Lasley thinks Ciftci goals are key to Motherwell’s hopes of a top-six finish
Keith Lasley reckons Nadir Ciftci can be the catalyst to Motherwell finishing the Ladbrokes Premiership season as a top-six club.
Ciftci, who is on loan from Celtic, got his first Motherwell goal in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle. And assistant boss Lasley is convinced it will spark a consistent run as the Steelmen take on St Johnstone tonight with the chance to move into the top half.
Lasley, pictured inset, said: “We all know what strikers are like and hitting the back of the net will hopefully give him another lift.
“Nadir has not played a lot of football and he still has a little bit to go in terms of his fitness but that will come with playing.
“He supplied a great finish last Saturday and we know he has that in his locker. Hopefully that can kick him on in terms of goal-scoring.
“Curtis Main has come in too and made a good impact so we feel there are goals in the team.
“If we keep having as much control as we did on Saturday we feel the goals will come.”
While the only way is up for Lasley, he admits that stretching further away from bottom-placed Ross County is also high on Motherwell’s agenda.
The former captain said: “I think all the teams will say the same, it’s your first consideration. We want to look up but there is always that feeling that you want to put as much distance as you can between the bottom club and you. So it’s two-fold. We’re playing a team that’s around about us so we have to go and win if we want to be in the top six.
“It’s so tight right now and t’s going to be that way right up until the split.
“We just want to be one of those teams that is in the fight. We are at the moment and we intend to do our best to get that sixth slot.
“Winning against St Johnstone will go a long way to helping us do that.”
Motherwell had Trevor Carson, Carl Mchugh and Charles Dunne all sent off the last time the sides met when Saints won 4-1 at Mcdiarmid Park – although Dunne later had his red card rescinded.
Dunne said: “I’d rather not remember that game to be honest. My red card was proved to be the wrong decision but there’s no point dwelling on the past. If we win this game we can go back into the top six so that’s the aim for everyone.” Defender Peter Hartley will have a scan this week on a foot injury picked up in training. “He’s seeing a specialist this week to [determine] the seriousness of it but it’s potentially a tendon problem or ligaments,” added Lasley.
St Johnstone midfielder David Wotherspoon is suspended for the trip to Fir Park following his red card against Hearts at the weekend. Defender Aaron Comrie and goalkeeper Zander Clark should be available, though, following injury.
Saints manager Tommy Wright, whose side lost 1-0 at Tynecastle on Saturday, wants his side to be more consistent, starting with a win tonight.
“It’s important to stop this inconsistency in our performances,” he said. “We have to make sure we start picking up points. We don’t want to drift away from the top six.”