Terry Butcher urges Inverness to rediscover cutting edge

INVERNESS manager Terry Butcher is looking for his players to step up in the final third against Kilmarnock and end a familiar feeling of frustration.

Caley Thistle’s hopes of making the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League all but ended with a 3-0 defeat at Dundee United on Monday. They have five games, one more than most of their rivals, to pull back a 12-point deficit and need their first victory in seven games to give them any chance.

Butcher, on reflection, was generally satisfied with his side’s performance at Tannadice but he bemoaned a lack of invention. “I’m just looking for us to do a little bit better than Monday night,” he said.

“I want them to give me an extra 15-20 per cent in the right areas, the Kilmarnock defensive third, that enables us to get at them where it really matters. We are missing Jonny Hayes, Aaron Doran and Graeme Shinnie – three players who would make a massive difference in the final third.

“We’re having to chop and change because we haven’t found the right blend. I’m just looking for them to step up. We need to get our wide players on the ball and get crosses in the box because I feel that’s when we can score goals.”

Butcher has had huge injury problems to deal with this season – Roman Golobart’s return at Tannadice saw him field his 21st back-four combination. “It typified our season,” he said. “It’s been okay, it’s not been bad, but we lost 3-0.

“We’ve got players who haven’t played to their best ability this season for one reason or another. I’m looking for them to really show what they can do now.”

Kilmarnock midfielder Garry Hay, meanwhile, has warned they cannot afford to think about their upcoming Hampden trip until after their visit to Inverness.

Today’s match comes eight days before Kilmarnock’s League Cup final against Celtic and the Ayrshire side are six points adrift of the top six with four matches left until the split and defeat would leave them with little chance of overhauling the teams above them.

Hay also wants to maintain a positive attitude ahead of the cup final week and knows full focus is required in Inverness. “It [the cup final] will be forgotten about until after Saturday’s game,” Hay said. “If we go up and give anything less than 100 per cent at Inverness, we’ll get beaten and we don’t want to do that. They always make it very hard for you.

“It’s not often very warm up there either, it’s always a bit chilly next to that water. It’s a hard place to go and if you’re not mentally ready for it, they will hurt you.”