IAN McCALL is not concerned with how Partick Thistle win. All that matters to the Jags boss is that Thistle get points on the board quickly - starting on Saturday when his side travel to Dens Park.
McCall's side are yet to record a victory in 2020 but with a host of new faces moving to Firhill during last month's transfer window, he is confident that his new signings will gel in time for Thistle to start moving up the Championship table.
“I think winning is all that matters," he said. "Against Ayr last Friday we felt we were dominant in the first half and it was even in the second, but we had chances to win it. It doesn’t matter and we lost two points when we needed the three.
"People say we haven’t won in 2020, but we played Celtic and Dundee United. I look at it more in-depth than that.
"The Arbroath game was a farce. The Ayr game was the first with the new signings and they acquitted themselves well, but ultimately we only got one point. I’m not convinced by anything in football, my experience tells me that. I hope that the players can get us up the table but we have to do it on the pitch.”
With the standings in Scotland's second tier typically tight, McCall expects the relegation battle will go right down to the wire - and the Thistle manager believes that more than 40 points may be required to survive this season.
“You look at 40 points but I don’t think that will be enough this year," he said. "There is still a long way to go but we know the upcoming games are very important. If we can put a wee run together we can end up at a cup final and being in a better place in the league.
"I have been in the game too long to panic. You always have a worry when you do so much work in January. I don’t like doing that but I felt we had to. Two or three of the boys on longer contracts are really looking the part. I think for the future we are looking great but short term is vital.”
Brian Graham, recruited from Ross County last month, has hit the ground running and has two goals in as many games for the Jags since completing his move from the Highland club. He will lead the line against Dundee tomorrow, too, with McCall confirming that Zak Rudden remains sidelined through an injury sustained in the warm-up against Arbroath a fortnight ago.
“[Graham] has done well and he looks like he will score goals," McCall added. "His attitude about the place has been great, as has Darren Brownlie. Zak got a knock on Friday and we have had it scanned. It looks like he will be out for two or three weeks. We won’t rush him though.
"We want to see Rudden and Graham playing together and it is a blow. It is only a few weeks so we will just get on with it. I think Zak in training looked great until his injury and they are hungry to score goals and that’s the pleasing thing. He is close but he won’t be in the squad for the weekend.”
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