Dundee’s brief winning streak may have come to an end but there’s plenty to be positive about around Dens Park right now.
They might have been on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline at Ibrox but six points from a three-game week is the kind of form that keeps you in the Premiership.
And that’s all that really matters on a return to the top flight – the Dark Blues are finally looking the part in this division.
After a decent start followed by a big dive in form and goals, James McPake’s side remain on the up despite the reverse at Rangers.
Often it’s difficult for newly-promoted sides to take anything from a trip to Ibrox but what can Dundee take from their trip to Govan?
Adam Legzdins
If you are going to get anything away to either side of the Old Firm then your goalkeeper absolutely needs to be on form.
There are going to be shots on goal, there are going to be lots of shots on goal.
Dundee’s No 1 Adam Legzdins put in one of his best displays since joining the club as he repeatedly denied the Scottish champions.
Diving saves to stop Fashion Sakala and Connor Goldson looked good but the dash out to block Alfredo Morelos when the striker was through on goal was superb.
After the break Legzdins kept his side in the game. Unfortunately it took his own centre-backs Liam Fontaine and Ryan Sweeney to accidentally divert the ball past him.
A top display that deserved more.
Leigh Griffiths
The sky is blue, the sun rises in the morning, some things just happen in the world. At Ibrox, Leigh Griffiths is going to be a target. That’s just the way it is.
Credit to the on-loan Celtic man, he seems to shrug off the kind of vitriol sent his way.
Not many could.
Of course, Griffiths at Ibrox was always going to be some sort of story, even if it was a storm in a tea cup.
A similar tackle on halfway from any other player would’ve been ignored. Because it was Griffiths, all hell broke loose.
The Ibrox crowd went mad, Rangers players responded and things got a pretty heated. Over very little.
Whatever he does, whether he means it or not, Leigh Griffiths causes a fuss.
Reality
Dundee boss James McPake was keen to talk about “perspective” after this game – nine points from 15 is a very decent perspective to take.
After their recent flurry of form, the Dark Blues are in a better place in the league table than they have been all season.
Sixteen points from 16 games – a point a game is more often than not a recipe for survival.
And coming up from the Championship, competing at Ibrox and Celtic Park is not an expectation.
After a few early-season struggles, Dundee are moving in the right direction – Ross County next week will tell us how far they have come.
