The Scottish Premiership season might be in its infancy, but the signs are already there this could be the highest scoring top-flight campaign in decades.
That will depend largely on what Celtic and Rangers do, but – given the goal gluts the Pittodrie faithful have been treated to for the last couple of weekends – the Dons might well also have a part to play in that.
It certainly looks more promising for Aberdeen in an attacking sense, and if they continue in the way they have started, particularly at home, they should comfortably achieve one of their better “goals for” totals.
In the past quarter of a century or so, since the formation of the SPL, then the Premiership, the Dons have regularly posted seasonal tallies in the 30s or 40s, every now and again sneaking past the half-century mark.
They bucked the trend spectacularly in the middle of the last decade when Derek McInnes had his best Aberdeen team, with seasons 2015-16 and 16-17 producing 62 and 74 goals respectively.
By contrast, the last three campaigns have offered up depressing totals of 40, 36 and 41.
That would have played a major part in Jim Goodwin’s recruitment thinking in the summer, and why he was so keen to considerably strengthen the front line.
If the Dons get around the 60 mark, or better, it seems very likely the overall Premiership record will be bettered, because the two big Glasgow clubs are showing signs they could, on occasions, run amok.
The highest scoring season in the time frame outlined above was, unsurprisingly, the 2002-03 classic campaign which was decided on Helicopter Sunday – Rangers pipping Celtic only on goal difference.
Of the 669 goals scored in that campaign, the champions netted 101, their rivals hitting the net 98 times, and both racked up a series of heavy wins. Celtic beat Aberdeen 7-0, scored six against Dundee, and thrashed both Dundee United and Kilmarnock 5-0; while Rangers bagged six against Dunfermline twice, and Kilmarnock once.
In 12 other matches one or the other scored four times while winning SPL encounters.
With both having kicked-off this season with three straight wins, averaging three goals a game between them, it will be no surprise to see a sequence of results, similar to those in 2002/03, unfolding in the coming campaign.
That is going to mean some very painful afternoons for defences around the country.
The other clubs can, of course, do their bit to make the season a goal-filled extravaganza.
In 02/03, 19 players got into double figures across the division – Alex Burns scored sixteen league goals for Partick Thistle and Stevie Crawford netted 18 for Dunfermline!
Last season, only six players scored more than 10 league goals in the Premiership, with Giorgos Giakoumakis and Regan Charles-Cook joint top marksmen with just 13.
That is not a scenario I envisage in the months ahead.
Strap yourselves in folks, this looks likely to be a thrilling ride, and it would not be a major surprise if goal difference is again the deciding factor at the top of the table.
People desperate to be offended by Graeme Souness ‘man’s game’ remarks
The reaction to Graeme Souness’ post-match analysis of last week’s Chelsea v Spurs game was way over the top.
The former Scotland captain said: “It’s a man’s game all of a sudden again.
“I think we’ve got our football back, as I would enjoy football – men at it, blow for blow, and the referee letting them get on with it.”
He is a man; he was commenting on a match between two teams of men. I see absolutely nothing wrong in what he said.
I am delighted the game in general has been opened up, that women’s football is getting more prominence, and I welcome the insights of some former players who have become pundits. Leanne Crichton, for instance, is one of the best in the business right now.
But I do think some people are too desperate to be offended, too desperate to be seen to be saying the “right” thing on social media.
“It’s a man’s game”
“Men at it”Get in the 🗑 what a disgraceful thing to say after the summer this country has just seen.
— Bethany England (@Bethany_Eng15) August 14, 2022
Anyone who watched that live, as I did, knew exactly what he meant – it’s just that some people pretended not to.
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