This is one of the hardest away days there is in the SPL these days. Ignore bogey grounds, take the Old Firm out of the equation and Tannadice and Tynecastle are just about level in the difficulty stakes. Not that anyone told United that as they went to Hearts and won last week - sparking the usual, sensible events we have all come to know and love down Gorgie ways these days. So it's fair to say that, currently, an away day at Tannadice is the third hardest trip in the SPL.
Therefore, there could be no better test of our new, flowing football so early in the season. If we can get a result tomorrow it shows that maybe passing the ball about rather than crossing our fingers and hoping for the best will be effective after all. A defeat won't be a disaster, but it will perhaps bring a few folk who are getting carried away back down to earth. Talk of the top six after two games is incredibly fanciful - if we're still playing like this and producing results, and a few more goals, after 22 games then we can talk about it.
Dundee United have been incredibly spawny against us in recent years. We have only beaten them twice since we were promoted in 2006 - three times if you include a Scottish Cup victory - but that doesn't tell the full story. Twice we were ahead going into the last 10 minutes and contrived to lose the game. Last season we threw away two wins against the Arabs because we conceded goals in the last minute - and that's without thinking too much about the situation. We took a win at Tannadice last season, which should give us some hope, but there will be no time to relax tomorrow until the game is finished.
Predicting the team at the moment is pretty easy. Same again. After impressive displays against Dunfermline and Aberdeen there is absolutely no need to change things around for our third consecutive game against a team from the east coast. What has to change is our sharpness in front of goal. We should have been a couple up at half time of both our previous games but weren't. Fortunately, we weren't made to pay either but that is surely a situation that can't continue.
On numerous occasions over the years we have suffered as a result of our former players scoring against us, but the boot may be on the other foot tomorrow. Admittedly, the changes of Lee Mair scoring against his former employers are only slightly better than Craig Samson but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Steven Thompson finally open his account. The big striker should have done that against Dunfermline and missed a sitter against Aberdeen, so maybe it will be third time lucky. Injury wise, Hugh Murray is still out while Aaron Mooy and David Barron are both still recovering from injury.
Last week's win over Hearts may have been worth more than just three points to Peter Houston's Dundee United side. The comical fallout could well have gone a long way to earning them third place in the league come May. That may seem like a farcical statement given there are still 36 games to go but if the latest goings on in the west end of Edinburgh lead to another implosion, who can you realistically see stopping the Arabs claiming the best of the rest role? Motherwell could put a run together, as could Aberdeen or Hibs, but you'd surely have to fancy the men in tangerine to claim that place now.
That's not bad going when you consider the changes there have been on Tayside this year. Prince Bauben, Morgaro Gomis, David Robertson, Craig Conway and Darren Dods have all gone their separate ways - and this week David Goodwillie did one too as he was sold to Blackburn Rovers. While the original five to depart left United for sod all, Goodwillie's departure should at least allow Houston to bring in a few players to strengthen his squad. Another striker is a must, although the arrivals of John Rankin, Willo Flood and Gary Mackay-Stevens mean a midfielder isn't quite the priority it must have been. However, another centre half wouldn't go amiss, which is why Houston is desperately trying to snare Gavin Gunning from Blackburn.
Not that United will be an easy team to beat if they decide to just bank the £2million and watch the meagre interest accumulate at the bank as they still have a damn good side. Dusan Pernis is a fine keeper, Garry Kenneth seems to be getting rid of that rawness and Paul Dixon and Sean Dillon are good fullbacks. Danny Swanson has always impressed me when I've seen him and is stepping into the Barry Robson shaped hole created a few years ago, while Johnny Russell is tipped for big things. Up front, Jon Daly has often caused us problems when he isn't injured.
I said I'd be happy with a point against Dunfermline if we got one. I said victory was a must against Aberdeen and we did it. This week? I'd be delighted with another draw to keep our unbeaten run going for a wee while longer.
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