That was one for the purists.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, what a day that was yesterday and what a performance from the Terrors. That was by far and away the best performance of the season and everything just came together perfectly to give us as comfortable a win as you'll see all season. The only disappointment was that we didn't win by more, and there could have been no complaints if it was 4 or 5 by half time.
It's been eye bleeding stuff all season and Mellon's insistence on trying to shoehorn all three forwards - Shankland, Clark and McNulty - into the starting XI every week has been baffling. It hasn't worked. And then all of a sudden yesterday it did, and it worked perfectly.
Everything about the team worked and they were a collective unit working together to implement the tactical plan. They were tenacious all over the park, winning the ball back and releasing the front three to go and cause chaos, and at times it looked like we might score every time we went up the park. The midfield was outstanding and the hard work they put in paid off big time. We were direct - and we have been all season - but rather than it being hopeful punts up the park it was instead clever balls into our forwards to let them go and utilise the space available to them. Our use of the ball was very good throughout and that was the difference yesterday.
I won't lose sight of how bad Aberdeen were though. I said after we beat them at Tannadice last month that they're an atrocious football team and it probably says something about the state of our game at the moment that they're sitting in 4th. But yesterday they played completely into our hands. Everything went through Ferguson and rather than pull our midfield diamond around to create space (and probably just as importantly pull Clark back towards his own goal), he kept trying to play killer balls through a congested midfield. The outlet for them was Kennedy to get one on ones with Robson but they never used it, and it played into our hands perfectly.
A big moment yesterday for Mark McNulty too, who has failed to live up to expectations this season. In fact he's been a very poor signing up to the last few weeks, but all of a sudden he looks like he might just be a player after all. A couple of great goals yesterday and you can see that he's looking fitter and slimmer and it's making a big difference to him.
The goal that summed up the difference between the two sides though was big Edwards header. He got between three passive defenders and he just wanted it more than they did, and his header bulleted into the bottom corner.
Obviously with the news from Ibrox later in the evening it opens the cup up to all of those still in the hat, and suddenly, after months of watching some of the least entertaining football I've ever seen, we might, maybe, just end up winning the Scottish Cup. We're not the favourites and don't deserve to be, but if we play like we did yesterday then we definitely have a chance, especially now that the biggest obstacle to winning it has been removed. But then Hibs, St Johnstone and whoever wins tonight will also be fancying their chances. Bring it on!
Mon the Terrors
AFC 0 DUFC 3
posted on 26/4/21
That was some show by the Arabs
The D Utd from my youth.
posted on 26/4/21
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 37 minutes ago
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 32 minutes ago
A lot of Rangers fans seem to hold a significant grudge against United.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are also plenty of Rangers who dont really give much of a hoot about Dundee United at all I am afraid.
Aberdeen fans will be upset to read this - they seem to think they have a speshul place in Rangers fans hearts too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm very sorry I brought this topic up even in jest as you seem genuinely seem upset that another club should be disliked by your own fans. I know it might be stepping on Rangers fans toes after all they even have a song all about this. However this dislike or even hatred does exist with a significant number of Rangers fans. As I said earlier it's up to someone else to decide on the merits of said dislike.
posted on 26/4/21
Was a great performance by United under the circumstances but that was absolutely the worst performance I've ever seen domestically from Aberdeen (Sigma Olomouc game wins overall - Stuart Duff at centre-back FFS).
Forfar gave United infinitely more resistance than Aberdeen did. The players barely broke beyond a jog all game. Some more clinical finishing and actual effort from United in the last half-hour could have seen a real rout - could have been another 9-0.
Put simply, Aberdeen look like a team that have just sacked a club legend as manager and are heading for a death spiral, much like their slump after foolishly sacking Calderwood.
posted on 26/4/21
comment by CambuslangArab (U20546)
posted 33 minutes ago
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 37 minutes ago
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 32 minutes ago
A lot of Rangers fans seem to hold a significant grudge against United.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are also plenty of Rangers who dont really give much of a hoot about Dundee United at all I am afraid.
