Aberdeen are in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership and out of both cup competitions but club captain Joe Lewis insists the Dons’ season is far from finished.
The Scottish Cup exit at Motherwell last weekend brought Stephen Glass’ 11-month spell in charge to an abrupt end and ended the club’s hopes of ending a poor campaign with silverware.
However, goalkeeper Lewis is adamant the season can still be salvaged with a fourth place finish to secure European football this summer.
He said: “There is the chance to turn a very disappointing season into something we may not be particularly proud of but something we can salvage from it.
“It’s been a season of flashes and we need more than fits and starts.
“We’re not going to pretend as a club like Aberdeen should be competing in all competitions and we haven’t done that in any yet.
“But there is still the opportunity to make sure we play European football next season.”
Aberdeen need to put a run together
Aberdeen are eighth in the Scottish Premiership, three points behind fourth-placed Dundee United and Lewis knows it is important his side finds some form and momentum in the final 12 games of the season.
He season: “Obviously the way we finish this season will have an impact on the football club and the start of next season.
“It’s important for how we go forward in the future after going out of the cups early and the league form not being good.
“The important thing is that this season is far from over for us and we need to look at the potential if we can get a run going between now and the end.”
More aggression needed in return to Fir Park
The Dons return to the scene of their former manager’s final game in charge today as they return to Fir Park to face the Steelmen.
Graham Alexander’s side have beaten the Dons in all three previous meetings between the sides so far this season and Lewis is expecting another difficult afternoon in Lanarkshire today.
For Aberdeen to achieve a different outcome the Dons goalkeeper knows they will have to match the aggression which has served their opponents so well in the previous encounters in the campaign.
Lewis said: “It will be a test. We need to win the battle as this season the ugly side of the game and the nitty gritty hasn’t been good enough.
“That has to improve because when games have opened up and we’ve played in more open games then we have played well.
“Certainly in games against Rangers and Celtic who are teams that come at you we put in better performances.
“When it’s been a battle and we need to win the fight then we have not done that enough this season and we need to show more of that.”
Back to basics approach required in remaining matches
Lewis feels Aberdeen have lacked the necessary physicality at times in the campaign and he knows the Dons have rediscover the knack of winning their individual battles if they are to pick up what would be just their third away win in the league.
Fighting fire with fire will be key, Lewis maintains, to the Dons taking something from their third trip to Fir Park.
He said: “Ultimately the majority of matches are about winning the battle in this league and if you do that they open up more.
“If you keep a clean sheet to that point you can build from there and we certainly need to do more of that.
“You don’t win games if you don’t battle and show a real fight.
“I’m not talking about throwing elbows and scrapping.
“I’m talking about winning second balls, winning headers in your own box by showing conviction to make the clearances.
“It’s not waiting for someone else to do the job.
“It’s a combination of things and you have to show determination in defence by being the first there and a ruthless edge to finish chances at the other end.
“They are the basics and we certainly need to brush up on them to give ourselves a platform to build on.”
