Devine - Hectic run has helped Inverness Caley Thistle
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Danny Devine insists Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s hectic run of games have proven to be a positive.
A fragmented season saw the Caley Jags play just once in January, with a handful of postponements leading to a barrage of midweek games over the last couple of months.
Inverness started that run of games slowly, winning one in a spell from the start of February into March, but they were able to turn things around.
Going into last Friday’s ultimately unsuccessful Scottish Cup trip to St Mirren, ICT had gone undefeated for eight matches – a run that catapulted the club from relegation danger back into the promotion play-off places in the Championship.
So despite the run being tough on the legs, and threatening to derail the campaign at one stage, Devine looks on it as a net positive.
“Looking back it has been a plus for us,” the Irish defender reasoned.
“There was a stage where we didn’t play for four weeks and the boys were itching to get back, but in that time we got guys back from injury and it has really benefited the guys getting a run of games – we’ve gotten stronger over the season.
“We now have the most important game of the season.
“We have to carry those good performances over, and I’m pretty confident we’ll do that.”
One of the bedrocks of Caley Thistle’s strong form has been their resilience at the back.
Inverness can boast the second best defence in the Championship, having conceded only one more goal than champions Hearts, and Devine believes that can be a foundation for success.
“We have had a solid base in the last 10 games,” he said.
“It’s not just the back four and the goalkeeper – we’re really defending as a team now and the attacks we’ve put together is a credit to the forwards. They do their work defensively, but as soon as we get the ball back they are on the move looking to attack and put the opposition under pressure.
“The gaffer realised we were a wee bit open at times and it was like a basketball game at times, but now we are a solid unit. I look at Rangers this season and the big difference is how well they have defended.”
