When a coach suddenly diverges from a formation they have used religiously for their entire managerial career, it can be assumed there is more at play than New Year resolution.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. And desperate is a word which describes not only much of Aberdeen’s defending this season, but also the position of Barry Robson had his side gone into a half-month winter break hovering tenuously above the relegation playoff spot.
For some months Robson had appeared to be the only person who had not spotted that the Dons’ defensive setup was simply not working.
Shape itself does not keep the ball out of the net if not populated by the right people, and attempting to construct a back five out of players sourced from four-man defences all over the globe was clearly not paying off.
Without a league clean sheet for nearly three months, continuing down that path was somewhere between wishful thinking and bloody-mindedness.
Courage of conviction is all well and good but being the most self-assured person in the Job Centre would have been something of a pyrrhic victory.
So, out of options, Robson fielded the back four for which so many had called, and returned a win to nil – the backbone of his remarkable caretaker tenure – for only the second time this league campaign.
It is true that Ross County are a common factor in both, therefore it is too early to claim conclusive cause and effect.
It is also fair to say that the contributions of those further up the park – in particular a joyful Leighton Clarkson coming to the party for arguably the first time all season – made life very much easier.
Only hindsight will tell whether the can is now being carried, or has merely been kicked down the road.
