Alan Archibald happy to face county before expected January transfer spree
Alan Archibald is glad his Partick Thistle side are taking on relegation rivals Ross County before they go on their annual January shopping spree.
The Staggies have made a successful habit in recent years of reshaping their squad during the winter transfer window.
And with just goal difference keeping them off bottom spot ahead of facing current Ladbrokes Premiership back-markers Thistle at the Energy Check Stadium on Saturday, boss Owen Coyle will expect to make another raft of additions when the market reopens.
Archibald, though, is desperate to get the victory which will lift his side out of the basement before the winter break and is relieved he is facing County now rather than next month.
He told the club's official TV channel: ''The way Owen has spoken over the last few days, it seems he feels like he has an imbalance in his squad.
County are notorious for getting players in during January and always have good strong windows in terms of going out and getting the players. They have the budget that allows them to do it.
We just hope that this is the right time to be facing them.
We don't want to count our chickens but we're in a good place right now with our home form.''
Jags had nine players missing when the fell to a 1-0 defeat at Aberdeen in midweek but Archibald is keeping his fingers crossed that Martin Woods, Chris Erskine and Kris Doolan will return to face the Highlanders at Firhill.
''Hopefully we can get some of the players back who missed out against Aberdeen which will strengthen us,'' he said.
It's a massive game for both sides with the way results have gone in recent weeks. We got off the bottom but now find ourselves back down there again with County jumping ahead of us.
It makes for a really intriguing match and both sides will be desperate to go into the winter break with a victory and off the bottom of the table.
With the amount of injuries we've had and with our form not being great recently, the main thing is that we cling on to the teams round about us.
We've done that recently and now Saturday gives us a big chance to come back after the break with two or three players fit again with us still in touching distance of the teams in front.''