The Scottish Premiership heads into the Christmas period on the back of a remarkable first half of the season – but who impressed the most and what sides need to reflect on poor results ahead of the rest of the campaign?
Aberdeen: 7.5/10
Few would have predicted how immediate Jimmy Thelin’s impact at Pittodrie would prove to be in his first season in Scotland. His Aberdeen side were unbeaten in the league until November 23 and, at one point, had stormed nine points clear of Rangers in third place.
A 2-2 draw at Parkhead and 2-1 win at home to Rangers in October had some Dons fans even dreaming of a title charge but things have slowed down since. A 6-0 League Cup semi-final loss to Celtic was a familiar dose of reality amid their 11-match unbeaten start to the league campaign.
That kicked off a run of just one win in seven matches, with frustrating draws at St Johnstone and Hibernian derailing their explosive start going into the festive period as a rejuvenated Rangers have moved into second spot.
Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath is out of contract in the summer
New Year’s Resolution?
Thelin needs to arrest his side’s dip in form which has seen them go without a win in seven after their terrific start. Aberdeen are missing the early goals scored by Pape Gueye but it will be interesting to see if the Swede decides to dip into the transfer market to try and regain some of that early season momentum.
Looking even further ahead, the likes of Jamie McGrath and Jack MacKenzie are out of contract in the summer, with the former especially having been vital to Thelin’s attacking options.
Aberdeen have tough away trips to Kilmarnock and Dundee United to contend with in the short-term to try and get back to winning ways before a crucial visit to Glasgow to face Rangers, live on Sky Sports, in the middle of January. These games appear must-win if they are to stay in the race for second but Thelin is a long-term project at Aberdeen. The early signs have been impressive.
Star man: Jamie McGrath
Celtic: 9.5/10
Celtic remain unbeaten in the Premiership this season under Brendan Rodgers
Celtic stumbled in parts last season after the departure of Ange Postecoglou and the return of Brendan Rodgers, with the Parkhead side in somewhat of a transitional phase as their old boss reacquainted himself in the east end of Glasgow.
There was a feeling last term that there were gaps to sneak through or vulnerabilities to exploit. This season Celtic have barely put a foot wrong. Aberdeen threatened to lay down a title challenge with a 2-2 draw at Celtic Park in October but, in truth, the game could have been over at half-time with Celtic two goals to the good. Rodgers’ side have been perfect since that draw, and have conceded just four league goals all season.
They have been ruthless domestically and progressed in Europe, with much-improved performances on the continent, while they also bagged the first trophy on offer this season after a somewhat controversial win over Rangers in the League Cup final earlier this month.
Rangers have seemingly weathered an early season storm in a transitional campaign but a visit to Ibrox on January 2, live on Sky Sports, is another opportunity for Rodgers to potentially flex his muscles in the Old Firm fixture after a thrilling cup final last time around.
Callum McGregor has enjoyed another fine season for Celtic
New Year’s Resolution?
More of the same, really. Rodgers may dip into the transfer market as he looks to continue Celtic’s European progression but, at home, captain Callum McGregor has led from the front once again, chipping in with some outstanding goals this season.
The likes of Nicolas Kuhn have been mightily impressive at home and in Europe after a somewhat slower start to his Celtic career. Rodgers will be keen to help Arne Engels rediscover his early season form with the £11m man stuttering of late. But Kuhn’s rejuvenation has shown that Rodgers is prepared to be patient to get the best out of his players.
Star man: Callum McGregor
Dundee: 5.5/10
Dundee are well placed under Tony Docherty
Tony Docherty continues to do a fine job at Dens Park, with Dundee firmly in the hunt for another top-six finish.
Losing Luke McCowan late on in the summer window to Celtic would not have come as too much of a surprise to many given his performances but Dundee have managed without him a little better than many might have expected.
Much of that is down to the impressive form of his former midfield partner Lyall Cameron. The young Scotsman has seven goals in all competitions this season and has weighed in with four assists in the league as well, making him indispensable for Docherty.
The manager did have to guide his side through some early season struggles with Dundee winning just two of their opening 10 games. But Cameron – and goals from Simon Murray – have helped to steady the ship as they continue to hover around midtable.
Lyall Cameron has been outstanding for Dundee
New Year’s Resolution?
Somehow keep hold of Cameron. That will be easier said than done with the 22-year-old heading into the final six months of his deal. The midfielder has progressed year-on-year after helping Dundee climb back into the top tier in 2023 and it may be that the club decide to cash in now if they receive any suitable offers.
If they can hang on to Cameron for the rest of the season at least, then it should help with consistency. Dundee have failed to win back-to-back league fixtures this season – that is something Docherty will look to remedy over the next five months as he will just have one eye on the chasing pack in the lower half of the table.
