Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists any criticism for the ultra-defensive display in the 1-0 loss to Celtic should be directed at him.
The Dons lost out to the Premiership leaders courtesy of an 87th minute strike by Callum McGregor.
Goodwin accepts the game was no fun for Aberdeen fans but says he has gone toe to toe with the Old Firm before – and it has not worked.
Aberdeen had only 19.5% possession with Celtic 80.5%.
Celtic registered 33 shots with the Reds mustering just two efforts, both off target.
Aberdeen supporters made their frustrations known at full-time at the lack of attacking intent from the Reds.
Goodwin says he understands fans’ “mumping and moaning” but any flak should be aimed at him.
He said: “Criticism that will come our way, should come my way.
“The players carried out the instructions I asked them to do.
“It just didn’t pay off unfortunately.
“I heard the fans at the end, the mumping and moaning.
“And I understand it completely as they want to see us being more attacking than that.
“Obviously we will be in the future but today I felt this was the best way to manage that particular game.
“It is not a style of football that our fans here have been used to this season.
“Prior to this we had won six of seven league fixtures, scored loads of goals and were attack minded and very offensive.
“Against Celtic to give us the best chance of getting a result that was the best way to go.”
Going ‘toe to toe’ with Celtic doesn’t work
Aberdeen went into the game having won five successive Premiership matches at Pittodrie.
However they failed to trouble Celtic keeper Joe Hart.
Goodwin admits in hindsight the result makes it hard to make an argument for his tactics.
He said: “If we had come away with 0-0 and not played particularly well then everyone will probably have been patting us on the back.
“And saying how well organised and disciplined we were.
“Unfortunately that is not the case.
“When you set up that way and come away with nothing it is difficult to argue with.
“I want us to be viewed as a good attacking team.
“But with the level of opposition, as much as I would like to say we would be able to go toe to toe with Celtic.
“We have tried that in the past and it hasn’t worked.
“So we tried to come up with a different game plan and it worked for 87 minutes.
“It is not the most fun to watch from a fans’ perspective and I understand their frustration at the end of the game. I get that.
“We thought it was the best way to go.
“But unfortunately, in hindsight when you are sitting with nothing to show, it is hard to make an argument for it.”
Game plan ‘worked for large periods’
Goodwin had ventured to the other extreme when going ‘gung ho’ with an attacking philosophy against Rangers in October.
It backfired as Aberdeen lost 4-1 at Ibrox.
He said: “There are many ways to play a game of football.
“We have had plaudits in the past for going to Ibrox and trying to have a go at Rangers but got beat 4-1 in the end… it could have been 10.
“Against Celtic we sat in and tried to frustrate them and deny them that space they want.
“It worked for large periods.
“The problem was when we managed to get possession of the ball back we didn’t do enough.
“I think we tired towards the end as well which is only natural having not played competitively for five weeks.”
Late goal was a ‘bitter pill to swallow’
Goodwin admits losing to a late strike was a “bitter pill to swallow”.
However Aberdeen must pick themselves up for a clash against Rangers at Pittodrie on Tuesday evening.
Goodwin insists he will use the next few days to formulate a game plan for that clash.
He said: “The players put a lot into the game defensively and were very committed and organised.
“There was bags of concentration throughout the game to get to the point where we hoped we could keep a clean sheet.
“That is something which I don’t think any team in the league has managed to do against Celtic.
“The goal that came three minutes from the end was a fantastic strike from McGregor.
“It is a real bitter pill to swallow unfortunately because the boys put a hell of a lot into it.
“If I was sitting here having drawn the game 0-0 I would be satisfied with that.
“Unfortunately we have nothing to show for our efforts.
“We have not decided on what the game plan will be going into the Rangers game.
“There will be a lot of fatigue so we will have to get them turned around really quickly for what will be another really competitive game.”
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