Keeper Kelle Roos has backed Aberdeen’s attackers to quickly rediscover their lethal touch in front of goal.
The failure to convert clear scoring chances led to back-to-back draws against St Johnstone and HJK Helsinki.
Strikers Bojan Miovski, Duk and substitute Ester Sokler all missed scoring opportunities in the 0-0 draw with Premiership bottom club St Johnstone on Sunday.
Dutch stopper Roos retains complete faith the Dons will hit the goal trail again.
He said: “We know we have great offensive players and great creators in our team.
“And we know we are going to score a lot of goals.
“We have shown we can take chances.
“On any other day, we’d have taken them, but against St Johnstone, I think we left it too late to really give them (attackers) a platform.
“If we hit our standards earlier, they (St Johnstone) don’t stand a chance, really, and we take three points.”
Clean-sheets give strikers a platform
North Macedonian international striker Miovki has scored eight goals in all competitions this season.
However, the 24-year-old missed chances to break the deadlock against St Johnstone.
Strike partner Duk netted 18 goals last season, but has scored just once in 14 games this term.
While the attack misfired, Roos and the three-man defensive line of Stefan Gartenmann, Slobodan Rubezic and Richard Jensen delivered a clean sheet against Saints.
The three centre-backs are all summer signings, but are now beginning to gel into a solid unit.
Roos, 31. intends to deliver shut-outs to give the attackers a platform to secure three points.
He said: “It’s so important to be hard to beat first and foremost, because you know one goal is going to give you three points if you keep a clean sheet.
“That’s simple maths – it’s not rocket science.
“As long as we are hard to beat, it gives us a great platform to go and hurt teams.
“I think we were very solid.
“Against HJK felt we were very unlucky to concede, although they took their chance very well.
“We were solid against St Johnstone, and we look like we’re not going to concede easily at the minute.
“So a lot of credit to the back-line – they are doing very well.
“Let’s be clear: we also need to be better than we were on Sunday.
“But, at the same time, there are more than enough positives.”
Frustration at offside VAR call which went against Aberdeen
Aberdeen were on the scoresheet against St Johnstone, only to have the goal chalked off.
St Johntone centre-back Andy Considine headed a Connor Barron cross into his own net late in the first half.
Referee David Munro initially awarded the goal.
However, Munro was then sent to the monitor to review the goal.
Offside had been confirmed by VAR official Kevin Clancy, but referee Munro had to decide if Duk was interfering with play.
Munro deemed Duk to be interfering with play and ruled out the goal for offside.
Roos was frustrated at the VAR call.
On the VAR decision, Roos said: “It’s a difficult one.
“If I look at the last week, I’ve been very confused with a lot of VAR calls – and it’s not only here.
“I’ve seen players being offside and it being decided that they are not interfering because it comes off a defender first.
“But I think it’s a very tricky one.
“In Feyenoord v Atletico, I saw it happening, and obviously the Celtic game (v Kilmarnock).
“Personally I think it’s nothing to do with VAR – it’s the rule that says a player is not interfering when he’s offside if the ball comes from a defender.
“I don’t think we can expect our defenders to just leave the ball and hope that it’s offside. That’s not realistic.
“So I’m not aware of the reason why our goal was chalked off, it’s a questionable one.”
Roos won’t blame VAR for dropped points
Despite the frustration at the VAR decision, Roos admits culpability for two dropped points on Sunday ultimately lies squarely with Aberdeen.
He said: “I think it’s up to us to make sure that these calls do not determine the final scoreline.
“It’s very easy to point fingers, but first and foremost we need to look at ourselves.
“It’s very frustrating when you don’t get calls you think you should.
“But at the same time, we just need to worry about hitting our own standard, and against St Johnstone, we did that a little bit too late.”
Conversation