Two key attributes have seen Dundee shoot up the Premiership table in recent weeks.
At close of play against Livingston over the weekend, the Dark Blues were sitting snug in the top six.
That’s an encouraging sight after a quarter of the season, even if the table is as tight as ever.
Two important factors have played a major role in Dundee’s start to the campaign – clean sheets and set-pieces.
Two factors brought into sharp focus by a brace of wins over Livingston within the space of eight days.
Clean sheets & Trevor Carson
Only Rangers (7) and Celtic (6) have more clean sheets to their name in the Premiership this season.
Dundee have five from 11 games, the same as Hearts.
In those five matches, the Dark Blues have earned 11 of their 14 points this term.
Four of those shut-outs have come in the last five games with the 5-0 hammering against Rangers a stark contrast among the recent run.
That is genuinely incredible https://t.co/pNkCIswjoE pic.twitter.com/5g4n9fUlnJ
— Dens Park Choir (@DensParkChoir) November 5, 2023
A big part of that has been the form of Trevor Carson.
Thanks to our partners StatsBomb, we can see how big an impact he has made.
The Northern Ireland international currently leads the way in the Premiership in saves preventing goals.
If not for Carson, Dundee would have been expected to concede four more than they have so far.
He is well clear of the rest in the Goals Saved Above Average metric with 4.07. Next is St Johnstone’s Dimitar Mitov with 2.3 while Zach Hemming of St Mirren is on 2.13.
Carson’s overall save percentage is 75% with only Rangers keeper Jack Butland better on 78%.
Set-pieces
Dundee are top of the table for their set-piece effectiveness – the Dark Blues and Aberdeen have scored more than any other team so far this season.
Both east coast sides have notched six times from set-pieces.
For the Dark Blues, that’s more than half their entire goal tally in the Premiership this season (10).
Against Livingston, it made the difference.
Three goals brought two wins and six points. All three goals came from set-plays, though all different in nature.
The first at the Tony Macaroni Arena came from an Aaron Donnelly long throw, eventually turned in by Joe Shaughnessy.
The second was scored by the same man but through a different route, this time an Owen Beck corner flicked on by Antonio Portales.
Then on Sunday, Luke McCowan became only the second man all season to score direct from a free-kick in the top flight.
Delivery is key, Liverpool loanee Beck has played a big role in providing the ammunition from corners and free-kicks.
But they also have real aerial threats – Shaughnessy has two goals, Ricki Lamie headed in on debut at St Johnstone with the first goal in that game also coming from a set-play.
Zak Rudden’s late equaliser against Kilmarnock came from a corner. Beck sent it in, Lamie headed across goal and the striker was there to slam home to earn a point.
However, it’s not only in the opposing box that Dundee have excelled.
They have only conceded once from a set-piece this season. That was Mikael Mandron’s header from a corner that earned his side all three points at St Mirren.
The only team with a better record is Hearts.
Fine margins
The Premiership this season, as always, is largely decided by fine margins. There is little between the teams.
What is helping Dundee keep on the right side of those margins lately is the ability to shut out the opposition.
And they have a weapon to wield at the sharp end of the pitch, too.
For a newly-promoted side, that’s a very useful combination.
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