Head coach Billy Dodds insists Caley Thistle have enough threats to cause Championship pace-setters Ayr United problems in the Highlands this weekend.
Eight players, including defenders Danny Devine and Robbie Deas, midfielders Scott Allardice and Roddy MacGregor, and forward Shane Sutherland and Austin Samuels, are all out injured on various timescales, none of which are considered short-term.
Inverness are also on a five-fixture winless run, with three defeats and two losses since beating Cove Rangers 1-0 last month.
That result was their fifth successive win at the time, a run which included a 1-0 victory at Ayr on October 1.
Saturday saw Inverness lose a 1-0 half-time advantage as Queen’s Park came back to win 2-1.
The night before, Ayr were off the pace, but still found a way to see off hosts Hamilton Accies 3-2, boosted by a brace from 13-goal hitman Dipo Akinyemi.
Dodds spoke after the game at Ochilview about how damaging having so many senior players missing at once, and for so long, has been.
Yet again against Queen’s Park, the Inverness squad was bolstered by youngsters Matthew Strachan, Calum MacKay and Aaron Nicolson.
However, Dodds is confident the Caley Jags can ask questions of Lee Bullen’s Honest Men, who are three points clear of Morton and Dundee, four ahead of Queen’s and now six ahead of ICT in the Championship race.
Dodds said: “Ayr will be tough, but we will be competitive again. We are a team who, when we do the right things, we will create chances and score goals.
“Anyone missing the players we are missing, it’s going to affect them. But we still keep going, we are still matching teams. Not many teams are giving us a doing.
“I know we lost four against Morton.
“We are losing slack goals right now, because we are fragile. But there’s a reason for it and I think most people realise that.”
Caley Thistle determined to hit form
Dodds added: “We will take the game to Ayr, there’s no doubt. I watched their game on Friday night. They weren’t at their best, but they have momentum right now and got the three points.
“We are really down in numbers, but are still looking dangerous.
“We’re just not holding firm right now. We just don’t have that nous or experience to see us through.
“It’s not easy just now, but when I get most of my team back, we will be a force to be reckoned with.”
Three games in a row in Inverness
Inverness are going into a run of three successive home games, with Ayr followed by a Scottish Cup tie against Stirling Albion on November 26 and a league match at home to Dundee on December 3.
Back-to-back away games at Hamilton – in the SPFL Trust Trophy then the league – precede a December 23 visit to Partick Thistle.
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