Courier sports writers Eric Nicolson and Ian Roache discuss the latest football issues, with Dundee’s tough fixture list top of the agenda.
Q Dundee manager Paul Hartley admitted the team had a “bad day at the office” up in Inverness. Can they avoid having another one when Celtic visit on Saturday?
IR: Hartley’s summing-up was probably as full and frank as you can expect from a manager and that is to his credit. Dundee have managed to get a timely win in the past to ease any pressure on them but a match against the Hoops is the last fixture you would choose under the circumstances.
EN: I can’t see Dundee getting anything from the game but I’d be saying the same about any other team in Scotland just now.
Q After the Hoops come calling, the Dens men are away to Hearts and then head to McDiarmid Park. That’s a heck of a set of fixtures, is it not?
IR: It is indeed. The problem when you don’t beat the likes of Hamilton and
Kilmarnock at home when you play them is that you then go into these games with some trepidation.
EN: I certainly wouldn’t be writing the last two games off. Dundee would and should expect to give Hearts and Saints a run for their money. Dundee are on a bad run, and in these circumstances every game can seem like a tough one. But my opinion of where they will finish hasn’t changed. In old money it would be mid-table, but these days it’s the top half of the bottom six.
Q St Johnstone missed out on second spot in the Premiership by only drawing at Hamilton. However, that doesn’t look too shoddy a result, does it?
IR: Actually, it might turn out to be a valuable point. While Saints didn’t quite bounce back in style from their last-gasp Betfred Cup loss at Aberdeen it was still a pretty decent display and result.
EN: That was my weekend game to cover and I thought Saints were very good in the second half, after an even first period. It had the look of one of those matches where it just wasn’t going to happen, though. And there’s no doubt that Steven MacLean was missed. Ian is reflecting Tommy Wright’s own thoughts – any away point in the Premiership is a decent one. Saints fans can expect their team to continue keeping company with Hearts and Aberdeen.
Q Four out of five Championship matches had larger attendances than the 1,702 at the Accies v Saints match, with the exception – Raith v Dumbarton – just 69 fewer. Is that an argument for expanding the top flight or doesn’t it matter?
IR: Accies have never pulled in the punters and it was a Sunday afternoon game that followed Aberdeen v Rangers on TV. It was also played in pretty
miserable weather conditions. In an ideal world the stands would be packed but it is what it is.
EN: There were 400-odd Saints fans there. There’s nothing wrong with that. And it isn’t as if numbers have suddenly dropped as far as Accies fans are concerned. But, on the wider point, yes, I would like to see a 16-team top league.
Q Dundee United, by their own admission, won ugly against Morton at the weekend. Do you fancy them to grind out another victory against Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday?
IR: It might be a bit of a cliche but the Morton match really was all about the result. United have played better and lost this season but this stuffy victory will still have built confidence and they have players capable of going to Easter Road and winning.
EN: Two points behind Hibs certainly sounds a lot better than eight. Hibs have lost a bit of momentum so this could be a good time for United to play them. If I was Ray McKinnon I’d be happy with a draw though. United’s inconsistency is understandable but it makes me reluctant to predict anything better than a point for them though.
Q Ray McKinnon was forced into yet more personnel and positional changes at the weekend. Is it fair to say he has been unfortunate in not being able to field his ideal line-up on a consistent basis?
IR: The United boss has been offered chances, by myself and others, to use his selection difficulties as an excuse this season and not taken them. They have hampered him, though. Saturday saw the most interesting change yet, with Lewis Toshney in a deep midfield role and Frank van der Struijk switching to right back. I expect that one to stay for the Hibs clash.
EN: Injuries and a lot of new signings have certainly made life harder for McKinnon to decide what his best team is let alone be able to pick it. Until he gets to that point it will probably continue to be an up and down season.
Q What do Gary Bollan and Pep Guardiola have in common (clue: look at the league tables)?
IR: We’ll need to start calling the Forfar gaffer El Bollano! Of course, we are referring to the magnificent 100% starts made in the league by both the Sky Blue galacticos and some other team that also wear blue and play at the Etihad. It’s a fantastic achievement for Bollan his boys and long may it continue.
EN: Saturday’s win at Clyde was probably the most significant one so far given it was against a strong Clyde side who were also in form. An eight-point gap after seven games is impressive by anybody’s standards. Forfar are going to be in fine fettle for their Battle of Britain against the Welsh league leaders in a couple of weeks.
Q Can Celtic get near the afore-mentioned Manchester City in the Champions League this week or are we looking at another Nou Camp-style scoreline?
IR: I fear this will be another sore one for Scottish football as we realise once again how far our champions are behind the giants of the big leagues.
EN: Celtic are a totally different proposition at home than they are away in Europe. It won’t be a 7-0, or anything like it, but it will be a City win.
