Defiant Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass insists he is not “burying my head in the sand” by retaining faith in his underperforming squad.
The Dons have now failed to win in 10 games in all competitions and have lost the last five Premiership matches.
With just two points from the last possible 21, Glass admits Aberdeen have hit rock bottom.
Languishing ninth in the Premiership table and also having gone 13 games without a clean sheet, the pressure is on Glass to stop the rot.
The Aberdeen boss continues to retain belief his squad can turn the season around – and he insists that is not blind faith.
Glass said: “The frustrating thing is I feel I have been banging the same drum every week as it is the same story.
“It feels like maybe people think I have my head buried in the sand a little bit.
“But watching the team, I don’t think so.
“It does feel like rock bottom.
“I could hear the fans singing, I know what they are singing and I know what they are thinking.
“However, I back myself, my staff and the group of players.
“We are not a million miles away in the league strangely.
“I think if we had won at Dundee, we would be sitting nine points off the top.
“It can change quick and there are a group of players that are more than capable of doing it.
“There is a staff that is more than capable of doing it.
“But again results like this (Dundee) aren’t helping.
“It is pretty obvious what needs to change.”
Glass cannot fault effort from his players
During the 1o game winless streak Aberdeen have dropped from the top end of the table to ninth, crashed out of the League Cup to lower league opposition and exited Europe.
At 2-0 down against Dundee, a goal from United States international Christian Ramirez gave hope at least a draw could be salvaged, but the Reds were unable to build on that.
The quality may be missing in front of goal and the defence prone to mistakes, but Glass insists he cannot fault the players’ work-rate.
He said: “The one thing I can’t level at the players is lack of effort.
“That has been a constant all season.
“If they continue working as hard as they are, I can see it turning.
“I know how difficult it is going to be, but I back the players and I can see players that are capable of changing things.”
Challenging run of games for Aberdeen
Aberdeen now face a challenging run of games against the sides in the top six, starting with Hibs at Pittodrie on Saturday.
Following that, they travel to league leaders and defending champions Rangers before facing a Hearts side still undefeated in the Premiership.
Following those games, the Reds play Motherwell and Dundee United.
Glass said: “They are tough games, but they mean a lot more now because of the situation we are in at the minute.
“A lot of teams picked up points at the weekend, while we didn’t, so we are digging a hole.
“There is only one set of people who can get us out of it – and I believe we can.”