Goal-shy Aberdeen can look towards Rooney for inspiration

They’re the only team in the Ladbrokes SPFL yet to score or concede in their opening league fixtures but Derek McInnes’ Aberdeen side will be looking to end their run of five Ladbrokes Premiership games without a win when Partick Thistle come to Pittodrie this weekend.

And there’s one Dons player in particular who’ might be licking his lips at the prospect of facing the Jags. A barren run in front of goal has forced Adam Rooney out of the side, replaced by ex-Bournemouth striker Jayden Stockley.

But with the 22-year-old yet to get on the scoresheet in the Premiership, a place in the starting XI could be offer to Rooney, especially given the fact he’s scored three goals against Partick in the past.

Overall, it’s not all doom and gloom for last season’s runners-up though, as they’re the only team in the league other than Partick yet to pick the ball out the back of their own net this season. For a team that shipped 48 goals last term, there are clear signs of improvement.

The arrival of Joe Lewis from Cardiff City in goal has added real stability to McInnes’ defensive unit, following Danny Ward’s return to Liverpool and Scott Brown’s transfer to Wycombe Wanderers.

And that unit will go into Saturday’s home fixture to Alan Archibald’s side confident in the knowledge that Thistle haven’t scored a single goal in their last five league visits to Aberdeen.

However, the worry for Dons fans, is that their run of five league games without a goal may just stretch to six this weekend, given that three of their last five meetings at home have finished 0-0.

But if Aberdeen are to keep up with the Premiership’s pacesetters, they’ll have to start scoring soon, and we’re offering odds of 6/4 for the Dons to win with a -1 handicap.

Rooney finished last season with 20 league goals, behind just Kane Hemmings and Leigh Griffiths in the charts. And if he can find his form again this weekend after a poor start to the season, odds of 9/1 for him to take the Golden Boot this season will suddenly look very tempting indeed.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.