Star man: Lyall Cameron
Dundee United 7/10
Dundee United have made a positive return to the Premiership under Jim Goodwin
It has been a fine return to the top-flight for Jim Goodwin and Dundee United, with his side remaining unbeaten in November to cement their grip on a top six place heading into the festive period.
The form of Sam Dalby, on loan from Wrexham, has been key, with the Englishman’s eight goals – including one in a draw at Ibrox – helping to make him the league’s top scorer while firing United up the table.
As well as a decent return in front of the opposition goal, United have been relatively stingy at the other end, with the best defensive record in the league outside of the Old Firm and goalkeeper Jack Walton keeping six clean sheets.
Their draw at home to the champions Celtic was another sign that Goodwin’s side are back where they belong and will now target a top-half finish.
Sam Dalby (left) is the top scorer in the Premiership
New Year’s Resolution?
Goodwin recruited well in the summer with loanees Luca Stephenson and Emmanuel Adegboyega contributing alongside the likes of Will Ferry. The manager may decide to go back into the market in January in a bid to secure a top-six finish which would represent a solid return to the Premiership.
To do that Goodwin will need to try and turn some draws into wins – conceding late equalisers against the likes of Dundee, Ross County and, more recently, Kilmarnock across the season will have frustrated the manager.
Star man: Sam Dalby
Heart of Midlothian 2/10
Hearts’ have found themselves in a relegation fight this season
Following an impressive season last year, Hearts have been the most disappointing performers this time around. An eight-game winless run in the league at the start of the campaign cost Steven Naismith his job and they remain battling at the wrong end of the table.
New boss Neil Critchley has picked up four wins in 10 league games since taking charge but Hearts have work to do if they are to salvage their league campaign and avoid battling it out at the wrong end of the table as the season goes on.
A seemingly decent start to December, with a point against Aberdeen and win over Dundee, looked like a base to build on but their 1-0 defeat to a Kilmarnock side which played nearly the full game with 10 men was a real setback.
Their Conference League exit last week showed the breadth of anger among the support and although they responded with a win over St Johnstone, heading into the festive period, Hearts are in trouble and need to start putting points on the board quickly to move further away from the bottom.
Lawrence Shankland has scored just three goals for Hearts this season
New Year’s Resolution?
Lawrence Shankland’s future is still up in the air as the club captain heads into the final six months of his deal, but more pressing for Critchley was his lack of goals after a plentiful season last year. He banished his 12-game goalless streak with a double against Dundee at the start of the month but Hearts badly need him to build on that.
He has only scored three goals this season but it is telling that Shankland is still the club’s joint top scorer – he was the driving force behind his side’s campaign last term. Critchley needs those around Shankland to help the Scotland international who looks destined to leave Tynecastle this summer.
Star man: James Penrice
Hibernian 3/10
Hibs head coach David Gray has been under pressure at various points this season
Another season and another Hibernian rollercoaster – but not many would have predicted them battling it out with their Edinburgh rivals at the wrong end of the table heading into December.
Club legend David Gray was given the permanent manager’s job after steadying the ship at the end of last season and was backed over the summer with signings including Kieron Bowie, who arrived from Fulham for a sizeable outlay. It seemed to sum up Hibs’ season, however, that he was ruled out for four months with a hamstring injury in September.
The truth is that Hibs suffered earlier this season due to games where they lost by the odd goal, conceded late on – they were 2-1 up going into the 93rd minute of their 3-2 defeat to Dundee United in October – or failed to finish clear cut chances at Parkhead and Ibrox which could have changed the entire complexion of their campaign.
Much-needed and consecutive wins over fellow strugglers Ross County and high-flying Aberdeen lifted Hibs up the table and things, at least for now, look a little rosier. Now it is about putting more wins together consistently to make a run for the top six as they try to break away from that pack of clubs in the bottom half who just can’t seem to get going.
Hibernian’s Nicky Cadden celebrates with his brother Chris after scoring
New Year’s Resolution?
It feels like Gray has been on the brink a couple of times this season but he has always scraped through. A 96th minute equaliser against Aberdeen before a comfortable win over Motherwell helped to stabilise things but they are still bogged down in the bottom six.
The manager will be desperate to get Bowie back, while he will look for more from Dwight Gayle – who has managed just two league goals since his arrival, and looks set to retire this summer. If Gray is to hold on to his job then Hibs need to cut out the late dramas and convert their chances – outside of the Old Firm no team has taken more shots on goal with 242 but they have just 24 goals to show for it.
Star man: Nicky Cadden
Kilmarnock 4/10
Derek McInnes will be keen to push into the top six with Kilmarnock
Repeating the feats of last season was always going to be a difficult ask for Derek McInnes and Kilmarnock. Perhaps there was always going to be a comedown of sorts after a fourth placed finish led to European fixtures at the start of this season but there is the feeling that Killie haven’t quite got going again this time around.
