Manager Stephen Glass has issued a defiant “we can fix this” message with Aberdeen mired in the worst run of form since 2010.
Without a win in eight games, the Dons have taken just two points from the last possible 15 in the Premiership and have dropped into the bottom six.
The Reds’ leaky defence have failed to register a clean sheet in 11 straight matches.
During the eight-game run without victory, Aberdeen have crashed out of the League Cup to lower league Raith Rovers and exited Europe at the play-off stage.
Glass remains confident he can get Aberdeen back on track and “make things better”.
He said: “We gave away a couple of bad goals against St Mirren and again it is our own undoing – which means we can fix it.
“We will make things better.
“It doesn’t make for good reading, but I think performance levels haven’t merited the amount of points we have got.
“We have a group of players that are capable of wining games.
“We thought that until this point and still believe in the group of players.
“We know we need to be better and will keep trying to do that – it is how managers work.”
One clean sheet from 14 games this season
Glass rebuild his squad during the summer transfer window with 10 new signings and 11 players exiting Pittodrie.
Aberdeen have played 14 games in all competitions this season, but have registered only one clean sheet – a 2-0 win over Dundee United in the opening game of the Premiership campaign on August 1.
Aberdeen are seven games into a 38 fixture Premiership campaign and Glass is confident he can lead his side up the league table.
Glass aid: “It is important that, when the end of the season comes and you’re judged. we are where we need to be.
“We have a group of players that are well capable of getting the points we need.”
📋 Here is your @cinchuk Premiership table after today's games! pic.twitter.com/qsJynCieS0
— SPFL (@spfl) September 26, 2021
‘If it stays at 11 v 11 there’s only one winner’
Aberdeen were leading 2-1 at St Mirren when reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of on-loan Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Teddy Jenks for a second yellow card.
The Reds failed to cope with the setback and were trailing 3-2 within 11 minutes of Jenks exiting the pitch.
Glass insists, had Jenks not been dismissed, Aberdeen would have recorded a victory at St Mirren to end the recent winless run.
He said: “We pick teams to win games every week and I think we have seen a team that, if it stays at 11 v 11, there is only one winner.
“We looked in control and in the second half were going to have a go, but the incident where Teddy gets himself sent off seriously impacts the game.
“Situations change games.
“The goal that made it 2-2 is not great defending, but it is a good finish.
“After that the last goal is a terrible one to give away – there is no hiding from that
“Then it means it is easier for St Mirren to keep the ball and they can be a little more patient.
GOAL! St Mirren 3-2 Aberdeen (Main, 61)
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄! 💥
🗣 "It's another amazing turnaround! Extraordinary!"
📺 Watch live on Sky Sports Football pic.twitter.com/Hlk8w6nQGQ
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 26, 2021
“It opens up less spaces for us to go play.
“But when you give away cheap goals like we did, and have continued to do this season, it is difficult to win games.
“If it stays 11 v 11, I think we walk out with three points.
“Anybody that was at the game would tell you that and know what they saw.”
No disappointment with reaction to red
Until the dismissal of Jenks, Aberdeen appeared on course for their first victory since a 2-1 Europa Conference League third qualifying round second leg defeat of Icelandic side Breidablik at Pittodrie on August 12.
The Reds conceded twice after Jenks’ sending off with the winner coming from an individual mistake by keeper Joe Lewis.
Glass confirmed he would talk with Lewis this week regarding his mistakes against St Mirren as Aberdeen suffered three successive Premiership losses for the first time since May 2016.
Despite another defeat, Glass insists he wasn’t disappointed with his players’ reaction at going a man down.
He said: “I wasn’t disappointed in any way with the players’ response because you could see the work rate of them.
“You could see they were driving.
“We put on Austin (Samuels) to go a little bit higher, a little bit quicker with pace up top.
“We still carried a bit of a threat, but the situation of giving away goals is what actually cost us the game.
“I think the solution to that is don’t give goals the way we are.”
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