After suffering defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle, Graeme Shinnie was clear that Aberdeen need to quickly start producing the kind of performances that earned then a third place finish last term.

“We wanted to make a good start to the game and I thought we did that. There were no clear chances, but we were playing in their half and putting pressure on them. But then we lost a disappointing goal, one that came from nothing really. That gives them a lift, gives the crowd a lift, and they came into it more from there.

“I thought we started the second half quite well too, again without really creating anything. But we were getting into the right areas and beginning to put pressure on. But we concede another poor goal. We should have made a tackle, we didn’t, they got a break of the ball and before you know it, it’s in the net.

“Last season we were very solid defensively and we need to get back to that, we have to make ourselves harder to beat. The two goals against Hearts were very avoidable. It feels like we’re gifting goals and not getting things to go our way at the other end. We have to cut out the sloppiness and be hard to score against again. That’s how you start winning games. But if you give away goals, especially at a place like Tynecastle, it’s a mountain to climb.

“We need to defend a lot better as a team, and stop beating ourselves sometimes. We’re conceding too many and over the last couple of games especially, the goals have dried up. That’s not a good recipe.

“All we can do is work hard, stick together. There’s plenty of time to turn things round, but we’re at a big football club and the pressure is there to win games. It’s never any different. The next three weeks to the next international break are going to be a real test physically and mentally, but we worked hard last season to get into this position, that’s why we’ve built a squad with the numbers we have and everybody has to play a part.

“I can understand the fans getting frustrated because we haven’t been good enough. We got a lot of plaudits for doing well towards the end of last season, so now we have to accept the criticism that comes our way. The fans have backed us tremendously so far this season and we haven’t been good enough. We have to address that and give them a team to be proud of.”