Angry Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin told his players to look themselves in the mirror after yet another horror show against Hibs.
The Dons gaffer let his guard slip – probably for the first time since he arrived at Pittodrie – after going 14 games without a win at Easter Road. Incredibly, his side have picked up just FOUR points from a possible 42 after their sizzling start to the campaign. The last time they played Hibs in Edinburgh, they were 23 points ahead of them. Now, the gap is down to two. Thelin has tried to support his under-performing stars but on Saturday he let rip at their abysmal performances.
They were easily beaten by David Gray’s side who scored twice through Nectarios Triantis and Nicky Cadden. And the Swede wasn’t happy afterwards. He says it’s about time his players stood up, as he accused them of being second best to everything in Leith. Thelin said: “If it was a quick solution, I’d have solved it a long time ago. So we have to look at everything. But it starts with taking responsibility.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s me here or someone else. Players have to go out on the pitch and give everything you have. It’s a competition, you have to compete.
“How Hibs score today, how much time they had to put a cross in, how we defended a set-play – it’s similar to other games we’ve lost. It simply has to stop because it’s impossible to compete.
“I’ll speak to the players this week. But when you sign a contract at a club, you’re taking responsibility – as a manager or player. The thing you have to do is give everything you have. You can’t win a game giving away 50/50 situations. You’ll win some and lose some.
“But you can’t lose EVERY one. That’s the big problem for us right now. It’s all about responsibility and basics. It’s about how you run for each other and win 50/50 duels.
“In some games right now, the opponent is winning everything. That’s not good enough at this level. We have to look ourselves in the mirror – myself, my staff, the players and ask what is responsibility? We had 1800 people who travelled here today to watch our team play. And the way we lost the game is not good enough.”
Thelin and his players thanked the travelling supporters at full-time but fans are losing patience. And their manager, who was a revelation when he arrived in the summer, is now under pressure to deliver.
He said: “Every away game, the fans are there. They give everything they can to help us reach a higher standard as a team. So we have to look at ourselves in terms of what we’re giving back in these games.
“We have to produce a higher standard because we have high ambitions at this club. That will not change. So we have to change if we’re going to reach them.
“I won’t pick out individual players but they know. We can’t keep doing what we’re doing right now on the pitch. I’m disappointed because you can lose football games. But it’s how you lose games and that can be different.
“We worked so hard last week and had a really strong feeling before this game. But it’s the same result so we have to find a way out of it.”
Thelin has been given money to spend by the Pittodrie board and revealed he’s trying to get more new players in before the transfer window shuts tomorrow night. He’s been linked with a move for AC Milan striker Marko Lazetic but the manager said: “We’re working hard to try and get some energy and quality into the team.
“But right now recruitment doesn’t matter because we have players here. They signed and took responsibility so we have to find a way out of this.”