Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has confirmed his preference is to play with a back four for the rest of the season.
However the Dons boss is also willing to remain “flexible” to ensure the Dons do not become too predictable.
Goodwin had utilised a three man rearguard for most of the season.
However the three man defensive set-up was recently criticised for the failure to deliver clean sheets consistently.
The Reds gaffer switched to a back four in the recent games against St Johnstone (2-0 win) and Ross County (0-0), securing back-to-back shut-outs.
Aberdeen are next in action when facing Rangers in a crunch League Cup semi-final clash at Hampden on Sunday.
Goodwin said: “We had been fluctuating between playing a back three with two wing backs.
“Then recently we went to a back four with the wingers a little bit higher.
“Preferably I would like to play a four at the back with sometimes a three in the middle of the pitch.
“However, what you need within any squad is options to be flexible.
“We don’t want to be predictable one week to the next.”
‘The back lads were brilliant again’
Whist primarily using a back three Aberdeen secured just four clean sheets in 19 Premiership matches.
The Reds had secured four shut-outs in the League Cup group stages but they were all against lower league opposition.
In the knock-out phase Goodwin’s side conceded in wins against Annan Athletic (4-1 after extra time) and Partick Thistle (4-1).
The switch to a back four this month delivered back-to-back Premiership clean sheets for the first time since August.
Goodwin insists the credit for the shut-outs cannot be restricted to the defence.
He said: “The back lads were brilliant again (in the defeat of St Johnstone)
“It is another clean sheet which is something we have not been able to do a lot of this season.
“That is something we have been working hard on.
“Full credit to all the players really.
“When you keep clean sheets it tends to be the back four and the keeper that gets the credit.
“But the work-rate at the top end of the pitch and the guys in the middle of the park… they all put in a shift for the team.”
Strengthening midfield options
Goodwin’s flexibility to field his preference of a back four with “three in the middle of the pitch” has been strengthened during the January transfer window.
The arrival of Graeme Shinnie and Slovakian U21 international Patrik Myslovic bolstered the midfield.
Former Aberdeen captain Shinnie returned to Pittodrie on a season-long loan from Wigan Athletic.
Scotland international Shinnie is contracted to Championship Wigan until summer 2024.
Goodwin has already confirmed he would bid to secure Shinnie on permanent contract in the summer – if the loan is a success for both parties.
Myslovic was signed on loan until the end of the season from Slovakian club MSK Zilina.
Aberdeen retain an exclusive option to sign the 21-year-old on a permanent basis in the summer.
Myslovic missed the defeat of St Johnstone because his work permit and visa had not been processed in time.
Aberdeen are confident Myslovic will be eligible for Sunday’s League Cup semi-final.
Goodwin said: “I do think we have lacked competition in the middle of the park.
“That is what Graeme and Patrik will give us now.
“We have (Ylber) Ramadani, (Connor) Barron and (Leighton) Clarkson who have played the majority of the games in there.
“Obviously Barron had a bit of an injury issue in the early part of the season.
“But I think it is asking a lot of Barron and Clarkson at 20 and 21 to play week in week out in such a competitive league.
“So we need options.
“Myslovic and Shinnie certainly give us those options.
“If anything had happened to Ramadani in weeks gone by then we would be looking at shuffling the pack again.
“However Shinnie is a very similar player to Ramadani.
“You can only pick 11 and there are always guys that are going to be unhappy that they are not in the team.”
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