Their respective seasons were announced with bangs.

For Celtic, after wavering performances against FC Midjylland and Hearts, the explosion was the absolute destruction of newly-promoted Dundee which was followed up with resounding wins over St Mirren, by the same scoreline, and then Hearts in the League Cup. New manager Ange Postecoglou had managed to ingrain his blueprint for success in the minds of his players. They weren't counting sheep as their heads rested on their pillows, they were chasing footballs and pressing quaking opposition.

For Aberdeen, their own new boss had six weeks or so to introduce himself at the end of last season. Now, the real test began for Stephen Glass after the "bedding-in" period. The first was passed with flying colours and a few fireworks with the 5-1 dismantling of BK Hacken in the Europa Conference League qualifiers. That was followed up with an exciting game against Breidablik in the next round and an impressive 2-0 win against Dundee United on the opening day of the season. Two new regimes in the mainland's north and west and it looked like the only way was up after depressing seasons last term.

Well, the optimism was nice while it lasted for both sets of supporters. Reality has bitten both managers hard and the jaws of time will sink their teeth in even further if the desired result isn't achieved this weekend. For Ange Postecoglou, he cannot afford to see his team drop points for the third consecutive league game. For Stephen Glass, a point on the board would be welcome given his side have obtained none throughout September.

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The Dons have a problem: scoring goals from open play. They've done so once since Funso Ojo scored a peach of an equaliser against Hearts on August 22 and it was Cristian Ramirez scrambling the ball over the line to salvage a point at home to Ross County. Even that goal was the fruit of a Ross Laidlaw howler. Don't be fooled by the black and white of their 3-2 defeat to St Mirren last weekend; both goals were from set-pieces and the first, 'scored' by Scott Brown, is probably the flukiest goal the league will see all year.

They're tidy in possession though, are Aberdeen, and have kept the ball for at least two-thirds of three of their last four league games and in one case, against Ross County, for three-quarters of it. A pass succession rate of at least 80 per cent is one thing, but what's the point if you can't put the ball in the net? From those four games, against County, Motherwell, St Johnstone and St Mirren, they've won one point. With players like Lewis Ferguson, Newcastle loanee Matty Longstaff and Dylan McGeouch, keeping the ball is pretty much a guarantee, but without Adam Rooney, and more recently Sam Cosgrove, Aberdeen's chance conversion rate has stumbled.

The signings of Flo Kamberi, Fraser Hornby and Callum Hendry in January barely helped as the manager transition began and this season American striker Cristian Ramirez is bearing the brunt of the responsibility. He's managed three in the league but his supporting cast, made up of Jay Emmanuel Thomas and Marley Watkins, doesn't scream prolific.

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Their most dangerous player in September was young Austin Samuels, who's on loan from Wolves, and he only started two of the games. He has an asset that terrifies defenders though, and an abundance of it... pace. If he can be isolated against Anthony Ralston he will outrun him so Celtic will need more than one pair of eyes keeping an eye on the winger. Whoever is playing as the right centre-half will probably need to cover fairly regularly.

Celtic Way: Samuels loves to take on an isolated defender so St Johnstone were forced to double-up on himSamuels loves to take on an isolated defender so St Johnstone were forced to double-up on him

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What Aberdeen are clever at is pre-planned set-pieces. The ingenuity of Glass and striking coach Alan Russell in that regard was first shown against Iceland's Breidablik in the second round of the Conference League qualifiers when Ramirez ruthlessly buried Calvin Ramsay's low cross after Scott Brown, who else, blocked off the marker.

Celtic Way:

Similar scenes were witnessed against St Mirren last weekend when Ramirez, once again, beautifully dispatched a Ramsay delivery after Brown blocked his marker and two Aberdeen runners darted towards the front post to create the space for their teammate. It seems so simple it prompts wonder why more teams don't try and catch their opponents out with well-planned, organised set-piece routines.

Celtic Way:

They have two extremely promising yet inexperienced full-backs in Ramsay, 18, and Jack McKenzie, 21. With the transfer market down south the way it is now, it would be surprising if both are still at Aberdeen by the end of next season, such is their potential. As modern full-backs though, that potential is largely in an attacking sense. Ramsay wins just more than half of his defensive duels on average and 1 in 4 loose balls he goes for; the quick feet and agility of Jota will be a huge but excellent test for him.

Mackenzie, on the other side, is a better defender as shown by his average of winning two out of every three defensive duels he participates in, while he's stronger when battling for a loose ball, winning 40 per cent of 50/50s. He gives everything in red and will come up against a winger who gives everything in green and white, in the shape of Liel Abada.

Aberdeen have come from behind to claim points against Ross County and Hearts this season but looked totally bereft more recently against Motherwell and St Johnstone. If Celtic can fly out the traps, as is accustom now, and take advantage of their start, Aberdeen are likely to struggle to find a way back, their confidence seems that low in an attacking sense.