Stephen Robinson met with the media on Tuesday afternoon ahead of our game against Falkirk.

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Tannadice reflections

“In terms of the things to take from it, the performance was good. There was a lot of positive play, a lot of really good play. We’re starting to see things come together in that forward area.

“But obviously, as I said on Saturday, you can’t concede three goals and expect to win football matches. That’s something we spoke about, had meetings about and showed the players.

“We have to respond to that as a team, not as individuals. Defensively, we have to do both sides of the game. And as I said at the time of the game, we were very cavalier at times, which was my fault because we felt we were in total ascendancy and we could win the game. So that’s something everybody has to be better at.”

Centre-halves update

“Mats Knoester needs to go and see a specialist. We’ve had scans and he’ll go to a specialist for a follow-up consultation. So, it’s very unlikely that he’ll be available for either game.

“Dan Happe is back training today. He’s been back training from a virus, and sitting at a desk or being able to run about for 90 minutes is very, very different. So again, we’re just going to have to assess Dan. He would certainly be a big plus if he was available to play at any stage.

“He might have to (have Kristers Tober make the bench on Wednesday), with the availability we have at centre-half. Obviously Mats is out and Lewis Mayo is out for a couple of months now. He may have to be, but that’s not ideal. The kid’s been out a year, and he was due to play in a KDM game a week ago, which would have put him in a much better position, but he got the virus as well.

“We’re just going to have to play that by ear. If Dan Happe isn’t available tomorrow, he might have to. Then Saturday becomes a completely different problem because Dan Happe is suspended as well. So we’re just taking each game as it comes and seeing who’s available. Mats isn’t available and Lewis isn’t available for these next two games anyway."

Consistency

“Yeah, I think that’s been our biggest problem: consistency in team selection based on injuries, form and illness. When you have a good run, it’s usually very few changes, limited changes, and we’ve had to keep changing consistently between systems and personnel. That certainly isn’t ideal.

“We’ll see what is available. I still believe that we can put out a very, very good team that should win the game and should be very, very competitive in the games going forward. But it certainly limits the options that we have.

“Everything is winning football matches. When you win football matches, lots of people don’t go to the game, they see the result and everything’s fantastic. You lose the game and everything’s rubbish, and it usually isn’t ever. But that’s up to us to win games. We’re playing at home. We expect to win. We’re expected to win, and that hasn’t changed. Football hasn’t changed in a long time. You’re expected to win football matches, and if you don’t, you come under criticism."

Team news

“Connor Ronan will miss the next match, definitely. He’s going to see a specialist about a medial knee ligament injury after Saturday. So that’s a big blow for us, a huge blow for us. I thought he was fantastic, just finding his feet and his form.

“Findlay Marshall and Tony Yogane have just come back into training, with Dan Happe in terms of the virus. So we’ll again see how they are. As I say, sitting in an office is a wee bit different from playing 90 minutes of football. We’ll see what that availability is, but we have got plenty of options in that forward area and the midfield area as well.

Falkirk

“They’ve got some very good players. I think John’s done a fantastic job. His recruitment has been very, very good year in, year out.

“We need to be 100%. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. You have to be more organised behind the ball. As I say, we were a little bit cavalier. People may call it brave at times, but we need to be a little bit sensible with that. We haven’t got the balance right at times.

“It was very, very attacking on Saturday, very enjoyable to watch. If we’re going to lose games, I’d rather lose games like that than sit in and not be brave, but there is a balance between the two."

On pitch leadership

“I think Mats is a very good example. A very experienced boy, very calm character, and he does settle everybody down. You’ve got young boys at the back who are still finding their way and maybe don’t communicate as much as we should do, but that’s society. I don’t think anybody does.

“Brad Lyons will, he’ll talk. Stuart Armstrong will talk. We have got people that can lead and control the game on the pitch, because it’s very, very difficult from the side when the crowd are there as well and getting excited. But that’s up to us as a management staff to try and control that better."

Problems at centre-half

“It’s probably in one position, really. It’s at centre-half. We’re having real issues at the moment in terms of fitness. Obviously, people get their chances and their opportunities, and it’s up to them to take them. Somebody’s misfortune, as I continually say, can be somebody else’s opportunity. It’s up to them to step up and be counted."

A tight table

“I think it’s four points from fourth and four points from bottom. It’s really, really important tomorrow night that we get a result. Then we have another home game against Hibs a week later, with the cup game in between.

“We’ve certainly got the opportunity to do that. I’ve got the belief that the squad can do that. If we produce the performance that we did in the second half, and for large parts of the game on Saturday, then I can see the team grow.

“As I say, the biggest problem we’ve had is consistency: consistency in team selection, consistency in injuries and illness, loss of form, whatever it may be. A successful side needs to have minimal changes, and unfortunately, at this stage, we have not been able to do that for various reasons.

“I think in this league with it being so small, if you win two games in a row, three games in a row, you cement your position, because it’s very, very difficult given the competitive nature of the league. So, it’s about trying to put a run together.

“We’ve not been able to do that yet. If we can get two to three games in a row where we’re picking up maximum points, then the picture changes, but that’s easier said than done."

John McGlynn

“(They are) a really good side. As I repeat myself, John’s recruited really, really well. I think he does that every year. His recruitment’s fantastic. A lot of loan players that he gets in from various clubs in England, and we expect a really tough game.

They had a fantastic result on Saturday, so they’ll come with absolutely no fear. If we can produce the performance that we did and tidy up certain things defensively and individually, then we go into the game confident."