Mid-week Prep

The Inverness game is absolutely vital to our season. Of course we are not relegated if we lose matches like this early on but the result will help to set the tone for the weeks and months ahead. If we win we have some solid momentum going with three wins on the spin. Players are coming back from injury and we will be dragging ourselves back towards mid-table.

We have a winnable cup-tie coming up as well. Things will still be a long way from rosy but they will certainly be turning a more appealing shade of pink. But if we lose? Our fragile confidence is liable to be shot again, we'll have handed a major relegation rival a massive boost and we could find ourselves at the bottom of the table again. By hook or by crook we need to snatch a win against Inverness.

Maurice Malpas will be delighted that Brian McLean should play but we are still deep in the midst of an injury crisis. Quinn, McCormack and Elliot have all been sent home from the Scotland U21s and that is a little concerning. However should the extra rest ensure they are fit to play against Inverness then few at Fir Park will worry about them missing out on a couple of caps. Graeme Smith shouldn't be exerted too much as third choice Scotland goalkeeper but the mental state of Stephen Craigan will have to be monitored closely. He was part of the Northern Ireland defence that had an absolute shocker against Iceland and with Spain up next for the counties it is hard to see his confidence picking up soon. It would be a brave decision to keep young Reynolds at centre half beside McLean and drop Craigan – but these are the decisions Malpas is paid to take.

We are facing an Inverness side which is still hard working but currently struggling. They got an absolute hounding at Tynecastle in their last game and with Dennis Wyness missing our match they could find goals hard to come by. Craig Dargo has made a poor start to the season, albeit hindered by injury and Malpas will be crossing his fingers he doesn't play against us. Should he miss out we will be up against a front pairing of Bayne and probably young McAllister. ICT have just taken Gary McSwegan on board but he'll have to do a bit of work before he's match fit and it's unllikely that he'll be playing on Saturday.

They'll work hard but surely we must fancy our chances of a clean sheet there. We will then look to get Scott McDonald – rapidly approaching form and recalled to the Aussie squad – running against the lumbering Darren Dods. Surely, surely we will realise that this defence is beatable but only if we cease and desist launching high balls at them. Malpas has watched us fail miserably to break down ICT on their last four visits to Fir Park – if he can still not figure out a way to play against them this will be a big black mark on his record.

After our appalling start we are on the verge of respectability again. Be patient with the team and get behind them for Saturday's 90 minutes.