Aberdeen captain Joe Lewis insists his side has to come up with something different.
It was Groundhog Day for Dons fans on Wednesday as they watched their side lose for the second home game in a row as St Johnstone left Aberdeen having claimed a 1-0 win and with only three points accumulated from the last five league matches it is clear the Dons are stuck in a rut.
The patience among some supporters is wearing thin with Derek McInnes’s side booed off yet again. One goal in five league matches and two wins in 10 in the Premiership is an abysmal return and Aberdeen goalkeeper Lewis knows his side must change the script for tomorrow’s Scottish Cup fifth round tie against Kilmarnock at Pittodrie.
Another defeat and early cup exit is unthinkable.
Lewis said: “We clearly have good players and they have shown what they can do this season already.
“We haven’t quite got to those levels and we need to find something over the next couple of days because Kilmarnock will come up looking to make it a similar game on Saturday.
“We need to make sure it is different.”
The anger and vitriol from the stands is increasing in volume with each passing match and Lewis believes only the players can ease the growing pressure.
He said: “We have to be mature enough to deal with some abuse or boos from supporters, whatever it is. We need to be stronger than that.
“The frustration from supporters is understandable and there is an equal frustration in the dressing room over the results. No one is going to do it for us and we need to find a spark and some creativity to bring chances and goals for Saturday.
“No one can flick a switch and it will happen. It will need to come from hard work on the training pitch so we can come up with something different on Saturday.
“The last couple of home performances haven’t been a good enough.”
The poor run of form for the Dons has brought Lewis his first test as Dons skipper and the goalkeeper insists it is the senior players in the dressing room who must lead by example.
He said: “We spoke after the St Johnstone game. It is down to the senior members, including myself, to lift the boys.
“We need to play with a freedom because we have good defenders and if we lose the ball in the attacking areas there is nothing to be worried about.
“We have to play without the handbrake on and have a freedom going forward. There is no magic wand we need to do it ourselves and be mature and adult about it and meet things head on.”
