Anderson wants Dons to kick on
Captain Russell Anderson is looking for Aberdeen to shrug off a couple of false starts and properly begin their Scottish Premiership campaign against Partick at Pittodrie on Saturday.
The Dons finished third last season and are widely tipped to go one better this time around.
However, Derek McInnes' side began their league season with a 3-0 home defeat to Dundee United and despite taking one step forward with a 2-0 win in their next game at Kilmarnock, they went backwards again with a 1-0 loss at St Johnstone last week.
Anderson is looking for the Granite City men to reach the heights of Rugby Park and carry it forward.
"We've suffered a couple of frustrating afternoons when we haven't really reached the standards that we set so often last season, notably at St Johnstone and on the opening weekend against Dundee United," he told Aberdeen's official website.
"Those have been difficult defeats to handle, but sandwiched in between those games, we put on a good display at Rugby Park to beat Kilmarnock pretty convincingly.
"That is the kind of form that we need to find on a regular basis now, starting against Partick.
"If we can win on Saturday, it puts us on six points and while that might not be quite the return we were looking for in these first four games, it would put us right in the mix of things in what is going to be another very competitive division this season."
Midfielder Jeffrey Monakana remains on the sidelines for the clash.
The 20-year-old midfielder, on loan from Brighton, has a minor infection in his lower back but should be back training again on Monday.
Anderson (knee) and Ashton Taylor (calf) have given themselves every chance to be fit.
Thistle travel to take on a side who inflicted a couple of heavy defeats on them last term.
But Partick boss Alan Archibald believes his players will be able to offer more of a threat against a Dons side who have had an inconsistent start to the campaign.
He said: "We know how tough this game will be. They are going into this game off the back of a disappointing result last week.
"We know the strengths and qualities they have but we think we can go up there and hurt them. They will be ready and organised - but so will we."
New signing Jake Carroll is set to go straight into the squad for the game if he receives international clearance in time.
Thistle are also boosted by the return of goalkeeper Scott Fox from suspension but Archibald is sweating over the fitness of a few players.
Jordan McMillan (hamstring), Abdul Osman (knee) and Gary Fraser (knee) are all doubtful for the visit to Pittodrie.
Source: PA
