Dundee United boss Jack Ross is working hard to find answers to his team’s run of defeats.
The Tangerines lost their third cinch Premiership game in succession as they were beaten 3-0 by St Mirren at Tannadice.
Goals either side of half-time by Buddies striker Curtis Main and a late third from sub Alex Greive were enough to seal an emphatic victory for the Paisley side.
Worryingly for United there is little respite with champions Celtic visiting Tannadice next Sunday.
Ross said: “I’ve not found a solution and that’s a failing on me as a manager. I need to find them.
“I’m producing a team that has lethargy and lack of energy and lack of purpose with or without the ball. It hasn’t been strong enough but the responsibility falls on my shoulders. Right now I’m not getting enough.
“I don’t think all footballers go on brimming with confidence – we have stresses, doubts and anxieties but when they come on the pitch they come to life.
“But there was lethargy and a lack of energy and I have to try and fix it.”
St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson was full of praise for his players after they secured what was their second league victory in a row against United.
However, the manager is refusing to get carried away at this early stage of the season.
He said: “There are only four games gone. I said we will look at it after 10 games.
“We didn’t get too down when we lost the first two games.
“We’ll lose games and we have to not get too down. We won’t win every game but we have a game plan.
“As long as nobody plays as an individual, we need a 20-man squad to be successful.
“In three games we’ve allowed three shots on target. We’re a team that goes out not to be beat.
“We have forward players like we have and boys off the bench being solid is a number one priority.”
St Mirren sit smack in the middle of the table with six point from the 12 available to them so far.
Robinson added: “Performance-wise we were the same against Motherwell and last week so there’s consistency in performance.
“I thought we were very disciplined, allowed them to have the ball in areas that wouldn’t hurt us, Keanu Baccus and Mark O’Hara had the legs to spring us on then we took chances when they came.”
