Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin admits Dons are in 'really difficult moment'
Jimmy Thelin admitted Aberdeen "are in a really difficult moment as a team right now" as they bid to snap out of a 10-game run without a victory.
After a stunning start to the campaign in which they won each of their first 13 matches in all competitions and were unbeaten for the first 16, the Dons have completely lost their way since the start of November.
Having briefly gone top of the Premiership table in October, Thelin’s side are now down to fourth after a fifth consecutive defeat away to Motherwell on Sunday.
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To exacerbate their situation, they are set to be without their first-choice centre-back pairing for Sunday’s match at home to Hearts, with Gavin Molloy sidelined with a long-term injury and Slobodan Rubezic suspended after being sent off in the 2-0 defeat at Fir Park.
Thelin remains confident things will improve, but admits they are "dropping too low" at certain points in matches. "We are in a really difficult moment as a team right now," he told Red TV.
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"We’re dropping too low when we’re dropping. Sometimes the opponents get momentum and then we have momentum. We have momentum, how we control the game.
"But when they have it, they (Motherwell) score two goals. And that’s why we have to be much, much better in these periods.
"I think still we have good things, but we have to be more living the game, be more inside the game. And that’s for me now and the players this week.
"And there’s no way around it again. I think I’m repeating myself now, but my belief is still really strong that we’re going to find a way out. I think we’re going to be much, much stronger, but we have to keep working and improving the team."
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Thelin is reportedly close to signing Danish winger Jeppe Okkels on loan from Preston as he bids to replenish a squad which was already depleted by injuries to goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov, Jack Milne, Vicente Besuijen and Pape Gueye, and will now be missing Molloy and forward Ester Sokler for an extended period.
In addition, Rubezic is set to miss the next two matches – unless the Dons appeal – after being shown a straight red card for reacting to goading from Tony Watt by pushing his head towards the Motherwell player’s chest.
"For me, it’s always important when you’re on the pitch to have emotional control," Thelin said of the incident. "It’s so important to not give the opponent something extra."
After substituting their only recognised centre-back Angus MacDonald at half-time, Aberdeen played the second half with midfield duo Dante Polvara and Sivert Heltne Nilsen at the back and did not concede any further goals.
"Dante did really well," said Thelin. "It’s not easy to come in and play there, but how he read the game and how he anticipated things, and his calmness was really good."
