Ross County: Talking points from Don Cowie's press conference ahead of St Johnstone game
Ross County boss Don Cowie is preparing to enter a defining final week of the Premiership season in the Staggies' efforts to escape relegation drama.
An alarming six-match losing streak has seen the Staggies drop into the relegation play-off spot, with only three matches remaining.
Their efforts to arrest the slide begin away to bottom outfit St Johnstone on Saturday, in a vital encounter.
The Perth outfit need to win in order to maintain any realistic chance of catching County, however the Staggies' eyes will be firmly on removing danger of automatic relegation – along with making up ground on 10th-placed Dundee who are their subsequent opponents at Dens Park next Wednesday. Lawrence Shankland nets Hearts' second goal against Ross County. Image: SNS
Despite their slump in form, County still have it in their own hands to avoid a third successive relegation play-off.
Cowie addressed the media at the club's weekly press conference on Tuesday, and we look at some of the main talking points. On the Staggies' concerning recent form:
'There's no shying away from the run of results that we're on, and the impact that can have. But it's part of football, you've got to just deal with it.
'As we always do, we come in, we recognise what happened in the game, and what we could have done better. But we've got to move on from it.
'We're still in a position where it's very much in our own hands.
'We've got a huge week coming up and it starts against St Johnstone.' On the chance for County to remove the threat of automatic relegation:
'We all know what's at stake, we know what it is and we've got to go and show that.
'It's going to be a challenging game. St Johnstone have been very set in the way they play since Simo Valakari came in. Simo Valakari celebrates St Johnstone's win over Ross County in February. Image: SNS
'They are a good footballing team, with a lot of different options in the final third.
'We've got to go and deal with that. We've got to be ready for it. It's then about us looking to punish them.
'They are where they are for a reason, as we are. We've got to try and take advantage of that.' On how he will manage the Staggies' squad for the defining three-game week:
'The full focus is Saturday at St Johnstone.
'Come Sunday we will debrief it, see how everyone is, and then react on that.
'I sat here five weeks ago and spoke about how healthy the squad was. That has changed completely in terms of the injuries that we've picked up in that time.
'It's very much everyone being hands to the pump, and just making sure they're ready to play this Saturday – and then recovering as best possible for another big one on Wednesday.' On the latest team news:
'Bar the long-term absentees (Noah Chilvers and Ryan Leak), Scott Allardice will still be out.
'The good news is he doesn't need an operation, but he's not at the stage where he's training. It's still waiting for that to settle down. Ross County midfielder Scott Allardice. Image: SNS
'Ross Laidlaw is still out with glandular fever, so we won't have him.
'It's serious, so you've got to give it the respect that it deserves. It's really knocked him, floored him.
'He thought it was just an illness at first. He was in his bed for a few days and then got some tests and that's what has shown up.
'We hope he makes a speedy recovery, but we're just going to have to be patient with that.
'There are a couple that are probably a doubt for the game. Jack Grieves and George Robesten, who haven't trained today. Jack Grieves in action against Stirling Albion. Image: SNS
'It is Tuesday, but we'll see how the week goes in terms of whether they can play a part in the match or not.' On adapting to the injury disruption:
'We've still got more than enough players to deal with it. We may not have as many options in terms of people who have maybe not made the squad because of the size of it.
'But this week we will need everyone fit and available to make that quota.
'It's like every game, at the weekend we played with three strikers. We wanted to get the ball forward as early as possible, and try and service them.
'This week is a different proposition. We will look at how we shape up, and what we think gives us the best platform to go and win the game.'
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