Motherwell manager Graham Alexander says his side's mentality problem against the Premiership's bottom six clubs has returned after a 3-1 defeat to 10-man Ross County.
The Steelmen went behind through Sondre Solholm Johansen's own goal right before half-time but they looked to have got back into it through a fantastic Jordan Roberts effort.
Jordan Tillson was sent off before the hour-mark and reduced the home side to 10-men but Motherwell were unable to build upon that advantage.
Regan Charles-Cook scored twice - once off a defence lapse and another courtesy of a penalty - to defeat Alexander's side.
It wasn't the start Motherwell wanted for 2022 after the league's winter break, and although they remain fourth, Alexander is far from happy.
His side have lost to Dundee twice and have dropped points against St Johnstone and St Mirren, on top of a League Cup group stage loss to League One Airdrie.
He said: “It went downhill from their red card because we thought the game was done. That’s what happened.
“The red card made us soft mentally and once you’re soft mentally you can’t perform to the level required to win games.
“We keep talking about mindset and mentality and, without doubt, that was a game we should have won.
“I felt we deserved to win over the 90 minutes, but we didn’t deserve to win in the manner of our mental approach - it went wayward after that red card.
“That’s something for us to obviously improve because we were the dominant team, creating all the chances. We were playing the game in good areas. I never felt that our goal was under threat. We threw it away."
Motherwell have had plenty of positive publicity after collecting the most points outside of Celtic and Rangers in 2021. But Alexander says it's perhaps had an effect on his men.
He said: “I thought I did (get rid of the mentality issue). Maybe three weeks off, listening to loads of nice things about us, about how we're doing so well, has softened us up.
“I thought we were the better team but the goal just before half-time was extremely poor. The red card should just signal more domination from us - and winning the game.
“It just went the opposite way and hopefully people will understand that when you take a step backwards instead of forwards, you get hurt and you get beat.
“We’ve had so many examples of it. When do people learn about it?"
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