Ross County

Image source, SNS

Ross County manager Derek Adams: "The scoreline doesn't flatter Motherwell in any way. It is not good enough, the players are trying but the quality they have had tonight has not been good enough and that is why the scoreline was what it was.

"We are in the same position now as when I took over and it is really difficult. From my point of view we have had opportunities to win games but we have not had enough quality to see it over the line.

"I think the players can only work as hard as they are. I think we have lacked a lot of decision-making, there have been a lot of opportunities where we have made bad errors. To lose two goals late on like we did was naive."

On his future: "I will have a conversation with the chairman and the CEO and go from there. From my point of view I have tried to come in and help the situation.

"It is a difficult situation the club is in. When I took the job I was open eyed, honest and all I can say is that I am not surprised."

Image source, SNS

Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

Ross County look in trouble. Since Derek Adams' withering comments about his own side, they have not won a match. It looks as though, conscious of his comments about the poor product, he is trying to make County more expansive.

But this game followed a recent pattern they have shown of being far too open and easy to exploit. On top of that, they have failed to score in seven of their last nine matches.

They are six points clear of bottom side Livingston, with a game in hand. But they are losing momentum fast, and questions will linger about whether Adams has the backing of his players after his much-discussed interviews.

Ross County name the same XI against Motherwell despite defeat at home to St Johnstone at the weekend.

Derek Adams is still without seven players, including skipper Jack Baldwin and first-choice goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw.

• Follow the action

Ross Morren, The County Corner, external

Ross County are really not enjoying the comforts of their own home at the moment.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone in Dingwall made it four home defeats in a row for the Staggies. To make matters worse, they’ve failed to score in those four matches with an aggregate score of 0-8.

That run of form at home is a far cry from the start of Derek Adam's current stint as manager. Adams picked up seven points out of a possible nine in his opening three home matches as he looked to make Dingwall a fortress.

A 3-0 win against Motherwell on 5 December had County fans feeling optimistic that we could start climbing up the table. Unfortunately, the recent poor run of form has seen the early momentum gained under Adams stopped dead in its tracks. It's now eight games without a win in all competitions.

Despite the poor run of form, some of the performances have provided hope. The 2-2 draw at Tynecastle before the end of the year was impressive, while many County fans felt aggrieved not to take a point away from Glasgow after a 1-0 defeat to Celtic where we spurned a couple of fantastic opportunities late on.

Last week I said the upcoming week felt like it was season-defining for County. Trips to face Livingston and Motherwell with a home match against St Johnstone sandwiched in between felt like it was a great opportunity for Adams' side to get their season back on track.

Since then, a 2-2 draw against Livingston and a 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone have left County with one point from a possible six so far. It’s less points than anyone associated with the Staggies would have wanted from the run of matches so far, and now puts the match at Fir Park against Motherwell in the 'must win' category.

Adams’ last victory was against Tuesday night’s opponents and he’ll hope his side can put on a similar performance to the previous meeting in Dingwall and end the eight-match winless run. County have scored six goals in the two matches against Motherwell this season, so hopefully they can add to that tally and bring a vital three points back up the A9.

Eamonn Brophy is determined to show Ross County manager Derek Adams he is worthy of a sustained run, with the striker having last started a game on 31 October. (Press & Journal), external

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, SNS

• 14 of Ross County’s last 15 away league goals have been scored in the second half of matches, with the only exception being Simon Murray’s 28th-minute strike at Livingston.

• County are without a win in nine away league matches, their longest such run in the Scottish Premiership since going 11 without a victory on the road from September 2019 to February 2020.

• Motherwell have only won one of their last nine midweek games in the Scottish Premiership (D3 L5), a 2-1 win over St Mirren in February 2023.

• County’s 40 top-flight meetings with Motherwell have seen 116 goals (49 scored, 67 conceded) - their most against any opponent.

• Motherwell have conceded three goals in both of their two previous league meetings with Ross County this season, conceding as many goals overall in those two matches as they had against the Staggies in the previous two Scottish Premiership seasons combined.

Image source, SNS

Derek Adams insists his new signings are doing "their best" to fill the gaps left behind by injured players.

The Staggies boss brought in seven new signings in the January transfer window and says they need time to settle in as his team look to climb out of the relegation play-off spot.

“These players have got problems that have been there throughout the season,” he told club media. “It’s come to a time where they need to be assessed.

“Some of them have had operations and they are missing from the squad. We had seven missing on Saturday so we had to take in replacements in the window.

