McInnes looking for response from Dons

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has urged his players to respond in the strongest manner possible to their Europa League exit when they head to Dundee in the Betfred Cup tomorrow.

The Dons were punished for a poor display at Pittodrie on Thursday by a clinical Rijeka side who ran out 4-0 aggregate winners.

The performance and result offered little in the way of positives for the Aberdeen manager and as much as he and his players are hurting, he knows the disappointment cannot linger at Dens Park.

He said: “It is a different challenge and game for us but it is really important we show that response. I have watched them a couple of times and they have played a couple of different systems.

“I am pretty sure they will be pretty confident they will think they can get a result against us, but we have to show we are a really good team and we want to get that place in the next round.

“We now need to dust ourselves down and now have to focus on domestic matters and none more so than Sunday.

“There will be loads of doom and gloom and there will be many people doubting my team. I believe when I put this squad together that we will do well domestically. We have all the season ahead to show that now.”

The wounds of the Europa League exit cut deep for Aberdeen captain Joe Lewis as he came to terms with his side’s incredible acts of self-harm at Pittodrie.

The Dons fell at the third hurdle again, but compared to previous campaigns, this year’s one feels worse.

In previous years, the Dons have gone out with their heads held high. Thursday’s exit felt like footballing self-flagellation.

Two goals conceded from their own attacking set-plays sandwiched Funso Ojo’s needless red card in an opening 32 minutes which were the stuff of nightmares for the club.

Lewis labelled the play from his side as naive. No doubt Dons fans have even stronger adjectives following a bewildering defeat to the Croats.

The Dons goalkeeper said: “We need to grow up and show a bit more experience for the players we have on the pitch.

“Poor decisions at key times cost us and we went out without making it a fight, really.

“The whole night was an anti-climax because we didn’t deliver.

“We shot ourselves in the foot straight away with the goal. It came from one of our set-plays, it was naive. I think we showed a naivety in a lot of our play.

“We played into their hands in a lot of ways. The naivety in ball-watching when the ball came into our box after being caught on the counter was the disappointing thing.

“Then the second goal was almost identical.”

One area where Lewis had sympathy was for his team-mate Ojo whose dismissal after 20 minutes ended what was already a forlorn hope following the loss of the first goal 10 minutes earlier.

But he insists it is unfair to pin the blame on one player for the club’s exit.

Lewis said: “Funso was unlucky to get two yellow cards. I didn’t think either of them were standout yellow cards, but it’s European football and referees see things like that as yellow cards.

“We had 11 men on the pitch when we conceded the first goal, that wasn’t down to refereeing decisions. You can’t lay the blame for being knocked out on anyone but ourselves.”

The Dons players must lick those wounds and come back quickly as domestic matters now become their main focus and there can be no hangover tomorrow when McInnes and his players make the trip to Dens. A fourth defeat in a row is unthinkable. Lewis said: “We will be favourites to win the game, so it will be about bravery and character to come back from what has been a disappointing week.

“I know that character is in there, we have the right mentality in the squad.

“The supporters will turn up in their numbers to give us their backing and we have to deliver.”

Picture: SNS Group. Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis says the Pittodrie men must put the Europa League defeat to Rijeka behind them.