The international break is up and running but once it’s over, Celtic face Aberdeen in the first Scottish Premiership fixture when the domestic season resumes.
Brendan Rodgers and Jimmy Thelin are both still unbeaten in the league and both managers will be doing everything they can to ensure either Celtic or Aberdeen remains top of the Scottish Premiership table at full time on the 19th of October.
For Celtic, Rodgers is likely to continue his all-out attacking style to ensure that the three points stay in Glasgow.
But for Aberdeen, Thelin has to decide whether or not Aberdeen will attack Celtic or whether they try and shut up shop and hit the Bhoys on the break – in an aim to keep their 100% record intact.
Former Aberdeen hero, Willie Miller, is in no doubt how he thinks his old club should be set up and his advice to Thelin could well play into Celtic boss, Brendan Rodgers’ hands.
Willie Miller wants Aberdeen to face Celtic with ‘no fear’
Dons legend Miller wants to see Aberdeen come to Glasgow and challenge Celtic and has urged Jimmy Thelin not to change their style of play for the Parkhead clash.
Miller told the Press & Journal, “It has been a fantastic start to the season, and now Aberdeen’s next clash is a top-of-the-table clash with Celtic at Parkhead after the international break. The Dons must go into that game with belief.
“The more you win, the more you turn games around with late goals, the more you believe anything is possible. That will be the mindset Aberdeen will have when facing Celtic.
“Facing Celtic at Parkhead is a hugely significant match as both teams have 100% records in the Premiership with seven wins from seven. Something has to give.
“When you go down to Parkhead, you must show belief, organisation and resilience. You know things will not always go your way in that fixture, but you have to understand you have to take that on the chin sometimes and retain focus.
“I hope Thelin does not change the way Aberdeen are playing at Parkhead. Ideally, he will stick with the system which has brought success.
“There’s no reason why he should change, as he plays a very adaptable system and has very good resources on the bench. Aberdeen will go into that game with no fear or trepidation.
“They will approach Celtic with self-belief built up by a superb 13-game winning start to the season.”
How Miller’s Aberdeen advice will benefit Celtic
Aberdeen generally set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and, so far, it has worked. The Pittodrie club have scored 15 goals so far in the league but have also leaked six.
And looking at how Hearts exposed The Dons at the weekend, Brendan Rodgers could find a lot of joy in the Aberdeen flanks through the pace of Celtic wingers Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda.
In attack, Aberdeen are strong but defensively they are weaker and that is something that Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah could take advantage of.
Hearts should have beaten Aberdeen at the weekend and had they not been reduced to ten men, and in all likelihood, they would have done so.
Jimmy Thelin passed his first big test against the Tynecastle club but Celtic are a completely different animal and if Aberdeen do come to Parkhead and attack, the Swede could be on the end of a bruising defeat come 5pm on the 19th of October.
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