We can drop the pretence of Aberdeen being European contenders this season after yet another draw for the Dons at the weekend.
It’s safe to say the Dons had long given up any hope of catching Hearts for third, but fourth place was still a possibility.
However, two home draws in the last week against Motherwell and Hibernian have ensured Aberdeen’s hopes of a top-four Premiership finish have also gone.
I take no pleasure in saying that, but I just can’t see how a team who have struggled to win games on a regular basis all season are going to suddenly put together a winning run.
It all feels too little, too late for Neil Warnock’s side.
A top-six finish and the Scottish Cup are Aberdeen’s objectives now.
And, for me, lifting the Scottish Cup in May is the Dons’ only hope of qualifying for Europe.
Junior Hoilett will bring some much-needed creativity to Aberdeen
The interim manager has referenced how unbalanced the team is and everyone can see there has been a lack of creativity in the wide areas this season.
The task has fallen to full-backs Jack MacKenzie and Nicky Devlin for most of the campaign, but clearly Warnock sees it as a weakness which needs to be addressed.
The signing of Junior Hoilett will help with that issue.
He’s a very good player who Warnock has worked with before in England and once he gets his match fitness I expect he will play a big part in the remaining games.
Warnock has got his wish in seeing others at the club take the pressure of Bojan Miovski in the last two games, but the sooner Hoilett is up to speed the better.
It was interesting to hear Warnock refer to Hoilett as an eight out of 10 player – because there are few players at Pittodrie who I’d put in that bracket this season.
Miovski is a nine for me, but too many others have been up and down like ladders.
Error-strewn defensive displays have hurt Aberdeen
Defensively Aberdeen need to be so much better, too.
While scoring five goals in two games is an improvement it has come at a cost with the team conceding the same number to leave them with two points from the last two home matches.
For Hibs’ opening goal, Kelle Roos’ kick was poor, but Stefan Gartenmann was bullied after that and to compound matters Martin Boyle was left completely unmarked.
You do wonder whether Slobodan Rubezic would have made any difference, but he’s blotted his copybook at times, too, before suffering his knee injury.
Maybe it’s just a case of absence making the heart grow fonder.
Nicky Devlin showed a terrific striker’s instinct to score the equaliser against Hibs, but his made a complete mess of ushering the ball out of play for Hibernian’s second goal – which ultimately cost Aberdeen two points.
It’s basic concentration and judgement and it has been a common theme among players individually all season.
One thing’s for sure, the players will need to be switched on when they face former boss Derek McInnes and his Kilmarnock side at Rugby Park on Saturday.
Warnock is new to Scottish football and every week is a new challenge for the interim boss.
But this weekend offers him a good chance to run the rule over Killie ahead of their visit to Pittodrie for next month’s Scottish Cup quarter-final.
Highland clubs face a pivotal weekend
Followers of Ross County and Caley Thistle should strap themselves in for a thriller of a weekend as both clubs face massive games.
The Staggies took the plaudits for a decent display – but no points – from their trip to Dundee as the home side ran out 2-0 winners at the weekend.
Compounding that defeat was the news Livingston had recorded their first Premiership win since October with a 1-0 victory over St Mirren.
It was only a few weeks ago Livi boss Davie Martindale was telling the world his side were Championship-bound given the way they were playing.
But now he’ll have his side fired up for a massive game in Dingwall on Saturday as he knows victory will take them level with County.
How quickly the tide can turn.
You have to go back to December 5 for the last Staggies’ win – a 3-0 victory over Motherwell.
I’m not sure if that puts momentum with Livi given their own struggles this season, but they will feel they can pile the pressure on Don Cowie and his side if they record back-to-back victories.
Clearly the chance to re-establish a six-point lead on Livingston will be County’s motivation, though, and there would be no better time for Don to record his first win as interim boss.
He’s been tinkering with his side since taking charge and I like the look of the Eamonn Brophy and Simon Murray partnership so far.
It will be interesting to see if he sticks with that pairing for his first home game on Saturday.
Caley Thistle look to pull clear of Arbroath
It is a similar tale for Caley Thistle in the Championship as they head to Arbroath on Saturday.
I was at Caledonian Stadium at the weekend to watch one of the best games I’ve seen all season in Inverness’ 3-3 draw with Partick Thistle.
It was a fantastic advert for the Championship and over the piece a draw was the right result.
Arbroath took a point from their trip to Dunfermline and I’m sure Jim McIntyre will see the visit of Duncan Ferguson’s side as a chance to close the gap at the bottom of the table to three points.
But Caley Jags have been pretty good on their travels this season – to the extent their away record is better than their home one.
That will give Duncan and his players confidence they record a win at Gayfield to really pull clear of the Red Lichties.
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