Ross County manager Derek Adams is aiming for a better start to the Scottish Premiership campaign than usual, but knows that his new players will take time to gel.
County have struggled in the opening halves of their previous two seasons in the top flight, relying on January reinforcements to finish the season safely.
County open their new season against St Johnstone in Dingwall on Sunday, and Adams will have 10 new signings at his disposal.
"Players took a wee bit of time to adjust last season and some who had been here didn't start the season very well," Adams is quoted as saying by ESPN. "That combined meant we didn't start that well.
"Whoever starts well gets confidence and that puts them on a good run. You always want to do that. It's over the course of the season that you are judged, not the start, not the middle, it's throughout the 36 games.
"Partick Thistle got 20 points on board very early last season but they finished in 10th place. It doesn't mean that if you start well you also finish well."
County continued building their squad this week with the re-signing of Cardiff midfielder Filip Kiss on loan and the return of Graham Carey.
