Malky Mackay has made it his focus to sharpen up Ross County’s cutting edge ahead of Saturday’s trip to Dundee.
The Staggies are aiming to bounce back from a run of three successive defeats in their final Premiership fixture before next weekend’s international break.
After going down 4-0 to Aberdeen at Pittodrie, the Staggies suffered a 2-1 loss to the Dons in the Viaplay Cup just three days later.
County were once again defeated by a solitary goal in their most recent outing at home to Hearts last Saturday.
Mackay retains firm belief in his side’s firepower, however, he feel they need to click back into gear for the trip to Dens Park.
He said: “We’ve had a really good conversation about that with the staff, and then with the players, and put it into practice over the last couple of days.
“It’s not that anyone was at fault for anything. It’s just that the last thing they do on the ball has to be better.
“It can be that little touch or pass – little bits that define whether it’s something that ends up in a goal or a chance that’s nearly scored.
“Last Wednesday and Saturday were two games where we were reasonably solid, and we’ve certainly been into the final third and creating chances.
“We just haven’t had that extra bit of quality with the final bit – whether that’s a shot, a cross or a run.
“We’ve been decent at that going back to the last five games of last season, but we need to get back to that.
“I was also conscious we need to keep things in perspective. We played Hearts and Aberdeen, two sides who are expected to beat us generally, and they were really close games.
“A goal either way on each game means that we’re either in a cup semi-final and sitting fifth, or out of the cup and sitting 11th.”
County aiming to rekindle bright start
The Staggies made a bright start to the campaign, having won two of their opening four matches, but have taken just a point from their last three games.
Mackay believes opposing teams are increasingly acknowledging the threat his side possess.
He added: “Nobody is parking the bus against us.
“People start to look and see we have a certain strength they didn’t think we had, but I’ve come up against that before.
“After Christmas in my first season, teams were taking us as a real threat.
“The good thing is people don’t see us as an easy team to play against, and that’s what I’ve always wanted us to be.
“We are a Premiership football club, we deserve to be here on merit, and we will give a good account of ourselves no matter if we win or lose.
“That’s what I like to think our support sees on a regular basis.
“I want us to keep pushing, though, to be better than that and more than the sum of our parts.”
Dark Blues settling back into Premiership
Dundee have only won one of their opening seven games since winning promotion from the Championship.
However, the Dark Blues have also only suffered defeat to top-two sides Celtic and St Mirren from the same sequence.
Mackay added: “It will be a tough game.
“I know (Dundee boss) Tony Docherty really well, and obviously Stuart Taylor was in here with me, so they’re two footballing guys who have gone in and pulled Dundee together.
“They look really athletic, and they have given teams tough challenges this season, so I’m not expecting anything other than a tough game at Dens.”
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