Ross County

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County will be keen to make amends for the disappointing 3-0 defeat at Dundee United when they return to home comforts against Motherwell this weekend following the international break.

Since Don Cowie's initial appointment as interim manager back in February, the Staggies have only lost on three occasions at home. One of the sides to taste victory in Dingwall is Motherwell.

Stuart Kettlewell's men have had an impressive start to the season. The former County manager has guided his side to fifth in the Premiership having picked up 19 points from 11 matches and will provide a tough test.

There was a total of 20 goals shared between the two sides in the four meetings last season. On their last visit to Dingwall, Motherwell scored five against County for the second successive time, so Cowie will be well aware of the Steelmen's attacking threat.

While goals were guaranteed in matches between the teams last season, the same can't be said for this term. The 0-0 draw at Fir Park on the opening day wasn't a match for the football purists. The Staggies had chances to steal the points but failed to take them.

Cowie will use the last performance against Motherwell as evidence that if they show the same battling qualities but also find a killer instinct in front of goal, they're more than capable of picking up another important victory in Dingwall.

Ross Morren can be found at the County Corner, external

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your questions on Ross County.

Anon asked: How does Don Cowie address the lack of goals while in most games being able to provide a solid defensive performance? Do you agree the lack of creating chances will end up at County once again being in a relegation battle?

Tom answered: In a one-word answer to your second question, yes. You'll know the numbers and they're stark, aren't they? Ten goals scored in 13 games. No goal in the last three. Six league games where they've not scored. Ronan Hale was a very good signing, but he needs help.

Away from home, one goal scored. Also, there's a ruinous habit of conceding late goals home and away. Three conceded beyond the 90th minute, another in the 88th minute, another in the 84th minute. Some of those cost you points. It's a double whammy. Points-per-game wise, you're on a very similar trajectory to last season.

I think Hearts will get out of trouble fairly soon. Hibs are awful but I suspect they'll clamber out of danger eventually. I wouldn't bet the house on it, but I think they'll be okay. That leaves yourselves and St Johnstone, same as last season.

Defensively, you've looked decent (apart from the last day) and that's a plus. How does Cowie address the lack of goals? A winger in January? Some creativity and pace. Ross County have made decent January signings in the past and they're going to have to do it again.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County will have wanted to go into the international break on a high with a good performance and result against Dundee United at Tannadice.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be another tough afternoon on the road for the Staggies.

The County defence, having earned a lot of praise following back-to-back clean sheets, looked like they were standing strong once again. At the other end, there was chances for Jordan White and Connor Randall but both failed to hit the target.

At half-time the feeling among the away support was that if County could move the ball quicker into the final third and show a clinical edge in front of goal, the result could be there for the taking.

However, Don Cowie's side were completely blown away in the second half as the hosts ran out 3-0 winners.

The lack of reaction on the pitch following each of the goals was hugely concerning. When the momentum started to turn against the Staggies in the second half, they failed to deal with the adversity and didn't look like wrestling back any sort of control.

At times, it was like watching the County players chasing shadows as United continued to grow in confidence.

Cowie's side also failed to register a shot on target across the 90 minutes. It's the fourth time in the last five matches the Staggies have failed to net, so they need to try and find the right balance between defensive solidity and offering more of a threat in attack.

The international break probably comes at a good time for Cowie. It'll allow him to address the concerns from Saturday's performance but also highlight the positives from other recent performances and try to build on them ahead of the busy fixture schedule during the winter months.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

What would you like to ask Tom English about Ross County?

Our chief sportswriter is in the hotseat ready to answer your questions and offer his insight and opinion on your club.

Answers will be provided on Tuesday’s episode of the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast and on this page later in the week.

Put your questions to Tom here., external

Watch highlights as Dundee United win 3-0 against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

(Available to UK audience only)

We asked for your views on Ross County's 3-0 defeat against Dundee United.

Here's what some of you said:

Alistair: Two wins after thirteen matches? Sounds like relegation candidates to me. Hot and cold. Unfortunately they are never hot against the teams around them. But I can't help loving them. Come on the Staggies!

Calum: Setting up defensively to try and nick a point away from home is fine but the lack of a plan B when we concede hurts us. A winger in January to mix it up is a must.

John: The team selection is really puzzling. Noah Chilvers on the bench until the 77th minute when he has been the most attacking midfielder of late. Jordan White is just a nuisance player. Plenty of misdirected energy. No goals. The team collapses back into defence too easily and get trapped there.

Image source, SNS

• Dundee United have scored eight goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• Sam Dalby has contributed to goals in his last 3 home games in the Premiership (3 goals, 0 assists).

