Jimmy Thelin wants Aberdeen stability as he reveals second injury blow for St Mirren clash
Jimmy Thelin wants his Aberdeen team to gain stability and become stronger as they look to secure their first Premiership victory since November this weekend.
The Dons will welcome St Mirren - who kickstarted the dreadful 12-match winless run with Thelin's first defeat as manager - to Pittodrie on Saturday knowing they need to find a rhythm if they are to compete for Europe.
Dundee United hold third spot, and victory over the Buddies will see the Reds leapfrog Jim Goodwin's side, with United due to face Rangers on Sunday.
READ MORE: Jimmy Thelin insists he is the man to turn around Aberdeen's torrid form
READ MORE: Graeme Shinnie calls on Aberdeen squad to stand up to crisis after horror St Mirren defeat
And after securing a first victory in 13 outings by dumping Elgin City out of the Scottish Cup, Thelin wants to keep the good times rolling and get his side back on track.
Speaking to the media, Thelin said: "Our aim now is to be a more stable team. I think we can be more stable, and we’ve worked a lot this week to take the positive things from the cup game and focus on those aspects, doing them properly tomorrow.
"Some players are back in training, and the competition in training is stronger. The intensity is increasing, which is good for us.
"Everybody feels the competition inside the squad is strong, so everyone has to be at their limit to play in the games. We also have different characteristics to use against specific opponents also.
"For some players, it’s a boost. But even in good times, when we are in a good run, and also in hard times, the players are pushing. They really try hard, and we’ve been through a challenging time.
Join our Aberdeen FC Facebook group for all the latest Dons news
"But I think we’re getting stronger, we’re learning, and we’re improving. Hopefully, it can be a turning point. Some things that happens in games have been unstable, and the opponents have been skilful and scored at those moments – but I really see that the mistakes are decreasing, and that’s the best sign for us to push forward.
"We want to be a more aggressive attacking team. At times this season, we’ve been too slow in our build-up, and then we lose the power of our team. That’s why we’re trying to improve in that area."
Following the sad news of former Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood's passing last weekend, Thelin paid tribute to the 69-year-old.
"I haven’t met Jimmy Calderwood personally, but he’s had a huge impact on the club, and that means a lot for a lot of people," Thelin said.
"I’m very sad for his family, and he’s always a historic figure for the club. We always have to show respect for people like him. That’s really important."
Aberdeen go into the game without two key midfielders, as the club revealed on Friday that Jamie McGrath is set to be out of action after shoulder surgery.
And Thelin added Dante Polvara to the lengthy injured list, with the American having suffered a slight setback, as the Dons boss revealed when McGrath could potentially return.
He added: "Jamie is out for a couple of months due to his shoulder injury. Dante had a little setback from the last game; we’ll see how long he’ll be out. Otherwise, I think it’s fairly stable.
"Jamie is a great player for us. He’s multifunctional, he can play in different positions, and he always gives everything. That’s something we have to work on.
"These shoulder injuries, it is really bad luck. We have to stay positive and support him. It’s important that he gets back as soon as possible, but for now, we need to support the players who are available.
"They are positive guys, they are doing the best they can do. Dante had some small setbacks in his legs, so we’ll see how long it takes for him to recover."
Sign up to our Aberdeen F.C newsletter to get the latest headlines, transfer news and more sent to your inbox
While the injury list has been growing, there has however been a welcome boost after Pape Habib Gueye made his return to action in the win over Elgin.
And despite saying he was ready for action for three months, Thelin and his staff were patient to avoid any further setbacks and have been thrilled by his return to the team.
He told reporters: "Pape has specific characteristics in the way he plays. He’s a mobile forward, he can change positions, he’s always making runs into space, and he’s good at attacking the box.
"He’s another weapon for us to use on the pitch in a good way. He brings a lot of energy, wants to prove himself, and he’s been training well.
"We need to be careful and with him now to avoid any setbacks, but he will be ready to be inside the squad, I hope he will be ready to play some minutes again soon.
"Pape has been saying he is ready for the last three months! He’s ready. He’s a positive guy, and I like his energy. I like that players are pushing to show this ambition and help the team, and that’s a positive thing.
"He’s always giving positive energy. He’s laughing, working hard. I really like his character as a person."