Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie reckons the Reds have stepped up to lessen the impact of losing star striker Bojan Miovski in the summer.
North Macedonia international Miovski was snapped up in a big money transfer by Spanish top flight Girona after scoring 26 goals last season.
The 25-year-old transferred to Girona for an Aberdeen club record fee that could be worth up to £9m with achievable add-ons and a sell-on.
Miovski had netted 44 goals in two seasons at Pittodrie and there was a fear his exit would open up a goal-scoring void the Dons would struggle to fill.
However new boss Jimmy Thelin has led Aberdeen to an 11 game unbeaten start to the Premiership table.
Shinnie accepts Aberdeen lost a “talisman” in Miovski but says his transfer has not affected the Dons because many of the Dons have stepped up to deliver goals.
In the 18 games in all competitions this season 15 different players have found the back of the net, with 44 goals scored.
Shinnie, who is set to face St Mirren in Premiership action away on Saturday, has scored three times this season.
He said: “We lost a talisman in Bojan but it hasn’t really affected the squad.
“There are a lot of different goalscorers with so many of the lads chipping in.
“That’s important as I think maybe last season we relied probably too much on Bojan and even Jamie McGrath.
“Whereas this season the goals have been spread around.
“After Bojan moving on there was probably a greater need for that.
“Nobody would notice that Bojan has probably left but he was a massive part of our team.
“So I think that’s a compliment to the staff and the squad as well.”
‘Subs are waiting to make an impact’
Attackers Pape Gueye and Ester Sokler are Aberdeen’s leading scorers this season with six goals in all competitions.
Gueye has been ruled out for almost two months since suffering a quad muscle tear in training that required surgery.
The former Senegal under-20 international is scheduled to return from injury early in the new year.
Despite being injured since late September, Gueye remains the joint top scorer in the Premiership with five goals.
Aberdeen maintained their unbeaten Premiership run when winning 4-1 against Dundee prior to the international break.
Substitutes Kevin Nisbet and Vicente Besuijen both scored after coming off the bench in the second half.
Shinnie reckons the consistently positive impact of substitutes under Thelin shows the depth and quality of the squad.
He said: “The squad has done really well.
“Players have been ready to come on when they’ve been needed.
“The starting 11 give their all and the subs are waiting to make an impact as well.
“The character and spirit of the team is there until the end.
“That’s evident with the late goals we have scored this season.
“We don’t want to always leave it as late as we have in some games.
“To have calmness and patience to continue to do what we were doing and having the belief that the goal will still come is important.
“It’s good the squad have that in them.”
Captain Shinnie ‘in a good place’
Club captain Shinnie has been a fundamental driving force in Aberdeen’s unbeaten start to the league campaign.
The 33-year-old admits his performances were inconsistent last season, in a campaign where the Dons finished in the bottom six.
However the midfielder reckons he has rediscovered his top form.
He said: “I felt in the first half of last season that my form was up and down.
“It’s maybe been the most inconsistent spell I’ve had in my entire career.
“My form got a lot better in the second half of last season but I still put that pressure on myself.
“If everyone’s playing well then it brings everyone on and I feel like I’ve been playing well this season.
“That brings a confidence as well, so it’s probably a mixture of everything mixed into one that’s helping.
“Winning games, feeling good in myself and my fitness and playing well myself, all of it combined.
“I’m in a good place but t’s a long way to go to the end of the season.
“So I need to continue doing that and playing as well as I can.”
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