Questions McInnes must answer as Dons are left red faced again

IT hardly needed yesterday’s walloping from Motherwell to confirm that the current Aberdeen squad is just not good enough to win a trophy.

Out of 15 meetings with the other teams in the top six of the Premiership table this season, Aberdeen have won only four — two against Hibs and two against Kilmarnock — drawing three others and losing eight.

Trim that down to contests against the other sides in the top four and they have lost seven out of nine. Against the Old Firm, the Dons were beaten nine times out of nine, scoring one goal. Overall, coupled with two three-goal losses to Motherwell in the cups, it makes abysmal reading. It goes well beyond a few well-kent faces missing from the Aberdeen line-up at Hampden yesterday.

Behind the stats, however, lies the fact they simply fail to show up against the Old Firm. They were also torn apart by Hibs at Easter Road in February. They can’t even beat Hearts.

This is an Aberdeen team underperforming spectacularly. Churning out wins against Premiership also-rans is all very well, but they have the third-biggest budget and are not punching close to their weight.

McInnes, on a handsome contract until 2020, must clear out the dross he signed.

In their five games between now and the end of the season, the manager has to answer growing questions over whether he has taken the club as far as he can.