The live match on BBC Scotland on Friday night wasn't one for the purists as United and Alloa played out a fairly drab goalless draw.
I continue to find it staggering that we have a squad with one (unfit) winger when our entire tactical set up is about getting it wide and putting crosses in.
On Friday we seemed to be reliant on our full backs, primarily Jamie Robson, to put crosses into the box. His delivery, along with everyone elses, was horrific. And any ball that did look threatening was gobbled up by the Alloa defence.
The alternative of course is to try to play through them centrally but for reasons best kept to himself, Neilson decided to go with two holding midfielders. We badly miss dynamism in the middle of the park and as each week rolls on, Sam Stanton and Nicky Clark are becoming increasingly better players. And Iain Harkes is definitely not a right midfielder.
I don't think it's unfair to question the tactics and squad building of the manager this season and he needs to improve with what he has between now and the end of the season. The recent run of form is allowing a little negativity to creep back in amongst the fans and we need to see improvements quickly to stop that. I fear we're going to crawl over the line rather than blitz our way to the title and that's a little bit disappointing.
As ever, mon the Terrors
AAFC 0 DUFC 0
posted on 17/2/20
comment by Ollie Crankshaw (U1734)
posted 5 minutes ago
Watched it. Worst game of all time.
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If you'd been reading my match reports over the last 4 years you'd know it's not even in the top 10 worst games of all time (all of which feature United).
posted on 17/2/20
There is no doubt you are coming up,Ivan, but my worry would would be staying up. Need at least 4 or 5 new players of better quality than you have at present to aviod being in the relegation mix next year
posted on 17/2/20
7
We definitely need an improved squad but I'm wary of making wholesale changes.
We do need quality signings though because a good chuck of those players aren't good enough.
posted on 17/2/20
My eldest took his godson to this game who thought that Dundee United were the “best team ever” and was so excited about them going to be promoted to the top league so he could see them playing Celtic who he also considers to be the “best team ever”.
My boy sighed, then smiled a little as he tried to prevent the affects of the freezing cold and utter boredom of a game that in his opinion was the worst he’s ever witnessed.
Such was the feedback I got
posted on 17/2/20
If the young lad decides to be an Arab then he's going to need to get used to days like Friday
posted on 17/2/20
Absolutely eye bleeding stuff on Friday night. Watson playing and is keeping a clean sheet proved what we’ve all been thinking. Wonder if he’ll drop him again this Friday...
In my opinion, we shouldn’t be playing two defensive midfielders in this league.
Hopefully a difference we’ll see on Friday is a team coming to attack, if they do and it opens out a bit I think we’ll do better. Don’t want to underestimate John Robertson though, he’ll have seen why we struggled the last few matches...
Day off today, love a Monday holiday!
posted on 17/2/20
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100% agree with everything you've wrote.
Watson has to be in the team on Friday and then build from there. Don't really care who plays beside him.
enjoy your day off you lucky bassa
posted on 17/2/20
I expect the mighty Arabs to win the top division next season
posted on 17/2/20
If we're going to play Powers and Butcher every game then I'd much rather see Butcher play at centre-back. Having both of them sitting in front of the back line is just awful, especially when we have no meaningful width.
Great to see Arbroath up to 4th and only a couple of points off of second. I'd love to see them somehow get promotion.
posted on 17/2/20
Football is beyond a joke with defensive midfielders. I saw Bowman and McInally for United, would I class them as defensive midfielders? No. They could play a bit but they were not solely defensive midfielders.
I regard myself fortunate to have witnessed football then. The "football" on offer now is terrible.
Loan signings? How many of them are there these days? Transfer Windows- Last day sales and practically your season ticket is reduced to a half season wet blanket.
UEFA "Champions League". Champions only is it? Nope.
UEFA Cup was knock-out whereas now you have the Europa League.
The balls well and truly burst imo.