Aberdeen face Ross County tomorrow in what The Reporter’s titling the ‘P&J Derby’, with Scotland’s two most Northern teams in the Premiership going head-to-head in Dingwall.
With it being the ‘P&J Derby’ it was only right to get the thoughts of Andy Skinner, Press & Journal sports writer and reporter for the Highland clubs.
Staggies are underdogs but a club on the up
“Kettlewell’s trying to instil a free-flowing style of football, but if County find themselves a goal up against Aberdeen with twenty minutes to go, they’ll be more pragmatic.”
The Staggies recently dipped back into the Championship in a year long blip that saw them relegated from the Premiership in the 2017/18 season, then bounce straight back as first division champions in 2018/19.
After consolidating their position in last year’s curtailed season, where County finished tenth, Mr Skinner says the view at the club is to continue rebuilding their Premiership status.
Mr Skinner told The Reporter: “County’s main goal this season is survival. Their aim will be to move up the table and consolidate their position in the Premiership.
“Steve Kettlewell’s trying to instil a free-flowing style of football with a lot of energy in midfield, but if County find themselves a goal up against Aberdeen with twenty minutes to go on Sunday, they’ll definitely switch to being more pragmatic with their approach.”
Mr Skinner, who’s been reporting on Highland teams for the P&J for the last six years, says that even though County find themselves in a surprising fifth in the table the Staggies aren’t totally happy with the start they’ve made.
Mr Skinner said: “Actually there’s some frustration that we didn’t pick up more points. We were ahead against Kilmarnock and drew 2-2. We were ahead against United and lost 2-1, so there have been opportunities to have an even better start, but I think on the balance of things Kettlewell is happy.”
Aberdeen favourites but have to be weary
“I think the ease with which the new signings have settled in like McCrorie leads me to believe the Dons are on to good things this season and it will be interesting to see how far they can go.”
On Sunday’s game, Mr Skinner acknowledges Aberdeen are favourites, being the bigger and better resourced club, but there are a few factors that could sway the tie in County’s favour.
Mr Skinner said: “One thing to note is since County’s last game, Aberdeen have played twice. It’s a short turnaround between the Lisbon game and Sunday. There’s maybe a chance for tiredness and fatigue to come into it.
“Also County are fresh from a victory last weekend (beating St Johnstone one-nil down in Perth). If they’d lost they would have gone into this thinking this is a really tough game coming up, but the victory last weekend will give County confidence which they’ll take into the Aberdeen game. So there are a few factors that maybe come into Ross County’s favour.”
Beware a wounded animal
“County have to be careful. I think they could face quite a hungry team on Sunday. As they say, a wounded animal is always a dangerous one.”
The biggest thing Mr Skinner worries about for Ross County is Aberdeen’s players desperate to put right their two recent losses, particularly the three-nil defeat to Motherwell last weekend.
The thing Mr Skinner is most weary of for Ross County: “The backlash.
“Ok the game in Lisbon was one they were never expecting to win, but domestically that result against Motherwell last week, being three goals down after thirty minutes, that will have hurt and I think Aberdeen will be desperate to get back on track after that.
“County have to be careful. I think they could face quite a hungry team on Sunday. As they say, a wounded animal is always a dangerous one.”
Aberdeen struggle with the demands competing for ‘best of the rest’
After Rangers’ fall from grace and with the indifferent form of Hibernian and particularly Hearts, it’s the Dons who are looked at as the naturally placed club for being best of the rest.
However, as Aberdeen supporters will know, the Dons never make it easy for themselves and have found it hard to consolidate their position as nearest challengers to Rangers and Celtic.
Mr Skinner thinks the last couple of years have been a bit disappointing for the Dons, but is intrigued by Derek McInnes’ newly bolstered squad this year.
Mr Skinner said: “I think the last couple of seasons for Aberdeen have been disappointing from a league perspective.
“They’ve finished fourth the last three seasons. Ok last season didn’t finish and the next game they were due to play before the shutdown was against Motherwell, and if they’d won that they would have gone into third, but their league form has been a bit disappointing.
“You have to balance that by saying McInnes record in general over the years has been solid and finishing second above Rangers a couple times has given the manager wiggle room.
“Aberdeen have been consistently challenging for semi-finals and finals of cup competitions. They’ve been in Europe every season as well, which is something a lot of clubs would be desperate for.
“I think the ease with which the new signings have settled in like McCrorie leads me to believe the Dons are on to good things this season and it will be interesting to see how far they can go.”
David de Gea manages Ross County
One final question to ask and probably the most important to of them all is what the P&J correspondent thinks of the scarily close resemblance between manager Kettlewell and Man Utd goalkeeper David de Gea.
De Gea famously tweeted a picture of him and Kettlewell, surprised by the resemblance between the two.
On the Staggies’ manager being tweeted by the Spain international, Mr Skinner said: “The idea that David de Gea was sitting in his house watching Ross County was difficult for me to comprehend. It’s scary how much of a resemblance there is between the two.”
Prediction:
Andy Skinner: 2-2
The Reporter: 1-2
Ross County v Aberdeen
KO 3pm Sun 27th, Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 