Hamilton defender Mihai Popescu is enjoying a good relationship with teammate Dan O'Reilly - but knows they have to concede less.
The Hearts loanee and new import from Irish side Drogheda United have been head coach Stuart Taylor's go-to options in central defence this year.
Both Popescu and O'Reilly have started every game for Accies in 2022 and are likely to join forces again today when they take on Partick Thistle in Championship action.
On loan from Hearts until the end of the season, Popescu is pleased with how their central relationship is forming. But he is keen for less goals to be conceded, having lost two in consecutive matches to Kilmarnock and Dunfermline.
The 28-year-old said: "I have a good relationship with Dan. I feel alright next to him. We talk to each other and we understand each other.
"I am happy to be playing alongside him. Even if we have conceded some goals in the last couple of games, I think we're doing well.
"Hopefully we can continue this way but get more clean sheets too."
Conceding less isn't just down to Popescu and O'Reilly. The Romanian says Taylor has them defending from the front and everyone must take responsibility in lifting Accies above their current eighth place status.
He added: "A defender's job is to defend the goal and not concede. But when we defend, we defend from the striker. It starts there.
"Every time we concede, it isn't always our fault. We are a team and we need to see what is not going well and work on that. We have to concede less."
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