Jimmy Thelin declares Aberdeen are not 'hiding' as he targets derailing Larnaca in Conference League
The Dons have won three of their last four Premiership games
Jimmy Thelin is pleased the way his Aberdeen team has tightened up domestically but is well aware it will be a whole different ball game in Larnaca next week.
The Dons made it three clean sheets out of four in the Premiership with their midweek win at Kilmarnock.
It has helped get vital wins against Dundee, St Mirren and Killie, with the only blip coming in the weekend defeat to Hibs.
Thelin acknowledged they still have work to do on that front, especially after their 6-0 drubbing away to AEK Athens.
They are now preparing for an equally galling challenge when they head to take on one of the Conference League early pacesetters in Cyprus on Thursday.
Thelin stated: “It does please me. “This is a part we need to grow as a team.
“We are working on it and it is good to see it is improving.
“There are other things we need to be better at.
“We need to take it step-by-step and find ways to win, even if we have a difficult time.
“We have to build from there and build as a team also. “We have to be more balanced and dynamic, especially when we play at home.
“We have been hurt in some transitions at home.
“We have to show our fans that even when it is difficult we show enough.
“We are not hiding, we take responsibility and give everything.
“You can’t give more than everything we can in this moment.”
Larnaca have opened up with two wins and took the points away to Crystal Palace last time out.
That is in sharp contrast to Aberdeen, who have lost to AEK Athens and narrowly at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Thelin is hoping their Premiership push will give his players confidence to push through and upset the odds in Cyprus. He reckons there is something growing within his squad. Getting a first point in the Conference League would be a major statement of intent.
“The fans have the belief and the players have the belief,” the Pittodrie manager insisted.
“We have to keep doing this and if we do that in difficult times then if we keep pushing then we will continue to grow and we will get to the other side also and get more consistency in our performances.”
Stuart Armstrong netted his first Aberdeen goal in the win at Kilmarnock.
The Scotland international came in just after deadline day and Thelin believes he is getting stronger and stronger. The midfielder had been a free agent since he left Sheffield Wednesday at the end of last season.
“I think he is growing all the time,” Thelin added.
“He has played a lot of games but he has always had that calmness.
“He is always dangerous around the box and a good finisher.
“It was a difficult away game and we didn’t get many opportunities.
“He has the presence to take his opportunity and do something really well with it.
“It says a lot about his quality and his experience.”