Aberdeen 2 Queen’s Park 1: Pittodrie debuts of summer signings assessed as Dons continue winning start to season

Aberdeen’s rebuilt team continued their winning start to the season but made hard work of seeing off Championship side Queen’s Park in a 2-1 victory  at Pittodrie.

Boss Stephen Robinson fielded eight summer signings in the starting line-up and they seemed on course for a comfortable win after racing into a quick-fire 2-0 lead after only 11 minutes.

Summer signings combined to put the Reds ahead after only three minutes when Connor Ronan’s corner was headed in by Dan Happe from six yards.

It was 2-0 soon after when another new signing Lewis Smith drilled a low 12 yard shot home to complete a superb passing move.

However, the Dons couldn’t add to their tally and a goal from Jack Hamilton to make it 2-1 in the 61st minute gave Queen’s Park hope of securing a result.

Moments after the Championship side scored new keeper signing Marius Muller delivered a triple save.

We look at three talking points from the match.

New signing Muller a ‘sweeper keeper’

German keeper Marius Muller was pitched in for a starting debut only 48 hours after signing a two-year deal with the Dons.

Muller, who plays with a protective face mask, is an imposing figure in Aberdeen’s penalty area.

However, he was unable to mark his debut with a clean sheet as Queen’s Park netted in the 61st minute via Jack Hamilton.

The ball was floated into the box by Louis Longridge and Hamilton peeled away from Jack Milne to meet the delivery and headed beyond Muller at the near post.

Muller was exposed by his defence.

Within minutes of that goal Muller produced a triple save to deny Queen’s Park.

First he blocked a shot from Scott Martin and pushed the ball to Callum Smith who shot low from 12 yards, but the new Dons signing parried.

The loose ball deflected to Michael Ruth but again Muller recovered to dive to his right to save a third shot in a few seconds of action.

What is clear is that Muller likes to push high up the pitch when Aberdeen are in possession – very high.

He has clearly been influenced by legendary German international and Bayern Munich keeper Manuel Neuer, in utilising the ‘sweeper keeper’ role.

At some points in the match Muller was as far advanced as the halfway line and kick-off spot.

Muller is only 48 hours into his Pittodrie career and has only had a few training sessions but he is already a vocal presence within the team.

The keeper constantly communicated with the back four, making them aware of any potential dangers.

Early in the second half the Dons had a free-kick 25 yards out from Queen’s Park’s goal and Muller was inside the Championship club’s half directing team-mates.

The 33-year-old spent last season at German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg and has also had spells at Schalke, RB Leipzig and Swiss side FC Luzern.

On the eve of the clash against Queen’s Park boss Robinson confirmed Muller had been signed in case the Dons sell keeper Dimitar Mitov in the summer transfer window.

Bulgarian international Mitov, who has a year remaining on his Dons contract, was relegated to the bench having started in the 2-0 win at Brora Rangers on Tuesday.

Whether handing Muller a start so soon after signing is an indication of the German being No.1 regardless of whether Mitov is sold or not, remains to be seen.

However what is clear is Robinson clearly has solid faith in the German stopper to pitch him straight into the first home game of the new season.

In injury time Muller spread himself well at his near post to save an effort from Lewis Stewart to prevent the match going to penalties.

New signings make immediate Pittodrie impact

This fixture was the first opportunity for the majority of Aberdeen fans to see boss Stephen Robinson’s rebuilt team in action for the first time.

Robinson fielded eight of his 11 summer signings in the starting XI in a clear indication of Aberdeen’s fresh direction for the new season.

The only players from last season in the starting line-up were Kevin Nisbet, Afeez Aremu and Jack Milne.

It took two new signings only three minutes to make an impact as Connor Ronan, signed from Colorado Rapids, delivered a searching cross from the left.

Towering former Leyton Orient centre-back Dan Happe met the delivery to power home a vicious header from six yards.

Again it was the new additions who were at the heart of the second goal.

Happe won possession and passed to Ronan who split the defence with an audacious flicked back heel pass to Nisbet.

Striker Nisbet rolled a pass to winger Lewis Smith, signed from Livingston for £300,000,  who took a touch then drilled a clinical 12 yard drive beyond keeper Jack Wills.

Key in the build up to both goals was Ronan who could bring that creative spark and ability to unlock defences the Dons often lacked last season.

Ronan has that ability to conjure up the unexpected as shown by the superbly executed back heeled flick in the build up to the second.

The midfielder played a deeper role in the American MLS with Colorado Rapids.

But Robinson aims to field him further forward in an attacking midfield role.

Aberdeen’s ‘leadership group’

Summer signing Brad Lyons wore the captain’s armband in the first home game of the season as boss Robinson utilised his ‘leadership group’ model.

Striker Nisbet captained the new-look Dons in the win at Brora Rangers on Tuesday.

Robinson recently revealed he will initially run with four or five experienced players filling the captaincy void left by the exit of Graeme Shinnie.

The Dons boss was keen to get Shinnie on a new deal to lead his reconstructed squad, but the midfielder opted to move to Inverness Caley Thistle.

Traditionally managers name their new captain before the first game of the season, and it is a decision for the campaign.

In a break with tradition Robinson has opted to go with a model used by Premier League champions Arsenal where captaincy roles are split amongst senior players.

Those players at Pittodrie are Lyons, Nisbet, Nicky Devlin, Mats Knoester and Dimitar Mitov – or perhaps Muller.

Lyons was captain at Kilmarnock before signing for the Dons this summer.

The midfielder made an impressive competitive debut in the win against Highland League champions Brora and continued that form.

Northern Ireland international Lyons brings a combative steel to the spine of the new team – but there is also quality to his aggressive play.

ABERDEEN (4-1-4-1): Muller 7; Mayo 6, Milne 6, Happe 7, Guinness-Walker 6 (Molloy 62); Aremu 6 (Briedl 62); Smith 6  (Olusanya 62), Lyons 7, Ronan 7 (Mouloua 81), Yogane 6 (Bilalovic 81); Nisbet 6

Subs not used: Mitov, Lobban, Mar Kjartansson, Marshall.

QUEEN’S PARK (4-4-2): Wills 7; Pignatiello 6, Murray 7, Lamie 6 (Mackenzie 73), Shiels 6; Connolly 6, Longridge 7, Martin (McLean 73), Smith 6 (McDonnell 73); Ruth 6 (Stewart 73), Hamilton 7 (Todorov 80)

Subs not used: Silwinski, Fisher,  McCallion, Brannan.

Referee: Dan McFarlane

Man of the match: Connor Ronan (Aberdeen).

[Source: Press and Journal]