Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass insists Wednesday’s defeat to Hibernian has left him questioning whether his squad is too reliant on Scott Brown.
The Dons player-coach missed his first game of the season in the 1-0 loss at Easter Road due to illness on Wednesday and Glass found it hard to shake the impression his captain’s inspirational qualities were the difference between the sides.
Glass said: “I’m almost asking the boys is the glaring omission that they need Scott to push them on, kick them and poke them and make them do it? Professionally they need to be better.”
Glass is frustrated and disappointed at seeing the three-game winning run stopped in its tracks after a lethargic display in the capital.
He said: “It was a little bit scrappy. We didn’t produce as much as we have recently and we’re disappointed to lose a goal from a set-piece.
“We need to do more at the other end of the pitch and play with a lot more energy.
“We didn’t threaten enough. The energy level of the group didn’t look great.
“It was the last time we’ll play in front of fans for a while and you would expect a better energy level about the group.
“We didn’t do enough to stop them playing in the first half and we didn’t look like a threat ourselves.
“We were a little better in the second half, but we drifted out of the game and didn’t test their boys enough.
“The one big chance we had was Marley Watkins’ header, but in the main we didn’t make enough chances. We had plenty opportunities to make chances, but we didn’t do it.”
Brown is doubtful for the Boxing Day visit of Dundee, but Ross McCrorie is available after missing the midweek loss in Edinburgh due to suspension.
