It has been a busy summer for Aberdeen with Jim Goodwin completely transforming his squad – a revamp that was much needed.
With 14 players departing since his appointment, it is now very much Jim’s team and, having had the close season to work with the old faces and new, he should be in a much stronger position to produce the improved displays which simply weren’t evident in the closing stages of the 2021/22 campaign.
It is a measure of the shake-up he has implemented the opening Premier Sports Cup encounter at Peterhead saw an entire defence make its debut for the club.
Some of the issues which have hampered the team further up the pitch were still evident at Balmoor, but he has fresh blood to inject in those areas, and once things settle down, all the red tape has been dealt with and he can ease the new players into the line-up, we should see a very different level of performance.
The transfer activity has certainly heightened the expectations of the Aberdeen support, and there seems to be a real feelgood factor right now.
But, we have all been in that position before, and whether it is maintained will be down to Jim having got his signings right and the players meeting the challenge of doing what is required at a club of the Dons’ size.
The League Cup ties won’t tell us anything conclusive, but they will at least give an indication, and it has been an encouraging start against, admittedly, limited opposition.
Two wins, two clean sheets and a respectable enough goal-haul is pretty much what the manager would have been hoping for, and the team are clearly in pole position to secure a place in the knockout stages.
I didn’t see all of the Dumbarton game, but from what I have been told, Ylber Ramadani put in the kind of showing I would have expected from a player with his pedigree, and he looks sure to be a key component in Jim’s side.
With another three or four further signings planned, there is still work to be done on that front and the squad does still need bolstering as the bench has looked a little light in both fixtures to date.
Luis Lopes would appear to be the most likely next arrival and, if that happens, and once Bojan Miovski has been cleared to join his new team-mates, Jim Goodwin will have a relative embarrassment of riches at his disposal.
For most of last season, Aberdeen had one striker on their books and, after Christian Ramirez was allowed to leave early, they finished the campaign with none.
I do wonder if the American will still be here when the MLS transfer window closes early next month, but, if he does remain, he will at least have some support and competition this time round.
Among those who departed Pittodrie were two of the brightest young talents Scottish football has produced in recent years.
Calvin Ramsay’s meteoric rise has propelled him to Anfield, where, I would imagine, he will reside in their development programme for some time, or head out on loan.
Lewis Ferguson, a much more rounded and experienced player, will have loftier ambitions, and I look forward to monitoring his progress at Bologna.
It’s a brilliant move for Lewis, and one that says much for his character and self-belief.
Top-flight clubs set to exit League Cup early
The Premier Sports Cup is shaping up nicely, with a number of the sections set to spring something of a surprise.
Incredibly, the Dons were the only Premiership side to win in midweek. Livingston and Hibernian both lost, while Kilmarnock and St Johnstone failed to pick up a penalty shoot-out bonus point after draws at home.
Partick Thistle are in charge in Group B, Dunfermline are off to a flier in C and Falkirk have taken control of Group D.
St Mirren are toiling in E, with Arbroath having already chalked up two wins, while St Johnstone will require three straight victories if they’re to top Group F. And, if Livi fail to win at Balmoral Stadium this afternoon, their hopes will also be extinguished.
With the eight group winners and just three best runners-up making the knockout stages, it is already certain there will be top-flight casualties.
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