Striker Alex Samuel reckons Ross County’s run to the Viaplay Cup quarter-finals has aided their decent start in the Premiership.
The Dingwall team’s 4-0 defeat at Aberdeen in the league on Sunday was a big blow ahead of the two sides going toe-to-toe in a Wednesday night cup showdown, with a Hampden semi up for grabs.
County came through their Viaplay Group D as the winners and survived a second-round scare by seeing off Championship opponents Airdrie 4-3 after extra-time.
Cup clashes got County into swing of things
Before the off-day at Pittodrie at the weekend, the Staggies were in the top half of the league table – and frontman Samuel puts much of that decent form down to getting off to a flying start in the cup, with 13 goals over their four first-round group ties.
He said: “It has been really professional.
“(The 2-1 cup win against) Greenock Morton here was a really tough game. The cup format means it can still feel like pre-season when you’re still getting into the run of things.
“So the boys have done really well to be clinical and score lots of goals.
“I genuinely think that the (League Cup) competition has helped us with momentum in our good start.
“When you’re scoring goals, no matter who you’re playing, it is brilliant for the team.
“A cup game has a different feel, but the application will be the same.
“We won’t be going kamikaze or crazy, we’ll do the right things.
“It is an exciting game to play and it is just about living that, and enjoying that high-pressure occasion. That’s what footballers wants to be playing in.”
‘Great opportunity for us’ – Samuel
Despite Aberdeen’s sweeping win against County, they remain second bottom of the Premiership after a poor start to their campaign, and the victory was their first of their league campaign.
However, the Dons also produced a gutsy performance in their 2-1 defeat away to Germans Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, and Barry Robson’s side will be desperate to take a step towards winning League Cup silverware for the first time since 2014 under Derek McInnes.
Samuel, though, insists the Staggies squad feel they, too, have an “amazing opportunity” to reach the national stadium.
He said: “Aberdeen have had Frankfurt, then us, then us again at our turf.
“We understand they are going to be licking their wounds at the moment as well, despite a great performance against us.
“It is a great opportunity for us to put our foot on the pedal and get a result.
“It’s a one-off game with the winner going to Hampden – it is an amazing opportunity.
“I’ve played at Wembley (in the League One play-off final for Wycombe Wanderers) and some good stadia, but I’ve never played at Hampden.
“For me personally, and for a lot of the boys, we’d love to tick that off. To be one game away from that is fantastic.
“We saw Kilmarnock last year do it (reach the final) and it is there for us.
“It is just about dusting off Sunday’s result and doing the right job on Wednesday.”
Samuel fine with supporting role
So far this season, 28-year-old Samuel has made just three appearances for County, all from the bench, including against the Dons on Sunday.
An injury suffered in their stunning play-off final shoot-out triumph against Partick Thistle in June held him back.
Simon Murray has been the striking star so far for County with nine goals, but Samuel is ready to play his part when called upon.
He added: “It has been frustrating. I rolled my ankle really badly in the last game against Partick Thistle and I don’t know how I managed to carry on.
“That went into the new season, but once you go through an ACL injury, everything else seems like pretty much nothing, really.
“It has just been about keeping myself fit, training well and when the opportunity comes to have a good few minutes, I’ll be there ready.
“The strikers have been doing well and Simon Murray has been on fire – and you respect that.
“We’re a team, so when one striker is doing well you praise them and build them up because it benefits the whole team.
“You have to be supportive and, when your chance comes, take it.
“Last season, I was playing a lot, doing well, and Simon, Eamonn Brophy and Jordan White were all backing me and behind me. That’s the bond we have.”
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