Dundee boss Gordon Chisholm is predicting good things from his side this term despite their poor performance in losing to Partick Thistle at the weekend.
The Dark Blues won their opening fixture against Queen of the South without being at their best and followed that up with another below-par showing at Firhill which resulted in defeat.
In between times they were bundled out of the Alba Cup by second division Stenhousemuir.
But if those displays are causing Chisholm concern then he’s not admitting that.
“It’s very early days. The league is only a week gone and we are in the process of putting together a strong squad.
“When everyone is fully fit and match sharp then we won’t have a problem I am confident of that.
“At the moment we are without Mickael Antoine-Curier who is a big loss and have Dominic Shimmin, Charlie Grant, Jamie Adams and Rhys Weston all short of fitness.
“But Shimmin, Grant, Adams and Weston will prove to be real assets. And they’ll get better for getting games.
“Curier is going to be out for six to eight weeks and without him we lack a target man.
“That’s why I am looking about for someone to give us presence up front.
“Guys like that aren’t easy to find but I’m prepared to wheel and deal, move players out to get players in, if that’s what it takes.
“But just as much a priority at the moment is finding a natural left-sided defensive player.”
Chisholm made clear he’s not just depending on fitness levels being raised and success in the transfer market to bring about improvement.
“I couldn’t fault the work-rate or endeavour against Thistle,” he said.
“We just lacked composure and guile. I know we have these attributes. We just need to bring them to the fore.
“We also need to retain our defensive focus for 90 minutes. I couldn’t see us conceding on Saturday but then we switched off at a set-play…and we can’t have that.
“People have to take responsibility for their own decisions.”
Chisholm expects ankle injury victim Weston to resume training this week.
He’s also hopeful that problems affecting Rab Douglas (groin) and Leigh Griffiths (knee) aren’t serious.