Dundee United 23/24

[ArabFC]

5 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

Unlike others I am not happy with Ross Graham, not sure he’s good enough and his propensity to grab players will cost us.

Don't know if you saw the game the other day, but Denham had to be dropped after that.

I was happy with the manner in which we played today, but won't take much from it - Peterhead offered nothing.

And passing it about is the only way we can play this season. At the end of the game our midfielders/forwards were... Docherty, SIbbald, Cudjoe, Glass, Fotheringham and MacLeod. If there's been a shorter 'front six' in Scottish fitba history I'd be suprised.

Docherty playing ahead of Sibbald is just going to consistently piss me off. 

Grimshaw is very obviously a midfielder who can fill in at right back when required, so not much (if any) improvement on Freeman and third choice of the more defensive midfielders. Certainly grafted but not getting excited by him.

 

[ArabFC]

4 minutes ago, Tannadeechee said:

I'm not sure we can see more from Middleton though. That is my worry. It's been mentioned further back on this thread that he was like that at Saints too. He must look good in training, has ability on the training ground, but then is anonymous in games. He'll one good game in 6 where you think yes, "there is the player we know is there" & then back to normal service.

Obviously it's subjective and we all like to think we're a good judge of player, but I swear I can see some talent there.

I am as aware as anyone else that he just hasn't performed, but the stubbornness in me would keep playing the guy to see if doing so would get hm going - probably wouldn't work, but meh, that's where I am.

[ArabianKnight]

1 minute ago, ArabFC said:

Obviously it's subjective and we all like to think we're a good judge of player, but I swear I can see some talent there.

I am as aware as anyone else that he just hasn't performed, but the stubbornness in me would keep playing the guy to see if doing so would get hm going - probably wouldn't work, but meh, that's where I am.

Think everyone sees that tbf, we've all seen flashes from Middleton but on the whole there's something missing.

Laddy needs a massive kick up the arse to get going.

[Loemba90]

Goodwin confirms we’re still looking to bring in another Centre half.  This is obviously good to hear but I’d also like another attacking player as don’t think we have anyone we can rely on to consistently create things over the course of a season.  We all obviously want Mochrie, Meekison or Fotheringham to step up and do that but none of them are proven.

[captainkev]

Holt being reliable enough to score two consecutive penalties suggests that if we take nothing else away from today, then at least we've more or less replaced Jamie McGrath's contribution from last season.

[Sarto Mutiny]

Seems quieter than usual in here tonight, for some reason.

Anyway. A win is a win, but nothing to get too excited about.

[Pull My Strings]

36 minutes ago, Loemba90 said:

Goodwin confirms we’re still looking to bring in another Centre half.  This is obviously good to hear but I’d also like another attacking player as don’t think we have anyone we can rely on to consistently create things over the course of a season.  We all obviously want Mochrie, Meekison or Fotheringham to step up and do that but none of them are proven.

None of them are proven yet at this level but I'd be disappointed if we bring in some plodder to push them down the pecking order. All three are lovely, technical players who need games. I'd be very surprised if we can get a more experienced player with that sort of talent. You've got to give players a chance and this is the time for all three, imo. They won't all play at once but they should all be pushing for a starting place and there should be at least one spot available for them.

[SGMilne]

Based on Goodwin's post match, I suspect we're in for a season of reasonably tight football, where it's the dreaded "pass it sideways until there's a space" philosophy. Not great, but if it wins games, so be it.

Today was fine. Moult and Watt still aren't fit, but everyone did their job ok except probably Middleton, who was again underwhelming for one of our most senior players.

I thought Graham was fine even though some around me seemed to loudly disagree. He makes the odd mistake but he also tries to bring it forward. Very one footed though.

All the subs did fine when they came on too.

Based on what Goodwin had said during the week, maybe Niskanen isn't away, and tbh, I wouldn't be unhappy if he stayed. He might be chronically lacking in composure, but he brings things forward.

Logan Chalmers though, I suspect might be on his way out. That's two games in a row where he hasn't come on, and after his selfish performance vs Spartans I'm not too shocked by that. I'd love him to succeed but it looks like he learned nothing. You could say Middleton, Watt, Cudjoe, Fotheringham and Niskanen are all ahead of him in the pecking order, and if Behic eventually comes back - and considering he has a squad number, he might still - then that would be him as 7th choice out wide.

[Mark Connolly]

Anyone know what the crowd was? They were saying on the radio that it was pretty small by our standards.

I gave up my ST a while back, but of the group of 15 of us that used to go together, since we all first got our ST in the mid 2000s, at least one of us had made every home game (COVID restrictions excepted obviously). That streak ended today, a combination of being older with other things to do, all living a reasonable distance away, and just general apathy at how everything has been going the last while. Of course we would win with a clean sheet as that happens!

[Tannadeechee]

4 minutes ago, Mark Connolly said:

Anyone know what the crowd was? They were saying on the radio that it was pretty small by our standards.

