Rugby realist Alan Solomons has warned Edinburgh’s long-suffering fans to expect yet more pain before seeing any gain.
The new coach issued his verdict after giving his troops a verbal hammering almost as severe as the slaughter they had suffered at the hands of the Ospreys.
Solomons snapped: “Our kick execution was poor, our aerial skills were poor, our passing was poor and our handling skills were poor.
“We made 34 errors in the match and that is far too many in professional rugby, especially against a team as well-drilled and experienced as the Ospreys.”
Edinburgh now wallow at the basement of the Pro12 table, in stark contrast to neighbours Glasgow, who sit proudly at the pinnacle.
The only bright aspect of the Liberty Stadium debacle was Tim Visser’s 50th try in the competition but the flying Dutchman was in no mood to celebrate.
He said: “Personally it was a real milestone but most important is the team performance and that was unacceptable.”
To add to their woes, new recruit Aleki Lutui faces a ban for a dangerous challenge that left Tom Smith with a suspected broken leg.
The temperament of other Gunners players was also thrown into question as their frustrations boiled over.