McLean hopes Aberdeen can rediscover early form

Kenny McLean aims to return to the top of the table. Picture: SNS

Derek McInnes’s side strode to the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership with eight successive wins, but their recent collapse has almost been as dramatic.

The Dons are on a run of four consecutive defeats, including one by Hibernian in the League Cup, and have dropped to second, two points behind Celtic.

A win over Mark McGhee’s side will restore them to the top, although Celtic would get the chance to leapfrog them again when they host bottom side Dundee United on Sunday.

“Of course the run we are on is disappointing, but we are still in a decent position,” midfielder McLean told RedTV.

“We just need to get back to what we were doing at the start of the season and hopefully it can start on Saturday.

“It is always going to be frustrating losing games and losing a few in a row is very unlike us.

“We are not used to this situation, but we know we are good enough as we have shown. We know we have the players and squad to bounce back.

“Thing aren’t happening for us just now. The breaks that are going against us were going for us at the start of the season.

“We need to get back to what we were doing and I am sure we will turn this around.

“We have to keep positive. It is important not to change too much.It has worked for us, we have been successful doing what we have been doing in training day-in, day-out and that won’t change.The mood has been good throughout the squad and we have to keep it going.”

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, meanwhile, admits it could take up to 15 games before he can really get to know his players.

He experimented with defender Louis Laing in midfield oinn his first game back as manager last Saturday, which ended in a 1-0 defeat by Celtic, and started experienced players such as Keith Lasley and Scott McDonald on the bench as he knew all about their talents.

The Motherwell players have been training five days this week to give McGhee more time to familiarise himself with his squad and the learning process will continue at Pittodrie.

McGhee said: “We have played a lot of full-size games trying to get to know them and trying to work out how we can work with them to improve. We’ve tried to explore what levels their fitness are and it’s good. The players have really worked hard.

“They have still to prove who my best 11 are. I will pick an 11 that looks like the best 11 this week. Who the best 11 are next week remains to be seen from what happens on Saturday and during the week. There will be a bit of changing here and there until we fully get to grasp with it.

“But I got a lot of information quickly with the work we’ve done and the game against Celtic taught me an awful lot about them. I know all their names now so it’s moved on quite quickly. It’s a steep learning curve for me with regards to who the players are and what they are.

“I think I have to see them in ten or 15 competitive games. I don’t think you can make a judgement in one game at all.

“I can use all the info, I have looked at videos and previous games, but I have to see them play the way I want them to play 10, 12 or 15 times before I can establish a clear picture of who they are and what they can bring to the team.”