It’s the hope that kills you. We may only be four games into the new Premiership campaign, but all that pre-season positivity — and there was a fair bit of it going around — regarding the prospects of both Aberdeen and Kilmarnock has seemingly already disappeared into the ether.That didn’t take too long at all, did it?The good news is that something will surely have to give this weekend when they meet at Pittodrie.Aberdeen fans probably couldn’t wish for a better opponent to kickstart their season. Funnily enough, those of a Killie persuasion will be thinking along the same lines.That’s how bad it’s been. Of the 24 points available to the pair of them at this stage, just three have been taken. Dons boss Stephen Robinson needs more from the likes of Toyosi Olusanya in the final thirdThis was meant to signal the beginning of (another) bright new era in the Granite City with Stephen Robinson given a full summer to stamp his authority on the Dons. No sign of that so far.There has been very little for the supporters to get excited about. Nobody was foolish enough to hope for a Hearts-style title tilt this year, but after the shambles which unfolded — both on and off the park — last season, they were certainly hoping for much, much better than this.Now, there has to be some context provided when looking at Aberdeen’s league form. To come up against Hearts, Rangers and Celtic in three of the opening four games is rotten luck. And, let’s be honest, did anyone realistically expect them to pick up much against last season’s top three? Probably not.Yet it’s the manner of those performances — and the one in the defeat up at Dundee — which should be causing some early concern.The Dons are the worst watch in the top flight by quite some distance. Robinson himself proved at St Mirren that you can combine physicality with ingenuity to get positive results. But he’s getting next to none of the latter at the moment, and it’s showing at the top end of the pitch.Given the huge turnover over the summer, it’s reasonable to expect that the new signings brought in to bolster that area will take time to gel. However, the Dons look completely devoid of ideas — and goals.Mitchy Ntelo has shown flashes — including netting a stunner against Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup — but is evidently still finding his feet, while fellow recruit Ayoub Mouloua was hooked 45 minutes into his first start for the club in Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park. Aberdeen’s 3-0 defeat to Celtic on Wednesday was their third league defeat on the spinTony Yogane has been a shadow of the player who impressed so much for Dundee last term, and you never quite know what you’re going to get from Toyosi Olusanya. The quality is there. Getting it on a consistent basis is the tricky part.The good news is that if ever there was a team who will give them an opportunity to find their shooting boots, it’s today’s opponents.It says a lot about the way Kilmarnock have started that Wednesday’s 1-0 home loss to St Mirren actually resembled some sort of progress from what’s gone before.To have conceded 14 goals in four league games is nothing short of embarrassing. Ironically, Killie aren’t even necessarily playing that badly.Neil McCann didn’t get the initial new-manager bounce when he replaced Stuart Kettlewell last season, but did eventually turn things around — and with a touch of style too.He should be given some credit for trying to implement a more expansive brand of football than the Rugby Park punters have been accustomed to in recent years, but it doesn’t count for much if the team is chucking in goals for fun.Killie have fallen behind within 16 minutes in each of their four Premiership outings thus far. Talk about giving yourself a mountain to climb. Kilie manager Neil McCann is still searching for answers to his side’s defensive issuesThere’s a severe lack of balance throughout the side. The full-backs are being asked to bomb forward to provide the width, but it’s leaving them far too susceptible to the counter when possession is turned over.Their inability to deal with crosses into the box is killing them too. It’s panic-stations every time there is even the slightest hint of danger, with no one willing to take any responsibility.That’s not on the manager. He needs his leaders in that dressing room to step up. As a unit they need to start focusing on doing the ugly stuff right. A more pragmatic approach may be required in the short term to get out of this rut.Dundee — under McCann, incidentally — were the last club to lose their first five Premiership matches on the spin back in 2018-19. They went on to be relegated that season.Now, it’s far too early to be worrying about that kind of thing just yet. But at some point, things are going to have to turn.Killie don’t need a victory this weekend. Keeping a clean sheet will be more than enough.