Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson described his team's performance in their 2-0 loss to Dundee as "unacceptable" following a match where the Dons were outplayed from the outset. The defeat ended Aberdeen's bid to secure six wins in six competitions to start the season.
Goals from Dundee's Joe Westley and Joe Bevan sealed the victory for the hosts, with Aberdeen's defense cited as a significant factor in the outcome. The home crowd of 4,500 at Dens Park saw a disjointed effort from the visiting side, who were met with boos from their own supporters at the final whistle.
"To state the obvious, it’s a disappointment," Robinson stated post-match. "I thought they ran all over us physically. Collectively, as a team, we weren’t at the races. A lot of bad decisions in and out of possession, and when you play for Aberdeen, you can’t do that. We got what we deserved."
Robinson indicated that no individual players earned praise, stating, "Nobody has come out with any sort of credit. I’ve come out with zero credit." He confirmed that winger Tony Yogane was substituted at halftime, but declined to single out any player for criticism, emphasizing the need for improvement from the entire squad.
Aberdeen will have an opportunity to rebound next weekend when they host Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup. The team anticipates the availability of new signing Mitchy Ntelo, a Belgian forward who has signed a two-year contract, pending international clearance. Robinson expressed optimism that Ntelo will bolster the team's attack with pace, strength, and goal-scoring ability.
"He adds pace and strength to the forward line," Robinson said of Ntelo. "He can play anywhere across the front three, so he’ll hopefully add physicality and goals, which we require, and it gives us another option."
Meanwhile, Dundee manager Steven Pressley lauded his team's performance, calling it their "most complete and best performance" since he took charge over a year ago. He highlighted the team's speed, excitement, composure, and resilience.
"Some of the players were running on empty the last 20-25 minutes because of the style of football that we’re trying to adopt, and it will take time for us to reach the levels of fitness that we truly need," Pressley commented. "I couldn’t be prouder of the group today. They were just incredible."
Pressley also singled out winger Joe Bevan for his contribution, noting his physicality, speed, and finishing ability. "We’re really excited with Joe," Pressley added. "He’s got English Premier League physicality, he’s got incredible speed, he’s really strong on one-to-one, he’s actually a good finisher. We just want him to grow and keep believing in himself because he gives us something different."
