Manager Jim McIntyre spoke to the press ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Fir Park to take on Motherwell.
Last weekend Dundee fell six points behind 11th place St. Mirren and Jim spoke to the need to put pressure on the teams above in the league, “We are fully aware of the need to try and put pressure on the other teams. I spoke about this for a number of weeks. It’s only us that can apply that by winning football matches. We are on a horrendous run, there is no disguising that. We need to find a performance and also a cutting edge that is going to get us that win.”
The defeat at St. Johnstone meant it is now eight defeats in a row in the Ladbrokes Premiership and asked if he could put his finger on the reason for the run, Jim said, “It’s quite simple. We have continued to give away cheap goals and we have not shown a cutting edge in the oppositions box. In terms of what we have created in games, it’s pretty similar to what we were creating when we were picking up results. That’s where we have let ourselves down. We have not been ruthless enough and we’ve gave away cheap goals and it really does boil down to that. In terms of stats, in terms of shots at goal, possession, it’s pretty similar to when we were picking up points so we need to be more ruthless and stop conceding such cheap goals.”
The pressure has build on the squad over the past few weeks, but Jim explained the players are aware of what is at stake, “The boys know there is a huge amount of pressure on them to try and get the job done and get the positive results to get out of the situation we are in but equally the players know that individually we have to be better and that is the only thing that is going to take us away from the bottom. Us being better individually, better as a team, stop giving away cheap goals and show a more potent threat when we get into good areas.”
“The one thing you have got to be as a player is self motivated. It’s my job to organise and to make sure they know their jobs within the team structure but you must be self motivated to try and get the better of your opponent that you are up against and if you have 9 or 10 doing that you generally win football matches. We’ve not done that and that’s why we are where we are. We have to make sure we get back to that and that is what is going to get us positive results.”
Jack Hamilton returned to action with the Reserves on Monday afternoon but this match will come to early for him to be involved in the squad. Andrew Davies remains the only long term injury.
Subscribers can watch the full press conference with the manager and Craig Curran on deetv.dundeefc.co.uk.
