to construct the same tradition at Pittodrie, and little question it’s going to take a while.
‘We imagine in what we’re doing,’ he mentioned yesterday. ‘I do know that over numerous video games at this degree that, if given time, there’ll be cup finals, top-six finishes and Europe.’
This revamped squad now have to show that they’ve the abdomen to step as much as that problem. Reserving their place within the quarter-finals with a win at the moment over the identical staff that made them look reasonably silly simply seven days earlier can be a superb begin.
