Boss Jimmy Thelin says he is responsible for Aberdeen’s damaging 13 game Premiership winless collapse, and has vowed to fix the problem.
The Dons crashed to a 3-0 loss to St Mirren at Pittodrie as a nosedive in form continued with just four points secured from the last possible 39.
Thelin reckons the Dons are struggling because their lack of balance is being continually exposed.
Aberdeen are now deep in the mire of a worst winless league run since 1999 and were booed off the pitch by frustrated fans at half time and full time.
Once level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership table after the first 11 games – the Dons are now only five points above the bottom six.
Centre-back Slobodan Rubezic was at fault for the opening two goals and motioned to come off after the Dons went 2-0 down.
Thelin admits he does not know if Rubezic was injured when taken off in the 39th minute.
Thelin said: “It’s a challenge for everyone, for us, for me.
“For our supporters, it’s a difficult time, but the only way for me is to stick together.
“I as a manager am responsible.
“So I need to find a way to balance the team in a different way to not get so exposed to these situations that we are in right now.
“We have lost similar goals in recent games.
“We have to do more in this part of the games when we are attacking and then we get too exposed in these situations.
“Right now because of the balance it’s too easy for opponents to get these goals.
“As manager with my staff, I take responsibility and I need to help the players even more to fix this balance of the team so we cannot get so exposed in these situations.
“We can’t do so much inside a game and then, boom, it’s a goal.
“We have to just find a way to rebalance.”
Thelin addresses Rubezic first-half substitution
It is now 405 minutes since Aberdeen last scored in the Premiership, in a 2-1 loss to Ross County.
St Mirren punished an inability to defend with long balls via goals from Toyosi Olusanya and a Mikael Mandron brace.
Defender Rubezic was at fault for St Mirren’s first two goals and motioned to come off soon after going 2-0.
Thelin took Rubezic off just three minutes after going conceding the second goal.
The Dons boss said: “He (Rubezic) said he wanted to change and let’s see, I haven’t spoken to him yet.
“I will do that after this press conference and then talk to him with some feelings or whatever it is.”
Asked if Rubezic was injured, Thelin said: “That’s what I don’t know yet.
“I haven’t spoken to him.
“No, I think it’s emotions in football, but I’m always supporting my players.”
More signings desperately needed
Three of the four signings secured by Thelin in the January transfer window started – Kristers Tobers, Alexander Jensen and Jeppe Okkels.
The other addition Alfie Dorrington came on for Slobodan Rubezic in the first half.
However, the slump in Premiership form that is threatening European qualification hopes continues.
More reinforcements are needed before the window closes.
The Dons have reportedly joined the race to land Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron.
The 22-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and Rangers are keen on securing him on a pre-contract.
However, the Dons are reportedly hoping to beat Rangers to landing Cameron with any deal requiring the payment of a development compensation fee.
Tribute to Jimmy Calderwood
Prior to kick-off there was an emotional minute’s applause as the Red Army paid tribute to former manager Jimmy Calderwood who recently passed away at the age of 69.
Calderwood, who was manager from 2004 to 2009, led Aberdeen to qualification from the Uefa Cup group stage in 2007.
Defensive errors ruthlessly punished
A defensive blunder gifted St Mirren the opener in the seventh minute.
A long ball upfield from Richard Taylor should have been routinely dealt with.
However Rubezic headed the ball back to Ross Doohan, completely unaware the keeper had raced to intercept.
The header went beyond Doohan in an advanced position who had failed to command the situation.
Toyosi Olusanya couldn’t believe his luck as he raced onto the loose header and slotted into the empty net from eight yards.
It had been 327 minutes since St Mirren last scored in the Premiership and Aberdeen gifted them a goal to end the drought.
St Mirren made it 2-0 in the 36th minute when Olusanya raced onto a long ball down the right flank.
Olusanya beat Rubezic for pace and strength as he shrugged off the centre-back when powering to the byline.
He then cut a pass to Mikael Mandron who shot in low from eight yards.
Rubezic was taken off just three minutes later, replaced by Dorrington.
No comeback for struggling Dons
On the hour mark Aberdeen substitute Kevin Nisbet clipped the bar with a curling 25 yard free-kick.
It was 3-0 in the 79th minute when the static Dons defence was caught out by a long route one ball from Alex Gogic deep in his own half.
Mandron raced in behind the backline and fired a superb 18-yard left-footed drive beyond Doohan.
It was the third time Aberdeen conceded after being ruthlessly exposed by a long ball.
The goal sparked an exodus of Dons fans.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Doohan 4; Devlin 4, Rubezic 2 (Dorrington 39), Tobers 5, Jensen 5; Heltne Nilsen 4 (Palaversa 46), Shinnie 6; Keskinen 6, Clarkson 5 (Nisbet 55), Okkels 6 (Okkels 70); Gueye 5 (Duk 70).
Subs not used: Ritchie, MacKenzie, Boyd, Ambrose.
ST MIRREN (3-5-2): Hemming 6; Fraser 6, Taylor 7, Gogic 7; Penman 3 (Bwomono 26), Phillips 6, Boyd-Munce 6 (Smyth 72) , O’Hara 5 (Kiltie 46), Tanser 5; Mandron 7 (Oseni 81), Olusanya 7 (Mooney 81).
Substitutes: Urminsky, Kenny, John, Scott
Referee: Chris Graham
Attendance: 15,829
Man-of-the-match: Toyosi Olusanya (St Mirren)
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