Cracks show in Dons defence

Aug 3 2008

JIMMY NICHOLL has spent hours working with Aberdeen's back four this summer - trying pick up the pieces after a season of defensive disasters.

The Pittodrie assistant boss thought his stoppers had cracked it after a stunning backs-to-the-wall display against Dnipro earned a place in the UEFA Cup group stage in October.

But the Dons coughed up 54 goals in 26 matches away from Pittodrie last term - forcing Nicholl to crack some heads together on their tour of Holland.

He said: "Michael Hart, Ricky Foster, Zander Diamond and Andy Considine all came through the youth system and I sat among them in Dnipro and said: 'That game will be the making of you all.' "I thought they'd be confident after 90 minutes of concentration and never switching off against technically brilliant players. But it never came.

"We were hard to beat a few seasons ago and have spent time trying to get back to that this summer."