St Johnstone boss Steve Lomas is weighing up whether to take a big gamble and risk playing new signing Craig Beattie against Aberdeen on Saturday.
The former Scotland striker only linked up with his new team-mates for training this week and has not completed a full pre-season.
However, Saints will be without front men Gregory Tade and Rowan Vine, who are suspended after picking up red cards in the opening two games against Hearts and Motherwell respectively.
Lomas now needs to decide whether to take a risk with Beattie or turn to Sean Higgins or Stevie May to lead the line as St Johnstone look to kick-start the season with a home win at McDiarmid Park.
He said: ”We may have to take a chance on Craig. In an ideal world, we would want to get a mini pre-season into him first but that might not be possible. We have to contemplate throwing him in at the deep end.
”Gregory was already out and then Viney picked up two cautions for challenges. Neither of them was particularly bad but he was so keen to do well that enthusiasm maybe got the better of him.
”But Sean also comes into contention. We sent him out on loan last season so we could have a look at him in games but that plan was wrecked when he was injured in his first match at Ayr.
”He really must have thought he’d done someone a wrong turn. But he will get his chance. It will be deserved because of the work he has put in after injury so he has to grasp the opportunity when it comes along.
”Sean has looked really sharp and technically he is as good a footballer as we have here. I’m sure he feels he has a point to prove and that’s no bad thing.
”The boys have looked strong in our opening matches but now we have to piece together a 90-minute performance. It would be great to get off to a winning start in our first home game but Aberdeen will make it tough.”
The Dons should have substantial backing at McDiarmid with nearly 3,000 fans expected to travel from the Granite City.
Lomas is hoping the Red Army will be feeling the blues at full-time and has called on the club’s support to recreate the electric atmosphere they produced for the Europa League game against Eskisehirspor.
The chances of that being realised have been heightened with Saints fans organising a Massive Blue and White Home Day to show their gratitude to the Perth board for their stance over the liquidated Rangers.
Lomas said: ”Hopefully our fans will turn out in numbers. I’d like to think they enjoyed the Europa League experience and saw how much the lads and the staff here appreciated that level of backing.
”There were more than 5,500 home fans cheering us on and it was brilliant to see that east stand packed rather than look across at empty seats. We know there is an onus on us to provide entertaining football and that has influenced our signing policy, bringing in forward-thinking players.”
Midfielder Murray Davidson has visited a specialist as a precaution over his niggling knee injury. He will be able to play against Aberdeen but his situation will be monitored game-by-game.