Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin slammed the 4-0 hammering by Kilmarnock as “unacceptable” and warned there must not be a repeat this season.
Thelin did not hold back in his honest assessment of a dismal performance from the Reds as a damaging winless run extended to seven games.
The Swede said the Dons’ effort was not good enough as the Reds crashed to a humiliating loss at Rugby Park.
Struggling Aberdeen have taken just three points from the last possible 21 in the Premiership.
That crash in form has resulted in the Dons being toppled off second placed in the league table by Rangers.
Thelin said: “Our performance is not acceptable.
“How we competed with Kilmarnock was not good enough.
“The effort we made for each other is not good enough.
“Kilmarnock do their thing really well, but we have to compete much more.
“Hopefully, this was the worst performance for the season.
“You can win, lose or draw games – but not the way we did today with the effort we made for each other.
“It’s not good enough.
“You can get in a really bad run and we haven’t won for some games now. But at least you compete.
“Today Kilmarnock won every duel, they won every second ball and then it’s not easy to win games when you do that.”
Thelin takes responsibility for slump
Kilmarnock went ahead in the 19th minute when Kyle Vassell stabbed a shot beyond keeper Dimitar Mitov from close range.
Bulgarian international Mitov returned to the starting line-up having been ruled out of the previous three matches because of a hamstring injury.
David Watson made it 2-0 near the hour mark before late goals from substitutes Innes Cameron and Bruce Anderson piled on the misery for the Reds.
Thelin says it is on him to haul Aberdeen out of the nosedive in form.
He said: “I’m a part of this, I’m the coach.
“We have to look ourselves in the mirror and do much, much better in the next game.
“We have to do our basic things much better than we did against Kilmarnock.
“Again, this is the second game in a row now when we look at how we cover each other.
“When we lose the first duel, who picks up the second?
“All these kind of things.
“We just need to stop and we have to go out and everybody has to do it.
“That’s the only way.”
Thelin issues no repeat warning
Aberdeen are a pale imitation of the side that stormed to a 16 game unbeaten start to the season in all competitions, with 15 wins.
The conundrum for Thelin will be how to arrest this damaging crash in form and get back to the levels of earlier in the season.
The winter transfer window opens on January 1 and the Pittodrie board have confirmed Thelin will be backed in his bid to strengthen the starting XI.
Aberdeen are keen on signing Latvian international centre-back Kristers Tobers.
It is understood the Dons have submitted an offer for Tobers to the defender’s club, Grasshoppers of the Swiss Super League.
Latvia captain Tobers has been capped 37 times and can play as a centre-back or defensive midfielder.
Thelin said: “You can be frustrated if you’re performing well.
“You do everything really well and then you lose sometimes.
“Congratulations to the opponent but the way we performed against Kilmarnock and the effort is another thing.
“We can’t show this side of ourselves one more time.
“That’s not good enough.”
Conversation