Dundee United manager Ray McKinnon insists there will be no fear factor at the club despite suffering back-to-back defeats.
The Tangerines limped home from Greenock on Tuesday night after a bruising and deflating 2-1 loss to Morton in the quarter-final of the Betfred Cup.
That miserable result followed on from Saturday’s late collapse that saw them go down 3-1 to Falkirk in the Championship.
McKinnon now faces a challenge to get his team sorted out for the second part of the Morton double-header in the league at Tannadice tomorrow.
However, he urged everyone to look at the bigger picture and stressed that fear won’t come near United while he is in charge.
McKinnon said: “I can understand when people start to get a wee bit worried but I see the bigger picture and it’s where we are at the end of the season that matters.
“We will pull it all together and I would like to think the supporters see it like that too.
“We’ve got to get that message out there.
“I don’t want the club to get into the same sort of freefall as was the case last season, with that fear hanging over everyone.
“There is no fear and I certainly I don’t fear anything.
“When you get setbacks, you have to work at it and that is what we will do.
“I didn’t see that coming on Tuesday, to be honest, but we are going to have these blips and periods when everything isn’t always rosy.
“We will definitely improve, though, and become stronger for the experience of the past two games.
“I have every confidence in this group and when we get everyone fit – like Tony Andreu and Willo Flood – we will be decent.”
McKinnon hasn’t used his selection problems as an excuse for the last two results but he was without injured trio Willo Flood, Tony Andreu and Charlie Telfer at Cappielow, while defender Frank van der Struijk had to come off with muscle fatigue.
The good news is Van der Struijk will be fit to face Morton this time, while Andreu has a slight chance of making it after damaging his ribs. McKinnon rates the Frenchman’s chances as “touch and go.”
The chopping and changing has robbed McKinnon of a settled side and he conceded: “We are having to put squares pegs in round holes at the moment.
“That is not good for the team because we have not been able to play our players in all their proper positions.
“It has been wee things like Paul Dixon being in and out with his operation and suspension and our two new centre-halves (Van der Striuk and William Edjenguele) coming in not that long ago.
“It has been frustrating.
“All the way through the team, we have had these disruptions.
“Indeed, we are down to the bare bones for the weekend.
“We are not complaining, though, as we still have a squad there to go and play on Saturday so we will just get on with it.
“I have never seen a group of players so disappointed at being put out the cup as our lads were on Wednesday morning.
“We watched the game back that morning and they were shocked at the lack of penetration in our play.
“Morton will do the same as they did in the cup by sitting in so we have to find a way to counter that.
“But I have a good group there.
“They are ready for the challenge and we definitely have enough talent to get us through this.”
Meanwhile, Utilita Energy is the new official energy partner of the Tangerines and for every United fan who switches to that company the club will receive £25 towards its youth development programme. Also, every supporter can also receive a free smart meter and United-branded cover for their in-home display.
