Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson is facing a growing list of problems to solve as pressure mounts following the Dons' defeat to Dundee United, which left the club languishing in the lower reaches of the Premiership table.
The weekend loss saw Aberdeen slump to their fifth Premiership defeat in 10 matches this season, with unrest growing in the stands at Pittodrie and Robinson the target of much of the fans' fury. The team squandered the opportunity to climb above Dundee United into the top six.
The big games are not slowing down for the Reds as they face Falkirk in midweek, with the Bairns fresh from back-to-back wins, before a trip to Hampden to face Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.
The form
Aberdeen sit ninth in the table, just three points clear of relegation trouble, with only two wins in their last eight league games. A win over Falkirk in midweek could push the club into the top six and relieve some of the growing pressure ahead of the Rangers clash.
Despite the form, there is a positive spin that can be put on it by Robinson during his tenure. He kept the relegation-threatened club up in the Premiership last season with wins over Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Dundee United during the final weeks of the 2025/26 campaign. He is now integrating 14 new players into the side from the summer and could make the case that he needs time to get the Dons up the table and into the top six.
Style of play and lack of goals
One area of his management that has not won over his Pittodrie detractors is the style of play. Robinson is perceived as a negative boss, with Celtic hero and Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton claiming last season that the Buddies were not good to watch and just "lump the ball," but it proved effective as the Paisley side went on to lift the Premier Sports Cup with a Hampden victory over the Hoops. Robinson fired back, saying: "You don't get to 400 league games if you don't know what you're doing."
Aberdeen have struggled in front of goal this season and are among the lowest scorers in the Premiership with just 12 strikes this term, and a lack of creativity in the final third is clear. They are yet to score a single goal from open play in front of their own fans in the league this season. If Kevin Nisbet isn't scoring, Aberdeen don't look like scoring at all, with the Scotland striker netting 13 goals in all competitions this term and Ayoub Mouloua the club's second top scorer on four.
Injury list and new CEO
Fitness issues have hampered the Dons this season, with defender Kristers Tobers a prime example. After 17 months out injured, the Latvian central defender's comeback will have to wait a little longer after picking up the bug that swept through the squad before the weekend defeat at Tannadice.
Adrian Bevington has now taken over as the club's new chief executive, bringing experience from the FA and other top jobs in England. This means Robinson has lost a key ally in Alan Burrows, who brought him in after the pair worked together at Motherwell. Bevington started work in mid-September, and the results he has overseen will not have won him over just yet.
Demand for silverware
The demand for silverware remains at Aberdeen, with Jimmy Thelin steering the club to the Scottish Cup in 2025 after a dramatic penalty shoot-out 4-3 at Hampden over Celtic, claiming the trophy for the first time in 35 years. Before that, the last piece of silverware was the League Cup in 2014 after Derek McInnes led the club to a win over Inverness. Claiming the Premier Sports Cup for the second time in two seasons would be a major boost for the Robinson era.
