Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelle Roos is confident the Dons will find the away form to match their home results in the Scottish Premiership.
Friday’s 4-1 win against Hibernian made it five home wins out of six for Jim Goodwin’s side, but their away record makes for less impressive viewing.
Two wins, one draw and four defeats is the Dons’ return from their seven road trips to date.
With another away journey looming tonight at Livingston Roos knows it is vital his side finds a solution to their struggles on the road.
When asked for his thoughts on the contrasting home and away form, Roos said: “It is really difficult and if I had the answer I would tell everyone.
“I don’t have the answer, but I know we do everything right and prepare in the same way.
“I do think we are still growing a lot as a team.
“We are still growing and we need to learn that, when we go 1-0 up, we don’t need to go forward with every ball we have.
“It is okay to defend in spells.
“It is a tough league and there will be times when for 60 per cent you are the best team and for 40 per cent you are not.
“For that 40 per cent, you need to deal with that and – if you don’t – you might lose that game.
“We are growing – at home we have been very dominant, but away from home we have not been as much so far, but I think we will be at one point.
“We are trying to build towards that.”
Roos added: “It’s not as simple as saying: ‘Let’s put the away form right and we’re alright’.
“We also still need to win the games that we play at home. It’s not a given.
“Every game starts at 0-0 and we have to be the better team on the day and the other ones.
“So I think there is no shame in winning the home games as well.”
Dons must take heart from Livi win earlier in the campaign
The Dutchman, who has established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper following his move to Pittodrie in the summer, insists his side should take confidence from their home win against Livingston earlier in the campaign.
Aberdeen ran out 5-0 winners against 10-man Livi when the sides last met on August 27.
Roos does not expect another one-sided result, but believes his side has cause for optimism.
He said: “I think we have to take confidence from (the previous encounter). I don’t think we have to be overconfident, though.
“I think everybody can see they are a very good team and that nothing is going to come easy come kick-off tomorrow.
“It’s going to be a very tough one – the league table doesn’t lie. They are right up there and doing really well, so we need to be at the best of our abilities to be able to be in contention for all three points.”
Defence must match attacking prowess
The Dons have proven themselves to be potent in attack and, while he knows his team-mates carry a major goal threat, Roos knows the defensive side of the game also has to improve.
He said: “It is good that we always look a threat going forward. We have caused a lot of teams problems and hopefully, we can keep doing that.
“I don’t think it does take pressure off knowing we can score, if I am being honest. Not for me – I can only speak for myself.
“I don’t want to concede goals no matter what the scoreline is going to be or how many goals we score.
“There are going to be games that you need to be able to win 1-0, because your strikers might miss chances in one game or a goalkeeper might be having a great game.
“There are going to be games where you need to be 1-0 up in the 70th minute and still 1-0 up in the 90th minute.
“I think we have grown a lot in that sense. We defend and attack with the whole team.
“There are a lot of good players who put our strikers in good positions and that is down to good combinations.”
Dons keeper wants more clean sheets
Roos admits to taking it personally whenever he concedes a goal, but he is happy to opt for risk even when he side is in the lead – if the reward is more goals being scored.
He said: “I just don’t like conceding goals.
“If you take the last game (against Hibs), I didn’t want to lose the goal, but you have to realise that – if we play the way we want to play and you want to hurt teams on the other side – you might face a counter from time to time.
“It is a different decision to make whether you camp after you go 1-0 or you keep going.
“I think we keep going and offering threats – and we managed to put them (Hibs) to the sword on Friday”
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