Dundee United defender Timothy van der Meulen believes he is adapting to the pace of the Scottish game as he prepares to face Inverness on Tuesday night.
The Dutch full-back joined United in January from Ajax and has made three Clydesdale Bank Premier League appearances so far. The Holland Under-21 international admits he initially found the speed of the SPL something of a surprise.
"In the beginning I had to get used to some things," he said. "Scottish football has not surprised me but when I watched it on TV it looks slow but when you are in it, it's very quick, quicker than normal. It can be a little bit quick for myself but it's okay."
United have drawn eight of their previous 12 SPL games to leave them in seventh place but they will move into the top six, with several games in hand left, if they win at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.
Van der Meulen, who turns 21 on Wednesday, said: "We certainly need the three points and if we win we would go above them."
However, Inverness manager Terry Butcher maintains his side are looking above them, rather than worrying about being displaced from below.
Butcher, whose side lost at Hibernian on Saturday, said: "We're still looking at Kilmarnock - we still feel like we've got a right good chance.
"That's the position we wanted to be in at the start of the season and we want to be there at the end of the season, that's for sure.
"We didn't turn up on Saturday - that wasn't the Caley Thistle on our travels we expect to see - it's a sore one, we've taken it on the chin and we want to come back fighting.
"Hopefully we can get three points."
Source: PA
