Jimmy Thelin builds Aberdeen 'finishers' – the incredible knack of a team ripping up the Premiership rules

Aberdeen's near-perfect start to the campaign has been a breath of fresh air to Scottish football - and in Swedish ace Jimmy Thelin they have a manager who knows just what is required at the right time to get his team over the line.

For what felt like the Umpteenth time so far this season, the former Elfsborg boss called on his 'finishers' from the substitutes bench to devastating effect in Wednesday's night's huge 2-1 victory against Rangers. Winger Shayden Morris replaced Duk early in the second half and within 19 minutes of his arrival wheeled away to celebrate with joyous fans in the Merkland Stand at Pittodrie after knocking home what turned out to be the winner with only his second goal for the club.

Just four days earlier Morris - a peripheral figure under previous Dons managers Neil Warnock, Barry Robson and Jim Goodwin - had also make a telling contribution as a half time substitute in the 1-0 triumph over Dundee United as his renaissance in red since Thelin took up the reins in the Granite City continues. Fellow sub Peter Ambrose netted the only goal in that game, further demonstrating the vital role every member of the Aberdeen squad can have in determining the outcome of a match, no matter how long they are on the pitch for.

With his side trailing 2-0 away to champions Celtic earlier this month, the 46-year-old broke the convention of 'damage limitation' in the second half by unleashing forwards Ester Sokler and Duk for the second 45 minutes. Five minutes after taking to the field, Sokler had fired the visitors back into the game before captain Graeme Shinnie bagged a leveller, and Duk nearly completed a dramatic turnaround only for his goal to correctly get chalked off by VAR for a handball.

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