Baraclough retains optimism
Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough has urged his players to retain belief and their team shape as they bid to rejuvenate their survival hopes against Ross County.
Motherwell have scored nine goals without reply in their last two games at Fir Park before the Dingwall side visit but have since lost 2-0 on the road to both Partick Thistle and Hamilton to leave them six points - and eight goals - adrift of 10th-placed County.
Well have little room for error if they are to avoid the play-offs and Baraclough wants his players to impose themselves on Jim McIntyre's side.
When asked what attributes are needed to get back on track, he said: "Passion, endeavour, a team ethos, work hard as a group and be very, very confident in your own ability and your team-mates' abilities, and you will get your rewards. If you can guarantee those bullet points you will win most games.
"We have opposition who have done very well and are not going to roll over, we have to be ready for what they throw at us and be ready to counter that with our own style of play."
Motherwell have three of their last four games at home so there remains a glimmer of hope for their bid to avoid a season extension but that could be extinguished if they fail to win on Saturday.
But Baraclough is looking for his players to throw off the fears and go out and take the game to County.
"A manager is the focal point for the football club, the one who sits here and speaks to the media a lot of the time, he tries to instil confidence in players to try to go out and perform to their best with no inhibitions, with no shackles on, to allow them to express themselves," the former Scunthorpe manager said.
"From day one I want players to do that within a team framework. There is pressure at any stage of the season wherever you are in the league.
"You would all like to be at the top end but there are pressures there as well. If you are going to be a professional player you have to learn to deal with these situations, otherwise it will be a short career."
Motherwell will make a late decision over Louis Laing before hosting County after the defender went off with a thigh knock in their defeat by Hamilton last weekend.
Midfielder Stuart Carswell is available after suspension, while left-back Steven Hammell played another 90 minutes for the reserves on Monday following a season of groin problems.
Zaine Franncis-Angol, Iain Vigurs and Paul Lawson remain on the sidelines.
Ross County midfielder Jackson Irvine returns from suspension.
Midfielder Rocco Quinn made his comeback from hip surgery off the bench in last weekend's defeat by Partick Thistle with Richard Brittain also closer to a return.
Darren Barr (knee) remains on the sidelines, but County have no other injury concerns.
County midfielder Quinn believes their impressive team spirit has carried them through to a position where they could all but secure their Scottish Premiership survival at Fir Park on Saturday.
County suffered a rare defeat against Partick Thistle last weekend but eight wins in their previous nine games mean they travel to Lanarkshire six points above Motherwell, who occupy the relegation play-off place, with four games remaining.
With Jim McIntyre's side eight goals better off than their hosts, a win would all but confirm their top-flight status for another season.
Quinn made his comeback from hip surgery when County lost 2-1 to Thistle and he was able to reflect on the reasons for their recent transformation during his six months on the sidelines.
"Even when we were getting beat, the one thing that never left us was the team spirit and I noticed it even more when I wasn't playing," the former Celtic, Hamilton and Queen of the South midfielder said.
"The team spirit has really carried us through. The manager has given us so much belief and the boys have really bought into everything he has tried to do. The team spirit has been absolutely brilliant."
Source: PAR
