Plenty of questions but no decisive answers as yet for Accies boss Canning

Eleven games in to his reign at New Douglas Park, Canning has yet to win one and has added just three points to the impressive tally that Alex Neil had accumulated before his move to Norwich City. It does not make pleasant reading for the 33-year-old, and nor does it make for good viewing when he sits down to look at where it all went wrong and to attempt to find the solutions to Accies' problems.

"I think you definitely do [over analyse when you are on a run like this]," Canning, who has studied the footage of his side's 4-0 defeat to Motherwell three times during the international break, said. "When things are going well you analyse it but brush over some parts, thinking 'that'll be all right'.

"When it's not going well you dig into literally everything that you can. You can over-analyse but that's something I've got to look at.

"We've got St Johnstone coming up. I'll watch our last couple of games two or three times and try to be prepared as I can be. I'll know when I'm over-analysing and when I'm analysing properly.

"You can fall into that trap and you do over-analyse every aspect of the game. Sometimes it's better just to clear your mind and get back to basics."

Having spent hours going through the footage and wracking his brains since that heavy derby defeat at Fir Park last month, Canning will hope that he has finally found a method to cure Hamilton's ills as they prepare to return to action this weekend. Every area will have been looked at, every decision and selection scrutinised, but not all problems can be solved on the training pitch or by rewinding, pausing and playing the lowlights reel.

As spring and the end of the season approaches, Hamilton find themselves suffering from the snowball effect. Seemingly unstoppable at the start of the campaign, they are now struggling to put the brakes on a run of form that threatens to cast a shadow over their first season back in the top flight.

"It's strange, I spoke about this to the players," Canning said. "When you're on a good run, if somebody says 'why are you winning games?' you can't really tell them. You're just turning up and winning games because momentum is with you.

"When you're on a bad run you over-analyse it and look into everything you possibly can. Sometimes it just comes down to the fact you're on a bad run and you need to work even harder to get yourself out of it.

"When you're on a good run you don't know why you're on it. When you're on a bad run you think to yourself, 'Why are we getting on breaks? Why is nothing going our way?'

"We carried a lot of luck earlier in the season and now we're not getting the breaks - that's what happens. On a good run teams will go through and miss opportunities, hit the bar or the post. On a bad run they go through and score. That's what happens."

Having looked all-but certain of a place in the Premiership top six until the turn of the year, Hamilton are now in danger of missing out as the split draws ever nearer. Two points adrift of St Johnstone having played a game more and two in front of Dundee having played 31 times to their 29, Accies' fate could be quickly taken out of their hands.

After hosting the Saints at New Douglas Park this weekend, Canning's side round off their first batch of scheduled fixtures at Tannadice the following Saturday. The present seemingly offers little inspiration but the past brings hope to a squad out of sorts and out of form.

"We need to win two games to put ourselves in position," Canning said. "We're capable of winning both games. We've lost 3-2 to Dundee United at home and drew 2-2 at Tannadice.

"That will be a hard game there. But we've beaten St Johnstone twice so we've proved in the past we can win the game and go to Tannadice and compete.

"For us, we approach every game trying to win it. The next two will be no different."