Dundee 1 Aberdeen 3: Three talking points as resurgent Dons rise into the Premiership top six

Aberdeen broke into the Premiership top six for the first time this season after a 3-1 win at Dundee.

The Reds’ resurgence after a disastrous start to the league campaign continues with the win at Dens Park extending an unbeaten Premiership run to six games.

Aberdeen were rock bottom of the Premiership after the first six games, with only one point.

They have now risen up into the top six, ahead of Falkirk on goal difference.

On loan Sunderland midfielder Adil Aouchiche fired Aberdeen into a two goal lead by the half-hour mark with two clinical finishes.

Dundee hit back in the 60th minute when Ryan Astley headed home.

Substitute Kevin Nisbet made it 3-1 in the 92nd minute with a superb finish, flicked beyond the keeper with the outside of his boot.

Kick-off was delayed slightly as two pyrotechnics were thrown onto the pitch from the section of Aberdeen supporters.

Pyros were also ignited in the stand pre-match and thrown onto the side of the pitch after Aberdeen’s goals in the first-half.

Aberdeen warned supporters in August the club could be hit with increasingly punitive sanctions if  the illegal use of pyrotechnics continued, with the SPFL adopting a “zero-tolerance” policy.

New role pays off for Adil Aouchiche

Loan star Adil Aouchiche’s positional switch to the heart of midfield is paying off.

On loan from Sunderland until the end of the season, Aouchiche brings a calmness and creativity to that deeper role.

The more central role has also allowed Aouchiche the freedom to arrive into the opposition penalty box in support of attacks.

That was underlined clinically when the former Paris Saint Germain attacker netted twice in the first 30 minutes to fire the Dons into a 2-0 lead.

On both occasions Aouchiche pounced on the loose ball after a save by keeper Jon McCracken to fire home.

Aberdeen have a right to buy clause for Aouchiche, understood to be for £1.5million.

That’s a hefty price tag and would smash the club record fee paid for a player, which remains £1m for Paul Bernard from Oldham in 1995.

If Aouchiche continues his rise in form it may justify Aberdeen moving to trigger that right-to-buy clause.

But it will take consistently performing at a very high standard to raise that option.

Fixing Aberdeen’s away problem

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin may have discovered a solution to the Premiership away day problems that have dogged the club for five years.

At the end of last season Thelin said he would use the summer to work on a plan to improve the league form on the road.

Last season the Reds won only five of 19 away Premiership games, drawing four and losing 10.

It resulted in a damaging return of only 19 points from a possible 57.

Only the two teams relegated from the top flight St Johnstone (12) and Ross County (16) had a poorer away league record.

It is a problem that has dogged successive managers as Aberdeen had won only 23 times in 97 Premiership matches in the five seasons prior to the current campaign.

The Reds also drew 22 and lost 52 for a points return of 91 points from a possible 291.

Thelin’s side have now won four straight Premiership matches on the road, including ending long winless runs at St Mirren and Kilmarnock.

In their last six away league games the Dons have picked up 14 points (four wins, two draws).

In the previous 15 away league games the Reds had secured only 11 points (three wins, two draws and 10 losses).

Selection headache for boss Thelin

Boss Jimmy Thelin dropped Finland international Topi Keskinen to the bench with Jesper Karlsson returning to the starting line-up.

Keskinen has hit form in recent weeks having netted the winner against Hearts (1-0) and pitched in with assists against FC Noah (1-1) and Livingston (1-0 win).

The 21-year-old winger had spent a time out of the starting line-up prior to his return to form, with Thelin saying Keskinen was rested due to an extended game schedule.

Keskinen, a £865,000 signing from HJK Helsinki last summer, has effectively played with little break for 18 months as he was midway through the Finnish season when moving to the Dons.

He then played in the Euro under-21 finals for Finland in the summer before returning for pre-season at Pittodrie.

Keskinen recently said he did not need a a break.

Having a selection dilemma between with in-form Keskinen and on loan Swedish international Karlsson will be a positive headache for boss Thelin.

On loan from Bologna for the season, Karlsson cost the Italian top flight club £10million and brings a creativity that can turn games.

Operating on the left flank Karlsson played a key role in the opening goal when his perfectly judged through-ball picked up the run of Marko Lazetic.

Striker Lazetic’s low drive was saved by keeper Jon McCracken but Aouchiche followed up to calmly slot home from 12 yards.

Karlsson was also key in the second goal when he danced through challenges in the box before his 12 yard shot was saved by McCracken.

Aouchiche pounced on the loose ball to lift it over the keeper.

Karlsson was replaced by Keskinen in the 7oth minute after delivering four shots, all off target and four chances created.

The loan winger had 40 touches, 30 passes of which 24 found a team-mate for an 80% accuracy rate.

Karlsson had 13 passes in the final third, three successful dribbles out of nine attempted.

The big question now is who does Thelin choose to start against Strasbourg in the Uefa Conference League on Thursdsay?

Karlsson, Keskinen… or both?

ABERDEEN (3-4-2-1): Mitov 6; Devlin 6, Milne 6, Knoester 6; Lobban 6 (Shinnie 70) Polvara 7, Aouchiche 7, Jensen 6; Armstrong 7, Karlsson 7 (Keskinen 70); Lazetic 7 (Nisbet 64).

Subs not used: Suman, Shinnie, Heltne Nilsen, Clarkson, Bilalovic, Dorrington, Kjartansson

DUNDEE (4-5-1): McCracken 7; Astley 7, Graham 6, Koumetio 6, Wright 6 (Hay 83); Congreve 7, Dhanda 6, Hamilton 6, Westley 2 (Jones 15)  (Robertson 83), Yogane 6; Murray 6

Subs not used: O’Hara, Ingram, Donnelly, Digby, Acquah,  Samuels,

Referee: Grant Irvine

Attendance: 7,402

Man of the match: Adil Aouchiche (Aberdeen)

[Source: Press and Journal]