Barry Douglas feels Dundee United are building greater stability, despite conceding three goals against Rangers at the weekend.
He revealed that manager Peter Houston has introduced a back-to-basics approach with the emphasis on hard work and defending from the front.
That has meant an increased workload for the United strike force, which has almost needed to be carried off at the end of recent games.
He said: ”There has definitely been an improvement in the last few weeks. The gaffer made sure that we just went back to basics to cut out the amount of goals we were losing.
”Obviously we conceded three against Rangers but, overall, I think we have been stronger defensively as a unit.
”We have also tightened up as a team. I think if you speak to the strikers they will tell you it is the most they have ever worked because of the role they are playing in the team now.
”Don’t get me wrong, they worked really hard before but they are now coming off absolutely shattered.
”Thankfully, despite all their defensive efforts, they are still getting their fair share of goals. We are now defending from the front as a whole unit and it seems to be working.”
Douglas and the rest of the United squad have a free weekend coming up because of the international break. He admitted that while that gives the players time to put in some hard work on the training field, they are disappointed to be denied the opportunity to exorcise the demons of the Rangers defeat.
He said: ”The international break is good for the guys who aren’t away to put some hard work in at training and concentrate on certain aspects of their game.
”Obviously, we would have liked to have had a game right away after the defeat against Rangers. There is nothing worse if you lose and then have to wait a couple of weeks for the next match, but I do not think the boys are too disheartened about what happened on Saturday.
”Obviously, the result was disappointing, but I felt overall we played quite well. We definitely didn’t have anything to be ashamed of.”