League placing: 4th
Scottish Cup: quarter-finals League Cup: round three

Ins: Stuart Nelson, goalkeeper; Jerel Ifel, defender.

Outs: Scott Severin, midfielder; Jamie Smith, midfielder; Lee Mair, defender.

Mark McGhee Aberdeen manager

The feeling I got when I was appointed was the majority of supporters were pleased about it. Now what I am saying to them is to trust me.

I can see everything they see. I know where players are short and what positions need strengthening.

Hopefully I can see more than they can see. That is why I am getting paid to do this job, so they should trust me.

I am not here for one week or one month. I want to be here for two, three or four years and I intend to have an impact here. If I was just content in staying in employment, I would have stayed at Motherwell.

I came here to make an impact. But that requires change and that will not happen overnight. Give me time to implement my own ideas on the squad.

Richard Gordon Sportsound presenter

While much of the enthusiasm that followed Mark McGhee's appointment evaporated during the humbling by Sigma Olomouc in the Europa League qualifier, there is no need for Aberdeen to panic.

The bulk of Jimmy Calderwood's squad remains in place, which is just as well given the lack of activity in the transfer market.

But the new boss is going to have to make quality signings to supplement the first-team pool before the end of the window. That will be no mean feat given the financial constraints he, like so many other bosses, is having to operate under.

Jamie Langfield, Zander Diamond and Lee Miller are the obvious key men and give a decent spine to the team, while Gary McDonald and Mark Kerr are both going to have to have big seasons, particularly if McGhee adopts his favoured 4-3-3 formation.

The Dons have decent enough defenders, but not enough of them. Injuries and suspensions could leave them weakened at the back and that will put more onus on the forward going players to get it right - something they have generally failed to do in recent seasons.

It is rare for one Aberdeen striker to get significantly into double figures, unheard of these days for more than one to do so, but that is what they may well need if they're to have a successful campaign.

However, I anticipate a comfortable top-six finish and would settle for fourth.

At the moment, we have a starting line of 11 and then youngsters and, unless that changes, the prospects are not good.

I hope we bring in a few players over the next week. But, if we don't, this season will be really tough for AFC and, while I don't think we'll be relegated, I think we'll certainly end in the bottom half of the table.

Our season will depend on the quality of who we bring in and who we bring in over the next week and how well they gel with the rest of the team.
sackofmonkeys

We need two defenders, a midfielder and a striker.
Dons2268

MY SPORT: DEBATE How will Aberdeen fare this term?

We have a manager who will get it right and who thinks of the long-term future of the club, which we haven't had for a long time. Despite what some fans think, a good manager prepares for the future just as carefully as the next game. dandydaz73

It will probably be very difficult in the first few games. We may even get the dreaded 'crisis club' tag. After years of neglect, it will take time for McGhee's coaching to take effect. We will come good towards the end of the season and take some scalps along the way.
wullie67

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