Aberdeen’s summer signings have the ideal opportunity to show what they can do when facing Celtic at Pittodrie on Sunday.
The new additions can lay down a real message of intent against the defending Premiership champions.
There have been a lot of changes at Pittodrie this summer and manager Barry Robson has built a new team.
It will be a steep learning curve for the Dons with so many changes, there is no doubt about that.
However, there is no better way for the new signings to make their mark than helping the Dons to a win over last season’s treble-winners.
Some of the new signings will not yet know what facing Celtic is about.
They will quickly learn how much this fixture means to the Dons and the club’s supporters.
Manager Robson has signed eight players this summer with more to come and trying to knit together a new team to play on the same wavelength is hard.
However, they have to hit top form on Sunday to have any chance of securing three points.
Celtic scored nine goals in their previous two matches against Aberdeen last season, so new defenders Nicky Devlin and Slobodan Rubezic will be key.
Both were rock solid in the 0-0 draw against Livingston in the opening game of the season.
Rubezic and Devlin will need to both produce top class performances on Sunday.
Israeli international right-back Or Dadia could also make his debut against Celtic, having been an unused substitute against Livi.
Sunday’s clash with the Hoops is the start of a pivotal run of games for Aberdeen this month.
Next Friday they face Stirling Albion away in the Viaplay Cup.
Stirling Albion may be in League One, but their potential threat cannot be underestimated as they beat St Johnstone 4-0 in the League Cup group stage.
After that the Dons then face either BK Hacken of Sweden or FK Zalgiris of Lithuania away in the Europa League play-off on Thursday, August 24.
The return leg is at Pittodrie a week later.
Reaching the Europa League group stages would be absolutely massive for the club in terms of reputation on the continent.
So Aberdeen’s new signings are being very much thrown in at the deep end with the upcoming run of fixtures.
And it will be a case of sink or swim.
Unfortunately the season began not with a bang, but a whimper with an uninspiring goalless stalemate at Livingston.
Dons must attack their Glasgow rivals
Aberdeen will have to significantly up their game creatively and in the final third when facing Celtic.
The Parkhead side move the ball about very quickly and score goals for fun.
It is up to Aberdeen manager Robson and his players to come up with a game-plan to match that.
I am sure Robson will do his utmost to come up with a plan not just to contain Celtic but to also defeat them.
Aberdeen have to attack Celtic. They have to be positive and aggressive.
There’s no point sitting back and inviting the Hoops on to them.
That is what former boss Jim Goodwin did on December 17 last year when “parking the bus” in a 1-0 loss at Pittodrie.
It was an horrific watch for Aberdeen supporters – and the Dons still lost.
That is not the Aberdeen way. The Dons are at home and need to take the game to Celtic.
Aberdeen have to get fired into Celtic and not give them time on the ball.
Players must stick to their marking jobs and not let opponents slip away and get in behind Aberdeen.
Robson’s summer squad rebuild is still ongoing, but he has already constructed a team more than capable of beating Celtic over 90 minutes.
The determination and drive of Graeme Shinnie and Jonny Hayes is exactly what is needed.
Both Shinnie and Hayes will run through a brick wall for the cause and give everything.
Every Aberdeen player must show that same attitude on Sunday.
They were superb in the first half to race into a 3-0 lead and it could have been a more emphatic advantage at the break.
If the Dons can reproduce that level against Celtic, they can get three points.
And that would be a strong message from a revamped side.
Duk will quickly hit the goal trail
Aberdeen striker Duk missed two chances to score in the 0-0 stalemate at Livingston – but the goals will soon come again.
Duk will know he should have done better, but he is a proven goalscorer for the Dons.
As a striker you just have to shrug off missed opportunities and go again.
I am sure Duk will now be completely focused on hitting the back of the net against Celtic at Pittodrie on Sunday.
Aberdeen certainly have firepower up top with Duk, Bojan Miovski and summer signing Ester Sokler.
Sometimes strikers can go on barren runs, it is the nature of the game.
When you do the key is to put in extra work on the training ground to get that scoring confidence back.
It is all about eye-to-ball contact and having that self belief.
If a striker loses confidence they can start passing the ball when they should shoot, and vice versa.
Duk scored 18 times in all competitions last season and he is more than capable of smashing the 20-goal mark this season.
It would be great if he could get off the mark against Celtic.
He certainly has the ability and eye for goal to do that.
McGarry will be a strong addition
New Zealand international left-back James McGarry will be a strong addition when he completes his move to Aberdeen.
A deal has been agreed for the 25-year-old full-back with Australian club Central Coast Mariners.
McGarry was part of the Central Coast Mariners side who recently won the Australian A-League title.
When I holiday in Australia, I watch Perth Glory and it is a good standard down under.
McGarry looks like he will further strengthen the Dons.
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