Chris Cadden has demanded an immediate Aberdeen FC reaction after a narrow defeat to Rangers. The midfielder's comments come ahead of a critical week featuring matches against Celtic and Kilmarnock.
Shankland's late penalty decided Sunday's Scottish Premiership clash at Pittodrie, leaving Stephen Robinson's side with three points from their opening three league fixtures. Aberdeen now face a quick turnaround, traveling to face champions Celtic on Wednesday before hosting Kilmarnock this Saturday. Cadden emphasized the squad's collective responsibility to improve.
What did Chris Cadden say after the Rangers game?
Cadden stated the team cannot accept not winning matches. "There are a lot of positives to take but as a football club, as players and as the manager, we don't accept not winning games of football," he said. The player acknowledged the need for self-analysis and a forward-looking mindset, dismissing any notion of feeling sorry for themselves. He framed the coming days as a major opportunity.
"It's a big week for us, it can still be a good week so we have to dust ourselves down and go again," Cadden added. His focus is squarely on the immediate challenge, recognizing that a season is never plain sailing. The full squad's attention is now on preparing for the trip to Celtic Park.
How does Aberdeen FC's start compare to last season?
After three matches, Aberdeen have identical points to their start in the 2025/26 campaign. That season, they finished in sixth place in the Premiership. The current squad, which you can view on our squad page, includes several key figures from that campaign. Bojan Miovski remains the club's top scorer from last term, while captain Graeme Shinnie continues to provide leadership in midfield. Maintaining consistency will be vital for improving on last year's final position.
What are the key fixtures in Aberdeen FC's schedule?
The immediate focus is a daunting double-header. The midweek visit to Celtic is followed by a home game against Kilmarnock, a team they took four points from in last season's league meetings. Following this week, the Dons have a two-week break for the international window before returning to action against Heart of Midlothian on September 19th. Fans can track all upcoming matches on our fixtures page.
This period is a significant test of the team's resilience early in the Robinson era. The manager will be looking for a response from his players, particularly in an attacking sense after a goalless outing against Rangers. The team's defensive structure, which conceded 48 league goals last season, held firm for large periods on Sunday until the decisive penalty.
Where does the squad need to improve?
Creating more consistent goal-scoring opportunities will be a priority. While the defense limited Rangers to few clear chances, Aberdeen managed only two shots on target throughout the 90 minutes. Integrating new signings and building attacking combinations will be essential for turning performances into points. The club's activity in the transfer market, including several arrivals this summer, aims to address this need for greater offensive threat.
The next match at Celtic Park is a formidable challenge. Celtic won both league meetings against Aberdeen last season by an aggregate score of 5-0. A positive result there would provide a massive confidence boost ahead of the Kilmarnock fixture. The team travels to Glasgow for the 7:45 PM kick-off on Wednesday, September 2nd.
