Shinnie: Dons weren't driven to distraction

GRAEME SHINNIE is adamant Hampden distraction wasn't to blame for Aberdeen's Ibrox collapse - as it's not the first time they've gone to pieces this season.

- By Andy Newport

A steady first-half display that saw them go in at the break goalless gave way to an eventual 4-0 drubbing. Vaclav Cerny could have driven a bus through the visitors' backline as he fired Gers ahead on the hour mark - but that wasn’t what angered Dons manager Jimmy Thelin most.

Instead, it was the manner in which his side abandoned their tight-knit shape following the opener, with the Swede accusing his players of operating like “individuals” as they conceded three more times.

Captain Shinnie couldn't argue with his manager's scathing assessment but denied the loss of tactical control was because his side had minds on their Scottish Cup final date with Celtic a week on Saturday.

“Absolutely not,” he insisted. “That's because these types of performances have happened during the season before, so the cup final played no part in that.