Furious Lewis Ferguson admits Aberdeen have hit rock bottom as their winless run hit 10 games.
A damaging 2-1 defeat at Dundee was the Reds’ fifth successive Premiership defeat.
Languishing ninth in the Premiership table, the dire Dons have taken just two points from the last possible 21.
Ferguson and his team-mates are angry at that dismal form and admits Aberdeen are ‘miles off’ where they should be.
The Scotland international apologised to the 2,500-strong travelling Red Army, who witnessed the Reds lose to the Premiership’s bottom team.
Supporters vented their frustration at full-time and Ferguson reckons the Dons deserved the boos for letting them down yet again.
Although down, Ferguson insists Aberdeen are far from out, as he is confident the squad is packed with quality and will find form.
The 22-year-old said: “What we are going through at the minute feels like rock bottom.
“We are disappointed, frustrated and angry.
“We have a good group of players with so much quality in that dressing room, but we are nowhere near where we should be at the minute.
“We are absolutely miles off it and can’t get a result.
“It is us that needs to turn it around and we need to turn it round quickly.
“We as players need to get better.”
Pressure will continue to mount
Ferguson accepts the pressure will continue to mount on manager Stephen Glass and his team the longer their winless streak continues.
It was the toughest night yet for manager Glass since his appointment to the Pittodrie hotseat in March.
The travelling Red Army made their displeasure patently clear at what they were witnessing in the latter stages of the game, as it became evident the Dons were careering to a fifth successive Premiership defeat.
Ferguson said: “The longer it goes on, the more the pressure builds.
“It is a strong group of guys in there that have experience, they have quality and we really need to stick together and look after each other as it is a tough time.
“We need to get back in training and work on things as hard as possible.
“There is a lot of bad feeling because it feels like rock bottom.
“We have so much quality and experience in that dressing room – winners – but we are just not showing it out on the pitch.
“I don’t know why. I don’t know what the reason is.
“It is up us to change it and turn the season around.”
Poor defensive decisions costing Aberdeen
As the rain battered Dens Park on a dreich night, and as the Reds slumped to another defeat and the Dundee fans chanted about Glass’ future, it certainly felt like rock bottom.
Whether the Dons sink any further will be determined by upcoming games against Hibs, Rangers, Hearts, Motherwell and Dundee United – all in the top six.
For the 13th successive match, Aberdeen failed to register a clean sheet – despite centre-backs Declan Gallagher and David Bates both being Scotland internationals.
Ferguson said: “We’re just making poor decisions in the final third.
“Defensively we’re not great.
“We don’t concede too many chances, but when we concede chances, we concede goals.
“And we give ourselves a mountain to climb by going 2-0 down.”
An apology to the travelling Red Army
Despite Aberdeen being mired in the worst run of form for more than a decade, the Red Army still travelled down in force.
Ferguson issued an apology to the travelling supporters.
🔴 Ready for kick off under the lights in Dundee.
COYR! #StandFree pic.twitter.com/C9iHbdbO9O
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) October 16, 2021
“We need to apologise for the result, which was poor as it has been the past I don’t know how many games.
“It is up to the players to turn it around and hopefully we can do that.
“You can feel the fans’ frustration and we are as frustrated as them – the staff, the players, the club.
“It is tough at the minute and obviously they paid their money and came down in big numbers to back us.
“And we are not giving them results at the minute.
“All the bad stuff is going to come our way and rightly so, as we are not anywhere near good enough.
“We can feel their frustration, but we are equally frustrated as well as staff and players.”
Players back Glass’ footballing philosophy
Manager Stephen Glass restructured the team in the summer with 10 new signings and 11 players exiting Pittodrie. He is also trying to instill a new style of football.
Asked if all the players remain behind Glass’ footballing philosophy, Ferguson said: “Yes of course we are. Everybody at the club is together and working to try to change things.”
‘Bad decision making is costing us’
Ferguson admits that the pressure of the winless streak is seeping into the players’ psyche as they are forcing the issue and playing rushed passes in the attempt to turn the tide.
He said: “As the game goes on and you are getting beat, then you maybe start to force things.
“Sometimes you start to play passes that you wouldn’t normally do.
“That is a bit of frustration as well – trying to force things and do things you wouldn’t normally do.
“Trying to play passes that aren’t on, bad decision making.
“It is costing us at the minute.
“It is so frustrating, because the quality we have is top notch, but the results are nowhere near.”