Stephen Robinson’s Aberdeen team play host to in-form Falkirk tonight at Pittodrie, before travelling to Barclays Hampden for a keenly anticipated Premier Sports Cup semi-final clash with Rangers on Saturday evening. Failing to win both games could signal serious trouble for the Northern Irishman, but more than just his job; Stephen Robinson’s reputation in the game hangs in the balance.
Having lost two of their three games since the international break, pressure has once again been heaped on Robinson’s shoulders. A disappointing and uninspiring effort against St Johnstone just after the international break, paired with a narrow defeat at Tannadice this past Saturday, has deepened his unpopularity amongst those of a red persuasion. Not even victory against his old club St Mirren would achieve much in the way of steadying his Pittodrie ship.
In reality, the initial appointment in March left many scratching their heads; the club was accused of hitting the panic button when the realities of a relegation battle became all too real. Aberdeen made it over two months without replacing the sacked Jimmy Thelin, before feeling pressure to react following their infamous 3-0 defeat at the hands of eventual Scottish Cup finalists Dunfermline Athletic.
Only six times since then have the Dons walked away with three points in the league, his team finding it tricky to break down strong low blocks that make it difficult to play through. Struggling to consistently turn possession into clear-cut opportunities in front of goal, a lack of creativity and penetration has proven itself a problem for months now.
Despite the efforts of captain Kevin Nisbet and impressive summer signing Ayoub Mouloua, Aberdeen have registered just twelve goals in their first ten games; without their 4-0 trouncing of Motherwell at Fir Park, that figure becomes just eight in nine.
It appeared Aberdeen had found the solutions to their obvious defensive frailties from last season and looked much stronger at the back; however, Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 defeat at Tannadice has exposed the Pittodrie club’s lack of strength in depth, with usual starting centre backs Mats Knoester and Lewis Mayo both ruled out for the foreseeable future with injuries that look more serious than first presumed. It’ll be interesting to see how they line up at the back this week, and whether they can maintain their decent defensive record.
Additionally, Stephen Robinson confirmed yesterday that midfielder Connor Ronan has joined the injury list with a concerning knee problem of his own. He admitted the loss to be a huge blow to the squad, feeling as though fans were just beginning to see the best of the Irishman in a red shirt.
It’s clearly been a turbulent time in the North-East, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that Aberdeen have only won once in their last four games, and have now slipped to ninth in the Scottish Premiership table, a whole eight points back on the desired third place finish that the Dons faithful expect from their side after just ten games.
Not only has Robinson struggled to pick up results throughout his tenure at Aberdeen, but he’s also struggled to win over a fanbase with pre-existing contempt for him. He’d taken his St Mirren side up to Pittodrie enough times for supporters to stereotype the sort of football he might take there with him, and his character hasn’t rubbed off well in the Granite City either.
It means that in the face of challenge, Robinson likely won’t be given many more chances to pick up points and begin a period of success and consistency at Aberdeen, making every match that comes more important than any he has faced in red to date. He must impress in every game.
The media have justifiably picked up on tonight’s clash against Falkirk as an early relegation six-pointer; just a point separates the Dons from the Bairns, who themselves were tipped for a fight at the wrong end of the table pre-season. It is, without any shadow of a doubt, a must-win game for the Aberdeen manager.
John McGlynn’s side head to Pittodrie at the wrong time for Robinson too. Back-to-back wins against the Premiership’s bottom two sides will give Falkirk belief that they can beat the Pittodrie side too; the recent goals of American Jacob Murrell could cause a second-string Dons back line there for the taking, more problems than they’d like.
Survive Falkirk, and Stephen Robinson is really only halfway there. A massive semi-final against rivals Rangers on Saturday evening could be the final straw for him. Around 10,000 supporters are expected to make the trip and back the team on their return to Hampden; the first time they’ve been since lifting the Scottish Cup last May.
Like the Bairns, Rangers are in serious form. Derek McInnes’ side haven’t lost a league game since the 9th August, a run which includes seven victories in eight games. They also dispatched their great Old Firm rivals at a canter to make it through to this fixture with Aberdeen, for whom challenges don’t get much tougher than a sea of blue at Hampden Park.
McInnes will know too that Aberdeen are vulnerable as things stand, and he will no doubt smell blood. It’s the kind of situation the Gers’ could only dream of facing ahead of a big Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
In some ways, the weight of expectation on tonight’s game makes it the bigger of the two games, given fans expect strong performances and a comfortable victory. The Rangers clash is more of a free hit in that sense, given the vast majority of football people expect only one outcome to come from Saturday night.
If the Dons were to come away with nothing from their double-header week though, the manager would, at best, be walking on thin ice. You’d imagine – given the frosty response he’s received at Pittodrie this season – boos will ring out against the Northern Irishman if he can’t secure victory to leapfrog Falkirk in the table. Fighting spirit will be expected across both fixtures; without it, Stephen Robinson’s managerial reputation may never be the same again.
