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Dundee United 2018/2019


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Today's performance was no better than anything I'd seen before the transfer window squad change. Our midfield were posted missing and our defence lumped the ball aimlessly forward where it wad easily dealt with by Inverness.  We were easily closed down in the attacking half because we insisted on being so close to each other that passes were easy to intercept or defenders only had to adjust their position by a small distance to be able to transfer their pressure to the new man on the ball. This highlighted our poor first touch and we surrendered the ball tamely too often. Compare that with the space Inverness enjoyed to pass the ball around.

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Today's performance was no better than anything I'd seen before the transfer window squad change. Our midfield were posted missing and our defence lumped the ball aimlessly forward where it wad easily dealt with by Inverness.  We were easily closed down in the attacking half because we insisted on being so close to each other that passes were easy to intercept or defenders only had to adjust their position by a small distance to be able to transfer their pressure to the new man on the ball. This highlighted our poor first touch and we surrendered the ball tamely too often. Compare that with the space Inverness enjoyed to pass the ball around.

The space they had was excruciating - we look so static at times it’s painful.

Fyvie was really poor today - no pace , no urgency , we were completely overrun in mid field. The annoying thing is that on the few occasions we did pass the ball around we looked tidy, and linked up well. To be honest the team set up today did not work and it showed. Nielson got it wrong.

Hopefully a learning experience as really, we didn’t deserve the win, and the focus has to be the league. The prospect of a distracting semi final, and the danger of an absolute pumping at a crucial time of the season wasn’t something to look forward too.
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9 hours ago, captainkev said:

The 2008 final is still the most painful to look back on of all the games I've been to. To have outplayed one of the Old Firm in a cup final over regular time only to throw away that equaliser - Mark bloody Kerr - will always haunt me. Knocking Rangers out on the way to winning in 2010 hasn't helped either. Even the 2014 final and the doon derby aren't close to it. 

As for the Mypa game, I wasn't particularly aware at the time how much of a minter it was getting knocked out like that, so it's never really stuck with me. Of the few European games we've had in my time attending  the Slask game is the one that hurts the most.

We should have at least scored an away goal in Poland, if not led the tie coming back to Scotland. Having turned the scoreline around in the opening ten minutes and overall played really well, to go out on away goals due to a screamer strike just as it looked they were fading was/still is a real sore one.

Their fans were p***ks as well.

IIRC, we opened that season with about 4 games in a row where we let people shoot from 30 yards with the same result.

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7 minutes ago, Reverend Maynard said:


The space they had was excruciating - we look so static at times it’s painful.

Fyvie was really poor today - no pace , no urgency , we were completely overrun in mid field. The annoying thing is that on the few occasions we did pass the ball around we looked tidy, and linked up well. To be honest the team set up today did not work and it showed. Nielson got it wrong.

Hopefully a learning experience as really, we didn’t deserve the win, and the focus has to be the league. The prospect of a distracting semi final, and the danger of an absolute pumping at a crucial time of the season wasn’t something to look forward too.

The thing is, we start the same way almost every game. Other than a few matches weve been utterly rubbish and used the same system and style. 

Neilson is getting a fair bit wrong.

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54 minutes ago, Mark Connolly said:

IIRC, we opened that season with about 4 games in a row where we let people shoot from 30 yards with the same result.

Yeah I think you're right. Tbh I think we lost a staggering number of goals from long range that season. Each team seemed to get a goal of the year contender against us. The most insufferable one from our point of view was a last minute winner from Arnason for Aberdeen at Tannadice on new years day. He was closer to the half way line when he shot.

Edited by captainkev
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Neilson is getting a fair bit wrong.

Certainly did yesterday. Smith on the wing? That’s not where we will get the most out of him. We’ve increased the quality of the squad overall, but if he’s trying to be too clever then it won’t work on the park, and we’ll be back to square one.
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Just feel very deflated, and not for the first time this season. The fans turn out in numbers, the flags are out and the mood is great, then.......

Thing is, we have ten games left and as the weeks go on the pressure builds and builds. It seems like regardless of who we have in the team we still, still can't deal with big games.

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20 minutes ago, stumigoo said:

Just feel very deflated, and not for the first time this season. The fans turn out in numbers, the flags are out and the mood is great, then.......

