Supporters had every right to be angry – Neilson
Robbie Neilson admits he can understand the Hearts fans’ fury after defeat at Pittodrie but insists this is no time to panic.
The Tynecastle team’s manager and players got abuse from the travelling supporters still in the ground at the end of the 3-0 defeat.
It was quite a turnaround from the last time the clubs met in Edinburgh two months ago when Jim Goodwin’s Dons were thumped 5-0.
That was the beginning of the end for Goodwin’s time in charge but it was the Jambos’ turn to look a shambles as they were blown away by Aberdeen.
Now a team they led by 10 points recently in the race for a Europa League place have cut that advantage to just four points.
It was dismal viewing for the 1,700 who made the journey north and Neilson acknowledged their anger but asked for some perspective.
The Hearts manager said: “I certainly do (understand the jeers) because I was as frustrated as they were.
“They paid their money to come up here. It’s a long journey on the train, expensive… to go and watch that.
“When you play at Hearts you’re expected to win every game, and when we go to Kilmarnock we’ll be expected to go and win there.
“We’ll speak to the players as a group and individually and make sure they understand what needs to be done.
“Then it’s about getting the freshness back. We’ve been in this position a number of times before.
“It’s a case of not getting too carried away with the highs or the lows of football, and making sure there’s a consistency there.
“We didn’t do that today, we’ll show them why we didn’t do it, and make sure we kick on from there.”
There’s no doubt Hearts were a pale shadow of the team that dumped the Dons just two months ago.
It’s just seven points from the last seven league games and Neilson was at a loss to explain this insipid display.
He added:”I thought that we were miles off where we need to be and where we have been as well.
“Until we changed it a wee bit then got into it in the second half we didn’t want first or second contact and didn’t put it in behind them.
“That was a massive frustration and Aberdeen were up for it and we weren’t.
“You know it’s going to be first and second contact we you come here and we just didn’t compete for it.
“They flooded the area, they were more on the front foot and played it in behind us and we couldn’t get a foothold.
“It rocks us when you lose such an early goal but to be honest all three goals were very sloppy.”