Boss Barry Robson insists Aberdeen’s dismal 2-0 loss at Kilmarnock was all his fault because he did not freshen up his team enough.
The Pittodrie gaffer takes full responsibility for a defeat which has left the Dons rooted in the Premiership bottom six.
Robson admits his team were “leggy” after the demands of the 3-2 Europa Conference League loss to PAOK.
He accepts that was because he did not rotate his team enough after the Euro defeat to the Group G leaders on Thursday.
Aberdeen blew a 2-0 lead against the Greek Super League side, who netted a winning penalty deep into injury time.
Robson held his hands up and said the Dons’ inability to bounce back from that Euro agony was all on him due to his failure to freshen the starting XI at Rugby Park.
The return of Duk, to replace Dante Polvara, was the only change in Kilmarnock from the team who started against PAOK.
Robson said: “It was my fault.
“I need to take responsibility for not freshening the team up after the other night (against PAOK).
“I probably should have freshened the team up more.
“I think it was pretty evident that we looked very leggy in the first half and It’s hard to try to recapture that.
“We made a change at half-time (Ryan Duncan on for Jack MacKenzie), and changed the shape.
“Then we tried to freshen it up with more bodies on.
“But it was probably too late, although we tried to hang in and get something from the game.
“That was me. I should have freshened the team up more.”
Killie ‘scored a sucker punch’
Kilmarnock went ahead on the stroke of half-time when captain Kyle Vassell netted.
The Rugby Park side, managed by former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes, doubled their in the 64th minute via a defensive mistake.
Centre-back Stefan Gartermann’s attempted clearance was charged down by Marley Watkins.
Robson said: “We were poor and I don’t think it was a very good game.
“They scored a sucker punch just before half-time with the last kick of the ball.
“After the Hacken game (Europa League play-off), we got it wrong.
“After the Frankfurt game (first Conference League group game), we got it right.
“I should have put more fresh legs in and we would have seen a different team.”
Hangover from Euro defeat by PAOK
Aberdeen suffered the hammer-blow of conceding an injury-time goal to PAOK to lose 3-2.
Asked if the dramatic nature of that loss had a mental affect as well as physical, Robson said: “It can have a bit of both, but it is never easy.
“We are not looking for excuses.
“We should come down here and try to win the game.
“But we weren’t at our best at all.
“We tried to change shape and put more players on, but I probably should have changed it at the very start.
“And then there would have been a better outcome.
“I have made a mistake by not freshening the team up.”
Opportunity for Reds’ redemption in another busy week
Aberdeen have taken just nine points from the opening nine Premiership fixtures.
They are level on points with second bottom Ross County.
However, Robson is gunning for Reds redemption in a key week where they travel to Motherwell on league action on Wednesday.
They then face Hibs at Hampden in the Viaplay Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Robson said: “We have a massive game against Motherwell that we are looking forward to and we have the chance to get into a final.
“If we win at Motherwell that will raise us up the league.
“Then we have to try to win at the weekend to get to a final.”
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes delighted with victory
Kilmarnock boss McInnes, the former Aberdeen manager, was delighted with a win which jumped his side into the top six.
McInnes said: “We’ve got a a clean sheet and my keeper hasn’t been too troubled.
“It’s nice to see us sitting where we are in the league.
“You don’t look at that too much till the first couple of rounds (are over), but I want to hang about there for as long as possible.”
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