Aberdeen's struggles in front of goal have become the central talking point at Pittodrie after the club failed to score for the fifth time in eight league matches this season, slumping to a home defeat by newly promoted St Johnstone.
Despite dominating the ball with 65% possession and producing a season-high 22 attempts, Stephen Robinson's side could not find a way past St Johnstone goalkeeper Toby Steward, who was required to make only two meaningful saves throughout the match.
Club legend Willie Miller did not hold back in his assessment, branding the performance "depressing" on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound programme. He pointed to a lack of invention in Aberdeen's play, noting that the centre-backs frequently resorted to long balls while the home side's wide players were unable to create genuine openings against a St Johnstone defence not typically regarded as watertight. "Aberdeen got what they deserved," Miller said bluntly.
The numbers back up the concerns. Aberdeen have scored just seven goals in eight league outings, four of which came in a single 4-0 demolition of Motherwell, meaning they have managed only three goals across their other seven games. Their expected goals tally of 8.3 is the lowest in the Scottish Premiership, suggesting the issue is not simply a case of squandering presentable opportunities. Aberdeen also average just 2.9 shots on target per game, the worst mark in the division, and have created only 12 big chances all season — again the joint-lowest total in the league.
Striker Kevin Nisbet remains the one bright spot, having scored three of the team's seven league goals, but even he was culpable against St Johnstone when played clean through on goal, firing a tame effort straight at the goalkeeper. Nisbet has converted from just five shots on target this season, underlining how reliant Aberdeen have become on their frontman.
Robinson acknowledged the problem after the match but insisted his players have the quality to turn things around. "Outwith Kevin Nisbet, we're not scoring enough goals," he said. "We need people to step up." He added that the training ground performances give him confidence that a solution is within reach: "What I see in training is that we have that quality. We've not been able to convert that."
The manager also pointed to the broader difficulty of breaking down defensive opposition in Scottish football, comparing Aberdeen's plight to that of the country's traditional powerhouses. "You see teams like Rangers and Celtic struggling to break down teams that sit deep. We're no different," Robinson said, while conceding there was "no hiding place" for his team's below-par decision-making in the final third. He insisted his players must show more courage going forward, stating: "Do I believe they can? Yeah, but we have to be brave to do that."
History offers some grounds for optimism regarding Robinson's ability to fix attacking issues, given his St Mirren side scored more goals than Aberdeen during a top-six finishing campaign two seasons ago, often without a prolific out-and-out striker. However, last season's St Mirren side scored only 30 league goals before his March departure for Pittodrie, the worst return in the division.
Supporters have been vocal in their frustration, with many taking to social media to criticise the lack of creativity, questioning recruitment decisions and dismissing comparisons to Rangers and Celtic as excuses. With Aberdeen's attacking struggles showing no signs of easing, Robinson faces mounting pressure to find a quick fix before the barren run threatens the club's season.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.