GRAEME SHINNIE believes it is a measure of Caley Thistle's progress that an Ibrox defeat by Rangers can be greeted with such disappointment.
The Inverness club captain was powerless to prevent his team crashing out of the League Cup against the Championship favourites in midweek but insists his colleagues are unbowed by the two consecutive defeats.
Inverness take on St Johnstone at home today, seeking to recapture the winning form of the first five games of the season after away defeats to Partick and Rangers. "One of the big things in football is not getting too high when you win and not getting too low when you lose," said Shinnie. "We're still confident. It's just little things we need to do to get back to the way we were at the start of the season. People look at the Rangers game, but with the wages they pay and the players they have, they're a good side. It shows how far we've come that people expected us to win and that we were disappointed not to win.
Shinnie, who commands the captain's armband in Richie Foran's injury absence, is confident John Hughes' side can bounce back. "We have to pick ourselves up from the last two games but that just means we need to work even harder.
"If you keep clean sheets you give yourself a chance of winning games. We were doing it a few weeks ago and that's what we need to get back to again."
Shinnie views Saints as very similar to Caley Thistle, both as a club and in dressing room spirit. "St Johnstone are the kind of team you know what to expect from. They don't have any stars in their team, they don't have anyone who's cocky. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's a good thing because they play as a team and that's their strength."
Caley Thistle's injury situation is improving with attacking midfielder James Vincent and midfield
St Johnstone's Adam Morgan is ready to seize his chance after the talismanic striker Steven MacLean was ruled out for up to six months after knee surgery.
The 20-year-old, on-loan Yeovil striker, said: "All I wanted to do when I was growing up was play for Liverpool. I wanted to play alongside Suarez and Sturridge. You get signed and say that you are playing for Liverpool, but you're not really. You're not in the first team and I think I played more under-21 games than anyone. I want to be back in the Premier League one day and I would love nothing more to sign back for Liverpool but it's still the early stage of my career.
"I haven't played 90 minutes in over a year. But now I feel sharp, I am ready and I'm looking to score goals for St Johnstone."
Morgan knows he has to show there's life after Liverpool; and he's up for the challenge.
"There have been people on Twitter having a go at me but I have faith in my own ability. You need a run of games behind you if you are to do well. I am not too worried at the moment. In fact, I'm completely confident that it will change for me."
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