There is nothing to be ashamed of in losing out on Conference League group-stage football to Copenhagen but the Rugby Park club’s European travails seemed to be to the detriment of a decent domestic start.
They failed to win until October 5, when they beat Dundee 3-2, and followed that up with a 1-0 victory over Rangers before a defeat to Ross County followed. It is an example of Kilmarnock struggling for consistency throughout the campaign so far.
Leaking goals has also been a problem, with Kilmarnock currently boasting the joint worst defensive stats in the league with 35 conceded – not something you would expect from a McInnes team. They looked more like themselves in last week’s gutsy 1-0 win over Hearts, despite having Robbie Deas sent over after just six minutes.
Bruce Anderson has scored five goals for Kilmarnock
New Year’s Resolution?
A 6-0 defeat to Rangers earlier this month was met with dismay by McInnes who will see the busy Christmas period as an opportunity to put some points on the board and drag themselves up the table. With just six points separating them in 9th from St Mirren in sixth, a couple of positive results could change the complexion of their season going into the New Year. It is a congested bottom six.
A couple of players including David Watson and Danny Armstrong perhaps haven’t quite hit the heights of last season, which is possibly to be expected after such a successful campaign last term and disrupted pre-season due to European action. McInnes won’t have much time to work with the squad with no winter break this term but if he can get those names firing again then you’d fancy Killie to be comfortable in May.
Star man: Matty Kennedy
Motherwell 6/10
Stuart Kettlewell has guided Motherwell into the top four
It has been a mixed bag for Motherwell so far this season but manager Stuart Kettlewell ultimately has cause to be satisfied with where his side find themselves going into Christmas.
Inconsistency has hurt his side in some respects, with the manager saying there was “anger, real anger in the level of performance” following a 3-0 home defeat to Hibernian last month, but yet his team find themselves in fourth spot.
Kettlewell will be delighted with the progress of 18-year-old Lennon Miller, however. The youngster was made Motherwell captain earlier this season and has risen to the challenge, contributing five assists and a couple of goals to help his side.
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Lennon Miller’s future was on the agenda when we spoke to new Motherwell chairman Kyrk Macmillan about fan ownership, targeting silverware, and more
New Year’s Resolution?
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Tawanda Maswanhise have chipped in with some important, match-winning goals and Kettlewell will be keen to ensure this continues to avoid an overreliance on Miller.
There is a great deal of noise around the young midfielder, and understandably so. The Old Firm and clubs in the Premier League have been linked with moves for him but Kettlewell will be hoping he can hold on to his skipper for the rest of the season, at least, before sanctioning a big money move that will ultimately benefit the club in the long-term.
If Kettlewell can get some of those more experienced players around the club’s gem firing even more consistently then Miller could potentially move on in the summer having helped Motherwell secure a top-six finish, or better.
Star man: Lennon Miller
Rangers 3/10
Philippe Clement has had to guide Rangers through a stormy season so far
Another disrupted pre-season campaign with protracted player sales, temporarily playing at Hampden and injury concerns set the tone for the start of Rangers’ campaign. A miserable exit to Dynamo Kyiv in Champions League qualifiers did little to lift spirits and an early resounding loss to Celtic in September led many to believe that Rangers’ involvement in the title race was over before it really began.
Indeed, there were fears Rangers would do well to secure second spot given Aberdeen’s explosive league start, with Clement coming in for criticism after defeats to the Dons, Kilmarnock and dropped points at home to Dundee United in the space of a month derailed their league season.
There were calls for the Belgian to go but those voices have quietened in recent weeks with a huge improvement in Rangers’ results and form, with an excellent performance against Tottenham at Ibrox in the Europa League whetting the appetite for a support base which had become disillusioned with Clement and constant off-field issues.
The League Cup final defeat on penalties to Celtic will sting for a while, with Clement again calling out officials after VAR failed to intervene when his side should have been awarded a penalty in extra-time. Worryingly for him and Rangers fans, however, the Belgian has now failed to beat Celtic in seven attempts but Rangers have taken advantage of Aberdeen’s recent slips to move into second with a crucial Old Firm coming up at Ibrox on January 2 before the visit of Jimmy Thelin’s side to Govan a fortnight later.
Vaclav Cerny has impressed since joining Rangers on loan from Wolfsburg
New Year’s Resolution?
Clement told the media that supporters would see a better version of his side in October or November once new recruits settled and injuries eased. He was a month or so off with his prediction but the truth is Rangers look an entirely different prospect with Danilo and Hamza Igamane replacing the much-maligned Cyriel Dessers up front and it may be that the forward’s future is up for discussion in January.