“It’s not easy for the ones that are coming in because they are coming into a new football club and a new environment and it takes them time to settle in. They are trying their best. We are trying to take points and win games all the time.

“You saw that on Saturday. We had really good possession, we were driving forward and creating openings. We just haven’t been able to get the goals we deserve.

“That’s just something you have to deal with. It’s not easy because it’s a game we have lost that we should have taken something from.”

Motherwell are set to have an unchanged squad as their injury problems ease. Jon Obika is back in training following a hamstring injury but is unlikely to feature. Callum Slattery and Adam Montgomery remain out.

Ross County had seven players out through injury on Saturday, including skipper Jack Baldwin and goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw. Connor Randall has undergone surgery, while Scott Allardice, Ross Callachan, Ryan Leak and Dylan Smith remain out.

Image source, SNS

It was another deflating blow at the weekend as Ross County went down to relegation rivals St Johnstone.

Derek Adams' side have an opportunity to bounce back as they head to Fir Park on Tuesday, with a win putting them level on points with Motherwell.

Who would you like to see on the starting line-up? Pick your team here.

We asked for your thoughts after Ross County's 1-0 loss to St Johnstone.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Rev James: We witnessed a very nervy attempt by County today. Perth team were strong and assured as we often expect whereas the home team appears unsure and rarely show desire to hit the net. Dangerous signs for all to see. A lower league seems the likely future if no confident striker emerges soon.

John: It’s very difficult to see what the game plan is. Dandha has a roving role which puts him all over the park. White is ineffective up front. Murray needs to get his head up. Brophy deserves the start. Defence looked tight and offered little opportunity. We have to learn to finish.

Ross County manager Derek Adams: "We're really disappointed because we controlled large parts of the game and had numerous opporutnities to go ahead.

"We make one error in the first half and give St Johnstone the lifeline they needed and they then held on to it. We were pushing for that goal but couldn't get it and credit to St Johnstone because they've defended really well.

"We were in control of the game, in the ascendancy, and getting ourselves in good positions. We should have got more out of the game. I'm sure if we'd got that elusive equaliser, we could have won the game."

Image source, SNS

Ross County's quest for an elusive victory will now stretch beyond two months, since they beat Motherwell on 5 December.

Their home record, too, makes for brutal reading. This was their fourth Dingwall defeat on the bounce without scoring a single goal, an aggregate scoreline of 0-8.

County did look dangerous. They did threaten. They had mobility in the final third through the unrelenting Murray, and the creativity of Dhanda always a spark.

But despite close to two-thirds of possession and a dozen shots, Mitov's goal was unbreached.

Profligacy and frustration the order of the day again, but Livingston's brutal form keeps them at arm's length from the foot of the standings.

Image source, BBC Sport

Ross County fans, what did you make of a disappointing home loss?

Have your say here.

Image source, SNS

Derek Adams makes two changes to the Ross County side which drew 2-2 at Livingston in midweek.

George Harmon and Jordan White start, with Victor Loturi and Brandon Khela dropping to the bench.

Ross County: Wickens, Harmon, Ayina, Nightingale, Borthwick-Jackson, Brown, Jenks, King, Dhanda, Murray, White.

Substitutes: Ross, Sims, Sheaf, Loturi, Henderson, Khela, Efete, Brophy, Reid.

St Johnstone: Mitov, Gallacher, Considine, McGowan, Robinson, Keltjens, Carey, Kucheriavyi, Franczak, C Smith, Kimpioka.

Substitutes: May, Kane, Clark, Jaiyesimi, Sidibeh, Olufunwa, Sprangler, Richards, K Smith.

Image source, SNS

Ross County manager Derek Adams believes the club's January transfer business will have take his players "out their comfort zone".

Michee Efete signed on deadline day to become the Dingwall side's seventh arrival of the window, and Adams thinks that increased depth can only help.

“I like to have fresh faces and players looking over their shoulders and it’s good to get them out their comfort zone," he said.

“It’s important we strengthen the squad and I think we’ve done that in the transfer window.”

County also managed to hold on to playmaker Yan Dhanda, who signed a pre-contract deal with Hearts but will remain in Dingwall until the end of the campaign.

“Hearts spoke to us but never put in a formal offer, so Yan stays with us,”

Ross County have signed right-back Michee Efete on a deal until the end of the season.

The 26-year-old Norwich City academy graduate left Grimsby Town in recent days.

He has also been capped for Congo at U20 level.

Image source, SNS