Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson feels the Staggies have primed their squad into peak condition for the final stretch of Premiership games in 2019.
County return to action following the final international break of the calendar year when they make the trip to St Mirren this weekend, in the first of seven matches before the January winter shutdown.
The Staggies have endured a spate of injury problems in spells earlier this season but have now returned to virtually a full compliment, with only midfielders Don Cowie (knee) and Iain Vigurs (foot) sidelined.
County have been able to utilise the indoor Highland Football Academy pitch at Victoria Park for training due to the frosty weather this week, and Ferguson insists the Dingwall men have not struggled to prepare for the trip to Paisley.
Ferguson said: “The international break allows us to do a number of things. It lets us train hard with the ones that need that, and lets us give a couple of days off to the ones that need that.
“It’s a good opportunity to spend time wisely and make sure everyone is in the best possible shape and condition for the game on Saturday.
“We have been really lucky, in that we have a fit group of players that all want to play on Saturday.
“Training has been good. We are also lucky regarding the facilities we have here.
“We are able to get the sessions with intensity we are looking for, to what we believe will prepare us best for Saturday.
“There is no excuse regarding facilities, or numbers we are using.
“That’s a positive – and we will look forward to using it in the rest of the week in the build up to the game.”
County endured a difficult spell since the last international break, which included losses against Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen during a five-match streak in which they conceded 17 goals.
Despite Saints occupying bottom spot ahead of Saturday’s game, Ferguson is no less wary of the Buddies, adding: “I think the game against St Mirren will be equally as tough, for different reasons.
“The way the Old Firm and Aberdeen are playing at the moment, it’s a challenge for everybody in the league – not just for Ross County.
“You can get quite bruised and battered in both mentally and physically, but we feel we have a group of players that can quickly get over that and look forward to the next challenge.
“St Mirren are in a position they will not want to be in, and their supporters will probably identify this home game as one that they think they have a chance of picking up points from.
“We need to make sure we deal with that, and that our house is in order to implement what we want to do.”