The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
County to share load
Premiership: Defender Quinn wants all parts of team to take responsibility for goals
Ross County captain Paul Quinn is refusing to blame the Staggies’ misfiring attackers for the slump in form. County are the lowest scorers in the Premiership this season with just seven goals – six from the injured Liam Boyce.
Ross County captain Paul Quinn is refusing to blame the Staggies’ misfiring attackers for the slump in form.
County are the lowest scorers in the Premiership this season with just seven goals, with six of them coming from Northern Ireland international Liam Boyce who is out with a knee injury.
The Dingwall side are without a win in their last six games, and despite failing to find the net since Boyce netted against Mother well in a 1-1 home draw on September 10, defender Quinn, pictured below, says a collective effort is required from manager Jim McIntyre’s men to find a scoring solution.
Quinn said: “Forwards don’t criticise defenders when we concede goals because defending starts from the front.
“It’s the same in attack. We attack as a team.
“Every outfield player has to contribute with goals. Whether that’s with a better pass for an assist, we all have a responsibility to do more up front.
“We need to build a better foundation and keep clean sheets to give the players up front a chance.
“While we are not shying away from a couple of bad results, we know we have good players and we will prove it again.”
County’s latest setback was a 4-0 defeat to Quinn’s former club Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday where the Staggies were forced to play much of the game with 10 men following former Wigan Athletic midfielder Tim Chow’s 21st-minute red card.
The Staggies level on points with sixth-placed Motherwell, with an inferior goal difference, and Quinn hopes his side can get their top- half ambitions back on track with a victory in Saturday’s game against Partick Thistle at Firhill.
The 31-year-old added: “In all the games, we have maybe just been a little bit inconsistent with our decision-making, individually or collectively.
“It’s the small details that matter.
“Over the season, that normally gets ironed out and we find our form.
“I think we have deserved to have picked up more points than we have. The only way forward is to go out there with real grit and determination to get a win.
“We can prove to everyone we are a top-six side, and a win on Saturday can help to take us where we want to be.”
“I think we have deserved to have picked up more points than we have”