Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists in-form midfielder Ross McCrorie is under-rated in Scottish football.
McCrorie has netted in each of Aberdeen’s previous three games, including a 25-yard rocket in the 3-0 defeat of Raith Rovers.
Goodwin has urged the 24-year-old to maintain that red-hot form – starting at Premiership champions Celtic on Sunday.
The Dons boss also believes McCrorie does not realise how good he is.
He wants the Reds’ vice-captain to show more self belief – which includes “buying a ticket” with more long range shots.
Goodwin said: “Ross McCrorie is a really under-rated footballer at times.
“People look at him and think he is just a bit of a dog in the middle of the park that gets around and makes tackles.
“However, Ross is far better than people give him credit for.
“And I think he is far better than he actually believes himself.
“I want Ross to really have that confidence and self belief that he is capable of doing what he did against Raith Rovers.
“That was a special goal.”
⚽ 🤩#StandFree | @RossMcCrorie4 pic.twitter.com/jo6BWRaxlF
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) July 25, 2022
Delivering goals from midfield
McCrorie netted against Raith Rovers, Stirling Albion (5-0 win) and Dumbarton (2-0 win) in the Premier Sports Cup group stage.
He also hit the cross-bar with a 25-yard drive in the 2-0 defeat of Peterhead in the opening game of the season.
Aberdeen sold Lewis Ferguson to Italian Serie A club Bologna in a £3m deal earlier in the summer transfer window.
Scotland international Ferguson was Aberdeen’s top scorer last season with 16 goals.
With Ferguson’s departure, McCrorie has stepped in to bring an attacking threat from midfield.
Goodwin said: “That’s three goals now in four games for Ross..
“We are asking Ross to get forward a bit more, hit the box a bit more.
“And buy a ticket from time to time like he did against Raith.
“I’m really pleased for Ross.”
McCrorie set for centre-back role
McCrorie signed a one-year contract extension tying him to Aberdeen until summer 2026 in February.
That new deal was penned within a week of Goodwin’s appointment as manager.
McCrorie has operated in a midfield two so far this season, playing alongside £100,000 summer signing Ylber Ramadani in the last three games.
However, McCrorie is expected to drop into the centre-back role against Celtic on Sunday to replace Liam Scales.
Left-sided centre-back Scales is on a season-long loan from Celtic.
However, the defender is ineligible to face his parent club at Parkhead due to the terms of the loan deal.
Goodwin attempted to sign Scales, contracted to Celtic until summer 2025, on a permanent deal this summer.
But the Hoops were not open to selling the defender.
Summer overhaul of leaky defence
Scales and fellow summer signing Anthony Stewart have quickly forged a centre-back partnership.
With Stewart and Scales at centre-back, the Dons have yet to concede a goal this season, albeit against lower league opposition in the Premier Sports Cup.
Last season Aberdeen registered just six clean sheets in 47 games in all competitions.
In reaction to the porous nature of the defence last season, Goodwin completely overhauled his back-line during an extensive summer rebuild.
Centre-backs Scales (Celtic) and new Dons captain Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers) were secured.
Right-back Jayden Richardson was signed in a £300,000 deal from Nottingham Forest.
Richardson replaces teenager Calvin Ramsay, who was sold to Liverpool in a deal that could be worth up to £8 million.
Left-back Hayden Coulson this week arrived on loan from Middlesbrough and is set to make a debut at Parkhead on Sunday.
Keeper Kelle Roos was also signed following the expiration of his contract with Derby County.
Dutch stopper Roos has earned the No.1 jersey ahead of Joe Lewis, who held that position for six seasons.
In a defensive overhaul, Scotland international centre-back Declan Gallagher departed this summer having had the final season of his contract terminated.
Gallagher subsequently joined St Mirren.
Bates set for Legia Warsaw transfer
Centre-back David Bates is on the brink of moving to Polish top flight club Legia Warsaw.
It is understood Scotland cap Bates, 25, is set to transfer for an initial £200,000 fee, while a sell-on clause has also been agreed.
Bates is under contract at Aberdeen until summer 2024.
Goodwin said: “Clean sheets are what I am probably most satisfied with as that is something we were really poor at last season.
“That was prior to me coming in and even whilst I was in charge in the 12 games from February onwards last season.
“Clean sheets are massive.
“If you want to be a successful team, you have to keep clean sheets first and foremost.
“We will always get opportunities.
“I don’t care who we are playing or the level of opposition, we have players at the attacking end that can hurt most teams.
“I believe we will score in every game, but we have to keep clean sheets.”
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