Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass has set his side the challenge of using the next seven games to prove they are not bottom six strugglers.
The Dons are languishing in eighth place in the Scottish Premiership after amassing just 15 points from their opening 15 games in the league campaign.
With his side beginning a seven-match run before the winter break begins on January 2, Glass has urged his players to show they are in a false position in the table.
He said: “It’s really important [to start climbing up the league]. I think we have seven games until the January break and it’s important to pick up as many points as we can from this run of games.
“We know how important it is and we have a decent number of home games and games against teams that are around us. It’s massively important this run of games.
“For everybody at the club, it’s important. We know if you don’t pick up the points you should this month then it is going to be a difficult second half of the season.
“We want it to be a difficult second half of the season pushing at the right end of the table and it’s important we set ourselves up for that in this run of fixtures that are coming.”
Dons have become a target
Aberdeen’s struggles in the bottom half of the table come after eight seasons of competing in the top four in the division and Glass knows the clubs around the Dons in the bottom half – including Wednesday’s visitors to Pittodrie, Livingston – will see his club as a target.
The Dons boss said: “They’ll be seeing a team in us that is in the bottom half of the table that they can drag into it as well.
“We don’t want to hang around there so it’s important we get the points on the board this week.
“Obviously it will be difficult, we know the difficulties that the teams we’re coming up against pose, and it’s important that we handle it.
“I think if we handle the bits of the game that are difficult to face and look after ourselves, we’ll be okay, because we’ve got players who have shown they are capable of handling the fight.”
Schedule is a chance to move up the table
The busy schedule of matches in December up to the New Year fixture at Ross County will be challenging but Glass believes the hectic run of games represents an opportunity to drastically improve the club’s fortunes.
He said: “I don’t see it any different to when we were in Europe at the start of the season.
“We were playing-Sunday-Thursday-Sunday and we have a good squad. It’s up to us to show it can be beneficial to us.
“I think the players would rather be playing games and if you are winning games consistently there is an appetite for people to come and watch.
“I think it’s an opportunity to win points and build a bit of momentum.
“Any team would rather be playing and the flip side of that is that when you are beaten you want to get back on it as quickly as possible.
“I actually like the games coming thick and fast to be honest with you.”
One back, one out and one in contention
Dylan McGeouch is unlikely to feature against Livi after suffering an injury at Celtic in Sunday’s 2-1 loss but Funso Ojo returns from suspension while Glass is also hopeful team captain Scott Brown will be fit despite being forced off early at the weekend.
With his defence also ravaged by injuries Glass does not need to see his list of absentees growing.
He said: “The amount of defenders that we’ve lost has caused us a bit of a problem.
“Moving Scott to the back has probably weakened our midfield a touch. He’s here to play midfield and is having to play at centre back so that’s been tough.
“It’s coincided with a run of good performances and some results as well. It’s been a little bit of an eye opener, seeing what people can handle and what positions they can play.
“Hopefully we’ve been through the weakest that the group can be for the whole season now.”
