The Aberdeen players owe their manager big-time after a shocking display against Dundee United on Saturday.
Dons boss Jim Goodwin is feeling the heat after his side’s dire showing at Tannadice – but it’s too easy to sit and point the finger at the manager.
The players cannot get off scot-free for their part in a miserable evening.
Goodwin has put his faith in the players and they are the ones who need to repay that faith when Aberdeen welcome Hearts to Pittodrie on Sunday.
It has been a bad few days for the Dons manager.
It started on Thursday with a ridiculous eight-game ban for his comments after the Hibernian game last month.
I don’t think anyone anticipated a lengthy suspension for saying a player going to ground was blatant cheating, especially when other managers have escaped punishment for near-identical remarks in the past.
Two of the eight games have been suspended, but the first of the six matches Goodwin will eventually miss was Saturday’s 4-0 Tannadice mauling.
On the evidence of his side’s display against Dundee United, it is not going to make for pleasurable viewing from the stand for the manager.
Nobody saw a heavy defeat coming for the Dons
It is days like Saturday where I find myself glad I’m in a van making deliveries these days. Honestly, who would want to be a manager?
Here was an Aberdeen team, fulling optimism and confidence following an emphatic win against Kilmarnock a week before, heading to Dundee to face a United team in disarray.
Liam Fox’s side had failed to win in the league in eight attempts and had scored one goal at home.
In total, they had four goals in 12 hours of league football.
If you had suggested they would double that tally in the space of 90 minutes against the Dons I would have laughed – but Goodwin certainly didn’t see the funny side after an astonishing capitulation.
Immediate response required from Aberdeen
The worst part isn’t that Aberdeen lost the game 4-0.
It’s the fact 4,000 members of the Red Army had made the trip to Dundee only to see their side produce their worst performance of the season.
Jonny Hayes hit the nail on the head. It was embarrassing stuff from his side and it now falls on the manager to pick his players up.
It was probably for the best he was not in the dressing room on Saturday. What could he have said to his players that they didn’t already know?
It wasn’t good enough, the defending was atrocious and they failed to lay a glove on a United team struggling for confidence.
I’ve been on the receiving end of days like that as a player and a manager and all you can do is try to put it behind you as quickly as possible.
The start of the week will be pretty subdued at Cormack Park and there will be soul-searching among many in the dressing room.
But as the weekend gets closer, the players will perk up and they will welcome the chance to get back out on the pitch.
You cannot go back and change what has happened, but you can respond.
To do that you must show some pride and produce a level of performance to prove you are better than what you showed in the last game.
Ross County must build on first away win
Sticking with the theme of who would be a manager – I’d love to know what Malky Mackay is thinking after an eventful week at Ross County.
Following a horrendous night against Motherwell, Malky watched his County side go to Livingston on Saturday and win at Almondvale for the first time in a decade.
The 1-0 victory was a vital one for the Staggies following their heavy home defeat at the hands of the Steelmen a week ago.
But I’m sure the contrast will have had Malky scratching his head in disbelief.
Their first away win was a huge result for County, given the fact Dundee United picked up their first win of the campaign a few hours later against Aberdeen.
The stage is now set for another vital game when the two sides go head-to-head at Victoria Park on Saturday.
I’m intrigued at seeing Dundee United for the first time this season and we will get a good idea of whether they played so well to beat the Dons… or Aberdeen were miles off the pace.
United will see the trip to Dingwall as a chance to build some momentum.
But County have their own motivation for this one – their home form has been so poor with one win from their opening five home games, and only three goals to show for their efforts so far.
Both teams will be thinking this weekend’s game is a chance to get their season up and running by building some momentum and it should be a cracker.
Momentum is with Caley Thistle in keenly contested Championship
I’ve been predicting another tight race for the Championship title this season, but I was not anticipating one point separating the top four teams.
That’s where we are after another remarkable weekend in the second tier. Caley Thistle had to dig deep to see off a stubborn Partick Thistle on Friday at Caledonian Stadium.
But Billy Dodds’ side deserved their win. They have struggled against Brian Graham in the past, but they kept him quiet on Friday and the win takes them joint top with the Jags and Ayr United.
Queen’s Park have been surprise packages so far as they trail the top three by a point.
Inverness have clicked into gear in the last couple of weeks, but they will face a stern test when they travel to Cove Rangers on Saturday.
Jim McIntyre’s side were poor against Raith on Saturday, but they were unbeaten in four going into the game at Stark’s Park.
Having won their last two home games, Jim will be looking for his players to bounce back when Caley Jags come to Balmoral Stadium.
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