I gave up my ST a while back, but of the group of 15 of us that used to go together, since we all first got our ST in the mid 2000s, at least one of us had made every home game (COVID restrictions excepted obviously). That streak ended today, a combination of being older with other things to do, all living a reasonable distance away, and just general apathy at how everything has been going the last while. Of course we would win with a clean sheet as that happens!

It was 2100 odd. It's about what I'd expect for geoup stages of the league cup against Peterhead.

[Fife Arab]

1 hour ago, Loemba90 said:

Goodwin confirms we’re still looking to bring in another Centre half.  This is obviously good to hear but I’d also like another attacking player as don’t think we have anyone we can rely on to consistently create things over the course of a season.  We all obviously want Mochrie, Meekison or Fotheringham to step up and do that but none of them are proven.

Goodwin is on record saying one part he wanted to address in this window  was the lack of pace in the squad. If we are to bring in a CB and no one else we certainly haven’t addressed the lack of pace ….

[ArabFC]

18 minutes ago, SGMilne said:

Based on Goodwin's post match, I suspect we're in for a season of reasonably tight football, where it's the dreaded "pass it sideways until there's a space" philosophy. Not great, but if it wins games, so be it.

Dreaded?

Years of hoof and hope murderball and folk are dreading creating space by passing the fitba?

Wild!

[Tannadeechee]

4 minutes ago, ArabFC said:

Dreaded?

Years of hoof and hope murderball and folk are dreading creating space by passing the fitba?

Wild!

We've had nothing but passing it side to side aimlessly for the past few years and when it has been passed to death between centrebacks and the space is closed off we've had no option other than launch it.

No issues from me with passing, but for the love of f**k, do with purpose and try move it quickly this season. I really can't take another season of mind numbing, sleep inducing side to side then backwards then to right/left back who hits it back 1st time to keeper who outs it back to CH who passes it to other CH who takes an age to make a decision then launches it because it has taken so long all space is closed off!

If we move the ball quickly, learn to,  like other teams from league 2 upwards, make a pass with only one touch quickly to someone in space and we support them to receive a pass again. If we mix it up pass with purpose, then everyone wants that. There will not be a fan complaining.

What @SGMilne is taking about isn't that, just the directionless shite we've been served up and nulified by everone we've played for last couple of seasons. Although as Mulgrew isn't playing wee may see less and less of it.

[ArabFC]

The actual fitba we played today, which included much side to side passing, I can live with. Obviously it needs to be quicker, more quality etc etc

But the last few years isn't really what I would class as passing to create space - it was passing it back as soon as pressed because yer petrified you'll lose the ball, so it goes back until its at the feet of a CB or GK whose only intent is to hoof it.

Very different things.

[Tannadeechee]

13 minutes ago, ArabFC said:

The actual fitba we played today, which included much side to side passing, I can live with. Obviously it needs to be quicker, more quality etc etc

But the last few years isn't really what I would class as passing to create space - it was passing it back as soon as pressed because yer petrified you'll lose the ball, so it goes back until its at the feet of a CB or GK whose only intent is to hoof it.

Very different things.

It certainly wasn't. There were many, many games including under Courts, Fox and Goodin where it was passing for passings sake, slow, mind numbing side to side just for the sake of passing. Mulgrew being number 1 instigator as I watched Courts throw his hands in the air in frustration a number of times.

There was of course what you described above, but there are a lot of "Matalan Catalans" who subscribe to the passing for passing sake in Scotland. Just hoping Goodwin isn't one of them, and hoping his passing style is quicker as he has said it will be and purposeful .

 

[dundeeunited83]

What was grimshaw like at right back??? 

[Tannadeechee]

29 minutes ago, dundeeunited83 said:

What was grimshaw like at right back??? 

Solid, nothing spectacular. Certainly in the first half he keptt.cutting infield rather than going down the flank or offering the overlap. Must have been a tactic.as.he.kept doing it amd allowing Meekison to run into the space you'd expect Grimshaw to be using.

[mishtergrolsch]

The worry I have this season is lack of pace and width.

If Behic does come back and we keep Niskanen then that's two wide options. One is good and one is exceptionally hit and miss.

Watt isn't what I'd class as fast or a winger, Middleton can't be relied upon to be consistent, either can the likes of Chalmers etc.

Teams will sit in against us and if we have tippy tappy players in the middle then we'll need players out wide to stretch and pull players around to create space. If not it'll be the usual huff and puff, create very few chances, revert to launching the ball and struggle to come back if we go a goal down.

[Steven W]

Whilst very much bearing in mind the opposition, it was nice to go to a game and see us on the front foot for the full 90 minutes. Watching United yesterday was actually enjoyable!

Was a bit disappointed to see Mochrie taken off at 55mins as he was playing so well. Would be good to see him and Meekison get on the score sheet soon. These young players we have mostly look more than capable for life in the Championship, and you'd hope once they start getting among the goals they'll really start to motor.

Can't disagree with any that's been said of Middleton. Not sure what's happened to him - I remember seeing him for Scotland u21s skinning a full back time after time, but that ability seems to have gone from him.

[invergowrie arab]

Any highlights?

Couldn't make the game but assume we are back back back?