Motherwell go into the international break with a spring in their step after two good, and very different, league wins.
Manager Stuart Kettlewell says he’s welcoming the Premiership pause, but there will be no let-up. His squad will still train, and he even has a bounce game organised against another Scottish top-flight club to give some players game time.
With the break comes a warning, though, and it seems it’s not lost on the squad or at least on one player.
This time last year Motherwell were in a good place. They had started the season well enough, and despite the disappointment of a League Cup exit, they recovered with two strong wins in the league prior to the pause in action.
Not many would have seen the crisis that would follow. Fifteen matches without a win, nine defeats and six draws. It was bleak times at Fir Park.
Of course, Motherwell battled out of the miserable run, but it has clearly not been forgotten.
After their last-gasp victory over St Johnstone on Saturday, I interviewed Motherwell defender Dan Casey, and although he said they were entering the break in good spirits due to back-to-back wins, he brought up the similarity of their position a year ago.
He referred to “going on a tough run” and how the squad “need to ensure it doesn’t happen this year”.
The fact it’s even entering his thoughts suggests there’s a determination to guard against it.
Kettlewell, while wanting his players to look forward, will also want them to heed Casey’s warning. He’s big on learning from past experiences.
Motherwell’s first game back after the break is a trip to Pittodrie and a meeting with in-form Aberdeen.
A tough test against a team who’ve won nine from nine matches so far this season.