Ross County are looking to keep teams guessing, says Alex Iacovitti
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Alex Iacovitti says Ross County will be able to keep other teams guessing in the Scottish Premiership this season.
Against Motherwell last week, Regan Charles-Cook – County’s goalscorer on the day and one of their stand out players so far this season – was replaced at half time by Joe Hungbo, who was very impressive after the break.
In recent weeks Ashley Maynard-Brewer has been given the chance to stake a claim for the goalkeeper’s jersey, while Iacovitti has already seen multiple different partners at the heart of defence between Coll Donaldson, Harry Clarke and Jack Baldwin.
For some, those changes may be disruptive, but Iacovitti believes it could work to the Staggies’ advantage as it gives them an air of unpredictability going into matches.
“It’s obviously different,” the former Oldham Athletic defender said.
“Jack and Harry, even when they play together, I think we all know each other’s game.
“Big Ash has come in and done really well, so there’s competition for places.
“Everybody is training hard and fighting for their places week in, week out which is always healthy.
“The more we train together, the better we’ll get.
“There are a load of different options – look at the players we’ve got out wide and up top.
“Everyone brings different attributes which is healthy. Other teams don’t know what’s coming, so it’s good.”
Part of the reason so many different combinations have been used is that there was such a high turnover of players in the summer transfer window.
It has been well-established that between loan deals coming to an end, players getting released and player sales, 15 people left while 12 new faces arrived at the Global Energy Stadium.
Iacovitti, then, is one of the relatively few still at the club from last season.
Only joining in the summer of 2020, he has already played under three managers – Stuart Kettlewell and John Hughes last season, and Malky Mackay this year.
With each new man in charge comes a different approach, new tactics and instructions for the players to adapt to.
As far as Iacovitti is concerned, life is good under Mackay so far despite not yet winning in the league, with what they are working on paying off more every time they have played leading up their trip to Dundee United this Saturday.
So the centre back is convinced the best is yet to come for the Staggies.
“The manager wants us to get on the ball and believe in ourselves more,” he said.
“We have a way of playing depending on who we’re against, so the stuff we’re doing behind the scenes is coming off really well.
“There are loads of different things, there have been quite a few changes, but I think the new boys have come in and adapted well.
“We have all gelled together really well, so I think the more games we play the better we’ll get.”
