Caley Thistle manager John Robertson is eager to cut out the self-inflicted damage which has prevented the Highlanders from being among the play-off spots.
Inverness are second bottom in the Championship, having played just 12 games so far this season following a number of recent postponements.
Although their fixtures have been few and far between, with only three played in 2021, a run of six matches without a win has seen them miss the opportunity to break into the play-off spots with games in hand.
Depending on other results, Inverness could move up to sixth with a victory at Ayr United today, and Robertson feels his side must start converting dominant spells of play into victories.
Robertson said: “The overriding aspect is frustration. If you look at our performances this year, our problem has been we are dominating a lot of games, but we don’t take the chances that come our way. It goes back to the start of the season.
“Whilst we can take the positives that we dominated the match, we played good football, and created more than enough chances to win the game, we didn’t take them.
“It goes into the category of should have won the game, could have won the game, but didn’t win the game.
“As a manager, that’s the frustrating aspect. Even in the last four matches, had we won two or three of them, which we should have done, we would be sitting comfortably in fourth place with games in hand on the teams above us.
“It’s hugely frustrating, but it’s our own fault. It’s self-inflicted by not taking chances at one end, and being punished for the one mistake we seem to be making per game at the other end.”
Robertson feels there is room for improvement in both the defensive and attacking parts of Caley Jags’ game, adding: “We have to be clinical at both ends of the pitch.
“If you look at our defensive performance, that was the only real attack Queens had. I can’t remember Mark Ridgers having a save to make. They were very rarely in our box.
And what an assist it is, class @niyah_joseph cool calm and collected finish from @_nnortey #monthesouth https://t.co/EIAY1FM6WT
— Queen of the South (@OfficialQosFC) February 18, 2021
“Our defenders didn’t do a lot wrong, but it’s frustrating for them, when they make one mistake a game and end up losing a goal.
“We’ve got to look at the other end of the pitch as well. We need more from our forwards. We need James Keatings, Miles Storey, Shane Sutherland, Daniel MacKay and Roddy MacGregor to score more goals.
“Our midfield need to be chipping in as well. It would have been handy to have somebody like Aaron Doran who is renowned for getting double figures each season.
“We can’t just blame our results on poor defending. We have made mistakes and it has cost us, but we’ve got to look at the other end of the pitch as well.
“We work every week on our crossing and finishing, and our combination plays to get shots away.
“The players took it hard, but we have to bounce back. We have an opportunity right away against Ayr United.”
Robertson insists his side are capable of quickly turning the league table in their favour, with today’s trip to Somerset Park the first of three matches in the next six days.
He added: “It can change quickly. You only have to look at Wednesday’s match. If we won the game, which we should have done, we would have moved from ninth to fifth.
“That’s the difference winning does. If you look at our last six games, we have lost two and drawn four. We have only picked up four points from 18, but we picked up 10 from the previous 18.
“That’s why we find ourselves where we are. If we were to win our next three matches, it would put us into the play-off spots at the top, from the play-off spot at the bottom.
“That’s how closely compacted it is, and how vitally important three points are.
“That’s why it was such a big win, albeit a bit of a smash and grab, for Queen of the South.”
