Physical Adequacy Will Be Basic Robinson's successful four-year spell at St Mirren was marked by building squads that were physically tough and able to withstand the rigors of Scottish football. St Mirren were pressing effectively, physically dominant and getting the ball into the end zone quickly. However, last season Aberdeen experienced the opposite of these characteristics. The Dons had the lowest take-on success rate in the league and conceded the most goals from set pieces. It was observed that the team had difficulty in controlling the game without possession of the ball. Robinson and sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel immediately took action to address these weaknesses. Austrian midfielder Alexander Briedl, the first signing of the summer transfer window, was trained by RB Salzburg's academy and Robinson highlighted his speed and pressing statistics. Again midfielder Brad Lyons joined the team with his Scottish football experience and mobility. Defensively, an experienced defender like Lewis Mayo was also included in the squad. Dan Happe, who was transferred from Leyton Orient and is 2 meters tall, was recruited to compensate for Aberdeen's physical inadequacy in the box. Nicky Devlin stated that in pre-season testing the team was at the best physical level he has seen in three years, which allows us to expect a more running and physically prepared team.

Can the Goal Scoring Problem Be Solved? Aberdeen, the team that scored the fewest goals after St Mirren last season, scored only 40 goals in 38 league matches. This rate was especially worse in away matches. If the team wants to be at the top, it has to solve this problem. During the St Mirren period, Robinson preferred to attack the opponent's goal with long passes. In the past, they played with three centre-backs and wing-backs, sometimes with two forwards, sometimes with two forward midfielders around a single striker. It is a matter of curiosity whether Robinson will adopt a similar formation this season. He tried this method last season to add defensive solidity. However, winger Tony Yogane transferred from Dundee, the return of Toyosi Olusanya and the desire to get more efficiency from Kenan Bilalovic show that the 4-3-3 formation may be a suitable option. Yogane was one of the players who created the most opportunities with dribbles last season.

What is the target? With the early arrival of new signings and a fuller pre-season programme, Aberdeen look determined to correct the mistakes they made last year. Robinson emphasized that they should take advantage of not being able to play in European cups. However, he also stated that the squad shaping process could not be completed in one summer and that patience was needed. Aberdeen will have tough matches against Hearts, Celtic and Rangers in the first month of the season. However, the League Cup group stage has generally been a good starting point for top division teams. Robinson and his players are expected to be at least in the top six, considering the club's budget.

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