The idea that Aberdeen striker Pape Habib Gueye would be such a significant figure in Jimmy Thelin’s impeccable start as manager seemed fanciful.
Yet, when the club confirmed the striker requires surgery and is out until January, it felt a really significant blow.
It’s a startling turnaround. From forgotten fringe man to go-to forward. The man who has somehow seemingly taken on fan-favourite Bojan Miovski’s mantle.
The Senegalese striker has, literally, come in from the cold and made an early-season impact that’s helped fuel Aberdeen’s astonishing revival.
So where exactly has this come from and how badly may he be missed?
Getting game-time helps Gueye bring goals
It was Neil Warnock (remember him?) who suggested Gueye should get out and play games, just not for Aberdeen. How he would have loved someone with Gueye’s recent return during his ill-fated tenure.
In February, the striker duly went out on loan to Norway with Kristiansund in the Tippeligaen. That, most thought, signalled the beginning of the end of his short time in Scotland.
More so, as he quickly established himself in his new starting line-up, playing consistently right up to his mid-July return.
Not that his goal return – six in 18 games – was spectacular. A double in defeat against Bodo/Glimt perhaps a personal highlight.
Nothing that suggested a prolific return to Aberdeen and certainly not the man to replace Miovski after his big-money move to Girona. Yet playing consistently seems key to this unlikeliest of revivals.
Norway’s season plays out over the summer. Match-fit, Gueye returned and seized his opportunity. He absolutely hit the ground running.
His five Premiership goals in five outings has played a crucial part in Aberdeen’s six-game winning streak.
Gueye started the second league game and scored in a 3-1 win over St Mirren. His double at home to Kilmarnock earned a 2-0 victory and another three points. Another double against Motherwell resulted in a 2-1 win over Motherwell.
His goals have, crucially, really counted and earned points.
He is top scorer in the Premiership, two clear of Kyogo Furuhashi and Cyriel Dessers.
He boasts a shot conversion rate of 55% that is second only to Celtic’s Callum McGregor. A real threat in the air with four of his five strikes being headers.
Not bad reading at all. So what next up top for Aberdeen?
“We trust the squad and we will work to find solutions to ensure we remain effective in that area of the pitch,” Thelin said when Gueye’s injury update was revealed.
That’ll be hard. Kevin Nisbet appears to be finding some form that’ll help ease Gueye’s absence.
Redemption for Duk would be one option too but he surely has a long way to go to for a full Dons redemption after a self-imposed period out in the cold.
From nowhere, Gueye’s absence offers a conundrum that was unimaginable at the start of the season. If Aberdeen’s glorious start is to continue, a solution will have to be found.