Stuart Kettlewell believes his Motherwell side have to put their best foot forward if they are to have any chance of success against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday night.
The Well boss was dismayed by his side’s start to the cinch Premiership game against Rangers at Fir Park on Christmas Eve.
After a secure defensive display in the goalless draw against St Mirren the previous week, the Steelmen conceded after only four minutes when Kieran Dowell shot the visitors ahead, before fellow midfielder Todd Cantwell added a second 12 minutes later.
Motherwell steadied in the second half but could not get back in the game and they have now gone 15 games without a win as they remain five points ahead of bottom side Livingston and Kettlewell is looking for better in the Granite City.
He said: “The turnaround is really quick.
“But for us, myself and the staff, it was to get back to work and start building towards Aberdeen and how we pick ourselves up, what our game plan is, how we are going to set our stall out, who starts, all those things.
“There was an idea before the Rangers game but you need to play that 90 minutes before you start to lean too much towards that.
“We will be working hard to make sure we go again.
“But I think the players got an understanding with their second half showing that that gives them a chance in most games.
“The bit at the very start of the game…if we do that again at Pittodrie and we make those decisions again, Aberdeen without question have players who will punish us as well.
“So it is a pretty simple formula.
“Us putting ourselves in that position or defending like we did in Paisley last week. You get a clean sheet, you give yourself a chance.
“Against Rangers, we never gave ourselves a foundation, a chance of that clean sheet.”
