'Dons still in a good position despite spectacular collapse'

They say this is the least favourite week of the year for people as normality returns after a fortnight of festivities. For Aberdeen supporters, that feeling bit before the Christmas trees went up.

The Dons' defeat at Motherwell saw them suffer a fifth successive loss for the first time since 2021 and leave them without a win in 10. If they don't beat Hearts on Sunday they will have gone 11 without success for the first time since 2010 under Mark McGhee - the club record is 15.

It is surely one of the most spectacular collapses in form of any team in Scotland's top flight and yet they still find themselves in a good position when it comes to their season ambitions.

There are likely to be big changes at Pittodrie this month with as many as six new faces potentially arriving with Danish winger Jeppe Okkels the first through the door. There will also be players leaving with manager Jimmy Thelin having now had seven months in office to pass judgement on those who have been regularly failing him in recent weeks.

It was a damning indictment of his defence that he replaced his only available centre-half at the break at Fir Park, preferring to play two centre-midfielders there for the second 45.

It is well documented that Thelin is part of a long-term project at the club and the supporter base has accepted that it will take a bit of time for the Swede to get the team to where he wants it to be, but there can be no underestimating the importance of this current campaign.

The Scottish Cup winners will qualify directly for European tournament football proper for the last time before Scottish Football's coefficient drop-off comes home to roost.

Although the Dons will have ambitions of winning that trophy themselves, as has been the case for the last few seasons, there's a fair chance that prize will again fall to the side that finishes third, assuming one of the top two win it. That's a £6m bounty for guaranteed Conference League football with a crack at the Europa League beforehand.

Subsequent seasons will see that diluted to multiple qualifying rounds thanks to several average campaigns on the continent, and Aberdeen know how difficult that process can be.

There is still so much to play for for the troubled Dons, but with Dundee United having overtaken them and Motherwell now within four points, the heat is on.