• Ross County have conceded eight goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Hibernian (nine) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Ross County have conceded four goals to opposition substitutes in the Premiership this season, only St Johnstone (six) have conceded more.

Dundee United's impressive return to the Scottish Premiership continues as they ease aside Ross County to maintain their fourth-place position.

What did you make of that, County fans? Was the 3-0 scoreline a little harsh on that performance?

What needs to change for Don Cowie to change this dreadful away record?

Let us know your thoughts here., external

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

At half-time, a 3-0 defeat did not seem on the cards. County looked fairly comfortable, well organised and defensively stout.

They just didn't find the required reaction after United upped their level.

It seems a slight conundrum right now, finding the balance between being solid and being a threat, particularly when wins are so important in this league and can quickly change your position so quickly.

Away form is concerning, though. It's been a long, long time since they've registered a league win on the road and that is proving very costly.

Overall, County seem to have improved since last campaign and will look to find more threat ahead of their home fixture against Motherwell next time out.

Image source, SNS

Ross County Don Cowie told BBC Scotland: "It was a really even first half. I was really happy with the performance away from home. We did a lot of things really well and looked a threat. The challenge was to build on that.

"We knew that they would try and come out quick, shooting into their fans. I thought we dealt with the first 10 minutes of that well. To concede the first goal just after that was really disappointing.

"I always expect more, demand more. You concede goals, it's part of football - it's about how you react, deal with adversity and we didn't do that well enough today.

"I've seen really good signs over the last few weeks in terms of how we defend. Really disappointed to come away losing three goals today. It's another reminder that you've just got to keep going even when the game's going against you, because to concede a goal again in stoppage time - at that point you've just got to make sure it finishes 2-0."

[On poor away record] "It's an issue because we've not stopped that run yet, and it'll always be an issue until we we deal with it. Every away game is an opportunity to win and try and get that monkey off our back until we do that."

Image source, SNS

Dundee United: Walton, Adegboyega, Gallagher, Holt, Strain, Stephenson, Sevelj, Babunski, Ferry, Van der Sande, Dalby.

Substitutes: Richards, Odada, Middleton, Fotheringham, Docherty, Thomson, Constable, Stirton, Obuchioma.

Ross County: Laidlaw, Wright, Lopata, Leak, Brown, Randall, Nisbet, Campbell, Denholm, Dale, White.

Substitutes: Hamilton, Allardice, Chilvers, Grieves, Telfer, Efete, Samuel, Brophy, Reid.

Image source, SNS

Midfielder Kristijan Trapanovski drops out for Dundee United after tweaking his hamstring against Hibernian.

Louis Moult (knee), Ross Docherty (muscular) and Ross Graham (hamstring) are battling to return while Craig Sibbald (groin) is definitely out.

Ross County remain without Will Nightingale (knee), George Harmon (ankle) and Max Sheaf (thigh).

Image source, SNS

Don Cowie insists his Ross County side have shored up at the back as he singled out Everton loanee Eli Campbell for praise after the defender was called up for England's Under-20s.

County sit seventh in the goals conceded table (18), with their last two games finishing as goalless draws.

"We spoke about being better defensively - and if you look at the goals against, they’ve really only come in a couple of games rather than over a period of 12 matches - which shows the improvement that we've had," Cowie said.

"The [last] two games highlighted that, two really solid defensive displays – albeit without getting the goals to get three points."

The main concern for County is their troubling away record as they have gone 22 games since last winning on the road.

"Until we break that [record], I’m always going to get asked the question and rightly so. It doesn’t mean we go into any away game not trying to win it – I think on Saturday you could see that," Cowie added.

"If we keep giving ourselves the best opportunity one of these days we will fall on the right side of it away from home - and that can give the group real belief."

Meanwhile, Campbell - who moved back to his natural centre-back position for the draw against St Mirren instead of filling in at left wing-back - came in for praise.

"He’s done brilliantly," Cowie added. "You forget how young and inexperienced he is in terms of first-team football, but he's been a breath of fresh air in terms of how he conducts himself and trains.

"I don’t think it matters which position I play him in - he will do the best he can and once again on Saturday he illustrated that."

• Dundee United have won seven of their last 10 top-flight home games against Ross County (L3), although lost their most recent in May 2023 (3-1).

• Ross County are unbeaten in three league meetings with Dundee United (W2 D1), their longest ever such run over the Tangerines in the top flight. The Staggies’ two wins in those last three fixtures are more than they managed in their previous 12 Scottish Premiership encounters beforehand (W1 D2 L9).

• Dundee United have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven home league games, conceding 2+ goals in five of them (13 total).

• Ross County have drawn eight of their last 14 league games (W2 D4), with both of their last two ending goalless. The last side to play out three straight 0-0s in the Scottish Premiership were Hibernian between February to March 2022.

