Aberdeen interim manager Neil Warnock wants his players to find a sense of pride in keeping clean sheets.
The Dons have one league win in eight games in 2024 with Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Hibernian at Pittodrie the fourth league game in a row where the team has dropped points at home.
The draw with Hibs follows a 3-3 draw with Motherwell last midweek and leaves Warnock’s side languishing in eighth place in the Scottish Premiership.
The interim manager knows the gift-wrapped goals being conceded have to be eradicated if his side are to have any chance of moving up the table.
Warnock said: “We’ve got to be proud to keep clean sheets.
“The players have got to take a bit of responsibility. They’ve got to know when they should be defending and putting the ball out of play.
“I forget how many times I held my face as the goals we conceded were schoolboy.
“I don’t have to tell Nicky Devlin about the second goal – he knows he should have put it out.
“They were bad goals to concede. What else can you say about them?
“We’ve got to have clean sheets. If we can get a run of clean sheets, you will fly up the table.
“But you can’t keep giving goals away like that and keep coming back.”
Warnock hoping for a change of luck for Aberdeen
Warnock’s frustration at failing to beat Hibs was evident in his post-match press conference, but the interim boss believes there were several positives to be taken from the display.
Mistakes aside, the interim manager believes his side are due a change of fortune.
He said: “The games have been exciting. I know more about the team from the other night and this game.
“It was a cracking game and we deserved to win.
“But the goals we conceded, oh my goodness me. It was a frustrating day for me.
“Once again the heads did not go down. We have shown character in coming back and that’s the best we’ve played since I come here. There were some really good plusses.
“I thought we continued where we left off in the last hour against Motherwell (3-3 draw from 3-0 down).
“I couldn’t even give them a rollicking after 26 shots.
“They are doing everything right and there were some very good performances, which is what makes it so disappointing.
“We need a bit of luck.
“There were a lot of plusses. It was Jack MacKenzie’s best game at left-back, the centre-halves looked good and the midfield did well.
“I thought Jamie McGrath out on the right had a very good game as well.”
‘I’m only worried about winning a game’
Aberdeen’s search for a first Premiership win since the winter break continues when they travel to Rugby Park to face former Dons boss Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock side.
Killie are fourth in the Scottish Premiership and hold a 10-point lead on the Dons, having played a game more.
The two teams will also meet each other in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie next month.
Warnock is not interested in the league table at this stage, however. The interim manager’s focus is firmly on securing his first league victory as manager.
He said: “I’m only worried about winning a game, if I’m honest.
“Next week is going to be really difficult as I gather Aberdeen don’t get much on the plastic pitch.”
Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie insists Dons have to cut out the mistakes
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