Aberdeen fans will be upset to read this - they seem to think they have a speshul place in Rangers fans hearts too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm very sorry I brought this topic up even in jest as you seem genuinely seem upset that another club should be disliked by your own fans. I know it might be stepping on Rangers fans toes after all they even have a song all about this. However this dislike or even hatred does exist with a significant number of Rangers fans. As I said earlier it's up to someone else to decide on the merits of said dislike.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am and fine but seeing you brought it up - you seem upset that United might not matter quite as much to Rangers fans as you think.
🥲
posted on 26/4/21
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 28 minutes ago
comment by CambuslangArab (U20546)
posted 33 minutes ago
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 37 minutes ago
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 32 minutes ago
A lot of Rangers fans seem to hold a significant grudge against United.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are also plenty of Rangers who dont really give much of a hoot about Dundee United at all I am afraid.
Aberdeen fans will be upset to read this - they seem to think they have a speshul place in Rangers fans hearts too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm very sorry I brought this topic up even in jest as you seem genuinely seem upset that another club should be disliked by your own fans. I know it might be stepping on Rangers fans toes after all they even have a song all about this. However this dislike or even hatred does exist with a significant number of Rangers fans. As I said earlier it's up to someone else to decide on the merits of said dislike.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am and fine but seeing you brought it up - you seem upset that United might not matter quite as much to Rangers fans as you think.
🥲
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not at all sir, I'm neither upset nor am I wrong. As my user name suggests I'm from the west coast and having worked in companies with large numbers of staff and getting to hear the drivel on SSB and read the large amount of Twitter feeds that mention Dundee United, I can tell you if you and your friends hold no opinion on Dundee United then you are in the minority. *Note* I say no opinion as I worked with a season ticket holder of 29 years who actually had a soft spot for United.
posted on 26/4/21
Don't mind Dundee utd
Many happy memories going up to games
Pints in Invergowrie
Title wins
Seeing Sturrock and Narey at their prime
Always a good day out
posted on 27/4/21
comment by CambuslangArab (U20546)
posted 15 hours, 52 minutes ago
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 28 minutes ago
comment by CambuslangArab (U20546)
posted 33 minutes ago
comment by Hot Shot Hamish (U21959)
posted 37 minutes ago
comment by IvanGolacIsMagic (U5291)
posted 32 minutes ago
A lot of Rangers fans seem to hold a significant grudge against United.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are also plenty of Rangers who dont really give much of a hoot about Dundee United at all I am afraid.
Aberdeen fans will be upset to read this - they seem to think they have a speshul place in Rangers fans hearts too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm very sorry I brought this topic up even in jest as you seem genuinely seem upset that another club should be disliked by your own fans. I know it might be stepping on Rangers fans toes after all they even have a song all about this. However this dislike or even hatred does exist with a significant number of Rangers fans. As I said earlier it's up to someone else to decide on the merits of said dislike.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am and fine but seeing you brought it up - you seem upset that United might not matter quite as much to Rangers fans as you think.
🥲
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not at all sir, I'm neither upset nor am I wrong. As my user name suggests I'm from the west coast and having worked in companies with large numbers of staff and getting to hear the drivel on SSB and read the large amount of Twitter feeds that mention Dundee United, I can tell you if you and your friends hold no opinion on Dundee United then you are in the minority. *Note* I say no opinion as I worked with a season ticket holder of 29 years who actually had a soft spot for United.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaaah....right I didnt realise you had done a scientific analysis of data from twitter bams, SSB super bams and 'some guys you work with'.
I take it all back - because they definitely represent the majority of Rangers fans
posted on 27/4/21
I don't think it really matters chaps. Ultimately we've got a semi final with Hibs to think about while you fine chaps at Rangers can put your feet up and sleepwalk through to the end of the season.
posted on 27/4/21
We have been sleepwalking or more like staggering through the remainder of the season since the title was wrapped up
posted on 28/4/21
I don't hold any sort of grudge against Dundee United, in fact I'd quite like to see them reestablish themselves as more strong clubs is better as far as I'm concerned.
Stephen Thompson however was a joke. Obsessed with Rangers for a period, to the detriment of the running of his own club, then sleepwalked United to relegation while chasing a fantasy of buying an Australian club. Dundee United are a big club and he trashed them with his arrogance. That he pished on Rangers in the process is neither here nor there.