Boss Barry Robson said he understood the Aberdeen fans’ fury at Tynecastle as the Reds dismal Premiership form continued.
The Dons’ wait for a first league win of the season continues as Robson’s rebuilt side crashed to a 2-0 away loss to Hearts.
Aberdeen have failed to win any of their first five league games this season and are second bottom of the Premiership, with just two points from a possible 15.
The Dons last failed to win their first five games of a league season in 1999-2000 under Ebbe Skovdahl, who went nine games without a victory.
Angry fans made their frustration clear when booing the Reds as the players walked to the Roseburn Stand to applaud the Red Army at full-time
Aberdeen’s crash in form has come at the worst possible time as they face Bundesliga giants Eintracht Franfkurt, the 2022 Europa League winners, in the opening Conference League group tie in Germany on Thursday.
Asked if he could understand the supporters’ reaction, Robson said: “One hundred per cent. They want to win football matches.
“The fans came down and want to see us try to win the game and obviously we never.
“We are a work in progress and it was a whole new back five today and we tried to change that at half-time.
“You could see a lack of cohesion with us.
“We tried to work a bit in the international break but we had a lot of them away.
“We never got them back until a few days ago.”
Chairman Cormack at Tynecastle
Aberdeen are now 11 games in all competitions without a win away to Hearts.
And their Tynecastle torture continued courtesy of goals either side of half-time from Yutara Oda and Liam Boyce.
USA-based chairman Dave Cormack was at Tynecastle to witness the defeat.
Robson overhauled the squad with 13 new signings in the summer and accepts his rebuilt team must start delivering wins.
He is confident they will.
Asked if it was too early to be concerned about the Dons’ position in the league table, Robson said: “I think so.
“When you look at where we were as a club last year, we’ve had a difficult start.
“I think that’s the first time we’ve had all the players who we’ve tried to sign all in.
“I’m honest enough and smart enough to know that you need results even with the hard start, a lot of away games.
“We’ve obviously taken in 13 new players.
“But all of that doesn’t count for much because we need to get results.
“We need to improve and get better at both ends – and we will.”
‘They will click and they will get going’
Aberdeen have won just once in eight game in all competitions this season, edging out League One Stirling Albion in the League Cup.
After suffering a third straight defeat, Robson retains confidence his reconstructed side will click – but accepts it must come sooner, rather than later.
He said: “It was a difficult afternoon for us.
“We’re all trying to get to know each other.
“Some of them are trying to understand the league.
“Some of the ones who have been here before probably need to start hitting some form.
“I’m really comfortable with the squad we’ve, there’s a good team there.
“They will click and they will get going.
“We just need to make sure that it is sooner rather than later.”
Debut for defender Gartenmann
Danish centre-back Stefan Gartenmann, 26, was pitched in from the start for his Aberdeen debut having arrived on transfer deadline day on season long from Danish club Midtjylland.
Gartenmann was one of two changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Hibs.
Leighton Clarkson also came in with Connor Barron and Angus MacDonald dropping to the bench.
Yutaro Oda fires Hearts into the lead
Hearts had failed to score in their previous three Premiership matches but went ahead in the 14th minute when Yutaro Oda raced onto a through-ball from Liam Boyce.
Breaking into the box Oda unleashed a low 15-yard right-footed drive that took a slight deflection off James McGarry to fly beyond keeper Kelle Roos.
The Dons’ have now failed to keep a clean sheet in the last seven games in all competitions.
The Dons threatened within a minute of going behind when Bojan Miovski met a Leighton Clarkson cross but his 12-yard header was saved by keeper Zander Clark.
At half-time, boss Robson switched to four at the back in a 4-1-4-1 with Nicky Devlin dropping back to right-back and Richard Jensen stepping out to left-back.
On the hour mark the woodwork denied Hearts when Kenneth Vargas’ vicious 25-yard drive cracked off the bar.
Aberdeen’s defence breached again
Hearts doubled their advantage in the 64th minute when Liam Boyce punished slack defending when firing in a right-footed shot from close range.
In the 82nd minute substitute Pape Gueye turned sharply at the edge of the box to shoot, but his low drive was saved by Clark.
ABERDEEN (3-5-2): Roos 6; Gartenmann 6, Rubezic 6, Jensen 6; Devlin 6, Clarkson 6 (Gueye 67), Shinnie 6, McGrath 6 (Barron 67), McGarry 6 (Duncan 56); Duk 5, Miovski 6 (Sokler 66)
Subs: Doohan, MacKenzie, Hayes, Polvara, MacDonald.
HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Clark 6; Atkinson 6 (Sibbick 65), Kent 6, Rowles 6, Kingsley 7; Devlin 7, Haring 5 (Nieuwenhof 50); Oda 5 (Forrest 33), Boyce 6 (Grant 65), Vargas 7; Shankland 6.
Subs: McGovern, Baningime, Denholm, Tait, Lowry.
Referee: Kevin Clancy
Attendance: 18,626
Man-of-the-match: Kye Rowles (Hearts)
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