Nathan Shaw revealed Caley Thistle boss Duncan Ferguson wants to see flair from the forwards as they seek to create a three-point gap over hosts Morton this weekend.
The wide player is one who can open up defences and has chipped in with goals against Airdrie and Dunfermline Athletic this season.
He’s started all but one of his 13 matches so far and was frustrated with the goalless draw at home to third-placed Partick Thistle a fortnight ago.
Defeat for Inverness at Morton on Saturday would leave ICT bottom of the pack in the Championship after the first round of fixtures.
The trip to Cappielow is Ferguson’s third game in charge, with the stalemate against the Glasgow Jags coming on the back of a 3-2 victory at Arbroath on his dug-out debut.
🔜 This Saturday we return to league action as we face Greenock Morton away from home
🎟️ Tickets available now via FanBase
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— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) October 16, 2023
Players urged to ‘express themselves’
Shaw was a substitute three times against the Ton last term. The only one he started against the Greenock side, they won, 2-1 at Cappielow in April.
The 22-year-old, who joined Inverness from National League North side AFC Fylde in June 2022, said Ferguson wants to unleash their dangerous players at rivals.
He said: “It’s always good as an attacking player to work under an attacking coach, who can help you learn different things.
“We feel we can get at any team in this league and Saturday will be no different.
“The gaffer has given the forward players the freedom to go an express themselves, so we just want to go out and deliver for the team.
“We said, even last season, we’re a good footballing team. It’s the same this season and we just need to pick up results to go along with that.
Chasing the teams at the top of league
Although losing this weekend would leave ICT at the wrong end of the division, Shaw stressed the players are only looking upwards.
He said: “We go into every game believing we can win it. There are lots of games still to be played this season, so we’re confident we can start climbing the table, so we’re not near the bottom of the table, working towards the top – that’s the aim.”
Defensively strong base for Inverness
Shaw was encouraged after blocking out the Championship’s joint top scorers Partick Thistle, who had bagged 17 goals in seven games.
He said: “We’ve had two positive back-to-back results, with four points on board. We have to build on that.
“Against Partick, we had chances and could have nicked the win. The main thing for us was we didn’t concede a goal – the clean sheet was massive.
“We have got good defenders in the group – we’ve just had a little bit of misfortune at times – and we’re hoping to pick up a lot more clean sheets which will help us to get more results.”
