With the dust having settled on Mixu Paatelainen’s first game in charge of Dundee United – a 1-0 home defeat to Hearts on Sunday – our football writer Ian Roache reflects upon the start of a new managerial era at Tannadice.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=f1BhCWkLX5Q%3Frel%3D01
WelcomeThe new Tannadice head coach received a warm welcome from the fans and he answered with enthusiastic applause of his own on his way from the tunnel to the dugout before kick-off.
Thereafter, the atmosphere was rather flat and there seems to be a growing number of empty seats in the United stands.
In one corner of the George Fox there was a banner that read: “Our season starts here.”
Sadly for the supporters, it wasn’t a winning start but there is goodwill among the fanbase for former player Paatelainen.
That should last for the foreseeable future but even the most loyal of fans will become increasingly frustrated and worried the longer United stay in bottom spot.2 ImpactPaatelainen has shaken things up in the few days he has been in charge.
That has been confirmed by senior players such as Sean Dillon and John Rankin.
He is a physically imposing guy and has a deliberate, measured way of talking that will grab the players’ attention.
In retrospect, it is clear that the Tangerines would have benefited from an earlier appointment to give him at least a week to work with the squad before what was a crucial match against Hearts.
An authoritative figure, Paatelainen will get respect but his greatest challenge will be getting the players to carry out his instructions to the letter on match days.3 TeamTo win or even draw the game there would have had to have been much better service to Billy Mckay.
Instead, it was sadly lacking for the whole 90 minutes.
Mckay is the right striker to help them out of the mess they are in but behind him there needs to be more composure from players when looking to make the final pass.
United could also do with some Mixu muscle in midfield, with players such as Scott Fraser and Aaron Kuhl offering skill and ability but needing to add steel to their play.
Rankin was United’s best player against Hearts because he had both grit and guile.
The manager totally rejigged the defence, using Ryan McGowan in the centre alongside Mark Durnan and putting Dillon at left-back and John Souttar on the right.
Souttar got skinned in the lead-up to the penalty award but his forward play was decent.
Dillon and McGowan were solid enough but Durnan had a tough time.4 Post-matchIt was interesting to hear Paatelainen say post-match that he was surprised there wasn’t more quality in the side’s attacking play.
That wouldn’t have come as a shock to anyone who had seen the team’s previous fixtures, particularly the dreadful defeat to Partick Thistle before the international break.
They have been punchless and lacking creativity up front.
Mckay has a proven scoring record, though, so if the supply increases and improves then goals will come from him.
Paatelainen felt the team defended well overall and while it wasn’t all great the lead-up to the penalty in particular there were some signs of a tightening-up.
That he had to invent a new defence, though, was an indication of how short United are in some areas of the team when there are injuries.
A real plus was his genuine happiness at being back at United.5 FutureUnited face two possible futures under Paatelainen.
One sees the players make the manager’s plan work and they start climbing the Premiership table.
The other sees them stay stuck at the bottom and look for a ‘Mixu Miracle’ to save them from relegation.
If the Tangerines continue to struggle then supporters should not be surprised to see them do a Ross County, ie significantly revamp the side by investing heavily during the January transfer window to bring players in while letting those who have fallen out of favour head out the door.