• Ross County’s Connor Randall has made more combined tackles (35) and interceptions (18) than any other player in the Scottish Premiership this season (53), while only four players have won possession more times than the Staggies captain (58) in the division this term.

Ronan Hale is confident his scoring form for Ross County can catapult him into Northern Ireland's plans in 2025 despite the 26-year-old striker missing out on the latest squad because of delays to paperwork for his switch from Republic of Ireland, for whom he played up to under-21 level. (Press & Journal), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

Ross County have been criticised in recent seasons for their defensive record and number of goals conceded. However, successive clean sheets in the goalless draws against Hibernian and St Mirren has highlighted the current confidence and strength in The Staggies' backline.

It's the first time County have earned back-to-back clean sheets in the Premiership in nearly a year. Don Cowie managed 15 Premiership matches last season and didn't see his side pick up a clean sheet, whereas the clean sheet earned in Paisley was the fourth clean sheet in 12 Premiership matches this season - only Celtic and Rangers have more.

The recruitment of Akil Wright and Kacper Lopata is a big reason for the new-found defensive stability. Wright has really impressed with his strength, pace and power on the right side of the County backline, while Lopata - who only arrived in Dingwall towards the end of the summer transfer window - has become the glue which holds the backline together with his aerial ability and no-nonsense defending.

The back three of Wright, Lopata and Ryan Leak have shown they can cope against all kinds of opponents, from physical strikers to quick wingers who want to stretch the game and run in behind. Even when there needs to be an adjustment to the backline such as in Paisley when Leak missed the game due to illness and was replaced by Eli Campbell, the back three defended their box brilliantly for the 90 minutes.

On the rare occasion the defence has been breached, Ross Laidlaw has stepped up to make some big saves this season. His penalty save from Greg Kiltie's in the first half was impressive, but his save to stop Jonah Ayunga's header in the second half was outstanding.

Based on his performances over the past couple of seasons, what else does he have to do earn a Scotland call-up?

Ross Morren can be found on the County Corner podcast., external

Image source, Getty Images

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill says the process of securing international clearance for Ronan Hale to switch allegiance from the Republic of Ireland remains "a work in progress".

The Ross County striker remains unavailable for selection for the forthcoming Nations League matches against Belarus and Luxembourg on 15 and 18 November.

The 26-year-old former Cliftonville frontman played for the Republic at age-group level, before deciding to begin the process of becoming available to Northern Ireland.

"It’s a work in progress. It is an administration process which is in the hands of Fifa. There were one or two things around passports being produced and that has all been done," explained Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.

"I kind of knew when I had the conversation with Ronan, I warned him this is not something that will be done overnight. I’ve seen this take as long as six, eight, 10 months on occasions so the important thing is that we follow all the right steps, which we have."

O'Neill had hoped to have the forward at his disposal for some of his side's Nations League Group C3 fixtures but must now hope that the former Irish League striker will be available for the start of the World Cup qualifying campaign in March.

“What determines how a player does at international level, and whether he is selected, is their club form. So Ronan just has to continue what he has been doing and that’s focus on his club game.

“He was on the bench on Saturday for Ross County, He did well in the second half, so we are watching him as a player we intend to look at and come under consideration to be picked for the squad."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

A penalty save and a clean sheet against St Mirren, job done for Ross Laidlaw.

It's a straightforward pick between the sticks.

Watch highlights as St Mirren draw 0-0 against Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

We asked for your thoughts on Ross County's 0-0 draw against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you said:

Paul: Another solid defensive performance. Lack of punch up front is slightly concerning but chances are being created a little more and we could be a challenge for any team in the league.

County fans, were you at the game in Paisley or following along from home? What did you make of your team's performance? What do you make of the point?

Let us know your thoughts here, external.

Image source, SNS

Ross County manager Don Cowie: "You always want more.

"The objective before the game was to try and get three points but it's a really difficult place to come, I thought we defended extremely well and I'm really proud of the team coming away with a clean sheet.

"You've got to work for everything you get and it's a real challenge. We're really keen to win away from home but there's no divine right that we should.

"I thought we grew in belief as the game went on and had the ball maybe dropped for us it could've been us walking away with three points. Overall I'm really pleased with the point."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Another point on the road will be pleasing for Cowie, whose side haven't won away in the league in over a year.

County weren't dominated in the 90 minutes either and had their own opportunities to snatch a victory.

They often looked threatening on the break, Jack Grieves did really well in attack. but surely the most pleasing thing for Cowie will be the performance of his goalkeeper.

A penalty save and a couple of other important stops from Laidlaw made it two clean sheets in two games against some tough opposition.