Was Aberdeen's brief revival flash in the pan?

A comprehensive victory over Dundee, followed by a gritty win over St Mirren. Aberdeen ills seemed at an end and their season finally kick-started.

But then they were annihilated by AEK Athens in the Conference League and well-beaten at home by Hibernian this weekend, despite the tight scoreline in the latter.

After those two dreadful performances, the two Premiership victories earlier in the month look like increasingly like a false dawn for a side sitting 11th.

Any confidence built up by those victories has completely evaporated, and when it comes to fan patience, the well is almost dry.

Record European beatings and meek home defeats will do that, even if a Scottish Cup triumph is still fresh in the memory.

But what has changed in the last two games for Jimmy Thelin's side?

The day it all clicked up front

The day in the sun against Dundee was an absolute dream. Jesper Karlsson was on top form at Pittodrie, as Aberdeen cut through their opponents time and again.

They dominated possession, limiting their visitors to eight shots - just two of them on target - while piling on the pressure themselves.

The biggest difference from any game this term was they were able to take their chances. They were clinical, but that hasn't been the case in the last two games.

Aberdeen's habit of wasting opportunities has become a pattern of behaviour that they cannot shrug.

They still had 16 shots against Hibs - only four fewer than against Dundee - but took advantage of just one of those, seconds from the end of the game when the points were already outwith their grasp.

Their xG across the league this season is 12.5, which has them as high as sixth, yet they've scored just six goals.

Perhaps it's unsurprising that they are ninth for shots on target per match. Against Hibs, just five of their 16 efforts were on target.

Cracks appear in new formation

Fans were becoming impatient with Thelin's insistence on his 4-2-3-1 formation and, when the three-at-the-back shape returned, they soon got results.

This was the formation Aberdeen played when they won the Scottish Cup final, remember, just a few short months ago. Supporters were appeased, briefly.

The switch came against Motherwell, six games ago now. They lost 2-0, to two very late goals, but the general feeling was that the performance was improved.

Against Shakhtar Donetsk, too, in their opening Conference League game the display was heartening. They lost 3-2, but it was not the bodying that many feared.

However, that shape was soon pulled apart by AEK. Hibs did the same at times, with midfielders Josh Mulligan and Dan Barlaser able to make three interceptions each.

The central pairing of Graeme Shinnie and Stuart Armstrong were too slow to deal with AEK's constant counter-attacking, while Armstrong's partner Palaversa was pulled off at half-time against Hibs.

The average position of wing-backs of Gavin Molloy and Alexander Jensen was over the half-way line, with Aberdeen exposed down the flanks - something Martin Boyle took full advantage of when he was introduced.

Against AEK, Topi Keskinen was deployed at left wing-back and lasted half an hour.

Cormack watches as Thelin machine stalls

The cameras were repeatedly directed at Dave Cormack during Sunday's defeat.

The Aberdeen chairman has stood by Thelin a couple of times already, fiercely protecting him during the side's woeful winless run last season and again at the start of this campaign.

The grumbles are getting louder, though. Aberdeen never looked like beating Hibs and still sit second bottom with just seven points from nine games.

Club legend Willie Miller called the performance against AEK "naive" and said some of the goals they lost were "self-inflicted."

Although Aberdeen's main left wing-back, Emmanuel Gyamfi, is injured - and he is one who starred in the new formation - Thelin has not found a solution to the current problems. Time is running out.