TOMMY WRIGHT wants his St Johnstone side to get back to keeping clean sheets as they seek to improve on their slow start.

The Scottish Cup holders have suffered three defeats in a row and conceded six goals ahead of today's visit to Firhill to face Partick.

They have also struggled up front after selling last season's top scorer Stevie May to Sheffield Wednesday before Steven MacLean suffered a bad knee injury.

But Wright now wants his team to give new strike pair Brian Graham and James McFadden a chance of winning games for them by tightening up at the back.

The Perth side's manager said: "We should have done better up to now and we have been working hard to get out of this bad run.

"I feel that there has been some improvement in our performances but we haven't had the results.

"We are still making mistakes and giving away too many cheap goals. We need to get back to keeping clean sheets to give us the chance to win more games

"The players know they can play better. If we get to the level we are capable of we'll start nicking points.

"But we have to start giving ourselves the best opportunity to win games.

"That starts with the whole team not conceding. With Brian and James in, we can always nick a goal."

Today McFadden will face a Thistle squad who helped get him fit this summer for his move to St Johnstone.

Wright said: "I'm sure James is looking forward to it. He did well last week to get 90 minutes.

"He showed flashes of quality and worked hard. We'll see him get better over the next couple of weeks."