Rangers remain in a transitional phase and the club need to add another defender in January due to injuries. However, injury problems or not, Clement has to beat Celtic this season. It is unthinkable for him and the supporters that Rodgers’ dominance in the Old Firm fixture is allowed to go on unchecked for much longer, even if individual results may have little impact on the outcome of this league title.
Star man: Vaclav Cerny
Ross County 4.5/10
Don Cowie is looking to keep Ross County in the Scottish Premiership
After securing their Premiership status via the play-offs for the second year running, Ross County boss Don Cowie can be forgiven for feeling generally satisfied with his side’s first half of the season.
Prior to defeat against St Mirren – their home form had been decent, losing only to Celtic, Aberdeen and Rangers in Dingwall. However, that loss to the Buddies has seen them drop back into the play-off spot heading into Christmas.
Despite that, Cowie’s side do remain just four points behind seventh and a couple of good results over the festive period can change the picture very quickly.
Ronan Hale has bagged eight goals in all competitions for Ross County this season
New Year’s Resolution?
They are the only team in the division who are yet to win away from home. That has to change if they are to avoid being rooted to those relegation places as the season progresses.
Cowie desperately needs to find some goals from somewhere. Ronan Hale has five in the league campaign but it seems as though they are missing the creativity of Yan Dhanda and the goals of Simon Murray – who both departed in the summer.
Possibly even more worryingly, they have scored just twice on their travels, with 14 overall – the lowest in the league. Cowie might have to dip into the market in January to find those goals to avoid another play-off nailbiter or worse.
Star man: Ronan Hale
St. Johnstone 3/10
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St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari chats to former Motherwell team-mate James McFadden about his playing career, moving into coaching and his ambitions at the McDiarmid Park club
St Johnstone find themselves at the bottom of the Premiership heading into Christmas.
A stuttering start to the campaign saw Craig Levein sacked after just 10 months at the club in September. He had steered the Saints to safety last season but a run of four consecutive defeats at the start of this term cost the former Scotland boss his job.
Simo Valakari was appointed as his replacement but visa issues delayed his first outing in the dugout until he led his team to a 2-1 win in Dundee in October. However, a run of one victory in eight matches since then has seen St Johnstone slip to the foot of the table.
Benjamin Kimpioka has impressed for St Johnstone this term
New Year’s Resolution?
Benjamin Kimpioka and Nicky Clark have struck up a decent understanding for the Saints, with 11 league goals between them but that accounts for over half of St Johnstone’s league goals. Valakari needs more from those around them and it may be that January provides an opportunity to bring in more firepower.
The stats don’t lie – St Johnstone prop up the table in terms of shots on goal this season and that needs to change if they have any ambitions of moving off the bottom of the table.
Star man: Benjamin Kimpioka
St. Mirren 6/10
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson signed a new contract at the club until 2027 in October
Sitting comfortably in mid-table, manager Stephen Robinson can be content with St Mirren’s first half of the season, especially given an early European start and off-field issues which have dogged his squad and selection.
The Buddies fell short in their bid to reach the group stages of the Conference league with an aggregate defeat to Brann in their second qualifying round but those early season experiences should give the squad a desire to return to European football.
Robinson’s job has been made trickier this season with various problems off the park, including the release of Shaun Rooney in October, and then Jaden Brown in November, with Kevin van Veen’s loan also ending early in the same month.
His other issue has been inconsistency – St Mirren have struggled to put winning runs together. They did end Aberdeen’s unbeaten league start in November only to follow that up with defeats to Dundee United and Motherwell.
Toyosi Olusanya (second right) has scored seven goals at home and in Europe for St Mirren this season
New Year’s Resolution?
Robinson’s side are just two points off Motherwell in fourth as they aim to try and finish among the European places this year. Top six is the priority but the demise of Hearts this season leaves a space in the upper reaches of the league going and Robinson will be keen to be in the mix for Europe in May.
To do that, St Mirren will be relying on Toyosi Olusanya to maintain his goalscoring form which has seen the striker bag five league goals so far this season. Every side could always be doing with more goals but St Mirren’s stats seem to suggest they are right where they should be – firmly mid-table for goals scored and goals conceded while sitting sixth in the league – Robinson will be hoping Olusanya’s team-mates can step up and push his side on that little bit further.
Star man: Toyosi Olusanya
When does the winter transfer window open and close?
The 2024 winter transfer window for both English and Scottish league clubs officially opens on Wednesday January 1.
Transfer Deadline Day actually falls on Monday February 3 2025. The English window closes at 11pm UK time.
Transfer Deadline Day for most major European leagues – including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Scotland – is also Monday February 3 2025.