Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin confirmed he will not experiment with his starting XI in the remaining games of the season.
The Dons will play out the campaign in the Premiership’s bottom six for the first time since 2013.
Goodwin is set for a summer transfer window rebuild of the underperforming squad.
Aberdeen can finish seventh at best in the Premiership but are only six points ahead of St Johnstone who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
The Reds gaffer says finishing the campaign with some positivity is more important than shuffling his team and experimenting.
Besides, Goodwin insists he already knows all he needs to about the squad ahead of the summer transfer window.
Goodwin said: “It is not a time for trying new things or anything like that.
“We need to pick our best XI week after week as we need to get the points on the board and try to secure seventh place.
“That is the best we can do going forward unfortunately.
“We have to try to win the next five games, it’s as simple as that.”
Summer signing targets for Goodwin
As part of as summer rebuild Goodwin has targeted St Mirren left-sided defender Charles Dunne.
The 29-year-0ld is contracted to the Buddies until summer 2023 and it would take a six-figure fee for any deal to go ahead.
Goodwin signed Dunne for St Mirren on freedom of contract from Motherwell last summer.
The Dons boss is also interested in midfielder Connor Ronan who is on loan at St Mirren from Wolves.
Ronan was recently called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for the first time and is set to return to Wolves at the end of the season.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas exits
As he readies for the summer transfer window Goodwin insists he no longer has to shuffle his side to assess players.
He has stepped up his rebuild by this week terminating the contract of striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
Signed last summer, Emmanuel-Thomas was contracted until summer 2023.
Former Livingston attacker Emmanuel-Thomas made 24 appearances for the Dons, starting 12 times, and netted once.
Goodwin also recently confirmed long-serving defender Andy Considine, 35, will exit the club at the end of the season.
Centre-back Mikey Devlin, who did not feature this season due to injury, also had his contract terminated last week.
Devlin had been given a short term deal in January until the end of the season.
Captain Scott Brown, who was also part of former manager Stephen Glass’ backroom staff, departed last month to focus on his coaching career.
Brown had been contracted until summer 2023.
Goodwin said: “I have been in long enough.
“I know what the group is capable of.
“I know what we have got here. It will remain to be seen what team I go with in a couple of weeks’ time.”
‘Plenty of time to turn it around’
Aberdeen will kick start the bottom six campaign with a home clash against Livingston on Saturday April 23.
Goodwin was taken in as replacement for sacked Stephen Glass in mid February.
His immediate task was to save the Reds’ season by securing a top six finish.
Goodwin reckons he had enough time to turn around the Dons’ ailing fortunes and is also culpable for the bottom six finish.
In his seven games in charge the Reds have won just once, with three draws.
The Dons boss aims to deliver wins in the bottom six to finish the campaign with a semblance of positivity ahead of his rebuild.
Goodwin said: “It hasn’t been good enough and I take my share of the blame for that.
“I’ve had plenty of time since I came in to make an impact and turn it around.
“Unfortunately we haven’t been able to do that.
“I certainly wont shy away from my part in this.”
