Aberdeen’s Barry Robson has urged his players to forget the past as they look to end their three-game losing run to Motherwell tomorrow.
The Dons have been beaten home and away by the Steelmen in the Premiership and were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Graham Alexander’s side at Fir Park a week ago.
The cup exit cost Stephen Glass his job as Dons boss and it is interim manager Robson who will take the Dons back to Lanarkshire this weekend looking to turn the tables on the home side.
Motherwell beckons again for the Dons and Robson believes the key to changing the narrative is simple for his side.
He said: “The results are in the past and the game starts again. There are a lot of things you can try to do differently as no two games are the same.
“For me, it is about trying to give the players a couple of ideas on how to break them down and keep the back door shut.
“It’s not easy against a team which is physical, up and at you and organised. They make the game difficult for you as they have good size and are good are set-plays.
“These are the challenges you come up against and you have to be ready for them when you go down there. If you’re not then it is going to be a long afternoon.”
Grounds for optimism following St Johnstone fightback
With Aberdeen’s search for a new manager continuing, Robson has been told he will take the team to Fir Park, and he is looking to build on the point gained in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with St Johnstone at Pittodrie.
He said: “I enjoyed Tuesday, it’s not new to me. I have been around the block a bit in football, so I know what it’s like.
“I always found it harder when you need to go and play the games, it’s difficult then.
“But I enjoyed it and I thought, from where the team has been, losing a goal like we did, to the way we fought back in the second half and the chances we had, I couldn’t have been more pleased with them.
“The boys were really low, they had just lost a manager.
“They were feeling it a bit heavy on their legs with the pitch, so to see the way they performed and how much they gave was really pleasing, especially when you want to go into the game this weekend.
“That’s what pleases me most and that’s what you try and start with. That drive and enthusiasm to do well.”
Brown can still be influential from the dugout
Player-coach Scott Brown looks set to sit out the return trip to Fir Park after limping off in Tuesday’s draw with Saints.
However, Robson expects his former Celtic team-mate to be just as influential from the sidelines as he is on the pitch this weekend.
The interim manager said: “He’s struggling a wee bit, so let’s just see where he’s at.
“Characters like Scott Brown don’t come along often. You hear about radiators and drainers, well he’s a radiator.
“He’s a good boy around the place, has enthusiasm, wants to win and is a good people person.
“That’s the type of people I like. Derek McInnes had that culture in this football club and that’s what you expect here. That, and enthusiastic, driven people about the club. He certainly fits the bill.”
Ramirez’s goals offer Aberdeen hope
One shining light for the Dons in what has been a difficult campaign is striker Christian Ramirez.
The American took his tally for the season to 15 with his header in the cup tie a week ago and Robson insists the Dons will return to face Well confident they can get a result.
He said: “Ramirez has scored a lot of goals this season and contributed well.
“He had a few great chances the other night, which you would normally expect him to score given his finishing ability.
“I’m actually quite excited about the weekend and feeling really positive about the players as I saw a real fightback from them against St Johnstone.
“I hope we’ll see an improvement on last week. We don’t want to be too clever and put ourselves under pressure.
“Every game of football you need to earn the right to win and we’re going to try to do that.”