Aberdeen manage Jimmy Thelin was proud of his side’s performance against Celtic but frustrated that they did not get the point they deserved at Pittodrie.
“It’s good that we were competitive, that’s what’s important for us, that we were compact, that we looked strong as a team, so I’m happy with the performance, but not so happy with the result.
“It’s not an easy game to play. We know Brendan is a really good coach and Celtic are good with the ball, but we were very disciplined and worked really hard and I think maybe a draw was a fair result because of the chances both teams created. It was tough to not get a point, but also I am proud of how the players are competing and how they push each other.
“Celtic is doing a lot of things really well, how they play, but also it was good to see our side today, how we’re competing in these conditions and showing that we want to create an identity of a strong team, a competitive team, and that was a good part of the game today.”
The strength of Aberdeen’s squad was tested with injury to Dimitar Mitov and Jack MacKenzie, but the Manager was full of praise for their replacements.
“ I like the competition inside the squad, how everybody is pushing the limits to try to grow and perform better, and if the players develop, we also get a better team, so it’s good competition inside the squad.
“Ross has not played so much, Jimmy McGarry the same, and they did really well, so it’s a lot of positive things. The injury Ross got looked really tough, I haven’t seen it on TV yet, so it was amazing he could keep playing, but they checked everything and he could play, and did really well. A difficult game for him with a lot of concentration, because of how Celtic play, you have to be ready for balls in behind, crosses on the floor. He did so well and I’m so proud of how he acted and took this opportunity.
“Now we have to focus on the game on Saturday and move on quickly, because there was a lot of effort out there today. It was good to see our energy is back again, you can feel the connection with the supporters and how the players create this atmosphere together with them and give everything they could.”
