Not many newly-promoted clubs target the top six but, after a decent start to life in the Premiership, Jamie Robson says Dundee United are doing just that.
The Tangerines picked up a point at St Mirren on Friday night, their third goalless draw of a four-game unbeaten run, to solidify fifth spot.
Robson admits they need to start showing more at the other end of the pitch but also that the squad are delighted with the position they find themselves in after 14 games.
The youngster endured all four years United spent in the Championship and is now relishing being back at the top table where he feels the club belong.
“That’s four unbeaten now so that just shows we’re on track,” the 22-year-old said.
“We just need to create some more chances and show our quality in certain situations – the final pass.
“We know that but we’ve got a platform to go forward now.
“We’re sitting fifth in the league so all we need to do is keep getting points on the board and take each game as it comes.
“Hopefully, we find ourselves in a good position come the end of the season.
“We want to finish as high up in the table as possible – the top six is a target.
“We feel we’re a top-six club so we want to be finishing there.
“Just now, we’re on track to do that, but we know there’s a lot of room for improvement.
“We’ll work on that and we can only get better from here.”
United squad loving life under Mellon’s system
Once again, it wasn’t a vintage attacking display from United in Paisley – far from it.
However, left-back Robson insists they are quite happy to build up a good bank of points through clean sheets and solid defensive displays.
Some criticism has been levelled at the Terrors and boss Micky Mellon for playing negative football but Robson doesn’t believe that’s case.
In fact, the young defender is loving life under the former Tranmere Rovers boss and believes everyone is buying into his philosophy.
Asked if Mellon is a defence-first manager, Robson added: “Not really – it’s just the way we set up with the back three or five and that’s how he wants us to be.
“Teams are going to have time on the ball in the wide positions but we know our jobs and we deal with it by shuffling across.
“I don’t think St Mirren created too many chances to threaten us.
“The gaffer is always shouting us and communicating to get his point across on a matchday and it helps us out.
“Even things like if we’re out of position, he helps us get back in.
“That’s the message from the gaffer and I think it’s went right through the team out on the pitch.
“We’re all like that. We want the best for each other and communication is vital for us with the way we want to play.
“We need to communicate well with each other to cover the ground and get in a good shape to defend.
“There’s a lot of experience in the squad and we know each other inside-out having been together for a few seasons.
“The communication is there, the leadership is there and we all want to win every game.
“Firstly, though, we don’t want to concede goals and you see the bravery from the lads putting their bodies on the line.
“Benji (Siegrist) has kept us in games as well, it’s just all about getting goals and creating chances at the other end now.”
Tangerines will cope without star man Shankland in Perth
The Tangerines and the Buddies battled it out under a thick haze of grey fog for much of the second half at St Mirren Park.
They were testing elements as both teams tried to break the deadlock. However, Robson felt they coped with it well.
He hopes they take those fighting qualities and add a little bit of magic at the top end of the park going into tomorrow’s Betfred Cup clash at St Johnstone.
“We want to finish as high up in the table as possible – the top six is a target.”
Jamie Robson.
The meeting at McDiarmid Park is United’s final Group C match as they aim to seal progression into the knockout stages.
They’ll have to do so without Lawrence Shankland, on Scotland play-off duty in Serbia, but Robson reckons they’ll cope.
He commented: “It was difficult. Especially late on in the game you could hardly see one goal to the other.
“We dealt with that well, both teams did.
“It was tough conditions but we’re happy with a point and a clean sheet.
“We move on now and St Johnstone is a massive game.
“I think we’re going into that with the right mindset to, hopefully, get the win and finish high enough in the group to get through to the next round of the cup.
“It’s going to be tough without Lawrence. Not having one of your main strikers there is hard in a cup game.
“But I think we’ve got plenty of good bodies able to fit in – we’ve got strikers that can score goals.”