Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes told the Press and Journal his side have missed Derby County’s Graeme Shinnie with Craig Bryson making just five appearances so far.
Former Aberdeen star Shinnie signed for Derby on a free transfer in the summer.
In an ironic twist, Craig Bryson departed the Rams following the end of his contract and moved to Aberdeen as a replacement for Shinnie heading in the opposite direction.
But injuries have restricted Bryson to just five appearances for the Dons.
Speaking to reporters, McInnes has lamented the Scot’s injury and admits his absence highlights how much they have missed the ‘dynamic’ presence of Shinnie.
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He [Craig Bryson] came with that reputation. We wanted him to be the one that would not make us miss Graeme [Shinnie] as much, in terms of that driving force in the team, that dynamic midfield player. But we’ve really been without him this season.
Bryson picked up an ankle injury in mid-September and hasn’t featured since.
How Graeme Shinnie has earned his place at Derby County:
Shinnie, meanwhile, had a tough start to life at Derby as manager Phillip Cocu admitted he needed to do some extra work on the training ground before breaking in.
The Scotland international, however, benefited from Tom Huddlestone’s injury against Barnsley by putting in a man of the match display in the 2-0 win over Luton Town.
Shinnie has shown a desire on and off the ball to make an impact. He loves a tackle, and he covers plenty of ground out of possession to help create space for his teammates.
The former Aberdeen man scored his first goal for the Rams on Wednesday night. A stunning last-minute winner against Wigan Athletic – further enhancing his increasing popularity.
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