IT perhaps demonstrates the gulf in resources and the respective levels of expectation at the two clubs that reducing the points gap to champions Celtic would surely count as a successful season for Aberdeen.
Derek McInnes’ side were undoubtedly the second-best side in the country last year but come the final totting up of scores were still 30 points behind the team from Parkhead. The aim, if one not likely to be outwardly articulated by McInnes, must be to make that chasm smaller.
On that front they have made a flawless start. While Celtic were dropping their first points of the season to St Johnstone, Aberdeen were across Glasgow at Firhill maintaining their 100 percent start by emerging victorious from a thrilling and often breathless encounter with Partick Thistle.
That gives them a two-point lead over both Celtic and the Perth side after four matches. Only the boldest or most optimistic of Aberdeen fans would anticipate that still being the case come the end of the season but their heroes are at least showing so far that they are willing and able to put up a decent fight.
“Everybody does a lot of talking but we are focusing on ourselves right now and we have got together an incredible squad and that has shown in a few games already,” said Ryan Christie, the on-loan Celtic midfielder who got Aberdeen on their way with the first goal on Saturday.
“The depth of squad is great - look at the bench today. Great players like Adam Rooney come on and get the goal to win the game. We are a real strong threat. No matter what, we have always got players going forward who can change the game.
“Obviously it’s very early in the season but it’s always nice to be top of the table whenever it is. We couldn’t have asked for much more than going into the international break on top of the table.”
For their vanquished opponents on Saturday, a sense of déjà vu offers Thistle a degree of comfort during a difficult start to the season. Four games into their Premiership campaign and Alan Archibald’s side have yet to put a single point on the board.
They can considerate themselves unfortunate for that to be the case, with Saturday’s thriller a case in point. Thistle ought to have at least earned a draw in a compelling contest at but, having recovered from falling behind 1-0 and then 3-2, they were finally sunk by a Rooney header five minutes from the end. The loss of Niall Keown to an injury-time red card merely poured salt into the wounds.
It was not how Archibald and his players wanted to go into the international break. But what will serve as consolation as they pause for reflection is the fact that they have been in a similar situation before.
Only last season, in fact, when they found themselves bottom two days before Christmas and ended up in the top six by the split.
“The break is not ideal given the position we are in,” admitted Chris Erskine, scorer of Thistle’s first goal on Saturday. “But we have been here before so we won’t be panicking. We have enough quality in the dressing room.
“We have a winnable game against Ross County so hopefully we can get our season up and running then.”
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