After Aberdeen substitutes Kevin Nisbet and Vicente Besuijen made instant impacts from the bench to seal the points against Dundee last time out, Dons legend Willie Miller told the nation he wanted Jimmy Thelin to pick his lottery numbers.
The tongue-in-cheek comment during the commentary at Pittodrie in the 4-1 victory, during which Nisbet set Besuijen up for the third before scoring the fourth, came as the former captain and manager enthused about the impact Thelin’s in-game changes have had on the outcome of Aberdeen matches this season.
In each of the club’s last five league games, substitutes have got on the scoresheet after entering the fray, with Ante Palaversa, Peter Ambrose and Shayden Morris scoring winners against Hearts, Dundee Utd and Rangers respectively.
Ester Sokler, too, scored a crucial goal off the bench at Celtic Park, beginning an incredible comeback against the champions to salvage a point from 2-0 down.
A Nisbet cameo in Dingwall also turned one point into three at the end of August and there is no doubt Thelin’s game management has made a huge impact and is a big reason why the Dons head into a sequence of tough assignments on the back of their best-ever start to a top-flight season.
The Dons now face three away games over the course of eight days as they try to keep pace with Celtic at the top of the table, starting with a trip to Paisley to face St Mirren before visits to Hibernian and Hearts.
The club’s record there and at Easter Road and Tynecastle leaves a lot to be desired – and these three dates will provide a stern test of their credentials.
St Mirren picked up before the international break and are unbeaten in three, indeed they have won two of those, so it represents their best points haul in successive games this campaign.
With Celtic visiting Hearts, the scene of their last domestic defeat, later on Saturday evening, the Dons have their latest chance to go top of the table and it would be no surprise if Thelin’s magic dice-rolling is required again.
