A new formation worked a treat for St Johnstone in Paisley on Saturday, and Perth boss Steve Lomas is contemplating giving it another go on their own ground at the weekend.
Hearts are the visitors to McDiarmid Park on Saturday in a match that will be crucial to both sides’ European aspirations.
So impressive were Saints on the road with one striker up front that there’s a temptation for Lomas to stick with it for the second week in a row.
He certainly believes it can be a success home or away.
Lomas pointed out: ”We spoke to the senior boys before the St Mirren game about what we were looking to do. In previous matches we’ve almost been forced to play 4-4-2 because Cillian (Sheridan) and Fran (Sandaza) have been on fire.
”We just felt 4-3-3 would suit that match. Our fans would have been thinking we played it at in the first half at Hearts in the cup and things didn’t go well, but it didn’t work that day because we didn’t keep the ball well enough.
”The things we wanted the lads to do on Saturday to make it work, they did. They were very well disciplined. It was a great overall team effort. The lads were superb.”
He added: ”I’ve always liked 4-3-3. I used it at West Ham in the reserves. People think it’s negative, but done right it’s a positive.
”You’ve got an extra body in midfield to pass it and you’ve got two out and out wide players. It can be 4-5-1 when you haven’t got the ball, but in possession it’s 4-3-3. That’s how it should be played.
”The key is getting it right in the transitional bit between winning the ball and going forward. There’s no reason why the formation can’t work at home. We’ve got wide players who can do it. If I thought I could get a result with it, I’d do it.”
Whether it’s going to be three into two from Saints, Hearts and Dundee United for the Europa League, or three into one, has still to be confirmed. Either way, Lomas and his team are up for the fight.
He said: ”Motherwell are home and hosed. Dundee United are on a great run, and so are Hearts actually. But we’ve been doing all right.
”We’ve bounced back from a little blip and it’s all set up nicely for Saturday. I’m really looking forward to it. Qualifying for Europe is now a realistic goal.”
Lomas has been impressed with the way Saturday’s opponents have dealt with all their off-field issues this season.
He explained: ”The Hearts players deserve a lot of praise for keeping going through the missed wage payments. To happen once in a season would be bad enough but four times is pretty hard for a manager and his players to have to cope with.
”Some of those boys won’t be on great money. They’ll have mortgages and bills like the man on the street. It can put a lot of stress on people. Everybody knows that.”