Despite our 3-0 loss to Dundee United last weekend, our manager is looking for a big response from his players.

When speaking ahead of the game, he explained how the players have responded in training.

“As imagined, they train and perform on a daily basis at a good level, we’ve set high standards here. So I don’t expect it to be any different in terms of the after math, not losing the game but the type of performance we produced.

“The response has been as we expected, there is a determination to put last week’s performance right and get back to playing well and winning games, which we’ve been consistent on over a decent period.”

As mentioned in his Inside Training podcast, communication with his players is key to Ross and he revealed what they’d been speaking about this week.

“We communicate all the time here, it’s not like I don’t speak to the players. It’s the content of the conversation, whether that’s collectively or individually can change at times.

“Everything I’ve said I’ve already told the players within the dressing room. Then we follow up at the end of the week in terms of aspects I wasn’t happy with and how they can do better.

“It’s the balance between understanding what parts of the game you didn’t do well but reminding themselves what they have done well for a long period.”

Saturday’s defeat saw us drop out the top four for the first time in 18 months. The ambition to get back in there will be a key motivator for Ross and his players this weekend.

“First of all, coming out of the top four has annoyed the groups as we have worked damn hard at staying there and to do that for that period of time is not easy.

“We’ve got a chance at the weekend to go right back into it by winning and that’s a big drive for us.

“But we have got to get back to playing well and winning games and that starts at the weekend.”

Ross: We Have Got To Get Back To Playing Well And Winning Games