Neil Warnock claimed his Aberdeen players were too nice after being “bullied” in a 2-0 defeat at Kilmarnock.
The Dons manager admitted the performance looked “pathetic” and questioned whether he could do anything about their major weakness during his spell in charge until the end of the season.
Corrie Ndaba shook off the attentions of Bojan Miovski to head home the opener in first-half stoppage-time and Matty Kennedy netted against his former club as Killie enjoyed a comfortable second half.
The Dons are now without a win in eight cinch Premiership games, four of them under Warnock, and are as close to the bottom two as they are the top six with five points separating them either way.
Warnock said: “I just think it’s the physical aspect – we haven’t got any physical presence really in the whole squad.
“I don’t think we did too bad in the first half regarding the way they play and how we competed, because they are a lot more physical than us.
“But to give a goal away like that sends you in at half-time heads down. Bojan’s defending, it’s simple, he has just got to stop with his man.
“But the second half, I was disappointed.
“We haven’t got many players who have an edge on them. How many times did they leave a foot in and the referee didn’t do anything?
“We need one or two nasty people at times. That’s going to be the biggest problem in the next few months, getting the recruitment right.
“They’re all nice lads. I can’t fault them for being nice lads but you want a bit of nastiness in the team.
“You want people standing up to be counted but they’re not there. I can’t force that on them.”
Warnock, who was the only man in the visiting team to get booked, added: “We got bullied. I wouldn’t want to watch that every week, if I’m honest, but they played to their strengths and you have to match that.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a team that’s been bullied in my time but you can’t put into some players what they haven’t got.
“Believe it or not, most of those players would have tried, it just looks pathetic at times. Most of the lads were trying their hardest, they are just too nice.”
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes felt there was more to his side’s dominance than the physical nature.
“I thought we were good at what we did,” McInnes said. “There is always an element in Scottish football where you have to stand up for yourself and be physical but we were more than that. I think it would be wrong for that to be the only talking point.
“I thought we settled on the ball, we fed our wide players time and again.
“We showed a lot of good attributes and being physical and standing up for yourself is always part of that.”
McInnes added: “We had 16 shots inside their box. For only two to go in means it was not the perfect afternoon.
“We passed up some good chances, but anytime a Kilmarnock team can beat Aberdeen 2-0, you have to take that.”
Girona 0-1 Villarreal: Traore strike lifts Yellow Submarine
Bertrand Traore's goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday that prevented the hosts from reclaiming second spot in LaLiga.
Girona, who have enjoyed a superb campaign, are third with 75 points, trailing Barcelona, who moved a point clear with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Alexander Sorloth and Goncalo Guedes went close for Villarreal in the first half, but Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in fine form.
Traore broke the deadlock in the 59th minute after latching on to a superb pass from Guedes, however.
Viktor Tsyhankov, Savio and Artem Dovbyk all went close for Girona, but could not find the back of Filip Jorgensen's net.
Villarreal were reduced to 10 men in the 95th minute after Kiko Femenia was sent off for a second yellow card after a push on Aleix Garcia.
Data Debrief: Rare home loss for Girona
Girona have suffered only their second defeat at Montilivi in LaLiga this season, following a 0-3 loss to Real Madrid in September.
The home side attempted 749 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in LaLiga this season.
Minnesota United v LA Galaxy: Berry hails veteran Caceres
Miguel Berry was the hero last time out for the LA Galaxy, but he hailed veteran defender Martin Caceres.
Berry scored in the dying seconds as the Galaxy salvaged a 2-2 draw with Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake at the weekend.
It was a point that saw Galaxy maintain the two-point gap between themselves and RSL, with Minnesota United – who sit second in the West – next up for Greg Vanney’s team.
Berry’s last-gasp equaliser sparked wild celebrations, and Caceres – the former Juventus defender – was heavily involved, despite being a substitute.
And Berry was quick to point out the 37-year-old’s importance to the Galaxy’s squad.
“[Caceres] is one of those people who makes your day better every single day. He's incredibly funny and unique and he's had a great career, and he's such a big part of the group,” said Berry, in quotes reported by The Galactic Tribune.
“For him to celebrate like that with us shows how much it means. He's played Champions League finals, won Champions League finals and played four World Cups. It's incredible, guys like that, celebrate with the team, means a lot.
“It's obviously a great feeling as a team to have those moments and when you look back on your career and your life, those are the moments that stick with you.”
The Galaxy have drawn their last two games, while Minnesota head into Wednesday’s meeting on the back of three straight wins.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Teemu Pukki
Pukki has scored five goals in his first two matches against LA Galaxy, the sixth player in league history to score five or more times in his first two matches against a single opponent and the first to do so against the Galaxy.
LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig
Puig recorded the primary assist on both of the Galaxy’s goals on Saturday, setting up strikes for Gabriel Pec and Miguel Berry. Puig’s 10 primary assists for the Galaxy have set up goals for nine different players with Gaston Brugman the only teammate he’s set up more than once.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA WIN
Minnesota have won three consecutive matches for the first time since August 2022. The Loons’ only winning streak of longer than three games in all competitions was a seven-match run in June-July 2019.
Dating back to last September, the Galaxy have lost only four of the last 10 matches in which they trailed by multiple goals (W2 D4), including losing only one of four this year (W1 D2).
Galaxy have won six of their first eight meetings with Minnesota United (D2, including playoffs), but have won just one of the six meetings (D2 L3) since.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 53%
LA Galaxy – 21.7%
Draw – 25.3%
Rangers 5-2 Dundee: Cantwell and Wright keep Celtic's title party on hold
Rangers kept Celtic's Scottish Premiership celebrations on ice after Todd Cantwell and Scott Wright inspired a remarkable turnaround to hammer Dundee 5-2 at Ibrox Stadium on Tuesday.
Philippe Clement's side could not afford to drop points in this clash and seemed set to do so after Jordan McGhee bundled home before Antonio Portales headed past Jack Butland in the first half.
Ross McCausland managed to slice the deficit on the stroke of half-time for the hosts, sliding in to convert from Leon King's cross and teeing up a monumental comeback.
The Ibrox crowd were offered further inspiration to keep the title race alive when Cyriel Dessers glanced in from Cantwell's delivery after 52 minutes.
Former Norwich City midfielder Cantwell's fortuitous cross then dipped over Jon McCracken as Rangers hit the front for the first time, before Wright's pair of late finishes sealed the much-needed three points.
Yet this Rangers salvaging act could still matter for little, with Celtic requiring just a point away to Kilmarnock on Wednesday to seal a third successive top-flight trophy.
Data Debrief: Attacking barrage pays dividends
Clement may apportion this victory to Rangers' unrelenting desire to keep the title race ongoing, blasting 31 shots – and 13 of those on target – at the Dundee target for their 3.34 expected goals (xG) tally.
A plethora of attacking opportunities must be credited to star man Cantwell, who created a game-leading six chances – four more than any other Rangers team-mate.
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