Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson is under increasing pressure to resolve his side’s striking struggles after they failed to score in their fifth match of the season, a trend highlighted by a stalemate against St Johnstone on Sunday.
Former Dons captain Willie Miller described the team’s performance as “depressing,” noting that despite Aberdeen controlling 65% of possession and registering a season-high 22 shots, their attacks were predictable and devoid of creativity.
Aberdeen have managed only seven goals across their first eight league games, with four of those coming in a single 4-0 victory over Motherwell. Their expected goals (xG) figure stands at just 8.3—the lowest in the Scottish Premiership—suggesting the issue is not merely bad luck but a lack of high-quality chances.
Statistic also reveal that Aberdeen average just 2.9 shots on target per game, the worst record in the division, while creating only 12 big chances in eight matches. During the St Johnstone clash, forward Kevin Nisbet missed a promising one-on-one opportunity, continuing a pattern where he has scored 43% of the team’s league goals from just five shots on target.
“Outwith Kevin Nisbet, we’re not scoring enough goals,” Robinson admitted after the match. “We need people to step up.”
The manager defended his approach, drawing parallels with the difficulties even top clubs face against defensively organized opponents. “You see teams like Rangers and Celtic struggling to break down teams that sit deep. We’re no different,” Robinson said. “What I see in training is that we have that quality. We’ve not been able to convert that.”
Critics, however, are pointing to Robinson’s managerial track record. Last season at St Mirren, he oversaw a campaign in which the club scored just 30 goals, the joint-lowest in the league. Although his previous tenure at St Mirren saw more attractive football, the current barren run has fueled fan discontent.
Social media reactions reflected the frustration among the support. Darren criticized the team’s inability to find joy or identity, while Neil argued the tactical setup lacked pace and width. Robert dismissed Robinson’s comparison to Celtic and Rangers as an “excuse,” asserting that Aberdeen lack the quality to break down low blocks.
With Falkirk and Kilmarnock also on seven goals from eight games, Aberdeen’s output is not unique, but their superior budget raises expectations. As Robinson acknowledges, the solutions must be found quickly to prevent this offensive inefficiency from becoming a defining flaw of the season.
Blaming poor teams for not scoring seems like a weak excuse. Aberdeen have the budget to do better than this barren run.
Frustrating to watch so much possession and yet zero creativity. The system clearly lacks pace and width, making attacks incredibly predictable.