Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin believes raising the standard is the only solution to turning the club’s fortunes around.
The Dons have hit a brick wall since the international break in November, going nine games without a win.
Thursday’s 2-1 defeat by Ross County mean the Dons have last their last four games in a row and taken just three points from a possible 27 since November.
Thelin knows his side have to break their losing run and believes demanding more from each other is the key.
The Dons boss said: “We have to push it.
“These basic things that we want to do demand higher standards and being accountable.
“You can’t find an easy way out of it, it’s not easy football and especially when you are on this run, it can be stressful.
“So don’t get panicked, be stable and calm, and keep doing the things and believing in it.
“The work for me is to push the standards and the performance higher and higher.
“There’s no other way around it. You have to keep doing the work and you have to put the standards higher, push in the performance and be consistent and accountable.
“That’s the way to be stable as a team. Do the basics really well. I think we need to be calm and put the standards higher.”
County was a step back for the Dons
From being nine points clear in second place in the Premiership, Aberdeen have now slid to fourth in the table after Dundee United’s 2-1 win at Dundee in the derby on Thursday took them above Thelin’s side on goal difference.
There is still time to get their season back on track and with it their push for a European place next season but Thelin believes the defeat by County was a case of one step forward and two steps back for his side.
The Aberdeen manager said: “I think some games, like Kilmarnock and some games before that, we were quite unstable and then at United we were quite stable again.
“After that I thought ‘now we can take a push’ but the first half against County we were back some steps.
“In the second half when we get the momentum they scored to make it 2-1 and then we were a bit stressed.
“But then, because of the support who are still here and believe in us, we had a chance in the end to get an equaliser at least.
“But overall on Thursday the performance was not really there.”
Dons aiming to avoid unwanted run reaching double figures
The number of games without a win is increasing and as the games come thick and fast for the Dons.
Next up is a trip to Fir Park on Sunday to face sixth-placed Motherwell, who are seven points behind Aberdeen.
Thelin knows his side face another tough test and must find a better performance if they want to avoid the winless run reaching double figures.
He said: “It’s going to be a tough game, it’s an away game and they’re on quite a good run and we have a more difficult run.
“But for me it’s still the same as when we’re winning and when we’re losing we have to focus and try to be better in the performance.”
Sivert Heltne Nilsen, Ante Palaversa and Slobodan Rubezic, who all missed Thursday’s defeat by County due to suspension, are available for the trip to Fir Park.
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