Keeper Joe Lewis has demanded Aberdeen be more ruthless in both boxes to haul themselves out of a six game winless streak.
Aberdeen slumped to a 2-0 loss at Motherwell and straight shooting Lewis accepts the Reds were ‘not good enough’.
During the winless run Aberdeen have crashed out of the League Cup to lower league opposition, exited Europe and dropped to sixth in the Premiership table.
Lewis warns misfiring Aberdeen must rediscover their attacking edge and tighten up at the back.
He insists that must start against St Johnstone at Pittodrie on Saturday.
Lewis said: “There is a lot of good play between the two 18-yard boxes but you don’t win any game if you don’t defend, have a cutting edge and a ruthlessness in both boxes.
“We didn’t have that but I have no doubt we will get better.
“It is incredibly disappointing.
“It is alright dominating between the two 18-yard boxes which we did but you have to be able to deal with balls in the box.
“We weren’t good enough. We need to improve on it and aim to bounce back next week.
“It (run of six without a win) is not great, is it?
“We have just lost 2-0 so it is difficult to be positive about it.”
Nine games without a clean sheet
Aberdeen had 75% of possession at Fir Park and 20 efforts at goal but could not make the breakthrough.
Motherwell netted either side of half-time through Kevin van Veen and Juhani Ojala.
Aberdeen have not registered a clean sheet in nine games.
The only clean sheet was in the opening game of the campaign, a 2-0 defeat of Dundee United at Pittodrie on Sunday August 1.
Lewis is confident Aberdeen have the quality to bounce back following a summer rebuild by manager Stephen Glass.
Boss Glass handed a first start to recent signing Marley Watkins, who penned a two year contract.
New signing David Bates also made his debut when coming off the bench in the second half.
Scotland international centre-back Bates, 24, penned a three-year contract from German Bundesliga 2 side SV Hamburg.
No magic wand, warns keeper Lewis
Lewis insists there is no ‘magic wand’ to rediscover that defensive robustness and cutting edge in attack.
He reckons that only comes from hard work on the training ground at Cormack Park.
The Dons will work on finding that ruthlessness in both boxes ahead of the Saints clash.
Lewis said: “There is no magic wand to magic performances back.
“There is not a massive amount about our general play but you need a cutting edge in both boxes.
“We have the quality. We have a full week of training with no distractions and we will be back next Saturday.”