The Jimmy Thelin era got off to an impressive, winning start as Aberdeen saw off Queen of the South comfortably at Palmerston in the Premier Sports Cup group stage.
An early headed goal by Ester Sokler after some fine work by Shayden Morris on the right settled any new season nerves for the visitors, and some nifty footwork from Dons captain Graeme Shinnie soon allowed him to slot home a second for his side.
A lovely move sparked by positive play from Jamie McGrath allowed Leighton Clarkson to put it on a plate for Sokler’s second and Aberdeen’s third before the break.
They couldn’t add another after the interval, but the job was more than done by then.
Here are the talking points from Dumfries…
First glimpse at Thelin’s vision
The Aberdeen supporters seem to have bought into the project that Thelin has sold them upon his arrival at Pittodrie, but as the Swede himself knows all too well, their patience will only stretch so far.
To borrow a popular phrase doing the rounds among Premiership managers this week, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but he will have been delighted to see such early proof of his concept, and that his philosophy can deliver tangible results.
The usual caveats are in place – early days, the standard of the opposition – but there was a lot for the Aberdeen supporters who made the long journey south to be encouraged, and even excited, by.
The midfield pairing of captain Graeme Shinnie and new arrival Sivert Heltne Nilsen gives the Dons a solid platform to play from, and the emphasis on utilising the wings will have whatever striker occupies that central role licking their lips.
Here it was Sokler who thrived upon the service given to him by Morris, Jamie McGrath and full-backs Mikey Devlin and Jack McKenzie, and if they can somehow hang onto Bojan Miovski, he will surely make hay in a similar fashion against any opposition Scotland have to offer.
Sokler ready to step up?
Speaking of Sokler, and the issue of Miovski’s future, if Aberdeen’s star man does move on, Thelin may wonder if he already has a ready-made replacement in the ranks.
Yes, the Queen of the South defence was hardly watertight here, so he will have to prove himself against better opposition, but there has always been a suspicion that there is a decent player in Sokler if he could only earn a sustained run in the first team.
It is understandable that he hasn’t managed that yet given who has been ahead of him in the pecking order, but he is already halfway towards his tally for last season on day one, and he will hope to be the beneficiary if Miovski does move on.
Sokler has decent movement and can finish, the question is, can he do it on a consistent basis at the top level? We may soon find out.
Dons debutants show up well
Eyebrows were raised when Thelin persuaded Aberdeen to hand a three-year contract to a 32-year-old, but that is how integral a role he must feel Nilsen – who he worked with at Elfsborg – will play in his side.
On this early evidence, he looks a player. Perhaps in time, Aberdeen fans will wonder why there wasn’t another year or two tacked onto the end of that deal.
It wasn’t that anything he did was particularly eye-catching, but he anchored the midfield expertly, and it was his influence on those around him that was the most impressive aspect of his performance.
He is another captain alongside Shinnie in all but name, and he also allows the official Aberdeen skipper to roam and bring his own influence to bear in more dangerous areas, as exhibited by his wonderfully taken goal.
Elsewhere, Dimitar Mitov had one hairy moment trying to play out from the back, but will be a quality addition, and Gavin Molloy wasn’t really tested at the back.
Peter Ambrose got the last 25 minutes up top, and might have had a goal if not clotheslined by home captain Matty Douglas when running through on goal - an indiscretion that bizarrely brought only a booking.
No Luis Lopes? Who gives a Duk?
Probably the last thing Thelin would have wanted in his inbox as he started life at Pittodrie was having to deal with a huffy, wantaway star, but in truth, he and his team are better off without Duk.
The attacker was a standout in his first season in Scotland, but he was a shadow of that player last season, a fact that seems to have escaped his attention, and his alone.
If he never darkens the Pittodrie doorstep again, it is unlikely many tears will be shed, and as we saw here, there is more than enough talent in their ranks to compensate for his departure.
Peter Murphy has work to do
The only way is up, you would think, for Queen of the South after a largely abject season under Marvin Bartley last term. Whether that is up to the Championship again, where they will feel a club of their size belongs, remains to be seen.
There were one or two signs of improvement here against a standard of opposition they won’t face every week, and former Annan boss Murphy will get a better gauge of where his side are when they take on Dumbarton in midweek.
They have some decent, experienced players in the form of Ross Stewart, Reece Lyon and marquee signing Kai Kennedy, but they have much to work on before the really important stuff, from their perspective, gets underway.
