Following the 2-0 defeat at Kilmarnock, skipper Graeme Shinnie echoed his manager’s comments that Aberdeen are too easy to play against.

“I think we are too nice, and the kind of goals we concede shows that. We need more doggedness, that desire to keep the ball out at all costs, make blocks, put bodies on the line. They’re an honest bunch of boys, a great bunch of boys, but that doesn’t win you football games. We need to be more horrible on the pitch, which is what Kilmarnock are good at. They’re strong defensively, they’ll head it and put it forward and the big men up front will fight and battle. We’ve almost been the opposite of that, we’re too easy to bully and to beat.

“First half, I don’t know what it was like to watch, but it didn’t feel great to play in. A lot of long balls, a lot of fouls, a lot of stop / start football. I didn’t feel there was much in it, but they had a set piece cleared off the line and scored from another. If we go in at 0-0, we get ready to go again, but losing that goal right on half-time changes things. We said in the dressing room that we mustn’t concede again and then we go and give a cheap goal away.

“The second goal is too easy, just from a throw in, out of nothing, and within a couple of movements, they’re through on goal. That’s been the story of our season, the goals we’ve been conceding are too easy. Last week we scored five goals in two games at home and got two points. As a team, we have to defend better.

“We’re in a position now where we have to take each game as it comes. The game on Wednesday is massive. It’s been so strange this season. Last week, we had a terrible half hour against Motherwell, then battered them. Then we were the better team against Hibs but again we gave away bad goals, but at least things were a bit more positive. But today just wasn’t good enough, the fans were perfectly within their rights to boo at the end after travelling down for four hours, I don’t blame them. But now we have to put it right on Wednesday.”