Thing is, we have ten games left and as the weeks go on the pressure builds and builds. It seems like regardless of who we have in the team we still, still can't deal with big games.

Sports psychologist needed at the club. Definite mentality surrounding Tannadice that the team just crumbles at bigger games. 

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Just feel very deflated, and not for the first time this season. The fans turn out in numbers, the flags are out and the mood is great, then.......
Thing is, we have ten games left and as the weeks go on the pressure builds and builds. It seems like regardless of who we have in the team we still, still can't deal with big games.

Think we’re in a better position compared to this time last year, with regards to league position, squad strength and manager. I feel like it’s still a new squad needing to gel a bit , but as you say have few games to do it.

At the back of my mind was some nightmarish 1987 type situation of having a cup final and promotion play off to face, and losing both. Team performance was gash on Sunday but they can now focus 100% on the league which I’m happy about.

Onwards.
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11 minutes ago, Skint said:

Sure I've posted this before , here's my take on the ideal team. c0ed39f8cd671a0aa44a075125163329.jpg

I’ve seen Sow making three appearances and he’s been shit in every one.  Particularly the Falkirk game.  

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1 hour ago, stumigoo said:

Just feel very deflated, and not for the first time this season. The fans turn out in numbers, the flags are out and the mood is great, then.......

Thing is, we have ten games left and as the weeks go on the pressure builds and builds. It seems like regardless of who we have in the team we still, still can't deal with big games.

It's getting to the point that hearing ahead of a game we're going to have a big home support at Tannadice fired up to support the team just fills me with dread; resignedly expecting a performance much like yesterday.

Our reaction to the large, enthusiastic home crowd and being on TV  yesterday is particularly a cause for concern if we're to be in the play offs again at season's end. 

1 hour ago, ArabianKnight said:

Definite mentality surrounding Tannadice that the team just crumbles at bigger games. 

Although he's a very convenient scapegoat, McNamara seems most responsible for this legacy of United shitebaggery. He talked a good game about trying to bring a winning mentality to the squad, but his lasting contribution seems to have been to erode any real team spirit  or appetite for big stakes games that had built up over Levein and Houston's management.

Looking back to 2013, relatively early in McNamara's tenure, when we went out to Celtic in the semi-final of the Scottish cup, I remember being really proud of the team despite the disappointment of losing. The mentality and commitment we displayed that day are a world away from our repeated high profile bottle jobs since our relegation season. Plus, we hardly had our troubles to seek going into that game. 

Russell was still out injured, while Daly had noticeably declined over that season; injury problems in defence led to Souttar, at 16, playing the full 120 mins at centre-half and Gauld, another teenager, also started and played the majority of the game. We also went behind after one minute to a team that beat us 6-2 the last time we played. Despite that, we still repeatedly came back and only narrowly lost in extra time. That sort of effort and resiliance seems utterly beyond United almost six years on now, and has done for at least a couple of years.

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No danger Safranko will be here. Unless his club are willing to write off a few hundred grand and he takes a pay cut i cant see it.

Also, ifld be tying this out next game

 

Keeper.

Seaman Connolly Reynolds Robson

Pawlett Harkes Butcher McMullan

              Clark Safranko

 

Just go baws out and try to score at least one goal from open play.

 

If not then

 

Keeper.

Seaman Connolly Reynolds Robson

                         Butcher 

       Pawlett. Harkes. McMullan 

                  Safranko Clark

 

I honestly think if we play 2 up front it will be enough to cause teams enough of a headache to take the pressure off our midfield and defence.

At least it wouldnt be 42.        3.         1.

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This might be harsh on Clark, but if we're going to stick to 4-2-3-1 as a formation, then perhaps it might be worth dropping him from the number 10 position and moving either Smith or Pawlett into that role? Yes Clark's scored most of our goals lately, but the majority have been penalties and the goals have dried up around them. Smith's never been overly impressive as a winger in his total time with us, while one of his few chances to play as the number 10 for McKinnon saw him score a hat trick against Partick in the cup. Furthermore, if I recall rightly, Pawlett's best spell at Aberdeen came when he was playing centrally during McInnes' early days. We can put McMullan or Nesbitt out wide to replace whichever of them moves into the middle behind the striker, who I'd still keep as Safranko despite it seeming pretty unlikely that we'll have him next season. 

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