David Cancola insists Ross County won’t hit the panic button after three defeats to start their Premiership season.
However, the midfielder admits the side will have to raise their standards to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s below-par show in their 1-0 loss at St Mirren in which they registered just one shot on target.
County – who are bedding in 10 summer signings – finished sixth last year, which came after a 10-match winless start to their season as then new-manager Malky Mackay was overseeing an overhaul.
So, after just 270 minutes of league action, there’s no need to be overly concerned – especially as their first two fixtures were a 2-1 loss at Hearts and late 3-1 home reversal against champions Celtic last week.
Austrian playmaker Cancola cannot wait to get back on the pitch and right wrongs against visitors Kilmarnock this Saturday.
He said: “We are only three games into the season and we take it game by game.
“Every game is worth three points, but we have to make sure we leave it all on the park next weekend.
“We have to try to get three points and get the season up and running.
“We had a slow start last season and ended up in the top six.
“But we have to improve and we know that, however there’s no reason to panic.
“It is a tough league, but we are confident we will get the points we need.”
Video playback will sharpen side up
There was deserved praise for the way County played against last year’s third-placed finishers Hearts and against Celtic.
However, Cancola insists a match in Paisley should have been one they were capable of winning.
He said: “We have had plaudits and we did do well against Hearts and Celtic but we still got no points.
“They are different games to the likes of St Mirren away. These are the games we have to win to reach our goals this season.
“We will look at it when we review the video, hopefully learn our lessons and do better next time.
“It’s not new to us, we knew what it would be like coming into the game and that’s why it is so disappointing for us.
“We have to make sure next week we win the 50-50s and play our own game.”
Battling Buddies too hot to handle
Cancola believes the Staggies didn’t match their battling hosts and paid the price, with Richard Tait crashing home the only goal just after the break in a game played under searing sunshine.
“From the start to the end, it felt like they were winning the second balls and the battle.
“We knew we had to go there and face that type of game as St Mirren play that way at times. We didn’t handle that.
“It was still a tight game and if it had finished 0-0 or 1-1 then I don’t think anyone could have complained.
“But we know we have to do better. You have to be up for the battle and we are going to be.”
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