With six games of the regular season to go, that Dundee United must find a spark to reignite their campaign before what will be a testing play-off schedule is not in question.
That’s the easy bit — finding the answer, that needed spark, is the difficult part.
Hopes a win in the Challenge Cup Final the week before last would provide it were briefly raised via an overdue league victory over Ayr United.
They were dashed, though, as the Tangerines went down too tamely at Queen of the South on Saturday.
Given what lies ahead, a flat, possibly even tired, performance in the 4-2 defeat at Palmerston was worrying. Extremely worrying.
If they are to have any chance of success in what could be a six-game play-off schedule, Ray McKinnon’s team will have to show much more than they were able to in Dumfries.
The manager knows that, which is why he was an angry and frustrated man when he eventually emerged from the away dressing-room more than 40 minutes after the final whistle.
In the three days since, his anger will have subsided and, while the frustration remains, his focus will be on lifting his team for Saturday’s test when second-placed Falkirk visit Tannadice.
Again, the question is how? Ideally, one option would be to freshen the line-up but a relatively-small squad that’s been hit by injuries in recent weeks means his choices are limited.
Scott Fraser and Sean Dillon are out for the rest of the season and the leg problem that forced goalkeeper Cammy Bell off in the second half against Queens means his participation this weekend, and possibly beyond, is in doubt.
Teenage full-back Jamie Robson could return after being rested but, while he’s a talent and has done well since being recalled to the starting line-up last month, his presence on the left of the defence is unlikely to be a game-changer. A look at the bench on Saturday tells you how limited the gaffer is in what he can do.
Lewis Toshney could step up to add bite in the middle of the park but his form since the turn of the year has been patchy and, having had two red cards this term, it’s clear he must add discipline to the energy he provides.
Blair Spittal is another option. He came off the bench after seven weeks out with damaged ankle ligaments and is bound to be lacking match fitness but, with Thomas Mikkelsen in scoring form, Spittal’s delivery from out wide could add to the team’s goal threat.
Another option is a change of formation. Mikkelsen has now joined Simon Murray in showing he does have an eye for goal, so going with them in a two-pronged attack could be a temptation.
That, however, raises the problem of where this season’s star man Tony Andreu would fit in. Without his 17 goals, United would be struggling to even make the play-offs and there is no question the preferred 4-2-3-1 system with the Frenchman in the centre of the attacking midfield three suits him.
It gives Andreu licence to concentrate on going forward, whereas a switch to 4-4-2 would involve defensive duties that are not his strength.
And it would put more pressure on a rearguard that’s leaked too many goals since the turn of the year.
Having averaged a goal-a-game against up to the end of December, that’s doubled since, meaning United have the worst defensive record of the top four teams in the Championship. That won’t make it easy for the manager to sacrifice one of his holding midfielders.
But, as he searches for that needed spark, it might be a gamble McKinnon needs to take.
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