Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass insists his players are not lacking belief following their poor run of results.
The Dons bid to end a five-game losing streak and a run of 10 matches without a win when they welcome Hibernian to Pittodrie on Saturday.
The alarming sequence of results continued with a 2-1 defeat against Dundee at Dens Park last weekend and has resulted in the club dropping down to ninth in the Premiership.
But the Dons boss is adamant belief has not diminished among the squad or the coaching staff.
Glass said: “I don’t think it’s a convincer that’s needed.
“I think they were hugely disappointed at Dens. They feel themselves they have not got the points they should have. They’ve made his mistakes they shouldn’t have.
“But we are all in it together – that’s one thing I see from the group. There is a real team mentality and they are ready to go.
“They are a good group of players.”
The criticism and scrutiny of the team has understandably been intense due to the run of results which have followed a strong start of five wins from the opening six matches in the campaign.
But Glass believes one theme has been common in the team’s recent run.
The Aberdeen manager said: “I think it has been a long time since we have scored the first goal in a game, and that goes a long way to winning football matches – especially when you’re under the gun.
“I think that is the biggest key, getting the first goal in a game, or – if there’s zero goals in a game – that would probably help as well.
“It is not from lack of trying. It has not been from teams ripping us apart, as I have said repeatedly.
“It has been bits and pieces, where you are going: ‘what are you doing there?’ You can’t believe someone has made that decision. Which is why I believe it will turn, because the players are too good for it not to.”
The poor run has prompted speculation about Glass’ future at Pittodrie, but he was given a vote of confidence from club chairman Dave Cormack on Monday.
Cormack pointed to the statistics which showed the chances created and possession of the team as indicators an upturn in fortunes is imminent.
Glass believes the work he has seen from the players in those 10 matches and still sees in training shows why that confidence is not misplaced.
He said: “There is the data, but there is also what I see on the grass every day, the work-rate I see, the games I see.
“I think any balanced individual who has watched our games would see that’s a team that should be winning more games than they have.
“It doesn’t look like a lost cause when you watch our team. It doesn’t look like a group of players that have chucked the towel in. It doesn’t look like a staff that don’t know what they are doing.
“People will be influenced by the amount of noise that’s out there until we can get results that turn it and people start to point in that direction.
“We’ve just got to accept what’s coming at the moment.”
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